The 2016-17 UPCL Expansion Draft

It's finally here, after an Internet disconnection disaster left the league headquarters without service for almost three days. The UPCL officially welcomes the North Modernistic Nighthawks, Midland Predators, and Stonebridge Wolves to the fold as teams 34, 35, and 36 with this expansion draft. The rules were clear. A maximum of ten teams could retain their full rosters. Only six teams did so: Archtown, Boston, Terrace City, Golden, Freedom, and Commerce. The rest of the teams either had players taken away by a mass exodus of former Puyallup members or made the cuts of their own accord. Two trades, as mentioned in the trade announcement post, occurred, further molding the shape of the first round. Without further delay, we'll begin the 53-pick draft with the first of seventeen first round selections, fourteen of which are for compensatory purposes, while the other three are for the new teams or the teams that made trades with them. There will be six picks in the second round, only one of which is compensatory.

First Round

The North Modernistic Nighthawks hold the first overall selection as a result of winning the draft lottery, and they retained their pick as the only expansion franchise not to make a trade for a pick. With the pick, the first player in their franchise history is the former Whitewater Shore, Cheddar. Cheddar has had previous success mostly in cricket, as a critical part of the highly successful Shores team from 2015. Pool success has evaded her, and she's not seen as a natural leader, which the Nighthawks will look for in later rounds. 

Picking second after their trade sent Juno to the Stonebridge Wolves (appropriate for the wolf, who will likely captain the side), the Modernistic Union were on the clock for the first of their two picks in the round. They were looking for just about anything, with Ms. Puppy expected to captain them this year, and they got a rookie from the Mushroom Kingdom group, as Daisy will join the Union. Daisy is seen as a strong complementary player and a true rookie who should be able to help them in cricket as a third hitter. Pool success maybe tougher, but her competitive drive will make her popular in the big city. 

In the third overall spot, the Web City will get to start their rebuild after shipping Rainmane off to the Midland Predators as their expected captain in a big deal. The Spiders are hoping to get either a star in the making or a player preparing for a rebound to bring them back to respectability after a rough couple of years. With the pick, the former Sharpshooter and Specter Dani will join the Spiders. Dani was undecided late into the year about her future in the league, which led to some lazy play. She'll get a chance to see the other side of the Halloween Derby now, after her rookie year with the Specters. 

Now, we're into fourteen straight compensatory picks, beginning with the Southridge Defenders as they try to replace J. Garcia's absence in the lineup. The Defenders have had two of the last three Rookie of the Year awards, and they wouldn't mind going young with any or all of their three picks tonight. They got their wish, taking the Outcast rookie Hughbert fourth overall. Hughbert is a small-bodied bear that make pack more of a punch than he seems. He should definitely help them in pool, and is viewed as a cerebral player more than a physical or emotional one. 

Selecting fifth are the Whitewater Shores in their efforts to replace Wild Thing. The aggressive veteran spent only one year with the team before exiting with the Puyallup exodus. This gifts the Shores a golden chance to rebuild on the fly after a down year. The Shores would like a complementary player with experience with this pick. They definitely got their wish, adding the former Defender and Volcano Shaggy to the squad. Shaggy has had moments of success before, although failure has more commonly plagued her teams. She can struggle with motivation, but will likely be slotted into the three slot for cricket, a new spot for the energetic veteran. 

Going sixth are the Atlantic Pirates, as they'll get a chance to replace Amber after her retirement. The Pirates had one of their best years in cricket, but a terrible pool year. They'll be happy to continue their cricket success if nothing else, and they aren't afraid of fresh blood either. With the pick, they selected a highly-touted and extremely young true rookie in Isabella. The youngster, daughter of the Torpedoes' Smudge and current free agent Leonardo, is affectionately called Izzy and has shown a lot of energy ahead of the draft day. She may need to be tamed a bit before becoming truly successful, and she's got big shoes to fill, but her passion will carry her through the growing pains.

The Modernistic Union are back on the clock with the compensatory pick to recover from the loss of the enigmatic Chimpy, who departed as part of the Puyallup exodus. They are more looking for a veteran this time around, and would consider it a coup to get a former captain to help the leadership issues that have plagued them since Kiwi's departure last year. They used the seventh overall pick, and their last of the draft, to take Strawberry, the former Pronger Trident of four years. Strawberry was highly successful for the league average team, and looks forward to the chance of helping the Union, although she's not much of a leader. 

The Victoria Spurs come up to replace Kavan with the eighth overall pick. The Spurs, notoriously good at pool but lacking in cricket, want to continue that, and would like a solid pool player if they could get one, or a rookie after developing Yekaterina so well this year. It's a rookie they'll get, and a perfect complement to the finesse and grace of Yekaterina. This time, they took Wario, a Mushroom Kingdom member. He plays with a bit of aggression and a lot of power, which should help them in both sports as the Spurs will get a bit tougher to stay competitive in the Southwest. 

The 9th overall pick belongs to the Pacific Volcanoes, in their effort to replace Jack after he left in the Puyallup exodus. The Volcanoes are looking for depth scoring to bridge the gap between the top two and bottom two. They would also like a plus pool player, as they had a terrible season this year in that sport. In answer to their requests, they got Chicky Phil, a journeyman most recently from the Rockers. This isn't exactly what they were looking for, but Chicky Phil has had minor success in his days with the Sharpshooters. The Volcanoes still have a potent 1-2 punch if this doesn't work out for them, and they're league favorites in cricket if it does pan out right. 

The Eastside Sharks are the first team that desperately need a star as they pick 10th overall to replace longtime star and two-year captain Graham, a Puyallup member who guided them to much success after Dusty's unceremonious departure in their roughest year as a franchise. It's widely expected the Sharks will be captained by third-year superstar Taylor Swift this year, and they will have homegrown all their players if they get a rookie. Instead, they find themselves with Paps, a former Trident who had been almost cut for a couple of years. This is a clear downgrade for the Sharks, and questions about fit also linger, as he's the only non-human on the team. 

The Diamond Gems get the 11th overall pick, and they're trying to replace a former MVP from cricket, whose numbers tanked over time. With Cassandra leaving, the Gems would like to cultivate another rookie as they did with Pedey to reasonable success last year. With the pick, they ended up taking a highly-sought-after member of the Mushroom Kingdom group, adding the princess of the galaxy, Rosalina, to the lineup. Rosalina is a true rookie and should fill the hole left by Cassandra almost identically, or maybe even better. The big player is poised and highly cerebral, making her especially lethal as the Gems try to get another good year of pool. 

Picking twelfth are the Pearl Surfers, who have just a minor hole to fill after dealing with Cowzart for a year before he left in the Puyallup exodus. The former Cascade would have been cut had he still played in the league anyway, so the Surfers have low expectations for this pick, making it a prime landing spot for a mid-level rookie or veteran. The newest Surfer will be the longtime Defenders captain Boots, who is now with the big-budget club Reality. Boots succeeded for a couple of years before a hard fall last year, and the Surfers offer her a chance to play deeper in the lineup and get her career back on track this year, a good fit for both sides. 

The 13th overall pick belongs to the Maplewood Lumberjacks, who are making their first selection in two years. This is to replace that pick, as Cubby is leaving in the Puyallup exodus and the Lumberjacks need a new back-of-the-lineup player, so a rookie is more than acceptable in this position. With the pick, the rookie Waluigi of the Mushroom Kingdom group joins the Lumberjacks. The lanky and prickly figure may butt heads with the team, but can also be a merry prankster and should provide some freshness to an ever-solid lineup led by Fluffina. 

A year after doubling down on a questionable roster, the Torpedoes are forced into rebuilding, and they use their first compensatory pick at 14th overall as they try to deal with Gabe's retirement and Shelley's departure with the rest of the Puyallup players. The Torpedoes could really use a veteran or a hyped rookie to help fill the void left behind by the core of their roster. They got just that, with Solaris, son of Pilots captain Valencia and Swifts mainstay Gradley, and also the nephew of the Torpedoes' captain Smudge. Solaris is expected to be a strong leader, and should mature well in his first season, even with the pressure of success on his shoulders for this team. 

Fellow Southwestern rivals in the Lighton Prestige are picking 15th overall to replace Lydia after her one year stay with the team. The former Meteor has decided to leave for now, but stays on as an emergency reserve if necessary. The Prestige have plenty of leadership in place between Acorn and Spirit, so any pick is a good one for them to fill the spot at the back of their lineup. Doing so this year is the rookie Salmo, of the Outcast club. Salmo is the league's first fish, and is seen as a cautious player. His upside isn't highly valued in scouting, but he could be a surprise player. 

The Central Warriors get the next pick, coming in at 16th overall as they'll be replacing Noelle, a Puyallup exodus departure. The Warriors also have a good core in place, and they could be happy with anyone joining the team, although they are a bit more ambitious than the Prestige by their nature. They used the pick to select the biggest name in the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario, to join the team. Mario is a steady and average rookie, expected to sometimes play the hero but mostly provide solid secondary scoring behind Twilight and Dustin. He'll be protected by Gizmo in back as the Warriors have a very hopeful structure for the upcoming season. 

Ending the first round are the Everton Eagles with the 17th overall pick, a compensatory pick to cover for the departure of Cleo in the Puyallup exodus. The Eagles found great success, and want a highly polished player joining the roster as they try to keep up this new standard. They'll be flexible though, as the top of their lineup is one of the best in the league. The Eagles used the pick to take Kirstin, the second-year player formerly of the Southern Monarchs who was somewhat caught up in their purge after another poor year. Kirstin was regarded a questionable cut, and the Eagles think she has room to grow as a player, expecting her to be reasonably successful. 

The second round has only six picks, three for expansion, two standard picks, and one compensatory pick.  

First on the clock are the Nighthawks, picking 18th overall and adding their second player to the franchise. The Nighthawks are still in search of a true leader, but are also well aware of the need for youth early in their existence. With all that in mind, their selection is Luigi, Mario's brother, and the sixth of seven Mushroom Kingdom rookies, who have been hot commodities here. Luigi has a bit more potential and some extra motivation to prove himself on the expansion franchise, and that could help the Nighthawks, but their roster leaves plenty of questions so far. 

The Stonebridge Wolves now look to add to their roster, not needing a leader as they already have Juno from the trade. The Wolves do need a player who can handle longer travel, so stamina and fitness are a big deal for their scouting. The Wolves wouldn't mind some toughness either. They ended up taking Cobalt, from the Outcast club, who is projected to produce solid secondary scoring and about league-average pool results. Not an ideal time for such a pick, but little is known about any of the Outcast members. 

Going third in this round and with the 20th overall pick, the Midland Predators will try to find the perfect player to go with Rainmane. They want a player with poise and calm, to offset Rainmane's aggressive and wild technique. Their pick ended up being Leonardo, the former Todavía Still, who is more like Rainmane and is setting the powerful and aggressive tone for the Predators roster. Leonardo is well regarded, but ran out of time with the Stills, who were looking to shake things up after missing the cricket playoffs. 

For the first time in four years, the Tridents will make a draft selection, with the full knowledge that their roster will look different for the first time since their founding. A color switch last year backfired for them, and they'll turn to new players to fix it. Anything goes on this pick, and they ended up selecting the Outcast club rookie Potter at 21st overall. The rookie is regarded as being a careful balance between bold and reserved, which sounds like a Tridents player right away. They know their team identity, and they are expecting average work from Potter. 

The Viewpoint Sound Meteors are also in the rebuilding business, but have a decent chance of reclaiming a player, as none of their cuts have been selected so far. The Meteors would have cut all four players, but Mams earned protection for her pool efforts and will be the captain. Joining her on the 22nd overall pick is Hoot, the final former Trident to be taken in this draft. Hoot was often one of the better players for the Tridents, but he took a hard downturn in 2016, ending his four-year tenure with the team. The Meteors could use a bounce-back year from him. 

Finally, the second round ends with a compensatory pick by the Torpedoes, as they are on the clock are 23rd overall. The Torpedoes would love to get another related player to pair with Solaris on the roster, and Smudge would definitely be open to welcoming family into the fold as she looks to guide the team to more success. They didn't quite get their wish, but Mr. Snowman comes aboard after a couple years as captain of the Meteors. They were mixed results, but he should play better with the Torpedoes as he will be less counted on to be the star with the team, and he's expected to slot deep in the lineup, potentially as their caboose hitter in cricket. 

Third Round - 11 picks

The Nighthawks are back, still looking for a leader with the 24th overall pick in the draft. They could also use a player with high upside, and getting both at once would be a dream. They may just have done it, taking Peach, a big star and the final Mushroom Kingdom player in the group. Her familiarity with Luigi and solid leadership skills make their last two picks look really good, and they'll be more flexible in the final round after this major success. 

Next up, the Wolves are in play for the 25th pick overall and second of the round. They have taken a balanced approach so far, with an aggressive trade and calm second player. The Wolves do want immediate success, so a high upside rookie would be the best fit. Leadership doesn't hurt either, as they select the former Crowns captain and longtime star Frosty to join their team. Frosty will play well under Juno as a similar mindset, and could even lead off the order or player at the back to provide late experience. 

The Predators get another crack at beefing up their roster some more with the aggressive mindset they plan on defining themselves with. Getting anything other than a muscle player would not be well-received. Fuchsia is the pick at 26th overall, and this is a doable pick for the Predators. Fuchsia's the smallest player on the roster, but comes from an Outcast side expected to be a bit tough, and as a mother, will probably have a certain level of protectiveness. She's expected to fit in the third spot in the batting order as a rookie. 

The Tridents are back knowing they will have another newcomer to the team at the 27th overall picking. This also puts us over halfway done once the pick is in. The Tridents style is very egalitarian in nature, so a superstar might be out of place. Average would carry them far. They made the pick by taking Spot, another member of Outcast. Spot brings a bit of energy that Potter doesn't, but without the intensity that Precious has. Spot is a good fit for the team, although that says nothing of if the team is headed in the right direction or not. 

The Meteors get the 28th overall pick, and still have a decent chance of taking a former player back into the fold. The Meteors are really looking for a bit of leadership and accountability, someone who will challenge their teammates to be strong. Their selection of Dominic doesn't reflect that desire. Dominic has played in non-consecutive years for the Pirates, as well as the Monarchs and Spiders, a journeyman with very little success. He was brought for his second stint with the Pirates last year and did no better than the first time, done in by a poor pool effort. One might question the goals of the Meteors in this draft. 

The 29th pick overall belongs to the Royal Crowns, as they are on a rebuilding effort. For years, they rode the line between average and mediocre, and decided to shake things up. Jake is the new captain, although extra leadership would help them as well. Getting a high-ceiling rookie and a certified leader would be ideal for the Crowns. Their first pick of the night netted them Kayla, who can certainly lead when called on. She is a former Flame, jumping to the other side of that regional rivalry as part of the Castle Derby. Kayla had an unlucky year last year, but should do well behind Jake in the second or third slot, depending on their other pick. 

The Defenders are next, looking to add to Hughbert with the 30th overall pick. Again, this is a side unafraid of rookies, being captained by 2015 Rookie of the Year Debby at the core of their rebuild. A veteran wouldn't be bad either, but the Defenders are optimistic. They ended up taking another rookie, and a highly touted one at that, as Bianca joins the team. The all-white cat, still very young as a true rookie, is a bit more thoughtful than her sister Isabella, but can be intimidating and certainly brings honor as a member of the Clan's premier family. With the Defenders' pedigree with rookies, this is looking like a good draft year for them. 

The Southern Monarchs hold the 31st overall pick, and could have their choice of a couple of former players from different years as they look to rebuild with Panda and Shannon as a questionable core. The Monarchs have lacked cricket success for two years, but played well in the pool tournament last year, and look to build on that. Joining them is a top rookie from Outcast, Hoppy, who probably slipped farther than expected. The rabbit is an energetic and balanced player with strong leadership qualities. The only concern is the Monarchs' history with rookies. 

The Harrison Specters are next on the clock with the 32nd overall pick and both of their cuts still available to be taken. The interest is variable on those players. The Specters are assumed to be going in a new direction under the leadership of Twinkie II as she has clicked well with the team and environment in the Northeast. They'll be adding Kelly, the former Rocker and Meteor, who has lacked success on both teams. Still a young player, Kelly is expected to fit at the back of the lineup, where she was a controversial cut for the Meteors, done in by poor pool playing. She was just a pick away from going to her sister's team.

Speaking of that, the Oceanside Waves, with Alyssa and Snuggle as the new top-two, have the 33rd overall pick in the draft, and the second-to-last selection of the round. The Waves have struggled with veterans, so a rookie could be a good move for a team where expectations are never high. The Waves used the pick on a rookie, and one that comes in with some hype, as Celestia will be the newest Wave. Celestia, twin of Torpedoes' rookie Solaris, is a more cerebral player with just as much potential, and this could be a good replacement for the more energetic and erratic Bells. 

Ending the third round on the 34th overall pick, the Todavía Stills hope to make something of their rebuilding efforts. They need role players, with the leadership of Easter and Sierra well established. They want a big player with muscle and strength, and a finesse player. This pick solves the finesse aspect, as they add the former Wave Bells to the team. Bells will fit nicely into the team as a good soldier, having played that role under Snuggle with the Waves. She'll have extra motivation to beat her former team in their Coastal division games. 

Fourth Round - 19 picks

The Nighthawks look to finish up their roster with anyone they can find with the 35th overall pick, satisfied that Peach will be a good captain for them. They would prefer an experienced player if they could get one. They get just that, adding Bright, who was along for the ride on the last two Hummingbirds teams. His experience of going from bad to good as a team will be valuable for the Nighthawks, and adds a bit of muscle they were lacking up to this point. 

The Wolves are eyeing taking another rookie with their final pick of the night. They would prefer a player who is calm under pressure and composed in their playing style. Their selection at 36th overall was Prism, a rookie from Outcast. Prism is the mother of Dewey, who has yet to be taken. This is another solid selection, and the friendship with Cobalt should be valuable to the team. 

The Predators are next in the line, holding the 37th overall pick and aiming for a bit more muscle to add to the team. They are prepared to take a rookie if they can, with their eyes on one in particular. If not a rookie, a tough player would fit their identity. They did get a bit of toughness with their pick, taking Shawn, the former Blade and Monarch, who has a lot to prove and will get to do it with the expansion franchise. Shawn is best suited to a lead-off role as he had with the Monarchs in his best season, and he's good for average pool playing each year. He'll also be a help to Rainmane as a leader and former captain. 

The Tridents are ready for the 38th overall pick, looking for one more league average player to add to the fold, and potentially another rookie. Their lack of stars has rarely been a detriment, as the Tridents are a humble franchise. Their selection of Zach, the first human in team history, is in line with this identity. Zach had a rough rookie year with the Meteors, but should fit in well as the Tridents look to build for the future. 

The Meteors are next with the 39th overall pick, and they're trying to salvage a disastrous draft day with a big splash at the end. There's not a lot of difference making players left for them to grab. This reality was offset a bit by their selection of Nibbles, Outcast's expected top player. Nibbles will bring leadership to the new look Meteors, and also a bit of youth for the troubled franchise. Nibbles should have a successful season even if his teammates fail. 

The Crowns are up for the 40th overall pick and their final one of the night, with a chance of doing something unprecedented if the chips fall just right. If not, the Crowns would like an experienced player to join the team, and maybe add some leadership as well. They took Cassie with the pick, a true rookie with a lot of motivation to succeed. There are questions about her ability to mesh with Kayla, but she should do her best to make the team better in some way. 

Staying with teams in the Southeast, the Defenders are up for their third pick of the night, and they'd be happy making it a hat trick of rookies. There's still a decent chance for them to get a rookie with the 41st overall pick as well. That they did, landing one of the biggest names, both figuratively and literally, in Stephanie Livilotti. The sister of Knights star Jennifer, Stephanie is a bit more vocal and bold in her play, bordering on reckless, adding the right bit of aggression to the team. Stephanie and Debby are expected to play well together. 

It's been awhile since the Shores last picked, but they're back with the 42nd overall selection tonight, looking for a vocal and assertive player to bring into the team. The Shores think they would be happy with any player remaining on the list. They got Marsell, the former Crown and Hummingbird, who is neither vocal nor assertive, but has played decently on poor teams. He should be able to match the departed Wild Thing's production at a minimum. 

The Queens Flames decided not to tinker much from a roster that did well in pool in 2015, and this is their only pick of the night. A reserved and quiet player would be the best fit for them, as it would go well with the team chemistry. They might have just gotten that in Violetta with the 43rd overall pick, a rookie from Outcast with a scouting report of being small but stern. The Flames lack big personalities, which might help them stay calm against their Castle Derby rivals. 

The Monarchs still have a chance to do an unprecedented thing, although teams behind them are also lined up to as well. The Monarchs hold the 44th overall pick in the draft, and they'd love to see a new face join them. Pounce will be the one to join them. He's unassuming and easy-going, a good fit for a Coastal team despite failing with the Waves last year. He's also spent time with the Torpedoes and Prestige, playing his whole career in the west. 

The split between veterans and rookies is still close as the Atlantic Pirates look to fill out their roster with the 45th overall pick. They made a splash by taking Isabella early on, but no player left could make that much of an impact. Instead, they go with a composed and calm rookie in Klaus to fill things out. The Outcast club member is a strong fit as a subordinate to Delila, and should get along well with Americus as well. Isabella may step out of line more, but the Pirates have sent a message of youth. 

At 46th overall, the Spiders also could still bring back a player they offloaded, and the odds are as high as ever now. They could really use a player to push the team and challenge Shadow's leadership, which is faltering more and more every year. The Spiders took the rookie Ted with this pick, offsetting the speedy and choppy Dani with a pure muscleman. Ted will add grit and toughness to the team, and should help them gel better as well. 

The other Halloween Derby team, the Specters, are the second-to-last team with a chance to bring back a former player, at this stage. They hold the 47th overall pick, and they're looking for something a bit more solid. Ironically enough, they'll take the former Spider and Shark, Sugar, to be their newest player. With Dani on the Spiders and Sugar with the Specters, the Halloween Derby just potentially got more nasty for players facing their former teams. 

The Westside Rockers went for only a minor change in their roster, looking for one new player in the 48th overall position. They would be most happy with one of the two remaining rookies, but the pickings are slim this late in the draft. Instead, the Rockers may have just pulled off a great coup, getting a leading Ringer Award candidate in Slinks. The former Specter was twice passed on by her old team, who had a great deal of interest in her. Instead, she'll add flexibility to the Rockers lineup as she looks to regain her form from 2014. This is a big upgrade for the Rockers. 

The Capital City Sharpshooters are left holding the 49th overall picking, and the hopes for any teams now are rookies, as the remaining veterans inspire little hope. The Sharpshooters made the pick quickly, selecting the former Monarch Nicole. This is seen as a neutral move, with Nicole likely playing about as well as Dani. The Sharpshooters will have to hope last year was just a fluky bad year for them. 

Fellow Heartland Derby members, the Swordpoint Blades, are hoping to go young with the 50th overall pick. They're already shaping up to be a top-heavy team. The Blades might have caught a break with their pick, taking Brute Force rookie Bandit. The story behind Bandit is a good one, left for dead on the sidewalk before finding a home as the adopted son of behemoths Roxy and Nikolai, both of the Cascades. Bandit will be looking to flex muscle even as a tiny bear, and the Blades will have high expectations for him to do so. 

The Waves make their second pick of the night at 51st overall, with only three players left on the board. The Waves will continue their push toward youth, taking the final rookie available in Dewey, a member of Outcast. Dewey is expected to play smart, not all that different from Pounce in the long run. Dewey may need time to grow, but the Waves will need that to be a quick process. 

The Stills are the last team to get a true choice, and it's a 50-50 chance they bring back one of their old players. At this point, that looks like a better option than the alternative. The 52nd overall pick was used on Sparkles, their second cut, and she'll be back with the only team she's ever known. The Stills are happy to have her back at this point. She'll be glad to see Oriental United partner Bells on the team as well, adding to the synergy the proud franchise expects to form. 

This left the Hummingbirds with Brownie at 53rd overall. Brownie has been with many teams over the years, most recently the Specters and Pirates. She'll be riding along with the big three of Princess, Leandra (also a former Specter), and Charli as the Hummingbirds expect a small reduction in scoring prowess. 

That's all for this draft. We'll have team introduction posts by division later on. For now, the weekend will be filled with making sure all league documents have consistency to the results of this draft. Thanks for being patient as this came a bit later than expected. Enjoy the upcoming new season, with qualifiers beginning as early as Monday.

Trade Announcements + Players Eligible For Expansion Draft Selection

As the post title indicates, we're taking care of two major bits of pre-draft information. First of all, two trades were made under the league's expansion draft trading protocol. No teams exercised any player-for-player trades during the trading season.

The first trade saw the Web City Spiders, in need of a rebuilding effort, trade their longtime star play Rainmane to the Midland Predators in exchange for the #3 overall pick in the expansion draft. This trade will be completed when the Spiders use that pick in place of the expansion franchise.

Likewise, the second trade saw the Modernistic Union give up Juno to the Stonebridge Wolves in exchange for the #2 overall pick in the draft. This was a slightly more controversial trade, but the Wolves believe in the ability for growth in the second-year player, especially since she's leaving for a smaller market with lower expectations. The Union also hold the #7 pick, a compensatory pick, which gives them two picks in the first round.

Now, here's the list of available players for the draft, with their previous team status in parentheses. 

Dominic (Atlantic)
Dani (Capital City)
Brownie (Harrison)
Slinks (Harrison)
Bells (Oceanside)
Pounce (Oceanside)
Hoot (Pronger)
Paps (Pronger)
Strawberry (Pronger)
Kayla (Queens)
Frosty (Royal)
Nicole (Southern)
Boots (Southridge)
Shaggy (Southridge)
Shawn (Swordpoint)
Leonardo (Todavía)
Sparkles (Todavía)
Bright (Tysini)
Kelly (Viewpoint Sound)
Mr. Snowman (Viewpoint Sound)
Zach (Viewpoint Sound)
Sugar (Web City)
Chicky Phil (Westside)
Cheddar (Whitewater)
Bandit (rookie)
Bianca (rookie)
Cassie (rookie)
Celestia (rookie)
Cobalt (rookie)
Daisy (rookie)
Dewey (rookie)
Fuchsia (rookie)
Hoppy (rookie)
Hughbert (rookie)
Isabella (rookie)
Klaus (rookie)
Luigi (rookie)
Mario (rookie)
Nibbles (rookie)
Peach (rookie)
Potter (rookie)
Prism (rookie)
Rosalina (rookie)
Salmo (rookie)
Solaris (rookie)
Spot (rookie)
Stephanie Livilotti (rookie)
Ted (rookie)
Violetta (rookie)
Waluigi (rookie)
Wario (rookie)

This list currently totals 51 players, meaning there will be 51 picks in the draft to fill out the roster holes. 

The 2016 City Cup Tournament - Semifinals and Finals

Only four teams are standing, and after this post, only one will remain as the champion. Directly following this post will be a list of players eligible to be taken in the draft. It will be flexible, so there may be one or two last minute changes before the draft, which should now be scheduled for June 20, 2016, at Microsoft Center in Del Sur. I will be spending the bulk of my weekend on preparations for next season, including filling in the cricket document more fully and finalizing the draft list as much as I can. I'm also working on alternate designs for Southridge and Westside. After the draft, I will be taking a long administrative break, likely over the whole week, to do new jerseys and make sure everything is in order for the new season, which should begin on June 26 or 27. Without any further delay, the first semifinal is conducted indoors between...

The Hummingbirds and Spurs. Princess goes against her former team and Kavan for 7-ball. The game started a bit rough, but Victoria's Kavan found his way with a five-ball run-out to get the win over Tysini's Princess, giving his team a 1-0 series lead. Charli and Spice get the 8-ball appearances. The Spurs' Spice didn't make a single shot in the game, despite having plenty of chances, instead getting the win and a 2-0 series lead as the Hummingbirds' Charli illegally potted the 8 to the bottom left in a glaring mistake of the difficult game. Leandra meets Kavan in 9-ball, which saw Tysini's Leandra run seven balls on her second turn, but come out of it all empty-handed. Her miss on the 8, a bank attempt from a tough angle, set Victoria's Kavan up to make the last two balls for the win, giving his team a 3-0 lead in the series. Princess squares off with Yekaterina in 10-ball. The Hummingbirds' Princess had only two shots in the whole game, as the Spurs' Yekaterina broke free for a five-ball run-out after that, making the 5-10-7 combination to the top right as called, with the 10 following the 7 for a legal win, making it a 4-0 series lead for the Spurs. Leandra will be first to step up to save the season for Tysini, playing 12-ball against Victoria's Spice. In this appearance, Leandra had a decent start, but couldn't hold on against an early-four ball run from Spice. The Victoria captain stayed patient, receiving a wild card ball, and then grabbed the win to clinch the series at 5-0. Charli and Yekaterina will battle in the first of three throw-away games, this one being Rotation. Charli prevented the Hummingbirds from being totally swept away, getting the 8-7 win in Rotation after coming from behind to catch Yekaterina early on. The two exchanged short runs for the rest of the game, and Charli had the last two balls to get the win, cutting the series to 5-1. Leandra and Yekaterina pair up for 15-ball. Victoria's Yekaterina was far less merciful at the end of this game, allowing Leandra to share possession early before unleashing a wondrous eight-ball run-out to down the Tysini start and take the win for a 6-1 series lead. Charli and Spice will close it out with Accuracy. Charli got behind at one point in the game, but held on well and managed to earn a 1-2 victory for the game. The Spurs still took the series 6-2, and will await the winner of the next series as their finals opponent.

The #1 Swifts have made it this far, going against the Stills, who get to debut their road look. Gradley and Easter open with the 7-ball game. Boston's Gradley was doing well in the game, putting up a four-ball run before an unfortunate scratch on the 6 gave Todavía's Easter an easy shot for the win, and gave her team a 1-0 series lead as well. Puff II and Leonardo draw the starts in 8-ball. The Swifts' Puff II saw only one minor setback, a scratch, in her game, while the Stills' Leonardo couldn't trigger a gashing run at all. Puff II won with a four-ball run-out of nice cuts to tie the series at 1. Patches and Easter get the 9-ball game. Patches kept it quick, getting the 3 on the break and then lining up the 3-9 combination to the bottom side for the win, putting Boston ahead 2-1 in the series after Todavía's Easter never had a shot in the game. Puff II and Leonardo return for a second match in 10-ball. Leonardo played well over the middle with a three-ball run for the Stills, but his scratch on the 7 doomed him, setting the Swifts' Puff II up for a four-ball run-out for the win, putting them up 3-1 in the series. Patches and Sierra battle in 12-ball, with Patches taking the early lead and nursing it throughout the game to keep Boston in charge. Todavía's Sierra had a threatening late run, but she left the 15 wide of the top right, and Patches struck a precise distance shot on the 6 to the top left for the win, making it a 4-1 series lead as the crowd enters a frenzy. Gradley and Easter are up for Rotation, with the latter fighting for her team's life. Easter kept the Stills alive, pulling ahead to an early lead and never letting go even as the Swifts' Gradley made a significant late push. Easter held on to win 8-6, cutting the series to 4-2. Gradley stays on to play against Sierra in 15-ball. Todavía's Sierra had a slightly stronger game than did Boston's Gradley, and she set herself apart at the end, as Gradley got shaky and missed a number of shots that Sierra made to help guide her to the win, making it 4-3 in the series. Puff II is the next to challenge Sierra, coming in for Accuracy. Puff II played a perfect game, leaving no room for the singular mistake Sierra made in her 0-1 loss, giving the Swifts a 5-3 series win with the game win. They advance into the finals, coming right up.

The big finale features the league's best team this season versus a perennial pool powerhouse that already has one City Cup in their trophy case. Gradley of Boston and Kavan of Victoria have the 7-ball game to lead things off. Gradley had the better of play, but nearly missed on the 7, firing it well wide of the top left. To the chagrin of Kavan, it rebounded off two rails to find the bottom side, giving Boston the 1-0 series lead. Puff II opposes Spice in 8-ball as a battle of Reality members. The Spurs' Spice actually had to earn this win, unlike in the semifinals, as the Swifts' Puff II pressed hard early but ran out of steam. Spice burst forward with a seven-ball run before scratching. Puff II couldn't make her 5, and Spice made the last two shots to win, tying the series at 1. In 9-ball, Patches and Kavan are the contestants. Victoria's Kavan played well enough to win the game, including a four-ball run, but he jammed the 9 at the bottom right, and Boston's Patches made it to the bottom side for the win and 2-1 series lead for the hosts. Puff II is back in action against Yekaterina in 10-ball. The Spurs' Yekaterina needed only one turn to make noise, rallying with a four-ball run-out that ended with her banking the 4 into the cluster with the 6, 7, and 10. The ball drove through with bounces to hit the 10 into the top right for the win, tying the series at 2 as she downed the Swifts' Puff II. Patches and Spice square off in a pivotal 12-ball game. Nerves struck Victoria's Spice at the worst moment, as she had just lined up her final shot and ended up barely hitting the ball. Boston's Patches had spent time setting herself up well, and made her final two shots to steal the win and take a 3-2 series lead for her team. Gradley and Yekaterina will have a big hand in settling the match, as they play Rotation and 15-ball. In Rotation, the Swifts' Gradley had to fight tooth and nail to keep up with the Spurs' Yekaterina, but she had a couple of bad misses late, and Gradley pulled ahead to win 8-6, taking a 4-2 series lead and putting the Swifts a win away from the title. In 15-ball, Victoria's Yekaterina had a highlight reel double-pot of the 10 to the top right and 8 to the bottom side, both bouncing off the 14 in an interesting display to give herself momentum. Boston's Gradley threatened a bit late in the game, but missed the 14. Yekaterina made the last two shots, grabbing a win to bring the series back to 4-3. Puff II and Spice battle it out in Accuracy, which should be a good, close game. It was a bit close, especially with the Spurs' Spice running out of gas late in the game. She managed to hold on, helped a bit by a poor start from Puff II, and the game ended in a 3-5 score for the Spurs, allowing them to tie the series at 4. The series heads to a single overtime game of left-handed 8-ball, a game in which no win has come via legally potting the 8 so far in these playoffs. Patches and Kavan are the designated overtime players. Patches made sure to change that, battling slightly harder than Kavan at the end to set up the 8 and pot it, just barely outpacing the worthy opponent as the Swifts take the series 5-4 and are presented the City Cup as the tournament champions, marking a treble for the Swifts this year.

As always, the tournament would be impossible without the help of Players, Rage, and EastPoint cues, Silver Cup chalk, Aramith billiards, and Ozone Billiards for supplies to improve the games and keep things running smoothly. I intend to get a player listing for the draft out as soon as I can, as well as a trades post, likely in the same post. I'm aiming to do the draft on Monday.

The 2016 City Cup Tournament - Quarterfinals

We're here for the second round of the City Cup today, still from Boston's Coca-Cola Field and its Exhibition Center. We have four series on tap for today, beginning with...

The Spurs get to break against the Monarchs, playing outside on the Field. Kavan and Nicole will play in 7-ball. Victoria's Kavan scratched on his breaking turn, and this set up Southern's Nicole to make the 1-7 combination to the bottom right to give her team the 1-0 series lead. Spice and Shannon get the starts in 8-ball. The Spurs' Spice tried to save the game after the Monarchs' Shannon made a second surge to be on the brink of victory, but Spice illegally potted the 8 and gave away the game, giving the Monarchs a 2-0 series lead. Kavan and Nicole come back for 9-ball. Kavan had the better of play this time, making a four-ball run and leaving the 9 close off his kick from the 6. At the end, he beat Nicole with the 8-9 combination, and Victoria gets one back to make it a 2-1 Southern lead. Yekaterina and Shannon will handle 10-ball duties. Both players made a habit of leaving balls short, which ended up hurting the Spurs' Yekaterina the most, as she did that on the 10 among many others. The Monarchs' Shannon tapped it in for the win to put them ahead 3-1 in the series. Spice and Panda will battle in 12-ball. Spice earned a wild card ball when Southern's Panda made a mistake to clear the table up a bit. The Victoria captain failed to capitalize, allowing Panda to get back in the game and returning the favor late to set him up for the win, which he took to push the series lead to 4-1. Yekaterina and Panda draw the Rotation and 15-ball bids. On an early run by Yekaterina, she drove the 5 into the right rail to pot the 11 in the bottom right, and the cue rested on the rail before coming back onto the table in a one-of-a-kind shot. The Monarchs' Panda made a couple of response runs, but remained a turn behind the Spurs' Yekaterina as she took the 8-5 win to cut the series to 4-2. In 15-ball, Victoria's Yekaterina had a bad break, but that led to her taking a nice share of early possession, as Southern's Panda struggled. He wasn't out of the woods when he shot the 8, missing it. Yekaterina lined up an 8-15 combination to the bottom left, and glanced the 15 off the 9 to deposit it for the win, making it a close 4-3 series. Spice and Shannon meet again to determine Accuracy. Spice kept the Spurs alive one more time, playing a perfect game that the Monarchs' Shannon nearly matched shot for shot before falling behind by the final 0-2 score late in the game. This tied the series at 4, setting up a tiebreaker between Kavan and Nicole (also a personal tiebreaker for the two) in left-handed 8-ball. Nicole was making a late run, stretching three balls together, but as every other attempt at left-handed 8-ball has gone, this one ended with her illegally potting the ball, giving Kavan the win and Victoria the improbable 5-4 comeback series win. Victoria advances to the semifinals.

Staying outside, we have the Warriors breaking against the Stills. Gizmo and Easter will draw the 7-ball game. Todavía's Easter took the win in a gritty and unremarkable game for the players, tapping in the 7 after Central's Gizmo missed it for a 1-0 series lead. Dustin and Leonardo are next in 8-ball. The Stills' Leonardo kept the pressure up, playing slightly better than the Warriors' Dustin in their match, and Leonardo made the last two shots to finish the win, giving the Stills a 2-0 series lead. Gizmo and Easter return for 9-ball. Gizmo gave Central a boost, taking complete control of this appearance as he did a six-ball run-out to beat Todavía's Easter, cutting the series to 2-1 in the process of his big play. For 10-ball, the players are Twilight and Leonardo. The Stills' Leonardo helped his team bounce back strong, driving possession late in the game and taking it to the Warriors' Twilight, as Leonardo finished on a three-ball run-out to re-extend the series lead to 3-1. Twilight and Sierra will play in 12-ball. Sierra battled hard in this game, but it appeared Twilight was closer to winning until she scratched. Sierra expertly made her easy shot with a good leave on the other one, and she made it to, making it 4-1 in the series for Todavía over a now-desperate Central. Dustin opposes Easter in Rotation, with the Warriors' hopes on the line. Dustin did his part this time around, going on a four-ball run from the break for the Warriors, including a double-pot of the 8 and 10 to the bottom side. The Stills' Easter eventually caught up, but Dustin pulled away for an 8-5 win at the end, bringing the series to 4-2. Dustin will be called on again to oppose Sierra, hoping for a better result in 15-ball than he got in 12-ball. Sierra made it as sloppy as possible for Todavía, falling apart after Central's Dustin did a triple-pot of the 14 and 8 to the top left and 10 to the bottom left after striking the 5 with the right spin. Dustin surged and got the win after Sierra scratched, making it 4-3 in the series as he leaves the table. Twilight will now take on Sierra for Accuracy. Twilight got more and more desperate as the game progressed, causing her to miss more and more often as the Warriors star couldn't hold on. The Stills' Sierra won 1-7 and took the series for her team at 5-3 with the win, sending them into the semifinals.

Now, inside the Exhibition Center, the Hummingbirds play the hosting role to the Torpedoes in another Southwestern battle. Princess and Smudge do battle in 7-ball to lead things off. Tysini's Princess started a bit slow, but managed a four-ball run-out to topple Infinity's Smudge for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Charli and Whiskers are next for 8-ball. The Hummingbirds' Charli was working on a four-ball run when she scratched at the worst time, giving the Torpedoes' Whiskers a clear look at her final ball and then the 8. Whiskers made both, tying the series at 1. Leandra comes on for Tysini against Infinity's Smudge in 9-ball. Leandra made sure to do her part in the game, boxing Smudge out often and keeping her away from the good shots. The tactics worked, as Leandra won when she made the 8-9 combination to the bottom left, putting Tysini ahead 2-1 in the series. Princess and Smudge go back at it in 10-ball, with the Torpedoes' Smudge breaking free late on a five-ball run before missing the 10. The Hummingbirds' Princess missed it too, and Smudge potted it the second time to retie the series at 2. Leandra and Whiskers draw the starts for 12-ball. Infinity's Whiskers did nothing short of choking the game away, scratching while she had one ball on the table, giving up a wild card ball, and then missing contact twice. Tysini's Leandra was thankful for the generosity, as it bought her time and flexibility to cover her own mistakes and grab the win for a 3-2 series lead. Charli and Shelley are next up in Rotation. The Torpedoes' Shelley didn't get a great start, but the Hummingbirds' Charli faded quickly. Shelley tied the game in her second turn and used short runs to grab the 8-2 win to tie the series once again at 3. Leandra and Shelley will play 15-ball, with Leandra running five balls for Tysini before Shelley answered on a four-ball run. Leandra ended up with the win, making the last two shots after Shelley missed the 14. Tysini is up 4-3 in the series. Charli and Whiskers are called on for Accuracy. For the large part of the game, the players were evenly matched. The Torpedoes' Whiskers started spiraling out of control after her first miss, ultimately losing 0-5 to a calm and collected Charli of the Hummingbirds, whose win made it a 5-3 series win for her team. The Hummingbirds oppose the Spurs in the semifinals.

Finally, the Swifts host the Eagles for the final quarterfinals series of the day. Gradley and Goldy get the opening 7-ball game. Boston's Gradley did just enough to get the win, as Everton's Goldy missed on her chance at the 7 and Gradley made it for the win to give his team a 1-0 series lead. Puff II and Blizzard are up in 8-ball. The Eagles' Blizzard answered back with a strong game herself, upending the Swifts' Puff II with a five-ball run-out to come from behind for the win, tying the series at 1. Patches is up against Goldy in 9-ball. Patches scratched multiple times in her appearance, and this made it easy for Everton's Goldy to down the Boston captain with a 4-9 combination from ball-in-hand to give Everton a 2-1 series lead. Puff II comes back to play 10-ball against Goldy. The Swifts' Puff II held on early, but the Eagles' Goldy put up a good fight and made it count in the end, making the last four balls over two turns to snag the win and a 3-1 series lead for her team. Patches and Blizzard are called on for 12-ball. Everton's Blizzard had to be patient as Patches of Boston had a good break, but Blizzard knifed her way to a four-ball run, stabbing at the hosts brutally as she played a patient game to get onto her last shot. Patches nearly caught up, but couldn't maintain defensive responsibility, and Blizzard got the win to make it a 4-1 lead in the series. Gradley and Cleo will duel in Rotation and 15-ball as the Swifts fight for their lives. Cleo rallied from behind for the Eagles, using a three-ball run to get on the brink of a clincher, but she missed the 11, and the Swifts' Gradley saved the day for his team with a three-ball run-out to swipe an 8-7 win, cutting the series to 4-2 in the process. In 15-ball, Gradley shot absolutely electric for Boston, working a late five-ball run after a blistering hot start. He did miss the 15 once, but Everton's Cleo whiffed on it as well, and he made it for the win, pulled his team to being behind only 4-3. Puff II and Blizzard come on for Accuracy to determine this series' future. It wasn't a pretty game by any means, but the Swifts' Puff II played well enough to get the 3-5 win after trailing early on. She buried the Eagles' Blizzard late in the game with a barrage of defensive positioning, and Boston has come all the way back to tie the series at 4. Patches and Cleo are the designated tiebreakers, playing Quidditch Rules 10-ball. Everton's Cleo was all over the place in the game, dominating possession, including a late three-ball run, but she rattled the 10 out and Patches cut it to the bottom right for the win. The Swifts take the series 5-4, and advance to the semifinals against the Stills.

Tomorrow, this tournament year comes to an end with the final trophy to be awarded.

The 2016 City Cup Tournament - First Round

Here's the final gem of the postseason crown, and the last UPCL-sanctioned event of the tournament year 2016. It's the City Cup, a fifteen-series battle between the teams. After hosting the most events during the tournament year, Coca-Cola Field was granted the right to host the City Cup. Some series will be played in the Exhibition Center, while others will be out on the makeshift pool complex for the field. We'll begin with...

The Prestige have the breaking rights against the Eagles in their series, played out on the field. Lydia will oppose Goldy for 7-ball. Lighton's Lydia wasted no time in picking up the win, grabbing the 7 off the break as it fell in the top side to down Everton's Goldy and give Lighton a 1-0 series lead in the British Derby. Spirit and Blizzard square off in the first of their three meetings, 8-ball. Blizzard kept the Eagles level with a big six-ball run-out to get the win in her game, as the Prestige's Spirit lost a bit of ground late. The series is tied at 1 as Lydia and Goldy return for 9-ball. Lydia seemed to have a lot of pace in this game for Lighton, but she faltered late, as Goldy had a chance and missed on the 9 but got a second chance and made it, lifting Everton ahead 2-1 in the series. For 10-ball, it will be Acorn against Goldy. Goldy had a three-ball run before she missed on the 7. Acorn made it for the Prestige, but scratched at the same time, and Goldy gave the Eagles another win with her shot on the 8 from ball-in-hand that she drew over to the 10, potting the 8 in the top right and 10 in the bottom right. Everton leads 3-1 as Spirit and Blizzard meet again in 12-ball. Spirit gave up a wild card ball, and this greatly hurt the Lighton star's chances. She played a smothering defense until she no longer could, illegally potting her own ball and giving Blizzard ball-in-hand for her last two shots, which she made to give Everton the big 4-1 series lead. Acorn will match with Cleo for Rotation and 15-ball as the Prestige send their captain to save their season against the Eagles' weakest player. The Eagles' Cleo nearly lived up to that title, blowing a huge lead as the game went tied at 7. She was bailed out when the Prestige's Acorn missed the 15 narrowly at the bottom left, and she tapped it in for an 8-7 win to seal the series at 5-1 for Everton. They met again in 15-ball, with the game going well at first but quickly devolving into lazy shooting and fouls. The end of the game was nothing short of sloppy, with Cleo getting the win on her second try at the 15 after Acorn, while frustrated, just smacked it around the table. Cleo potted it and made it 6-1 for Everton in the series. Spirit and Blizzard will close out the series with Accuracy in a lame-duck game. Spirit and Blizzard played evenly throughout the Accuracy match, but Spirit missed one late and took a 1-2 loss as the Eagles finish the series in a 7-1 win, sending them through to the quarterfinals.

The Spurs will play with the breaking advantage here, sending Kavan out against the Surfers' Wings for 7-ball for a series inside the Exhibition Center. Pearl's Wings had an early four-ball run in the game, but Victoria's Kavan answered with a three-ball run-out to take the win and a 1-0 series lead. Captains Spice and Watermelon have 8-ball as their first of three head-to-head meetings. Watermelon had a dominant stretch in her appearance, ending with a misplay, as her missed contact with the 5 resulted in the 8 falling illegally in the bottom side. The Spurs' Spice didn't do anything productive and took the win for a 2-0 series lead over the Surfers. Kavan and Wings are back for 9-ball. Kavan had a slight edge in this game, but he nearly gave it away when he missed on the 7, scratching in the process. Wings fired a double-pot of the 7 and 8 to the top left, but missed a bank on the 9, and Kavan made it for the win. Victoria leads the series 3-0, with Yekaterina and Cowzart coming on for the first of their three games. Yekaterina had her struggles with 10-ball, but she buckled down to stay competitive for the Spurs. The Surfers' Cowzart looked better until he missed on the 9. Yekaterina made it and the 10 for the win, putting the Spurs in the driver's seat with a 4-0 series lead. Now, Spice and Watermelon play 12-ball, and Watermelon had a nice three-ball run to establish herself, including a big double-pot of the 5 to the top right and 7 to the bottom left. Watermelon failed to get her last ball in position, and Spice picked her way through the rest of the game quickly, stealing the win away and securing Victoria's advancement as they lead Pearl 5-0. Yekaterina and Cowzart are back for both Rotation and 15-ball. In Rotation, Yekaterina started hot the Spurs and never cooled off, marching with a three-ball run-out to an 8-0 shutout of the Surfers' Cowzart, which gave Victoria a 6-0 series lead. In 15-ball, Yekaterina pushed the pace of play in a solid effort on both sides, but Cowzart struck at the end with a three-ball run-out to take the win and make it 6-1 in the series. Spice and Watermelon close out the series with Accuracy. This went fairly well, although Spice nearly had a total collapse late in the game. She saved it quick enough and turned the tables on Watermelon, who missed her last shot with a weak hit. Spice won 3-4, and the Spurs finished the series up 7-1 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Back out on the field, the Sharks play the home role to the Torpedoes. Captains Graham and Smudge are in for 7-ball. Eastside's Graham started with confidence, but his first miss shook it and a scratch shattered it, allowing Infinity's Smudge a four-ball run-out for a win and 1-0 series lead. Niki opposes Whiskers in 8-ball, which saw the Sharks' Niki employ a four-ball run, throwing the Torpedoes' Whiskers off just enough so that Niki could make the 8 on her next shot and win, tying the series at 1. Chelsea will go against Smudge for 9-ball. The game went fine, with both players getting their shots in, until the 9. This proved difficult, with Smudge finally making it from ball-in-hand to give Infinity a 2-1 series lead. The same players met for 10-ball, and the result was the same. The play was good in the early stages, the 9 proved difficult, and Smudge emerged with the victory in the end, lifting the Torpedoes to a 3-1 series lead over the Sharks. Chelsea gets her third and final game in 12-ball against Whiskers, with Chelsea getting a bit lost at the end of the game, but Whiskers accidentally going with it as well, and making both of Chelsea's last two balls to gift her the win. Eastside cut the series to 3-2 after the flub from Infinity's player. Niki steps in against Shelley for Rotation and 15-ball. Rotation saw the Torpedoes' Shelley bolt ahead with a five-ball run, but the Sharks' Niki played resiliently. She stayed until the bitter end, where Shelley finally iced the game at 8-7 after missing a previous chance, and this gave the Torpedoes a 4-2 series lead. In 15-ball, Shelley played patiently, waiting for Niki to slip up, and she did near the end of the game, giving Shelley a golden opportunity to win, and she did so by making the last two shots. Shelley's win secures advancement as Infinity leads the series 5-2. Graham and Whiskers will play in the finale, a game of Accuracy. Whiskers dominated in this one, with Graham hardly offering a challenge in the 2-6 loss he took. Whiskers' win made it 6-2 in the series win, sending the Torpedoes to the quarterfinals.

Back inside, the Warriors have breaking rights against the Cascades. Gizmo will challenge Roxy in 7-ball. Central's Gizmo had a bit of a difficult time at the start, but he rounded into form at the end, winning with a three-ball run-out against a punchless Roxy of Freedom. Central leads 1-0 with their MVP Dustin going against Stinky in 8-ball. The Warriors' Dustin didn't play like an MVP, allowing the Cascades Stinky a four-ball run to pull ahead, and then he set Stinky up for an easy finishing shot to tie the series at 1. Gizmo is called on to go against Roxy again in 9-ball. Roxy had this game under control, working a late four-ball run, but she botched it with a kick attempt far off target, and Central's Gizmo made the 9 from ball-in-hand to top Freedom's Roxy. Central leads the series 2-1. Twilight and Nikolai get the 10-ball starts. The second half of this game drew far more interest than the first. Twilight made the 7 with a three-rail kick, but it was illegally potted. Nikolai responded with a three-ball run, but he missed on the 10, and Twilight put it away, with the Warriors owning a 3-1 series lead after her win. Twilight stays on for Central, opposing the Cascades' Stinky for 12-ball between Reality club members. Stinky desperately tried to hold on in the game, but the Freedom player couldn't stop giving away wild card balls to Twilight, helping ease her discomfort at bad shooting positions. She eventually got the win after he missed contact in the name of keeping a shot in line. Twilight's win makes it a 4-1 series lead for Central. Dustin looks to close the series up in his Rotation game against Roxy. Roxy kept the Cascades alive, weathering an attack from the Warriors' Dustin early in the game before emerging on a six-ball run-out for the win by an 8-4 score. This cut the series to 4-2. Dustin, whose best strength is coming from behind, gets a third try in 15-ball against Nikolai. Dustin finally got one right, battling closely with Nikolai until the 12 came up. This was a challenging ball, but Dustin picked up a three-ball run-out in the end and got the win for Central, clinching the series at 5-2. Twilight and Stinky pair up for the final game, Accuracy. Twilight played fairly relaxed in this game, while Stinky did well for pride for the Cascades, as Stinky took the 1-3 win over the Warriors' Twilight, but Central claimed the series 5-3 to head into the quarterfinals.

The next three series will be outside to help prepare for the festivities indoors for the day's final series. The Lumberjacks send Fluffina against Easter of the Stills for 7-ball. Todavía's Easter did her part, keeping up with Maplewood's Fluffina until she could strike, making the last two balls for a 1-0 series lead. Bryant and Leonardo play 8-ball, with Bryant coming out on a top after a five-ball run saw him navigate a flustered Leonardo of the Stills. Bryant got good position for his last shot, and buried it to help the Lumberjacks tie the series at 1. Fluffina and Easter return for 9-ball. Maplewood's Fluffina was slightly better than Todavía's Easter this time, getting the late possession and winning to put her team up 2-1 in the series. Fluffina remains on for the Lumberjacks for 10-ball, while Leonardo is back for the Stills. Leonardo seemed to have a decent amount of momentum after Fluffina sent a ball over the edge of the table, and he eventually won by making the last two balls on his second turn after Fluffina of the Lumberjacks sent the cue over the rail as she jumped to make the 5. Leonardo's win ties the series at 2. Diddley makes his debut in the series against fellow debutante Sierra in 12-ball. Todavía's Sierra got the win despite giving up a wild card ball in the game, as Diddley couldn't find a good position, and Sierra gently kicked the 7 into the top side. Maplewood is behind 3-2 in the series now. Diddley stays in against Easter for Rotation. Easter once again proved valuable for the Stills, waiting for Diddley to stall out and then beating the Lumberjacks player 8-4 on a late surge herself. Easter gave her team a 4-2 series lead, which puts them in total control now. Diddley will have to reverse his fortunes in 15-ball, as another loss to Sierra puts his team out of the tournament. Diddley's annoyance spilled over when he scratched after making the 8, and two shots later, Sierra clinched the series for Todavía by making the 15 off a deflection from the 10 to the bottom left. This made it 5-2 in the series. Bryant and Sierra get the last game, Accuracy. Due to excess frustration, the game was called in a 5-5 draw, resulting in the Stills taking the series 5-2-1. They'll face the Warriors in the quarterfinals

Continuing with the outdoors series, we have the Hummingbirds breaking against the Knights. Stars Princess and Kiwi will battle in 7-ball. Terrace City's Kiwi missed contact with the 6 late in the game, opening things up for the struggling Princess of Tysini to finish off the last two shots for a 1-0 series lead. Charli and Jennifer get the 8-ball nods. The Hummingbirds' Charli thought she had the game under control as she pieced together a four-ball run, but it ended with a scratch as she made the 8, and that gifted the game to the Knights' Jennifer, tying the series at 1. Leandra has her chance to go against Kiwi now, in 9-ball. Tysini's Leandra missed on the 5, a critical mistake in a game with as much talent as this one. Terrace City's Kiwi shut the door from there with a three-ball run-out after a strong effort, giving her team the 2-1 series lead. Princess is next up against Kiwi for their second meeting in 10-ball. This game was always going to have a short end, but the Hummingbirds' Princess accelerated her own demise, missing contact on the 2. Kiwi's ball-in-hand netted the 2-10 combination to the top right to put the Knights ahead 3-1 in the series. For 12-ball, Leandra goes against Jennifer. Leandra saved the day for Tysini, putting up a four-ball run to pace her attack after Jennifer struggled to develop momentum. Leandra had to battle against a defensive Jennifer late in the game, but she got the win and cut the series to 3-2 as Terrace City still leads. Charli is against Oreo for Rotation. Charli burst out to a massive lead for the Hummingbirds, and while Oreo tried to pull back into it for the Knights, she was quickly shut down. Charli capped the game at 8-2, tying the series at 3 to add extra value to the final games. Leandra will play against Oreo this time in 15-ball. Both players were streaky, making for a thrilling game all around. Leandra led off with a four-ball run to give herself a nice advantage, but Oreo later replied with her own four-ball run. Leandra shot this down with a six-ball run-out, leading Tysini to a 4-3 series lead over Terrace City with one regulation game to go. Charli and Jennifer will battle in Accuracy, as the Hummingbirds want to end it quick. Charli couldn't finish the series off, falling behind Jennifer quite early. Jennifer made the lead hold up and won 3-5, tying the series at 4 and forcing a tiebreaker between Princess and Oreo. That game was left-handed 8-ball. Princess had a four-ball run end in a scratch in the overtime game, but she got the win anyway, as Oreo's hit on the 2 resulted in the 8 falling in the top left. Princess got the win to give Tysini a 5-4 series win, setting themselves a date with the Torpedoes in the quarterfinals.

The final outdoor series comes from under the lights between the breaking Gems and Monarchs. Citrus and Nicole have the 7-ball appearances. Southern's Nicole took the win with a three-ball run-out, making a sharp deflection off the 6 to bury the 7 in the top right, taking a 1-0 series lead over Diamond and Citrus. Smokey and Shannon square off for 8-ball. The Monarchs' Shannon let a four-ball run late in the game go to waste, as she missed contact with the 8, and the Gems' Smokey made the last two shots for the win, tying the series at 1. Citrus and Nicole return to play 9-ball. Nicole tried and failed to thread the needle between the 4 and 9 for Southern, illegally potting the 9 to gift Diamond's Citrus a win that puts her team ahead 2-1 in the series. Pedey and Shannon will play 10-ball. Shannon played well for the Monarchs, driving possession throughout the game as the Gems' Pedey was erratic and had two bad scratches to give it away to Shannon. Her win tied the series again at 2. Pedey stayed in to oppose Panda in 12-ball. This game appeared to be a marathon, with each player pacing himself nicely. However, once they got on to their final balls, they went all out to keep themselves ahead. Southern's Panda nearly won with a kick on the 7 toward the top side, but Diamond's Pedey won as he drove the 12 to the bottom left, putting them ahead 3-2 in the series. Citrus draws Panda for the Rotation game, trying to put the Gems farther ahead. The Monarchs' Panda again had a critical miss due to hitting too softly, and this allowed the Gems' Citrus to key up a three-ball run-out, breaking out of the tie and into an 8-5 win to push the Gems ahead 4-2 in the series, a win away from moving on. Smokey will get his turn with Panda in 15-ball. Smokey was charging late in the game for Diamond, working his way to a four-ball run that stopped dead when he missed the 11-15-12 combination to the top right. He left the 11-15 combination lined up, and Southern's Panda converted it to make it a 4-3 series. Smokey goes against Shannon for Accuracy. Shannon made the highlight reel with a 6-7-10-11 combination to the top right. A troublesome final ball inflated both scores by two shots, leaving the Monarchs' Shannon with a 3-5 win over the Gems' Smokey. The series heads to a tiebreaker, pitting Pedey against Nicole in Quidditch Rules 10-ball. Nicole had a four-ball over the middle of the game, and then cashed in when she left Pedey with a bad shot on the 10. He missed, leaving it short at the bottom right, and she tapped it in, completing the upset as the Monarchs advance with a 5-4 series win to the quarterfinals against the Spurs.

Finally, the Swifts host the Harrison Specters inside the Exhibition Hall as they look for a third major title this year. Gradley and Twinkie II start for 7-ball in a rematch of their preliminary battle in the championship round. Just as she did in the tournament, Harrison's Twinkie II bested Boston's Gradley again, making the last two balls after he choked on the 6. Harrison leads 1-0, and the 8-ball players are Puff II against her sister Twinkie II. In this game, Twinkie II choked by scratching on the 8 after shooting it from distance, costing the Specters a win as the Swifts' Puff II didn't need to complete the comeback to tie the series at 1. Patches and Sydney are next for 9-ball. Patches absolutely dominated the game, working an early six-ball run and then closing with a three-ball run-out, shutting out Harrison's Sydney and barely letting her shoot at all as Boston takes a 2-1 series lead. Puff II and Twinkie II have their second meeting in 10-ball. Puff II started with a four-ball run, and needed only a bit of help as Twinkie II glanced the 10 as she tried to hit the 8, with the Specters' star falling to the Swifts' player at the end as Puff II brushed the 10 to the top left. The Swifts hold a 3-1 series lead, and send Patches up for 12-ball against Sydney. Patches did very well at the start to pick and choose her shots well, and get herself set up for the last two balls. Sydney had to play catch up but she couldn't get set up at all, and Patches waited patiently to emerge with the win for a 4-1 series lead, putting Boston on the brink of bumping Harrison. Gradley and Brownie match up for Rotation and 15-ball. In Rotation, Gradley was quick to build a lead for the Swifts, and while the Specters' Brownie made her challenges late, she really couldn't cut into the lead, and Gradley casually iced it at 8-2 to secure the series at 5-1. In 15-ball, Boston's Gradley also grabbed the win, although he had to battle with Harrison's Brownie a bit, as she left the 15 short at the top right and then threatened it a couple of times. Gradley held on to get the win on a 12-15 combination to end a three-ball run-out and give Boston the 6-1 series lead. Puff II and Sydney will play the final game of Accuracy, bringing the first round to a close as well. Puff II couldn't handle the game, and things got worse as the game went on, with Sydney finally ending on a 5-6 win. Boston took the series 6-2, punching a ticket to the quarterfinals, ready to face the Eagles.

The quarterfinals should be up tomorrow, and then the semifinals and finals on Friday.