This is what I expect to be the second-to-last day of this round. I expect a full schedule for tonight. We begin with...
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Pounce. The game is Accuracy, with the red cue in play. Boston's Gradley played a perfect game 1, while Oceanside's Pounce was decidedly less perfect, and the game ended 0-5 as Gradley gained a 1-0 series lead with the dominant effort. The Swifts' Gradley faltered in game 2, putting up a bad break and missing on the last ball to allow the Waves' Pounce a 2-3 win, tying the series at 1 with the opportunistic win. Gradley reverted to earlier form in game 3, winning 0-5 again by leaving Pounce on the periphery after gaining control of the game, good for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #17 for Accuracy, Gradley will host the Maplewood Lumberjacks' Bryant in the second round from this venue.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Shiny v. Smokey. The game remains Accuracy, but the blue cue gets this series. Diamond's Smokey won an ugly game 1, as the players showed some animosity with their defensive leaves, and Web City's Shiny ended up on the wrong end of a 5-6 loss late in the game, giving Smokey the 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shiny completely fell off in game 2, missing a bunch of shots late out of desperation attempts, and the Gems' Smokey buried his shots with impunity in his 0-5 win to secure the series at 2-0. Smokey had to work a little harder in game 3, as later shots didn't line up well, but Shiny melted again and lost 2-4 to give Smokey the 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #70 for Accuracy, Smokey travels to Lighton's Pepsi Arena to face Twinkie I of the Prestige in the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Juno v. Stealth. The blue cue stays up for its first round finale of 10-ball. Swordpoint's Stealth had a lot of errors early, but had a late three-ball run end with a wide shot on the 9. Modernistic's Juno took over and buried the last two shots from distance to win for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Blades' Stealth didn't avoid boneheaded errors in game 2, with a late one being his illegal use of the stick while trying to shoot the 9. The Union's Juno couldn't get the 10 this time, leaving it short at the top left for Stealth to tap-in and tie the series at 1 with. Juno had a four-ball run over the middle of game 3, and thought Stealth might catch up, but his bank on the 10 ended short at the bottom side, which Juno tapped in to take the series 2-1. Ranked #5 for 10-ball, Juno hosts Union teammate Chimpy in the second round at this venue.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Dusky. The blue cue continues with some 9-ball. Oceanside's Snuggle got lucky that Archtown's Dusky couldn't convert her shot on the 9 toward the bottom left, ending her five-ball run and giving Snuggle the tap-in he needed for a 1-0 series lead with his win. The Arrows' Dusky made a bold move in game 2, kicking the 8 aggressively to the bottom right before cutting the 9 to the top right for the three-ball run-out and win, tying the series at 1 after a decent effort from the Waves' Snuggle came up short. Snuggle capitalized again in game 3 when Dusky left the 9 short to end a four-ball run, allowing Snuggle another easy win to claim the series 2-1. Ranked #11, Snuggle will host Shawn of the Swordpoint Blades at this venue in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Brownie. The red cue is back for more Accuracy. Game 1 played out very competitively, with both sides getting their lucky break. Twilight of Central saw her luck run out first, and her single miss produced the 0-1 win for Harrison's Brownie, which gave her a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 suffered from a serious cluster of about half the rack near the bottom right, which forced a number of misses, leading to the Warriors' Twilight picking up an ugly 3-5 win, tying the series at 1 against an ill-prepared Brownie of the Specters. Twilight controlled the start of game 3, and it paid off, as she faded a bit late, but held on to win 2-5 as Brownie couldn't make up any ground. Ranked #11 for Accuracy, Twilight will host Snuggle of the Oceanside Waves at this venue in the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Slinks v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The silver cue wraps up its 8-ball obligation for the first round as we stay in the Northeast. Victoria's Yekaterina set a tone that Harrison's Slinks failed to match in game 1, with her six-ball run pacing a bold attack that gave her a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Slinks lost the series and game 2 in the worst way, shooting a cluster buster that bounced the 8 to the top right to give the Spurs' Yekaterina the easiest win of her young career and a 2-0 lead in the series. Slinks had her best game of the series in game 3, competing shot for shot with Yekaterina, but the latter did well to get good position on the 8 after Slinks failed to make it, and she won for a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #94 for 8-ball, Yekaterina's second round match is in nearby Maplewood at UPS Hall against the Lumberjacks' Diddley.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Ms. Kitty. The most crowded bracket left gets a series here, with the red cue on for 10-ball. Game 1 saw both players slightly off in their shooting abilities, with Infinity's Gabe getting the win and 1-0 series lead by mopping up the miss on the 10 from Pacific's Ms. Kitty. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty took the game 2 victory in a slightly cleaner game, making the last two balls after the Torpedoes' Gabe had a three-ball run end, tying the series at 1 in the process. Gabe answered with another messy win in game 3, potting the 10 that Ms. Kitty left short at the bottom right to steal a 2-1 series win. Ranked #19 for 10-ball, Gabe will host Ms. Puppy of the Modernistic Union at this venue in the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Fluffina. The silver cue gets another appearance in 9-ball. Boston's Sweetheart dominated in game 1, but came up empty when Maplewood's Fluffina turned in a three-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Sweetheart appeared doomed after a late scratch, but the Lumberjacks' Fluffina couldn't quite corral the 9 after making the 7 and 8 at the other end of the table, and her short leave allowed Sweetheart a tap-in win to tie the series at 1. Sweetheart had to put in a huge effort late in game 3, but her four-ball run-out sealed the win and a 2-1 series win over Fluffina, highlighted by her well-weighted bank of the 8 to the top right. Ranked #6 for 9-ball, Sweetheart hosts Modernistic Union veteran Puff I for a second round series at this venue.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sierra v. J. Garcia. The blue cue is back now, playing Accuracy. Southridge's Garcia pummeled Todavía's Sierra early, and then fell into step in game 1, winning 4-6 in an error-ridden meeting marred by a horrendous break from the host that somewhat helped Garcia get a 1-0 series lead. The only thing decidedly better about game 2 was the break, but the players erased that advantage with poor shooting, particularly from the Defenders' Garcia, although the Stills' Sierra did her part in a sloppy 4-5 win, fading late but hanging on to tie the series at 1. Game 3 showed each player's ability to make incredible shots, with all up for grabs. Garcia ended up getting the 0-1 win after a very narrow miss early on from Sierra proved fateful. Ranked #71 for Accuracy, Garcia will play in Pearl at Honda Driftwood Coliseum against the Surfers' Wings in the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Jennifer Livilotti. The red cue gets another 10-ball series as it knocks down its remaining games. Everton's Goldy let Terrace City's Jennifer do much of the work in game 1, before Goldy scored a strongly-shot four-ball run-out at the end for a win and 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Jennifer had an interesting game 2, missing contact a couple of times but then winning on a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after the Eagles' Goldy did the same thing on the 7. The series is tied at 1. Goldy started a bit slow in game 3, but had a five-ball run and then made the last two after a miss from Jennifer, good for a 2-1 series win. Goldy is ranked #13 in 10-ball, and she hosts Acorn of the Lighton Prestige at this venue in the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Juno v. A. Charlton. The blue cue will finish its Accuracy for the first round with this series. Modernistic's Juno did well until her scratch, which caused her to miss a smattering of shots in a row. Golden's Charlton faded at the end, but won 3-6 for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Juno made a massive effort to force overtime, burying the Pilots' Charlton deep on late shots, but two turns into overtime, Juno missed and lost 2-3, giving Charlton a 2-0 series lead. Charlton absolutely fell apart in the meaningless game 3, allowing Juno to save some face in a sloppy 3-7 win, but Charlton had the series 2-1. Ranked #72 for Accuracy, Charlton heads to Atlantic's McDonald's Hall for a second round series against the Pirates' Amber.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Americus v. Gizmo. The game remains Accuracy, but the red cue gets this series. Central's Gizmo weathered a terrible start to game 1, snagging a 4-6 win as Atlantic's Americus couldn't fully answer his shots later in the game, and the visitor leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw a lot more discipline, with just one lull in the middle and a scratch at the end by the Pirates' Americus, leading to a 1-2 win for the Warriors' Gizmo as he clinched the series at 2-0. Americus finally got a win, dominating thoroughly in game 3 for the 1-3 win, but Gizmo claimed the series 2-1. Ranked #90 for Accuracy, Gizmo heads to Eastside's HP Field Events Center to visit the Sharks' Niki for a second round set.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Strut. The silver cue opens the night by closing its first round 9-ball bracket. Golden's Strut ended up with the win after Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman snookered himself behind the 9 while going for the 8, giving Strut an unremarkable win for the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut ended up on top of the very back-and-forth game 2 as well, winning on his second shot at the 9 after the Meteors' Mr. Snowman failed to bury it from distance to the top left. Strut leads the series 2-0. Strut ended game 3 with a bang, double-potting with the cue caroming off the 7 to drive the 9 to the bottom right, while the 7 banked off the right rail into the top left to secure Strut's 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #106 for 9-ball, Strut will travel to Pepsi Arena in Lighton to face the Prestige's Twinkie I in the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Charli XCX. The red cue comes on for 10-ball between a pair of rookies. Freedom's Nikolai had a five-ball run over the middle of game 1, and benefited from Tysini's Charli scratching after potting the 9, as he tapped in the 10 for a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Cascades' Nikolai had a folly when he couldn't carom the cue off the 4 to get the 6, which left the Hummingbirds' Charli perfectly lined up for a 4-10 combination to the bottom side, which she converted quite easily for the win to tie the series at 1. Nikolai got the win in game 3 as well, tapping in a shot that Charli missed to the top right. Nikolai won the series 2-1, and his #11 ranked 10-ball bid hosts Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows in the second round at this venue.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Goatee. The blue cue gets an appearance in 9-ball. Game 1 did not go all that well, as players tried for combinations that weren't clicking. Queens' Crystal later failed with a late scratch, allowing Westside's Goatee to tap in the 9 and get a 1-0 series lead with the win. The Flames' Crystal tied the series at 1 with a strong 6-9 combination from a bad angle to the top right, stunning the Rockers' Goatee, who lacked the same pace in game 2. The move reignited the old Solid Core/Delila Enterprises feud about combinations to win in 9-ball, with tensions markedly higher. Crystal won game 3 with full ethical support, running three at the start and finish, with the latter coming from ball-in-hand after Goatee made illegal contact with the 8. Crystal secured the series at 2-1, and her #9 ranked 9-ball bid hosts Jennifer Livilotti of the Terrace City Knights in the second round at this venue.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Nicole v. Chris. The day ends with Accuracy and the red cue. Capital City's Chris did a good job of forcing Southern's Nicole into enough misses to create the need for overtime, but she left him in a terrible spot to break from, and then buried her only overtime shot to win 3-4 for the 1-0 series lead after game 1. Game 2 featured all sorts of drama, with the Monarchs' Nicole again collapsing into a tie after the Sharpshooters' Chris gained the upper hand. Nicole broke in overtime, and the two exchanged in perfect harmony for all of the first overtime. Chris finally faltered on the second overtime break, with Nicole potting for the 3-4 win and 2-0 series lead. Chris picked up a win with a dominant game 3, making it a 2-1 series for Nicole. Ranked #7 for Accuracy, Nicole hosts Noelle of the Central Warriors at this venue in the second round.
Tomorrow's a big day for the league. First, there's 30 games/10 series to be played to finish the first round of the A-level tournament. Then, there's a standings update and other associated administrative tasks. In the evening, the CCC Final will be played in its entirety, and a new schedule for the second round will be posted by Saturday afternoon. No more pool will be played for awhile after tomorrow. I cannot make any promises to frequency.
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