It all comes down to this for the Heart of the Game Doubles 8-ball Tournament. The final four teams will battle it out over 20 games to determine the top 4 rankings. We begin with...
The blue cue administering the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin, against Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. The Woodelands struck first in game 1, as Lexi and Destiny's Sierra battled to a null level, while Caitlin outplayed Spirit with a five-ball run topping the latter's four-ball run. Caitlin had a chance to win it, but couldn't convert on the 8, leaving it for Lexi in the end, and she made it for a 1-0 series lead for the Woodelands. Destiny's Sierra nearly ran the table after Lexi had a mild run from the break, but Sierra tripped up and ended with a six-ball run. The game never got back to her, as Caitlin did a short run for the Woodelands, but Spirit's attempt to finish the game resulted in a scratch while potting the 8, giving the Woodelands the 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw another tight battle between Lexi and Sierra, each refusing to yield much ground to the other. Spirit showed better, getting a three-ball run the first time to answer Caitlin's three-ball run, and then Spirit put up the final two shots in the game, ending legally to grab a win and cut the series to 2-1. Caitlin continued to be underrated in the series, as she was responsible for the winning three-ball run-out in game 4 after Sierra couldn't quite cut the 12 to the top side. Spirit started the game on a three-ball run from the break to pace Destiny's attack, but Lexi and Caitlin carved it up and won to clinch the series at 3-1. Game 5 saw some more relaxed play from both sides, with Sierra and Lexi struggling to make runs. Caitlin still impressed, but her final turn ended with a light miss on the 8, and Spirit buried it to the top right to get the win, resulting in a final series score of 3-2. The Woodelands advance to the Final against the winner of the next series, while Destiny is in the 3rd place game against the next series loser.
On the other side of the bracket, the Founders, Acorn and Oreo, face Davidson's Conquest, Kirstin and Niki. The silver cue has control in this series. Game 1 was a disaster for both sides' finishing ability. Davidson's Conquest took a massive early lead through Kirstin and Niki's early runs, allowing the Founders to defend. Acorn and Oreo pulled back into the game, but Oreo's miss on the 8 when she had a chance allowed Niki to score it for the win a 1-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. It was time for Davidson's Conquest to struggle in game 2, as they had nothing on the break and watched Acorn put up a three-ball run. Oreo continued to support in offense as Niki had a miss on her first turn. Niki shot back with a five-ball run after Kirstin's scratch, and this sufficed to get them close, but Oreo's three-ball run-out won the game for the Founders, tying the series at 1. Acorn had an empty break for the Founders, but it was his second turn that defined the game. Davidson's Conquest had a fairly strong defensive front with their remaining five balls, but Acorn managed a four-ball run with a double-pot of the 1 and 5, but also some collateral damage. The first accidental potting was on one of the Davidson's Conquest striped balls, but the second saw the 8 go in the top right, giving Davidson's Conquest the win and a 2-1 series lead. Davidson's Conquest pushed the Founders to the edge in game 4, with Kirstin's break and Niki's supplementary runs really making a game of things, but Oreo stood tall, with a three-ball run to get her team close, and then a sharp cut on the 11 to the top right and the follow-up to sink the 8 there for a win, tying the series at 2, as the final spot in the Final will come down to the last game. Game 5 played out in an absolute frenzy, with Kirstin going on a six-ball run, followed by Oreo's four-ball run. Niki made one ball, and then Acorn had a chance to win it, but his run ended with three balls and the 8 left near the top left, where Kirstin punched it into the pocket for the win, a 3-2 series win, and a trip to the Final against the Woodelands. The Founders will play for 3rd place next.
In the 3rd place series, the silver cue sees the Founders, Acorn and Oreo, battle Destiny's Sierra and Spirit for the bronze in this tournament. Destiny kept pace with the Founders every step of the way through game 1, as Acorn's opening four-ball run met resistance from Sierra's four-ball run. In the end, Spirit squandered a chance by trying to sneak around the 8 and putting it in the top left too early, giving the Founders a 1-0 series lead. Acorn had a bit of an odd break in game 2, scratching but claiming solids at the same time. Sierra and Spirit gashed a couple of runs for Destiny, but Oreo and Acorn held on as the Founders stayed close. In the end, Acorn had the last two shots, a cut on the 6 to the bottom side and a bank to put the 8 in the top side to win and take a 2-0 series lead. Sierra managed a three-ball run for Destiny in game 3, after an empty break from Acorn, but the team couldn't hold on. Spirit had many struggles going against Oreo in this game, and Oreo provided a spate of offense before Acorn managed a three-ball run-out for the Founders at the end, deftly squishing the 8 between the 7 and the rail to send it in the bottom right for the series-clinching win. This made it a 3-0 series. Sierra missed a chance to break out on a big run in game 4, as her miss on the 14 allowed the Founders to make their way back into the game. Oreo started with a decent effort, but it was Acorn's four-ball run of mainly tap-ins that sculpted the game. Oreo made the last two shots, using the 6 to position on the 8 for the win, and they went up 4-0 in the series. Spirit tried to scratch a lot at the end of the chippy game 5, keeping Acorn from getting ideal shots on the 8, but the strategy faltered and Acorn made the shot, winning the game and sweeping the series 5-0 to give the Founders bronze medals for their showing in the tournament.
In the final, the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin, oppose Davidson's Conquest, Kirstin and Niki, for the tournament championship. The red cue is designated for this final five-game set. The Woodelands had to chase in game 1, as Lexi got nothing on the break and Kirstin and Niki each had three-ball runs, which Caitlin failed to answer. Lexi put up a four-ball run on her second turn, but Kirstin handled the last two shots with ease for Davidson's Conquest to win and take a 1-0 series lead. The Woodelands struggled at the start of game 2, as Lexi had illegal stick contact to surrender control of the ball to Davidson's Conquest. Niki played too relaxed in the game, and Kirstin couldn't cover it, as Lexi later had a chance to make up for her mistake with the final two shots to win the game and tie the series at 1. The pivotal game 3 proved quite the match for both sides, with Niki starring in a five-ball run for Davidson's Conquest, answered in part by Lexi working a four-ball run but missing on the 8. Kirstin couldn't get the last ball, but she wouldn't have to, as Caitlin illegally potted the 8 to the bottom right, calling the wrong pocket because of a deflection, and Davidson's Conquest taking a 2-1 series lead over the Woodelands. Game 4 slowed the pace down a bit, and the Woodelands didn't enjoy this, as the drama of being one mistake from losing was quite a pressure. Caitlin had a couple of misses in the game, allowing Kirstin to deal a bit more damage for Davidson's Conquest, but she couldn't pot the 8 on a tough shot after Caitlin missed it. Lexi stepped up and buried it on a cut to the bottom right, tying the series again at 2 and leaving the whole tournament to come down to one game. Game 5 saw a finishing frenzy of action, with Caitlin's five-ball run setting off a chain reaction. Niki answered on a six-ball run, but just missed on the 8 to the top side. Lexi took over with a three-ball run-out to clinch the series and the championship with the Woodelands, taking the championship 3-2. The Woodelands are the winners of the tournament, while Davidson's Conquest is second, and the Founders took third.
With that, we close the Heart of the Game Doubles 8-ball Tournament. The Heart of the Game franchise is expected to continue, with sporadic tournaments in between the main UPCL sanctioned events. Most likely is a Heart of the Game Cutthroat Tournament over the summer. Additionally, the Club Cricket Challenge will not be held this December. Talks between the UPCL and the Clubs are ongoing on whether the event will be staged during this cricket season or not. UPCL Cricket returns next week with Week 3 action.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Quarterfinals
I've decided to break up the major rounds. Today, we will have all the Quarterfinals series played, and tomorrow will be the Final Four. We begin today with...
Lexi and Caitlin, the Woodelands, facing Jennifer and Stephanie, the Livilottis, in the first of two silver cue series, with the winners of these two series facing each other. Caitlin's four-ball run in game 1 ended up going to waste when Lexi tried a risky bank shot on the 3. The shot failed, keeping Stephanie off the hook for botching a simple run, as Lexi illegally potted the 8 and gifted the Livilottis a 1-0 series lead with their win. Jennifer thought her pacing four-ball run at the start of game 2 would be enough to keep the Livilottis in control, but Stephanie went empty after a three-ball run by Lexi. Caitlin chipped in a bit, but Jennifer was overwhelmed in the end, and Lexi iced it on a three-ball run-out to get the win and tie the series at 2. Jennifer continued to be the heartbeat of the offense for the Livilottis, putting up a four-ball run after Lexi's empty break. Caitlin kept the Woodelands in the game with a five-ball run, and things got choppy from this point, as Jennifer and Stephanie each had misses on the 8. Caitlin provided enough to get the Woodelands back in the game, and Lexi would be the one burying the 8 on a thin cut to the bottom side, giving them a 2-1 series lead. In game 4, the Woodelands allowed Caitlin to break instead of Lexi. The results were the same as previously, an empty break, but Jennifer didn't get as much on the run. Lexi established a lead, and a couple of key misses from Stephanie during the game set up an easy straight-line finish on the 8 for Caitlin, with the win clinching the series at 3-1 for the Woodelands. Caitlin made a deep run in game 5, working a five-ball run for the Woodelands. Jennifer partially answered it, but she couldn't corral her team's last ball, and Lexi made the tap-in on the 8 for the win, giving the Woodelands a 4-1 series win. They'll face the winner of the next series in the first Semifinal.
In the second Quarterfinal, the silver cue will administer the series between Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight and Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. Sierra picked her way through a four-ball run after Nightfur had an empty break in game 1, and this paced the game. A bit later, Midnight of Darkest Night had a missed cut shot that deflected the 8 in a perfect line for Destiny's Spirit to pot for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. Sierra didn't get anything on her break, and after a four-ball run from Darkest Night's Nightfur, it didn't look good for Destiny, but Midnight faltered a bit on her turn, and Sierra capitalized, piecing together a somewhat flashy five-ball run-out to snag the win and a 2-0 series lead as well. Sierra and Spirit each chipped a shot in game 3, wasting valuable opportunities to possess the table against a dangerous Darkest Night team. Midnight didn't do much damage on Spirit's mistake, but Nightfur punished Sierra relentlessly with a six-ball run-out to come from way behind and make it a 2-1 series with Darkest Night's win. Destiny staved off any series comeback threat quite effectively in game 4, with Sierra working a six-ball run on her first turn and then setting up Spirit for the final shot in her second turn, while Midnight got frozen with trying to pick out the best run sequence. Spirit won the game for Destiny, clinching the series at 3-1. Destiny tried to mix things up for game 5, and Spirit had the break, getting very little off of it as Sierra had been so far. Darkest Night struggled at the start as well, but they woke up first, with a three-ball run by Midnight. A bit later, Spirit answered on a three-ball run for Destiny, but Nightfur emerged with a four-ball run-out for Darkest Night to take the win and make it a 3-2 series win for Destiny. Sierra and Spirit meet the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin, in the first Semifinal.
The red cue gets the next series, with Davidson's Conquest, Kirstin and Niki, facing Dogtown's Princess and Americus. Kirstin and Niki took their time in game 1, as they each contributed to the offense for Davidson's Conquest but never much all at once. Americus couldn't keep pace for Dogtown, and Princess needed a four-ball run to have a chance at a win, but she missed the 8 and Niki made it to steal away the win and a 1-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. Game 2 was more of the same, as Davidson's Conquest made a slow and balanced game work for them. Their early strategy featured pinning Dogtown's Princess in bad positions, limiting her game-changing abilities, while Americus proved unable to punish that tactic. Princess did make a late run, but it was again too late, and Niki closed the game to take a 2-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. Princess proved she could not be contained forever, but things are getting desperate for Dogtown in the series. Princess had a pair of four-ball runs in the game, stunted only by Americus' scratch on her first turn. Princess' second deep run ended the game after failed defense from Kirstin left all four shots readily available, and Princess converted to cut the series to 2-1. Americus took the break for Dogtown in game 4, a designed play to leave Princess with more normal shooting attempts throughout the game. Kirstin and Niki answered it well for Davidson's Conquest, continuing to play a balanced offense. Princess still had a chance to win it after Kirstin missed on the 8, but Princess couldn't bank the 8 to the top left, and Niki tapped it in to the bottom left for the win, securing the series at 3-1. Americus made things interesting for herself in the late stages of game 5, but she came up with a four-ball run-out after Princess' early failure and a missed run opportunity from Niki opened up the table for the Dogtown player. Davidson's Conquest, despite taking a late loss, still won the series 3-2, and they will advance to the second Semifinal against the winner of the next series.
Closing out the Quarterfinals, Acorn and Oreo, the Founders, face the Forgotten Generation of Spice and Sugar with the blue cue for the final bid in the Final Four. The Founders had a much more reliable start to game 1, and Acorn kept the offense up throughout the game. The Forgotten Generation struggled, but Sugar did manage a five-ball run at one point, only for Acorn to win the game on his next turn for a 1-0 Founders lead in the series. The Forgotten Generation once again struggled in game 2, except this time, the Founders didn't give them an opportunity to get back in the game. Acorn had a late three-ball run with an impressive bank, leaving Spice a chance to go on a run, but she opted for a tough shot, missed, and Oreo finished the game for a 2-0 series lead. The Forgotten Generation survived to see another meaningful game with a win in game 3. Acorn's break saw him pot two stripes, but also scratch, negating one make. Spice then went on a five-ball run, and the Forgotten Generation coasted from there, weathering a four-ball run from Acorn and some defense before finally potting the 8 to cut the series to 2-1. In game 4, it was Oreo coming through with the offense for the Founders, piecing together a five-ball run after a slow start to the game. Spice had a three-ball run in direct response, making it a close finish, but her long strike on the 14 went wide, and Acorn was able to make the 8 to the top left to get the win and see the Founders to a 3-1 series lead, eliminating the Forgotten Generation. Sugar made a very impressive run late in game 5 to stymie the Founders, going for a six-ball run right after Oreo had turned out on a four-ball run to give the Founders a nice lead. The ending was chippy, but Acorn had a miss and Spice made the 8 to get the win and ice the series at 3-2. The Founders advance to the Semifinal with Davidson's Conquest, to be played second tomorrow.
Tomorrow is where this Doubles Tournament ends. It's been a long, arduous process to get this point as we've killed time during the Reconstruction period for the league, but both things are very close to being complete. Once these two things are finished, the league will return to normal function going forward.
Lexi and Caitlin, the Woodelands, facing Jennifer and Stephanie, the Livilottis, in the first of two silver cue series, with the winners of these two series facing each other. Caitlin's four-ball run in game 1 ended up going to waste when Lexi tried a risky bank shot on the 3. The shot failed, keeping Stephanie off the hook for botching a simple run, as Lexi illegally potted the 8 and gifted the Livilottis a 1-0 series lead with their win. Jennifer thought her pacing four-ball run at the start of game 2 would be enough to keep the Livilottis in control, but Stephanie went empty after a three-ball run by Lexi. Caitlin chipped in a bit, but Jennifer was overwhelmed in the end, and Lexi iced it on a three-ball run-out to get the win and tie the series at 2. Jennifer continued to be the heartbeat of the offense for the Livilottis, putting up a four-ball run after Lexi's empty break. Caitlin kept the Woodelands in the game with a five-ball run, and things got choppy from this point, as Jennifer and Stephanie each had misses on the 8. Caitlin provided enough to get the Woodelands back in the game, and Lexi would be the one burying the 8 on a thin cut to the bottom side, giving them a 2-1 series lead. In game 4, the Woodelands allowed Caitlin to break instead of Lexi. The results were the same as previously, an empty break, but Jennifer didn't get as much on the run. Lexi established a lead, and a couple of key misses from Stephanie during the game set up an easy straight-line finish on the 8 for Caitlin, with the win clinching the series at 3-1 for the Woodelands. Caitlin made a deep run in game 5, working a five-ball run for the Woodelands. Jennifer partially answered it, but she couldn't corral her team's last ball, and Lexi made the tap-in on the 8 for the win, giving the Woodelands a 4-1 series win. They'll face the winner of the next series in the first Semifinal.
In the second Quarterfinal, the silver cue will administer the series between Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight and Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. Sierra picked her way through a four-ball run after Nightfur had an empty break in game 1, and this paced the game. A bit later, Midnight of Darkest Night had a missed cut shot that deflected the 8 in a perfect line for Destiny's Spirit to pot for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. Sierra didn't get anything on her break, and after a four-ball run from Darkest Night's Nightfur, it didn't look good for Destiny, but Midnight faltered a bit on her turn, and Sierra capitalized, piecing together a somewhat flashy five-ball run-out to snag the win and a 2-0 series lead as well. Sierra and Spirit each chipped a shot in game 3, wasting valuable opportunities to possess the table against a dangerous Darkest Night team. Midnight didn't do much damage on Spirit's mistake, but Nightfur punished Sierra relentlessly with a six-ball run-out to come from way behind and make it a 2-1 series with Darkest Night's win. Destiny staved off any series comeback threat quite effectively in game 4, with Sierra working a six-ball run on her first turn and then setting up Spirit for the final shot in her second turn, while Midnight got frozen with trying to pick out the best run sequence. Spirit won the game for Destiny, clinching the series at 3-1. Destiny tried to mix things up for game 5, and Spirit had the break, getting very little off of it as Sierra had been so far. Darkest Night struggled at the start as well, but they woke up first, with a three-ball run by Midnight. A bit later, Spirit answered on a three-ball run for Destiny, but Nightfur emerged with a four-ball run-out for Darkest Night to take the win and make it a 3-2 series win for Destiny. Sierra and Spirit meet the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin, in the first Semifinal.
The red cue gets the next series, with Davidson's Conquest, Kirstin and Niki, facing Dogtown's Princess and Americus. Kirstin and Niki took their time in game 1, as they each contributed to the offense for Davidson's Conquest but never much all at once. Americus couldn't keep pace for Dogtown, and Princess needed a four-ball run to have a chance at a win, but she missed the 8 and Niki made it to steal away the win and a 1-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. Game 2 was more of the same, as Davidson's Conquest made a slow and balanced game work for them. Their early strategy featured pinning Dogtown's Princess in bad positions, limiting her game-changing abilities, while Americus proved unable to punish that tactic. Princess did make a late run, but it was again too late, and Niki closed the game to take a 2-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. Princess proved she could not be contained forever, but things are getting desperate for Dogtown in the series. Princess had a pair of four-ball runs in the game, stunted only by Americus' scratch on her first turn. Princess' second deep run ended the game after failed defense from Kirstin left all four shots readily available, and Princess converted to cut the series to 2-1. Americus took the break for Dogtown in game 4, a designed play to leave Princess with more normal shooting attempts throughout the game. Kirstin and Niki answered it well for Davidson's Conquest, continuing to play a balanced offense. Princess still had a chance to win it after Kirstin missed on the 8, but Princess couldn't bank the 8 to the top left, and Niki tapped it in to the bottom left for the win, securing the series at 3-1. Americus made things interesting for herself in the late stages of game 5, but she came up with a four-ball run-out after Princess' early failure and a missed run opportunity from Niki opened up the table for the Dogtown player. Davidson's Conquest, despite taking a late loss, still won the series 3-2, and they will advance to the second Semifinal against the winner of the next series.
Closing out the Quarterfinals, Acorn and Oreo, the Founders, face the Forgotten Generation of Spice and Sugar with the blue cue for the final bid in the Final Four. The Founders had a much more reliable start to game 1, and Acorn kept the offense up throughout the game. The Forgotten Generation struggled, but Sugar did manage a five-ball run at one point, only for Acorn to win the game on his next turn for a 1-0 Founders lead in the series. The Forgotten Generation once again struggled in game 2, except this time, the Founders didn't give them an opportunity to get back in the game. Acorn had a late three-ball run with an impressive bank, leaving Spice a chance to go on a run, but she opted for a tough shot, missed, and Oreo finished the game for a 2-0 series lead. The Forgotten Generation survived to see another meaningful game with a win in game 3. Acorn's break saw him pot two stripes, but also scratch, negating one make. Spice then went on a five-ball run, and the Forgotten Generation coasted from there, weathering a four-ball run from Acorn and some defense before finally potting the 8 to cut the series to 2-1. In game 4, it was Oreo coming through with the offense for the Founders, piecing together a five-ball run after a slow start to the game. Spice had a three-ball run in direct response, making it a close finish, but her long strike on the 14 went wide, and Acorn was able to make the 8 to the top left to get the win and see the Founders to a 3-1 series lead, eliminating the Forgotten Generation. Sugar made a very impressive run late in game 5 to stymie the Founders, going for a six-ball run right after Oreo had turned out on a four-ball run to give the Founders a nice lead. The ending was chippy, but Acorn had a miss and Spice made the 8 to get the win and ice the series at 3-2. The Founders advance to the Semifinal with Davidson's Conquest, to be played second tomorrow.
Tomorrow is where this Doubles Tournament ends. It's been a long, arduous process to get this point as we've killed time during the Reconstruction period for the league, but both things are very close to being complete. Once these two things are finished, the league will return to normal function going forward.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Round 3
It's a whole round on the schedule for Thanksgiving day. We'll try to accomplish playing eight series today. We begin with...
The Quarterbacks, Jake and Marsell, opposing the Livilottis, Jennifer and Stephanie. The silver cue leads things off for today's action. The Livilottis showed a bit of impatience in game 1, trying to force the issue against Jake's defensive directive for the Quarterbacks. Jake was able to goad Stephanie into an illegal contact, while Jennifer missed on the 8, and then Marsell did the rest, making the last two shots for the Quarterbacks to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. Jennifer led a more organized attack for the Livilottis in game 2, as Stephanie provided set-up shots and Jennifer had a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to top Jake's once-again defensive play for the Quarterbacks. Marsell couldn't convert a long run, and this led to Jennifer having the space for the win to tie the series at 1. The Livilottis nearly lost game 3, as Stephanie mishit the 8 on her second turn after a four-ball run. Jennifer had a three-ball run to get them close, but Jake kept the Quarterbacks on the pace. Marsell couldn't quite kick the 9 anywhere at the end of his turn, and Jennifer cut the 8 to the bottom left for the win, giving the Livilottis a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 was Stephanie's time to shine, as Marsell and Jake did well to tangle Jennifer up. Jake had a four-ball run to help the Quarterbacks to an early lead, but Stephanie held him off and then won the game with a five-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-1 with the win. Jennifer didn't get anything from the break in game 5, allowing Jake and Marsell to pick away at the rack very efficiently. A couple of misses from the Livilottis further complicated their game, so the Quarterbacks won the game. The Livilottis still won the series 3-2, and they head to the Quarterfinals.
We'll do all the silver cue games first, so series two features Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight going against the Second Generation of Puff II and Twinkie II. In game 1, Twinkie II had a four-ball run as she established some offense for the Second Generation. Puff II was busy containing Midnight, but Nightfur was left free for Darkest Night, and Twinkie II's miss on the 15 allowed Nightfur to make the 7 and 8 for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Nightfur led the attack once again in game 2, using a four-ball run on her second turn to open the game up. Puff II answered with a three-ball run, but Twinkie II was stymied on her turn, and Nightfur cashed in on Midnight's set-up shot to make it 2-0 for Darkest Night. Nightfur got nothing on her break in game 3, and Midnight didn't offer a lot of support early on, as Puff II ran four balls and made a huge impact for the Second Generation. Twinkie II got them close, but it would be Nightfur's miss on the 8 that allowed Puff II to score it in the bottom side for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Game 4 played out at a frenetic pace, with Puff II putting up a five-ball run from the break, answered by Nightfur's six-ball run that got Darkest Night to the break thanks to some collateral from Puff II. Twinkie II missed her shot, and Midnight secured the win for Darkest Night for a 3-1 series lead. In game 5, Nightfur's poor break allowed a lot of exchanging between the teams as defense was quite prevalent. Puff II made the most of it with a three-ball run-out at the end to take the win. Darkest Night won the series 3-2, advancing to the Quarterfinals with the performance.
Series three is the silver cue's last effort, featuring Acorn and Oreo, the Founders, against Muscle and Medicine's Rainmane and Slinks. Muscle and Medicine, as they've been known to do in this tournament, dominated early on, with Rainmane putting up a five-ball run. A scratch from Oreo made things worse for the Founders, and Rainmane was able to pot the 8 on her next turn to give her team a 1-0 series lead. The Founders answered with a much more confident game 2, challenging Rainmane's solid break very early on. Acorn had a four-ball run to help the cause, and Slinks has lacked the proper angle for her shots. This allowed Oreo to pile on, and eventually get the win with the last two shots, banking the 11 to the bottom right before putting the 8 there to tie the series at 1. Acorn's break in game 3 didn't leave much to be desired, allowing Muscle and Medicine and early run through Rainmane. The offense didn't last, and by the end of the game, a few misses caught up with Muscle and Medicine, allowing Oreo and Acorn to pick their way into the lead and then the win as Acorn made the final two shots to gain the 2-1 series lead. The Founders finally dispatched the hot-running Muscle and Medicine with a game 4 win, aided mostly by a break from Acorn that separated the suits. Rainmane and Slinks had trouble shooting stripes, while Acorn's six-ball run-out on solid lifted the Founders to a win to clinch the series at 3-1. Acorn once again provided the bulk of the offense in game 5, lifting the Founders to another win with a five-ball run to pull ahead of Muscle and Medicine, and then making the final two shots on his last turn. This win gave the Founders a 4-1 series win as they head to the Quarterfinals.
The red cue gets the next three series, starting with today's fourth, as the Otherentals, Bells and Hoot, face the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin. The Otherentals saw a hot start to game one, as Bells assembled a four-ball run from the break. Lexi did well to pace the Woodelands in response, but Caitlin shocked the Otherentals with a five-ball run-out featuring some crafty positioning to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Otherentals were quick to counter in game 2, capitalizing on Lexi's empty break and Caitlin's first turn ending in a miss, as both Bells and Hoot carved out small runs. Bells then left the 8 at the top right, and after another miss from Caitlin, Hoot was able to pot it on a tap-in for the win that tied the series at 1. Hoot had a good run in game 3, working four balls and applying defense to slow down the Woodelands. What he didn't expect was Caitlin once again emerging on a seven-ball run-out on her only turn of the game, securing the win with more positioning skill and a little collateral damage shooting tactic at one point. Caitlin's win restored the series lead at 2-1 for the Woodelands. Things started slowly again for the Woodelands in game 4, and they had to weather a deep run by Hoot, as he went four balls for his first turn. Lexi replied with a solid run, and Caitlin iced the game on a three-ball run-out in the end, with the win clinching the series for them at 3-1. The Woodelands appeared to have game 5 under control until the very end, where Hoot's four-ball run and Lexi's failed defensive leave on the 8 allowed Bells to make the last two shots on tap-ins for the win, bringing the series to its 3-2 close. The Woodelands advance to the Quarterfinals, where they will oppose the Livilottis, Jennifer and Stephanie.
In series five, Farm and Forest's Chicky Phil and Panda will oppose Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. Sierra picked up the red cue and ran five balls on her first turn, leaving no doubt as to which team would control the game. Destiny faltered in the middle of the game, allowing both members of Farm and Forest to get close, but Sierra tightened up at the end of the game to make the last two shots and give Destiny a 1-0 series lead after Chicky Phil's errant cut shot. Without Sierra in game 2, Farm and Forest would have had no offense, as Chicky Phil and Panda wasted five turns without making a ball while Sierra had made three of theirs as well as her fair share of Destiny's. Spirit was the one to finish off the win though, potting the final two balls to put Destiny ahead 2-0 in the series. Destiny nearly had game 3, with Sierra doing well with an empty break and working a three-ball run, but a four-ball run-out from Chicky Phil helped keep Farm and Forest alive to see another day, as the series moved to 2-1 with the winning drive by Chicky Phil. Farm and Forest again staved off defeat with a bold game 4, nullifying Spirit's efforts quite effectively and then using a three-ball run-out by Panda to top Sierra's three-ball run late in the game and earn the win, tying the series at 2 and leaving everything on the line for the final game. Chicky Phil will spend the rest of the tournament ruing his missed shot on the 8, ending his run at seven balls as he helped Farm and Forest back into game 5, only to watch Sierra take it all away on a five-ball run-out that gave Destiny the win and the series win at 3-2 as well. Destiny advances to the Quarterfinals against Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight.
Series six has Roxy and Nikolai, the Big Bears, going against Davidson's Conquest, featuring Kirstin and Niki. It took the Big Bears awhile to get going in game 1, allowing Davidson's Conquest free reign on each of their first turns. Kirstin and Niki had an easy going, and even when Roxy had a four-ball run for the Big Bears, things came around to Niki's three-ball run-out that gave Davidson's Conquest a 1-0 series lead. Kirstin had two balls on the break and made quick work of two more from the break, burying the Big Bears under a big deficit. They battled back well, but Roxy's second turn ended with her snookering herself and being unable to make legal contact, allowing Niki to play from ball-in-hand for the last two shots as she collected a win and a 2-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. The first half of game 3 saw Davidson's Conquest play both suits very well, as they made five of their own and two for the Big Bears. Roxy and Nikolai didn't appear to need the help until the game stagnated, with both teams missing a gluttony of shots for an extended period of time. Nikolai was the first to break through this, and Davidson's Conquest had to accept defeat when Kirstin left Roxy set up on the 8, which she scored for the win to make it 2-1 in the series. The Big Bears were doomed by a pair of scratches in game 4. Without those penalized shots, they likely would have won the game, but instead it was Kirstin and Niki finding joy by capitalizing on their shots, which culminated in Kirstin's winning pair of shots to secure the series at 3-1 for Davidson's Conquest. In the final game, a lucky shot for Roxy turned the tides for the Big Bears, who finally got a lucky break that allowed Roxy to halt Niki's impending supplementary attack and work a four-ball run-out to get the win, putting the series at 3-2 for the final score. Davidson's Conquest continues their run into the Quarterfinals.
In the seventh series, the blue cue takes over for the final two appearances of the day. This one has the Daughters of Delila, Fluffina and Precious, against Dogtown's Americus and Princess in an all-Delila Enterprises battle. Dogtown had a slow start, having to cope with the Daughters of Delila playing defense in game 1. The defense faltered as Precious proved unable to make some shots, and Princess eventually banked the 8 to the top left to complete the comeback for a win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Dogtown always held the lead, as Princess did well on the break. Americus tried to be a bit creative at times, which led to defense at the top right pocket, and this shut down Precious' ideal shooting angle, allowing Princess to tap the 8 in for the win when the time was right, giving Dogtown a 2-0 series lead. A four-ball run by Princess and two more from Americus were not enough for Dogtown in game 3, as Americus left the 8 at the edge of the top right, and without any other defense, Precious had easy pickings for the Daughters of Delila, making her final three shots to nab the win and make it a 2-1 series. Dogtown again started slow in game 4, but made up for it with a three-ball run by Americus, followed by Fluffina's four-ball run on a counter for the Daughters of Delila that came up just short, allowing Princess to make a four-ball run-out and win it for Dogtown, securing the series at 3-1. Dogtown didn't take the most conventional route to victory in game 5, but the Daughters of Delila refused to get in the way, and Americus eventually made the final two shots after a pair from Princess to get the win and a 4-1 series win. Dogtown will face Davidson's Conquest in the Quarterfinals.
Closing out the long holiday, the Angel Bears, Bright and Wings, face the Forgotten Generation, Spice and Sugar, for the final spot in the quarterfinals. The Angel Bears came out fairly flat in game 1, and didn't receive much of a challenge until Sugar's five-ball run put the Forgotten Generation on the brink of victory. They stalled a bit more, but Spice eventually tallied the winning shot after a bad miss from Bright, giving the Forgotten Generation a 1-0 series lead. Bright managed a decent run in game 2, scaring the Forgotten Generation for a bit. It didn't last long, as Spice countered with a big closing run in the end, allowing Sugar's missed shot to act as a catalyst for a five-ball run-out with two sharply placed cuts to get the win and a 2-0 lead in the series. Bright put in a good run near the end of game 3, pacing the Angel Bears' attack with a four-ball run to clear the table off a bit. It didn't ultimately make a difference, as Sugar replied with a four-ball run-out of her own to get the win and clinch the series at 3-0 as the Forgotten Generation will see another series. Bright's five-ball run in game 4 paced the attack for the Angel Bears, and it was enough to hold off a three-ball run by Sugar. Bright used his second turn to bring the game to a close, making the final two balls and avoiding the sweep with a win to make it a 3-1 series, still favoring the Forgotten Generation. Bright and Wings had a lot of set-up work, but they never had a chance to cash it all in during game 5, as Spice led the Forgotten Generation to another win to make it 4-1. Spice did this after some set-up from Sugar, and then a well-executed five-ball run-out to wrap the series up. The Forgotten Generation will face Acorn and Oreo, the Founders, in the Quarterfinals.
It's all set to end tomorrow, with the final three rounds on the schedule. Reconstruction is still in progress as well, with approximately 12-16 hours left to work on. There's an outside chance both can be completed by Saturday night, but I'm not counting on it. Cricket should resume next week.
The Quarterbacks, Jake and Marsell, opposing the Livilottis, Jennifer and Stephanie. The silver cue leads things off for today's action. The Livilottis showed a bit of impatience in game 1, trying to force the issue against Jake's defensive directive for the Quarterbacks. Jake was able to goad Stephanie into an illegal contact, while Jennifer missed on the 8, and then Marsell did the rest, making the last two shots for the Quarterbacks to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. Jennifer led a more organized attack for the Livilottis in game 2, as Stephanie provided set-up shots and Jennifer had a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to top Jake's once-again defensive play for the Quarterbacks. Marsell couldn't convert a long run, and this led to Jennifer having the space for the win to tie the series at 1. The Livilottis nearly lost game 3, as Stephanie mishit the 8 on her second turn after a four-ball run. Jennifer had a three-ball run to get them close, but Jake kept the Quarterbacks on the pace. Marsell couldn't quite kick the 9 anywhere at the end of his turn, and Jennifer cut the 8 to the bottom left for the win, giving the Livilottis a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 was Stephanie's time to shine, as Marsell and Jake did well to tangle Jennifer up. Jake had a four-ball run to help the Quarterbacks to an early lead, but Stephanie held him off and then won the game with a five-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-1 with the win. Jennifer didn't get anything from the break in game 5, allowing Jake and Marsell to pick away at the rack very efficiently. A couple of misses from the Livilottis further complicated their game, so the Quarterbacks won the game. The Livilottis still won the series 3-2, and they head to the Quarterfinals.
We'll do all the silver cue games first, so series two features Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight going against the Second Generation of Puff II and Twinkie II. In game 1, Twinkie II had a four-ball run as she established some offense for the Second Generation. Puff II was busy containing Midnight, but Nightfur was left free for Darkest Night, and Twinkie II's miss on the 15 allowed Nightfur to make the 7 and 8 for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Nightfur led the attack once again in game 2, using a four-ball run on her second turn to open the game up. Puff II answered with a three-ball run, but Twinkie II was stymied on her turn, and Nightfur cashed in on Midnight's set-up shot to make it 2-0 for Darkest Night. Nightfur got nothing on her break in game 3, and Midnight didn't offer a lot of support early on, as Puff II ran four balls and made a huge impact for the Second Generation. Twinkie II got them close, but it would be Nightfur's miss on the 8 that allowed Puff II to score it in the bottom side for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Game 4 played out at a frenetic pace, with Puff II putting up a five-ball run from the break, answered by Nightfur's six-ball run that got Darkest Night to the break thanks to some collateral from Puff II. Twinkie II missed her shot, and Midnight secured the win for Darkest Night for a 3-1 series lead. In game 5, Nightfur's poor break allowed a lot of exchanging between the teams as defense was quite prevalent. Puff II made the most of it with a three-ball run-out at the end to take the win. Darkest Night won the series 3-2, advancing to the Quarterfinals with the performance.
Series three is the silver cue's last effort, featuring Acorn and Oreo, the Founders, against Muscle and Medicine's Rainmane and Slinks. Muscle and Medicine, as they've been known to do in this tournament, dominated early on, with Rainmane putting up a five-ball run. A scratch from Oreo made things worse for the Founders, and Rainmane was able to pot the 8 on her next turn to give her team a 1-0 series lead. The Founders answered with a much more confident game 2, challenging Rainmane's solid break very early on. Acorn had a four-ball run to help the cause, and Slinks has lacked the proper angle for her shots. This allowed Oreo to pile on, and eventually get the win with the last two shots, banking the 11 to the bottom right before putting the 8 there to tie the series at 1. Acorn's break in game 3 didn't leave much to be desired, allowing Muscle and Medicine and early run through Rainmane. The offense didn't last, and by the end of the game, a few misses caught up with Muscle and Medicine, allowing Oreo and Acorn to pick their way into the lead and then the win as Acorn made the final two shots to gain the 2-1 series lead. The Founders finally dispatched the hot-running Muscle and Medicine with a game 4 win, aided mostly by a break from Acorn that separated the suits. Rainmane and Slinks had trouble shooting stripes, while Acorn's six-ball run-out on solid lifted the Founders to a win to clinch the series at 3-1. Acorn once again provided the bulk of the offense in game 5, lifting the Founders to another win with a five-ball run to pull ahead of Muscle and Medicine, and then making the final two shots on his last turn. This win gave the Founders a 4-1 series win as they head to the Quarterfinals.
The red cue gets the next three series, starting with today's fourth, as the Otherentals, Bells and Hoot, face the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin. The Otherentals saw a hot start to game one, as Bells assembled a four-ball run from the break. Lexi did well to pace the Woodelands in response, but Caitlin shocked the Otherentals with a five-ball run-out featuring some crafty positioning to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Otherentals were quick to counter in game 2, capitalizing on Lexi's empty break and Caitlin's first turn ending in a miss, as both Bells and Hoot carved out small runs. Bells then left the 8 at the top right, and after another miss from Caitlin, Hoot was able to pot it on a tap-in for the win that tied the series at 1. Hoot had a good run in game 3, working four balls and applying defense to slow down the Woodelands. What he didn't expect was Caitlin once again emerging on a seven-ball run-out on her only turn of the game, securing the win with more positioning skill and a little collateral damage shooting tactic at one point. Caitlin's win restored the series lead at 2-1 for the Woodelands. Things started slowly again for the Woodelands in game 4, and they had to weather a deep run by Hoot, as he went four balls for his first turn. Lexi replied with a solid run, and Caitlin iced the game on a three-ball run-out in the end, with the win clinching the series for them at 3-1. The Woodelands appeared to have game 5 under control until the very end, where Hoot's four-ball run and Lexi's failed defensive leave on the 8 allowed Bells to make the last two shots on tap-ins for the win, bringing the series to its 3-2 close. The Woodelands advance to the Quarterfinals, where they will oppose the Livilottis, Jennifer and Stephanie.
In series five, Farm and Forest's Chicky Phil and Panda will oppose Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. Sierra picked up the red cue and ran five balls on her first turn, leaving no doubt as to which team would control the game. Destiny faltered in the middle of the game, allowing both members of Farm and Forest to get close, but Sierra tightened up at the end of the game to make the last two shots and give Destiny a 1-0 series lead after Chicky Phil's errant cut shot. Without Sierra in game 2, Farm and Forest would have had no offense, as Chicky Phil and Panda wasted five turns without making a ball while Sierra had made three of theirs as well as her fair share of Destiny's. Spirit was the one to finish off the win though, potting the final two balls to put Destiny ahead 2-0 in the series. Destiny nearly had game 3, with Sierra doing well with an empty break and working a three-ball run, but a four-ball run-out from Chicky Phil helped keep Farm and Forest alive to see another day, as the series moved to 2-1 with the winning drive by Chicky Phil. Farm and Forest again staved off defeat with a bold game 4, nullifying Spirit's efforts quite effectively and then using a three-ball run-out by Panda to top Sierra's three-ball run late in the game and earn the win, tying the series at 2 and leaving everything on the line for the final game. Chicky Phil will spend the rest of the tournament ruing his missed shot on the 8, ending his run at seven balls as he helped Farm and Forest back into game 5, only to watch Sierra take it all away on a five-ball run-out that gave Destiny the win and the series win at 3-2 as well. Destiny advances to the Quarterfinals against Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight.
Series six has Roxy and Nikolai, the Big Bears, going against Davidson's Conquest, featuring Kirstin and Niki. It took the Big Bears awhile to get going in game 1, allowing Davidson's Conquest free reign on each of their first turns. Kirstin and Niki had an easy going, and even when Roxy had a four-ball run for the Big Bears, things came around to Niki's three-ball run-out that gave Davidson's Conquest a 1-0 series lead. Kirstin had two balls on the break and made quick work of two more from the break, burying the Big Bears under a big deficit. They battled back well, but Roxy's second turn ended with her snookering herself and being unable to make legal contact, allowing Niki to play from ball-in-hand for the last two shots as she collected a win and a 2-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. The first half of game 3 saw Davidson's Conquest play both suits very well, as they made five of their own and two for the Big Bears. Roxy and Nikolai didn't appear to need the help until the game stagnated, with both teams missing a gluttony of shots for an extended period of time. Nikolai was the first to break through this, and Davidson's Conquest had to accept defeat when Kirstin left Roxy set up on the 8, which she scored for the win to make it 2-1 in the series. The Big Bears were doomed by a pair of scratches in game 4. Without those penalized shots, they likely would have won the game, but instead it was Kirstin and Niki finding joy by capitalizing on their shots, which culminated in Kirstin's winning pair of shots to secure the series at 3-1 for Davidson's Conquest. In the final game, a lucky shot for Roxy turned the tides for the Big Bears, who finally got a lucky break that allowed Roxy to halt Niki's impending supplementary attack and work a four-ball run-out to get the win, putting the series at 3-2 for the final score. Davidson's Conquest continues their run into the Quarterfinals.
In the seventh series, the blue cue takes over for the final two appearances of the day. This one has the Daughters of Delila, Fluffina and Precious, against Dogtown's Americus and Princess in an all-Delila Enterprises battle. Dogtown had a slow start, having to cope with the Daughters of Delila playing defense in game 1. The defense faltered as Precious proved unable to make some shots, and Princess eventually banked the 8 to the top left to complete the comeback for a win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Dogtown always held the lead, as Princess did well on the break. Americus tried to be a bit creative at times, which led to defense at the top right pocket, and this shut down Precious' ideal shooting angle, allowing Princess to tap the 8 in for the win when the time was right, giving Dogtown a 2-0 series lead. A four-ball run by Princess and two more from Americus were not enough for Dogtown in game 3, as Americus left the 8 at the edge of the top right, and without any other defense, Precious had easy pickings for the Daughters of Delila, making her final three shots to nab the win and make it a 2-1 series. Dogtown again started slow in game 4, but made up for it with a three-ball run by Americus, followed by Fluffina's four-ball run on a counter for the Daughters of Delila that came up just short, allowing Princess to make a four-ball run-out and win it for Dogtown, securing the series at 3-1. Dogtown didn't take the most conventional route to victory in game 5, but the Daughters of Delila refused to get in the way, and Americus eventually made the final two shots after a pair from Princess to get the win and a 4-1 series win. Dogtown will face Davidson's Conquest in the Quarterfinals.
Closing out the long holiday, the Angel Bears, Bright and Wings, face the Forgotten Generation, Spice and Sugar, for the final spot in the quarterfinals. The Angel Bears came out fairly flat in game 1, and didn't receive much of a challenge until Sugar's five-ball run put the Forgotten Generation on the brink of victory. They stalled a bit more, but Spice eventually tallied the winning shot after a bad miss from Bright, giving the Forgotten Generation a 1-0 series lead. Bright managed a decent run in game 2, scaring the Forgotten Generation for a bit. It didn't last long, as Spice countered with a big closing run in the end, allowing Sugar's missed shot to act as a catalyst for a five-ball run-out with two sharply placed cuts to get the win and a 2-0 lead in the series. Bright put in a good run near the end of game 3, pacing the Angel Bears' attack with a four-ball run to clear the table off a bit. It didn't ultimately make a difference, as Sugar replied with a four-ball run-out of her own to get the win and clinch the series at 3-0 as the Forgotten Generation will see another series. Bright's five-ball run in game 4 paced the attack for the Angel Bears, and it was enough to hold off a three-ball run by Sugar. Bright used his second turn to bring the game to a close, making the final two balls and avoiding the sweep with a win to make it a 3-1 series, still favoring the Forgotten Generation. Bright and Wings had a lot of set-up work, but they never had a chance to cash it all in during game 5, as Spice led the Forgotten Generation to another win to make it 4-1. Spice did this after some set-up from Sugar, and then a well-executed five-ball run-out to wrap the series up. The Forgotten Generation will face Acorn and Oreo, the Founders, in the Quarterfinals.
It's all set to end tomorrow, with the final three rounds on the schedule. Reconstruction is still in progress as well, with approximately 12-16 hours left to work on. There's an outside chance both can be completed by Saturday night, but I'm not counting on it. Cricket should resume next week.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Round 2 Part 2
We're set to finish the second round in this post, with the other eight series not played in the previous post going here. We begin with...
Max and Ruby, of Free Fallin', against Jennifer and Stephanie, the Livilottis. The red cue is up for this series. Ruby didn't have a strong break, and Jennifer made Free Fallin' pay for it with her five-ball run for the Livilottis. Max answered with a five-ball run himself, and things got a bit stagnant from there until Ruby missed on the 8. Jennifer banked the 2 to the bottom left and then sank the 8 in the top right for the win and a 1-0 series lead in good form. Ruby looked like quite the threat in game 2, helping Free Fallin' get into position with a three-ball run that nearly won the game after Jennifer had a bad turn. Ruby couldn't quite bank the 8 into the top side at a bad angle, and Stephanie swooped in with a five-ball run-out for the Liviottis to take a 2-0 series lead with. Free Fallin' lack good angles for their later shots in game 3, feeling the pressure of the hard-charging Livilottis. Ruby got forced into an error with her shot, and Stephanie had no trouble icing the game with the last two shots to secure the series at 3-0. In game 4, Jennifer never got to make an impact after her empty break, as Stephanie's three-ball run stood no chance against a pair of four-ball runs from Ruby and Max, with Max's sufficing for Free Fallin' to pick up the win in a very fast game, cutting the series to 3-1. Ruby kept game 5 fast as well, working a four-ball run from her break. The Livilottis tried to keep pace, but Max's three-ball run between them caused trouble with positioning, and Stephanie couldn't get a try at the 8. Ruby buried it to make it a 3-2 final for the series, favoring the Livilottis as they advance to face the Quarterbacks Jake and Marsell in the third round.
The red cue is also up for the second series in this post, acting as the tool for Tigerette and Cheddar of Grand to take on the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin. Lexi and Cheddar were the only reliable players in game 1, each scoring a four-ball run to pace their teams' attacks. The Woodelands ended up getting lucky once the game stalled, as Tigerette's erratic kick led the 8 to the bottom side for a gift win that saw Grand fall behind 1-0 in the series. Lexi played well in game 2 as well, working most of the offense for the Woodelands. An unlucky miss from Cheddar ended her late run, and set Lexi up to make the final three shots with authority, which she did to give her side a 2-0 series lead. Tigerette thought she had left the series to rot at the end of game 3 when she missed on the 8, but Caitlin couldn't get a good shot on it, and Cheddar was able to save Grand from elimination with a long strike on the 8 to make it a 2-1 series as the Woodelands have lost a bit of their leverage. Cheddar ruined most of the good chances Grand had of getting the win in game 4, and Tigerette's final shot on the 11 that got blocked on the deflection toward the top right sealed the deal, as Lexi stepped up to cut the 8 in and win the game, clinching the series at 3-1. Grand went out in grand fashion, shutting out the Woodelands in game 5, as both Lexi and Caitlin struggled to make anything of their shots. The Woodelands did win the series 3-2, and they will advance to the third round, where Bells and Hoot, the Otherentals, await them.
For the third series, the blue cue is in action, with the Mismatch of Boots and Strawberry going against Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight. Darkest Night drastically outplayed the Mismatch in game 1, with Nightfur making a deep run early and getting enough support on the back end of the game from Midnight to pick up the win and an early 1-0 lead in the series. Darkest Night had a decent game 2, but both teams left opportunities on the table. The Mismatch led for most of the game, but Strawberry didn't carry her share of the load, and faltered in the end. This left Nightfur with a relatively straight shot on the 8 that she couldn't put away, allowing Boots to salvage the win and tie the series at 1 despite neither team doing all that well. Midnight appeared to use a strategic scratch in game 3, leaving Mismatch with no shot on the 8 from the kitchen. Boots and Strawberry both had missed attempts, and then Midnight came back around on a three-ball run-out to snag the win and retake a 2-1 series lead for Darkest Night. Form has not been particularly strong during this series, making either side vulnerable in their next match. Strawberry awoke from her two-game slumber in game 4, busting out for a five-ball run-out on her second turn as Midnight proved unable to shut the game down with illegal contact ending her modest run. Strawberry's big sequence of shots makes it a 2-2 series and leaves the final game to determine who advances in a very difficult series thus far. Boots' four-ball run in game 5 made quite the impact for the Mismatch, but Darkest Night did not stand down. They attacked relentlessly, and capitalized when Strawberry missed the 8 near the top right. Midnight made a savvy choice, opting for easier shots to retain position, and then cut the 8 in for the win, giving Darkest Night the 3-2 series win. They will play host to the Second Generation, Puff II and Twinkie II, in the third round.
The red cue returns for its final appearance of the round in today's fourth series, featuring the Italian Plumbers Mario and Luigi against Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. The Italian Plumbers had clear pipelines for their game 1 win, with Mario and Luigi each working a nice run while maintaining bad positions for Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. Mario made the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Destiny looked much sharper in game 2, as they collapsed a defense around the bottom right and forced Luigi to shoot into it. He failed to get anything from the shot, and the remnants of the defense allowed Spirit to pick around for a five-ball run-out for Destiny, tying the series with the Italian Plumbers at a game apiece. Luigi thought his five-ball run over the middle of game 3 would be enough to carry the Italian Plumbers, as they were shutting out Destiny at that point. This didn't last, as Sierra made a couple of shots and played impeccable defense, forcing Mario into illegal contact. Spirit did the rest, working a six-ball run-out for the win and a 2-1 series lead in favor of Destiny. Sierra couldn't quite complete a run-out, settling for a four-ball run and leaving the 8 in a surprisingly good position, as Mario capitalized with a five-ball run-out using some excellent deflections to get into the proper spaces to pick up the win for the Italian Plumbers, retying the series at 2. Luigi made a huge mistake on his second shot, after Sierra's five-ball run ended in a scratch. Luigi shot hard but missed his mark and put the 8 in motion, where it banked twice and found the bottom right pocket illegally, gifting Destiny with the win and the 3-2 series win all at once. Destiny dodged a bullet to advance to the third round against Farm and Forest's Chicky Phil and Panda.
In the fifth series, the blue cue returns to action with the Daughters of Delila, Fluffina and Precious, facing the Italians, Bianca and Isabella. The Daughters of Delila saw their opening five-ball run end in a scratch from Fluffina, allowing the Italians to develop an offense. It took awhile to round into form, but the Italians made a late charge through Bianca's five-ball run-out and won the game for a 1-0 series lead to stun the veteran duo they oppose. Bianca did a lot of the work for the Italians in game 2 as well, but she had to weather a strong attack from Fluffina. Isabella provided the highlight with a kick to sink the 12 in the bottom side, but she missed on the 8 two shots later, and Precious proved a bit more accurate to grab a win for the Daughters of Delila, tying the series at 1. Fluffina seemed to be the only player who was shooting with regular consistency in game 3, as the other players struggled. Isabella and Precious were particularly prone to missing their shots, and Bianca couldn't keep up with Fluffina. The Daughters of Delila star Fluffina scored a four-ball run-out to bring the game to its merciful end, and this gave her team a 2-1 lead in the series as well. Game 4 saw Fluffina once again pacing the field, as Bianca and Isabella worked hard to catch up, take the lead, and then choke it away with multiple misses on the 8 for each of them. Bianca even gave away the final ball the Daughters of Delila needed, and Precious converted the shot on the 8 to the top right for the win, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, the Daughters of Delila thought they were on track for another win, but Precious missed the 8 to cap a five-ball run and Fluffina also whiffed on the shot after Isabella's strategic scratch. Bianca pieced together the three-ball run-out for the win, making it a 3-2 series. The Daughters of Delila will face another Delila Enterprises duo in the third round, featuring Americus and Princess of Dogtown.
The sixth series has the blue cue up again, with the teams being the Big Bears Roxy and Nikolai, going against Easter and Whiskers, Atomic Aunt. The Big Bears laid out a perfect trap play, with Nikolai setting up shots at three corner pockets, one as a defensive play. Whiskers had to shoot into the trap at one point, and this made it easy for Roxy to sink a four-ball run-out, mostly on tap-ins, for the win a 1-0 series lead for the Big Bears over the Atomic Aunt. Game 2 was a bit less clever for the Big Bears, but a lot luckier, as the game went pretty evenly throughout. Whiskers held Atomic Aunt back, with Easter having to do much of the work to keep them competitive. Roxy got things set up well for Nikolai, and he complied, making the last two shots after Easter missed on the 8 toward the top side to give the Big Bears a 2-0 series lead. Atomic Aunt survived game 3, but just barely. Easter's five-ball run from the break ended in a scratch, and Nikolai led the charge for the Big Bears, but they came up short when Easter had a three-ball run-out a couple of turns later after some work from Whiskers to line things up. The series stands at 2-1 for the Big Bears currently. Easter took a very misguided shot at the end of a cluttered and frustrating game 4, and her scratch set the stage for Roxy to swoop in with the death knell, as the Big Bears took this win on the last two shots to make it 3-1 in the series. After a six-ball run from Easter early in game 6, Roxy refused to let Atomic Aunt have the satisfaction of earning their win, as her errant shot on the 5 knocked in the 8 early to gift away a win. The series finished at 3-2 for the Big Bears, who will challenge Kirstin and Niki of Davidson's Conquest in the third round after this series win.
For series seven, the Founders Acorn and Oreo face the Checkers Gizmo and Bear, with the blue cue's last appearance of the round coming in this series. Acorn made a huge four-ball run from the break, setting the tone in game 1 for the Founders. Bear scratched on his only turn of the game, while the Checkers were being shut out, and Acorn cashed in with three more. Oreo iced it with a crafty kick to sink the 8 in the top right for a shutout and 1-0 series lead for the Founders. The Checkers nearly returned the favor in game 2, but they ended up surrendering a five-ball run to the Founders' Acorn on his second turn, making it a much closer game in the end. Acorn tried to draw himself into position, but this failed, and Gizmo had an easy cut on the 8 to the bottom right to get the win, tying the series at 1. Bear found the highlight reel with a kick combination going 15-2-12 to the bottom left off the right rail in game 3. This was where things started going downhill for the Checkers. Bear's three-ball run was their last extended offensive run, and Oreo and Acorn charged back into the game. In the end, it was Oreo striking the 8 after Bear had a miss on the 14, and the win for the Founders restores their series lead at 2-1. Bear was responsible for the loss in game 4 for the Checkers that saw the duo eliminated, as he scratched on one turn, and then failed to complete a run on his next turn, twice allowing Acorn possession that he used to grab the win the second time, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, Acorn saw a lot of chances for the Founders go to waste, especially under the pressure of a five-ball run from Gizmo early on. Bear contributed good position for the Checkers, and he ended up with the winning shot as well after a miss from Oreo. The series ended 3-2 for the Founders, who will play host to a red-hot Muscle and Medicine side in the third round.
Finally, the second round ends with the Angel Bears Bright and Wings facing Twinnest, featuring Neopolitan and Ice Cream. The silver cue closes out the round with this appearance. Twinnest had a very disjointed attack in game 1, allowing the Angel Bears plenty of time to slowly carve through the defense and assemble small runs to get the win. Wings was able to ice the game with a shot on the 8 after Neopoltian's light miss on the 5, giving the Angel Bears a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was frustrating for both sides, with tensions nearly boiling over thanks to a lot of missed shots. Twinnest was able to overcome the issues first, mostly because of scratches committed by the Angel Bears. Neopolitan finally iced the game very late to tie the series at 1 with their win. The Angel Bears had a bit more traction in their game 3 performance, and late misses from both Neopolitan and Ice Cream doomed the Twinnest offense. Ice Cream's miss was particularly painful, a straight-line shot that rattled out and left Wings with a straight tap-in on the 8 to the bottom right to gain a 2-1 series lead for the Angel Bears. Bright and Neopolitan battled directly, exchanging five-ball runs early in the game as the teams battled for leverage. Wings got a little more than Ice Cream, and the game turned defensive until Neopolitan's missed contact allowed Wings to finish the game on his terms, giving the Angel Bears the win and a 3-1 series lead. The Angel Bears fell out of form in game 5, allowing a deep run to Neopolitan and a supporting run by Ice Cream. The Angel Bears also had scratching problems, and this allowed Twinnest back in the game, as Neopolitan banked the 12 to the bottom left on a threaded-needle shot, before potting the 8 for the win. The series ended 3-2 for the Angel Bears, who will oppose Spice and Sugar, the Forgotten Generation, in the third round.
Tomorrow, the entire third round is schedule. Friday's schedule then holds the final three rounds, and that would ice this special edition tournament. If there's any requirement for overflow, that will occur on Saturday.
Max and Ruby, of Free Fallin', against Jennifer and Stephanie, the Livilottis. The red cue is up for this series. Ruby didn't have a strong break, and Jennifer made Free Fallin' pay for it with her five-ball run for the Livilottis. Max answered with a five-ball run himself, and things got a bit stagnant from there until Ruby missed on the 8. Jennifer banked the 2 to the bottom left and then sank the 8 in the top right for the win and a 1-0 series lead in good form. Ruby looked like quite the threat in game 2, helping Free Fallin' get into position with a three-ball run that nearly won the game after Jennifer had a bad turn. Ruby couldn't quite bank the 8 into the top side at a bad angle, and Stephanie swooped in with a five-ball run-out for the Liviottis to take a 2-0 series lead with. Free Fallin' lack good angles for their later shots in game 3, feeling the pressure of the hard-charging Livilottis. Ruby got forced into an error with her shot, and Stephanie had no trouble icing the game with the last two shots to secure the series at 3-0. In game 4, Jennifer never got to make an impact after her empty break, as Stephanie's three-ball run stood no chance against a pair of four-ball runs from Ruby and Max, with Max's sufficing for Free Fallin' to pick up the win in a very fast game, cutting the series to 3-1. Ruby kept game 5 fast as well, working a four-ball run from her break. The Livilottis tried to keep pace, but Max's three-ball run between them caused trouble with positioning, and Stephanie couldn't get a try at the 8. Ruby buried it to make it a 3-2 final for the series, favoring the Livilottis as they advance to face the Quarterbacks Jake and Marsell in the third round.
The red cue is also up for the second series in this post, acting as the tool for Tigerette and Cheddar of Grand to take on the Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin. Lexi and Cheddar were the only reliable players in game 1, each scoring a four-ball run to pace their teams' attacks. The Woodelands ended up getting lucky once the game stalled, as Tigerette's erratic kick led the 8 to the bottom side for a gift win that saw Grand fall behind 1-0 in the series. Lexi played well in game 2 as well, working most of the offense for the Woodelands. An unlucky miss from Cheddar ended her late run, and set Lexi up to make the final three shots with authority, which she did to give her side a 2-0 series lead. Tigerette thought she had left the series to rot at the end of game 3 when she missed on the 8, but Caitlin couldn't get a good shot on it, and Cheddar was able to save Grand from elimination with a long strike on the 8 to make it a 2-1 series as the Woodelands have lost a bit of their leverage. Cheddar ruined most of the good chances Grand had of getting the win in game 4, and Tigerette's final shot on the 11 that got blocked on the deflection toward the top right sealed the deal, as Lexi stepped up to cut the 8 in and win the game, clinching the series at 3-1. Grand went out in grand fashion, shutting out the Woodelands in game 5, as both Lexi and Caitlin struggled to make anything of their shots. The Woodelands did win the series 3-2, and they will advance to the third round, where Bells and Hoot, the Otherentals, await them.
For the third series, the blue cue is in action, with the Mismatch of Boots and Strawberry going against Darkest Night's Nightfur and Midnight. Darkest Night drastically outplayed the Mismatch in game 1, with Nightfur making a deep run early and getting enough support on the back end of the game from Midnight to pick up the win and an early 1-0 lead in the series. Darkest Night had a decent game 2, but both teams left opportunities on the table. The Mismatch led for most of the game, but Strawberry didn't carry her share of the load, and faltered in the end. This left Nightfur with a relatively straight shot on the 8 that she couldn't put away, allowing Boots to salvage the win and tie the series at 1 despite neither team doing all that well. Midnight appeared to use a strategic scratch in game 3, leaving Mismatch with no shot on the 8 from the kitchen. Boots and Strawberry both had missed attempts, and then Midnight came back around on a three-ball run-out to snag the win and retake a 2-1 series lead for Darkest Night. Form has not been particularly strong during this series, making either side vulnerable in their next match. Strawberry awoke from her two-game slumber in game 4, busting out for a five-ball run-out on her second turn as Midnight proved unable to shut the game down with illegal contact ending her modest run. Strawberry's big sequence of shots makes it a 2-2 series and leaves the final game to determine who advances in a very difficult series thus far. Boots' four-ball run in game 5 made quite the impact for the Mismatch, but Darkest Night did not stand down. They attacked relentlessly, and capitalized when Strawberry missed the 8 near the top right. Midnight made a savvy choice, opting for easier shots to retain position, and then cut the 8 in for the win, giving Darkest Night the 3-2 series win. They will play host to the Second Generation, Puff II and Twinkie II, in the third round.
The red cue returns for its final appearance of the round in today's fourth series, featuring the Italian Plumbers Mario and Luigi against Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. The Italian Plumbers had clear pipelines for their game 1 win, with Mario and Luigi each working a nice run while maintaining bad positions for Destiny's Sierra and Spirit. Mario made the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Destiny looked much sharper in game 2, as they collapsed a defense around the bottom right and forced Luigi to shoot into it. He failed to get anything from the shot, and the remnants of the defense allowed Spirit to pick around for a five-ball run-out for Destiny, tying the series with the Italian Plumbers at a game apiece. Luigi thought his five-ball run over the middle of game 3 would be enough to carry the Italian Plumbers, as they were shutting out Destiny at that point. This didn't last, as Sierra made a couple of shots and played impeccable defense, forcing Mario into illegal contact. Spirit did the rest, working a six-ball run-out for the win and a 2-1 series lead in favor of Destiny. Sierra couldn't quite complete a run-out, settling for a four-ball run and leaving the 8 in a surprisingly good position, as Mario capitalized with a five-ball run-out using some excellent deflections to get into the proper spaces to pick up the win for the Italian Plumbers, retying the series at 2. Luigi made a huge mistake on his second shot, after Sierra's five-ball run ended in a scratch. Luigi shot hard but missed his mark and put the 8 in motion, where it banked twice and found the bottom right pocket illegally, gifting Destiny with the win and the 3-2 series win all at once. Destiny dodged a bullet to advance to the third round against Farm and Forest's Chicky Phil and Panda.
In the fifth series, the blue cue returns to action with the Daughters of Delila, Fluffina and Precious, facing the Italians, Bianca and Isabella. The Daughters of Delila saw their opening five-ball run end in a scratch from Fluffina, allowing the Italians to develop an offense. It took awhile to round into form, but the Italians made a late charge through Bianca's five-ball run-out and won the game for a 1-0 series lead to stun the veteran duo they oppose. Bianca did a lot of the work for the Italians in game 2 as well, but she had to weather a strong attack from Fluffina. Isabella provided the highlight with a kick to sink the 12 in the bottom side, but she missed on the 8 two shots later, and Precious proved a bit more accurate to grab a win for the Daughters of Delila, tying the series at 1. Fluffina seemed to be the only player who was shooting with regular consistency in game 3, as the other players struggled. Isabella and Precious were particularly prone to missing their shots, and Bianca couldn't keep up with Fluffina. The Daughters of Delila star Fluffina scored a four-ball run-out to bring the game to its merciful end, and this gave her team a 2-1 lead in the series as well. Game 4 saw Fluffina once again pacing the field, as Bianca and Isabella worked hard to catch up, take the lead, and then choke it away with multiple misses on the 8 for each of them. Bianca even gave away the final ball the Daughters of Delila needed, and Precious converted the shot on the 8 to the top right for the win, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, the Daughters of Delila thought they were on track for another win, but Precious missed the 8 to cap a five-ball run and Fluffina also whiffed on the shot after Isabella's strategic scratch. Bianca pieced together the three-ball run-out for the win, making it a 3-2 series. The Daughters of Delila will face another Delila Enterprises duo in the third round, featuring Americus and Princess of Dogtown.
The sixth series has the blue cue up again, with the teams being the Big Bears Roxy and Nikolai, going against Easter and Whiskers, Atomic Aunt. The Big Bears laid out a perfect trap play, with Nikolai setting up shots at three corner pockets, one as a defensive play. Whiskers had to shoot into the trap at one point, and this made it easy for Roxy to sink a four-ball run-out, mostly on tap-ins, for the win a 1-0 series lead for the Big Bears over the Atomic Aunt. Game 2 was a bit less clever for the Big Bears, but a lot luckier, as the game went pretty evenly throughout. Whiskers held Atomic Aunt back, with Easter having to do much of the work to keep them competitive. Roxy got things set up well for Nikolai, and he complied, making the last two shots after Easter missed on the 8 toward the top side to give the Big Bears a 2-0 series lead. Atomic Aunt survived game 3, but just barely. Easter's five-ball run from the break ended in a scratch, and Nikolai led the charge for the Big Bears, but they came up short when Easter had a three-ball run-out a couple of turns later after some work from Whiskers to line things up. The series stands at 2-1 for the Big Bears currently. Easter took a very misguided shot at the end of a cluttered and frustrating game 4, and her scratch set the stage for Roxy to swoop in with the death knell, as the Big Bears took this win on the last two shots to make it 3-1 in the series. After a six-ball run from Easter early in game 6, Roxy refused to let Atomic Aunt have the satisfaction of earning their win, as her errant shot on the 5 knocked in the 8 early to gift away a win. The series finished at 3-2 for the Big Bears, who will challenge Kirstin and Niki of Davidson's Conquest in the third round after this series win.
For series seven, the Founders Acorn and Oreo face the Checkers Gizmo and Bear, with the blue cue's last appearance of the round coming in this series. Acorn made a huge four-ball run from the break, setting the tone in game 1 for the Founders. Bear scratched on his only turn of the game, while the Checkers were being shut out, and Acorn cashed in with three more. Oreo iced it with a crafty kick to sink the 8 in the top right for a shutout and 1-0 series lead for the Founders. The Checkers nearly returned the favor in game 2, but they ended up surrendering a five-ball run to the Founders' Acorn on his second turn, making it a much closer game in the end. Acorn tried to draw himself into position, but this failed, and Gizmo had an easy cut on the 8 to the bottom right to get the win, tying the series at 1. Bear found the highlight reel with a kick combination going 15-2-12 to the bottom left off the right rail in game 3. This was where things started going downhill for the Checkers. Bear's three-ball run was their last extended offensive run, and Oreo and Acorn charged back into the game. In the end, it was Oreo striking the 8 after Bear had a miss on the 14, and the win for the Founders restores their series lead at 2-1. Bear was responsible for the loss in game 4 for the Checkers that saw the duo eliminated, as he scratched on one turn, and then failed to complete a run on his next turn, twice allowing Acorn possession that he used to grab the win the second time, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, Acorn saw a lot of chances for the Founders go to waste, especially under the pressure of a five-ball run from Gizmo early on. Bear contributed good position for the Checkers, and he ended up with the winning shot as well after a miss from Oreo. The series ended 3-2 for the Founders, who will play host to a red-hot Muscle and Medicine side in the third round.
Finally, the second round ends with the Angel Bears Bright and Wings facing Twinnest, featuring Neopolitan and Ice Cream. The silver cue closes out the round with this appearance. Twinnest had a very disjointed attack in game 1, allowing the Angel Bears plenty of time to slowly carve through the defense and assemble small runs to get the win. Wings was able to ice the game with a shot on the 8 after Neopoltian's light miss on the 5, giving the Angel Bears a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was frustrating for both sides, with tensions nearly boiling over thanks to a lot of missed shots. Twinnest was able to overcome the issues first, mostly because of scratches committed by the Angel Bears. Neopolitan finally iced the game very late to tie the series at 1 with their win. The Angel Bears had a bit more traction in their game 3 performance, and late misses from both Neopolitan and Ice Cream doomed the Twinnest offense. Ice Cream's miss was particularly painful, a straight-line shot that rattled out and left Wings with a straight tap-in on the 8 to the bottom right to gain a 2-1 series lead for the Angel Bears. Bright and Neopolitan battled directly, exchanging five-ball runs early in the game as the teams battled for leverage. Wings got a little more than Ice Cream, and the game turned defensive until Neopolitan's missed contact allowed Wings to finish the game on his terms, giving the Angel Bears the win and a 3-1 series lead. The Angel Bears fell out of form in game 5, allowing a deep run to Neopolitan and a supporting run by Ice Cream. The Angel Bears also had scratching problems, and this allowed Twinnest back in the game, as Neopolitan banked the 12 to the bottom left on a threaded-needle shot, before potting the 8 for the win. The series ended 3-2 for the Angel Bears, who will oppose Spice and Sugar, the Forgotten Generation, in the third round.
Tomorrow, the entire third round is schedule. Friday's schedule then holds the final three rounds, and that would ice this special edition tournament. If there's any requirement for overflow, that will occur on Saturday.
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Round 2 Part 1
We're back for another day's worth of games in the Doubles tournament. Only 32 pairs remain, and we'll begin to whittle them down again. First up are...
The Quarterbacks, Jake and Marsell, against the Cougars, A. Charlton and Chelsea. The silver cue is on the slate for this series. The Quarterbacks dominated the early stages of game 1, with a run by Jake giving them a nice lead. They were unprepared for Chelsea to roar back with a six-ball run-out for the Cougars, using her positioning skills to swoop in for the win and make it a 1-0 series lead early on for her team. The Quarterbacks answered with a highly efficient five-ball run by Jake on his first turn. They slowed down a bit, allowing the Cougars to gain ground, but it didn't matter in the end, as Marsell closed out the game and took the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 featured a lot of playing for the other team, as each player had a moment where they made an opponent's ball instead of their own. With all the gift-giving, it was fitting for Jake to leave the 8 in a vulnerable spot, allowing Charlton to tap it into the bottom left corner for the cheap win, giving the Cougars a 2-1 series lead over the Quarterbacks. Game 4 saw both teams produce good runs, with Charlton and Chelsea each scoring a three-ball run that got overwhelmed by a four-ball run from Marsell and a two-ball run-out by Jake in the end to produce a consistent result, making it a tied series once again at 2-2, with one game to determine the rest. The Quarterbacks appeared to take the upper hand in game 5 as well, and they made it stick as the Cougars challenged at every shot. The close finish favored Jake, as Chelsea couldn't corral the last striped ball, and Jake was able to bury Marsell's set-up shot on the 8 for the win and a 3-2 series win. The Quarterbacks have found their way to the third round.
Going second, the Otherentals and the Old Gentlemen do battle with the silver cue. Bells kept the Otherentals in charge for much of the game, setting the tone with a five-ball run from break. The Old Gentlemen couldn't keep up with the pace, flailing with their off-target shots, and Bells later had a three-ball run-out to put the Otherentals up 1-0 in the series after a strong first game individually. The Old Gentlemen had a much improved effort for game 2, pulling ahead in the later stages. The Otherentals were helpless to watch as Snuggle took a shot at the 8, but his try was errant and found a pocked he did not call, gifting the Otherentals with the win that gave them a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw the Old Gentlemen emerge with a quick lead on a five-ball run from Mr. Snowman after Bells' empty break. Bells wouldn't let that stand, and she rallied with a five-ball run of her own on her next turn. Mr. Snowman then replied with a well-played three-ball run-out to snag the win and cut their deficit in the series to 2-1. The Otherentals salvaged the series back in their favor with a six-ball run by Bells, ending only in a small illegal contact play. Snuggle tried to reply for the Old Gentlemen, but it didn't work out, and Hoot helped set up Bells for her finale play, enough to earn the win and make it a 3-1 series lead for the Otherentals. The Old Gentlemen gave game 5 a solid try, and they ended up taking the win as Mr. Snowman posted a four-ball run-out to stun the Otherentals and produce a 3-2 series final. Bells and Hoot advance to the third round with a fair amount of confidence.
The third series features Taylor and Rosalina, the Tall Blondes, against Puff II and Twinkie II, the Second Generation. The blue cue plays this series. Game 1 was a game to forget on both sides, with the Tall Blondes only taking solace in picking up the win. This came about because the Second Generation scratched four times in the game, and the Tall Blondes managed to work around their opponents' errors to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw both sides improve, with Puff II scoring a four-ball run to give the Second Generation a nice early lead. The Tall Blondes didn't allow it, pulling themselves back into the game later with a run by Taylor and then Rosalina's three-ball run-out to win again and make it 2-0 in the series. Puff II and Taylor fought to a stalemate on their turns in game 3, but Twinkie II had a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to leave Rosalina in the dust, helping the Second Generation to their first win of the series as the score stands at 2-1 from the remarkable effort from Twinkie II. The Second Generation started off strong again, with Puff II doing most of the work in game 4. She kept defense in critical areas to prevent the Tall Blondes from making a run, and it stuffed Rosalina on her only turn. Puff II then made a four-ball run-out, including a jump over the 2 to pot the 10, which left her lined up for the 8 as she tied the series at 2 with the clever play. Puff II got nothing from the game 5 break, and things looked dire when Taylor assembled a five-ball run halted only by a scratch. Twinkie II took over from the kitchen at this point, posting an eight-ball run-out that seemed to be driven a bit by luck, but it worked to get the clinching win. The Second Generation heads to the third round on the backs of that run and a 3-2 series win.
The fourth series of the day is Chicky Phil and Panda, Farm and Forest, against Klaus and Prism, Technicolor Christmas. The red cue is up for this series. Farm and Forest got off to a blistering start, completing a shutout in game 1. Chicky Phil did the bulk of the work with a seven-ball run from the break, and Klaus missed his only shot for Technicolor Christmas. Panda iced the game by making the 8 to the top right for a 1-0 series lead in fine form. Farm and Forest followed the same blueprint for game 2, as Chicky Phil made a six-ball run from the break, leaving Klaus in a bad shooting position, and the having Panda make the last two shots this time to grab another win and take a 2-0 series lead. The Technicolor Christmas rookie duo is really struggling, and Prism has yet to see the table. Chicky Phil couldn't put up a big run in game 3, and this ruined Farm and Forest's game plan. Technicolor Christmas benefited well, as Klaus and Prism took approximately equal shares of the game en route to a victory iced off by the final two shots for Prism from the kitchen. The result made the series move to a 2-1 mark. Farm and Forest had to shot a bit more resiliency, as Technicolor Christmas jumped out to a decent lead in game 4. Unfortunately, Klaus lost a bit of pace on his later turns in the slow game, opening the doors for a comeback that was completed when Chicky Phil tapped in the 8 after Klaus missed it at the bottom side, securing the series at 3-1 for Farm and Forest. Technicolor Christmas managed to hold onto the lead they established in game 5, working from the start for a better result than the previous game. Klaus had some scratching issues late in the game, but came through with the last two shots after Prism pinned Chicky Phil along the rails. The series ended 3-2 for Farm and Forest, and they advance to the third round.
Next up is series five, with the red cue presiding over the match between Dogtown's Princess and Americus and the Top of the List's Misty and Leonette. Misty looked to put Top of the List in a good position for game 1, but Dogtown's Americus answered quickly with a five-ball run to keep them in the game. A few gritty turns ensued before Americus finished what she started with the final shot on the 8 for the win to take a 1-0 series lead. Princess carried a bit more of the load for Dogtown in game 2, rallying for a four-ball run from the break. Leonette challenged with a run of her own for Top of the List later in the game, but Americus defended it well, and Princess iced the game with the last two shots for a 2-0 series lead. Top of the List had to fight hard for their lives in game 3, aided by Princess' inability to make any shots from the break or her second turn. Leonette and Misty managed to get themselves onto the 8, but they had to wait before making it as Americus went on a three-ball run. The threat ended when Misty tapped the 8 in to get the win and cut the series to 2-1. Leonette put up a valiant effort for Top of the List in game 4, but the effort went to waste as Princess made a hard charge at the end of the game to steal the win away and take the series at 3-1 with her four-ball run-out, as Dogtown will be advancing. Leonette took Top of the List for one more win in game 5, working a three-ball run-out to stun Princess and Americus as the series will end in a 3-2 final. Dogtown heads to the third round nonetheless.
For the sixth series, Davidson's Conquest, featuring Kirstin and Niki, oppose the Exotics, Nicole and Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The blue cue is at the table to conduct this series. Game 1 was a mess, as neither team could make an assertive claim to the lead. Davidson's Conquest took advantage occasionally, pacing a small lead that Niki ultimately iced off after much work from Kirstin to set her up among all the missed shots from the Exotics. Davidson's Conquest leads 1-0 in the series. In game 2, Kirstin did her part with a four-ball run to answer Nicole's early five-ball run for the Exotics. Niki lifted Davidson's Conquest the rest of the way, outplaying Yekaterina with a two-ball run-out that saw her bank the 8 to the top right for the win, making it a 2-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. The Exotics continued to be just pieces short of making a game of things, and this stayed true as Yekaterina missed the chance for a deep run in game 3. The result went unfavorably for them, as Niki had left the 8 at the bottom right, and Kirstin made no mistake to pound it home from the kitchen after Yekaterina's scratch, giving Davidson's Conquest the series on the win as they move ahead 3-0. The Exotics had their best game in game 4, posting three-ball runs each on the first turns. The problem for them was that Yekaterina never got a second turn, as Niki stepped up to swipe another game for Davidson's Conqeust. She assembled a seven-ball run-out, using two banks and a couple of long strikes as well to get the win and take a 4-0 series lead. Nicole saved face for the Exotics with a game 5 win, taking the team on her back after a poor break from Davidson's Conquest's Niki. Nicole used a four-ball run-out in the end, including a 4-6 bank combination to the bottom right to get the win, but it only made it a 4-1 series win for Davidson's Conquest, who saw better play from Kirstin in the final game. They advance to the third round with their convincing win.
Series seven is next, with the Muscle Bros Lionel and Smokey against their Brute Force companions Muscle and Medicine, Rainmane and Slinks. Lionel looked to have the Muscle Bros in full control of game 1 throughout his early turns, but he left them open to the counterattack. Smokey missed on the 8, and from that point on, Slinks put up a three-ball run-out to ice the game and give Muscle and Medicine a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a pretty balanced attack on both sides, with each team taking a scratch. Smokey's scratch proved far less timely for the Muscle Bros, acting as a counter to a four-ball run by Lionel previously. This allowed Rainmane to put up a three-ball run-out for Muscle and Medicine, which gave them a 2-0 series lead after she stowed the 8 in the bottom right. Rainmane's break in game 3 wasn't her best, but she took two stripes and a solid, and selected stripes. Lionel couldn't dig out of trouble, accidentally potting the 13 for his opponents, and then Muscle and Medicine watched Slinks piece together a five-ball run-out before the Muscle Bros' Smokey could reach the table. This secured the series at 3-0 for Muscle and Medicine. Rainmane made a huge impact from the break in game 4, running seven balls and putting the Muscle Bros on alert. Lionel had a four-ball run, and it looked like Smokey would do the same after Slinks' set-up shot, but Smokey missed the 5, and Rainmane iced the game by tapping the 8 in to go ahead 4-0 in the series. Rainmane made an error at the end of game 5, accidentally spinning the cue into the 8 after making the 13 and sending Muscle and Medicine to their only loss in the series. The gift win to the Muscle Bros made it a 4-1 series win for Muscle and Medicine, sending them into the third round.
Finishing off this day's game, we have the series of the Ice Queens Kiwi and Watermelon against the Forgotten Generation of Spice and Sugar. The red cue is up in this series. The Forgotten Generation struck first in game 1 with a three-ball run-out from Spice capping a gritty game that saw the Ice Queens hold the advantage for the bulk of the game. Watermelon was unable to keep Spice at bay for long, and as they became vulnerable, Spice attacked to get a win and a 1-0 series lead. Spice proved relentless for the Forgotten Generation in game 2, potting a six-ball run from the break. Kiwi didn't want to get too far behind, and she kept the Ice Queens in the fight with a five-ball run of her own, but it didn't hold up against Sugar, who made the final two shots to seal the win and give her team a 2-0 series lead. The Ice Queens appeared to have control in game 3 after Spice's empty break, but that control didn't hold up over time. Sugar especially pressed the issue and forced Watermelon into a couple of critical misses, the latter of those allowed Spice to clean up with a three-ball run-out to complete the comeback win and clinch the series at 3-0. The Ice Queens were once again doomed by an inability to finish the game in game 4, as Kiwi had the Forgotten Generation down to their last shot but missed on the 8, allowing Sugar to clean up the leftovers with a tap-in to sink the 8 in the bottom right, making it 4-0 in the series. Watermelon got a bit reckless on her last turn, missing contact on a tough cut to end her late run and gift the Forgotten Generation the last piece they needed for a sweep. Spice made the final two shots to win the game and take the series 5-0, sending the Forgotten Generation into the third round in impressive fashion.
We've got more to play later today. However, there's also a note of sadness to mention. Recently, progress on the Reconstruction of the Career Matchups document was stunted when my computer crashed. What was once viewed as a week to finish both this Doubles Tournament and the Reconstruction is now more than likely an either-or proposition. This also means that UPCL Cricket will once again take the back burner and be postponed until the end of Reconstruction, which is almost 90% complete even with this setback. I will do everything I can to get both projects completed by Saturday, but it's looking less likely for both to be finished with my other obligations. Purely UPCL activities will resume once these two projects are completed in full.
The Quarterbacks, Jake and Marsell, against the Cougars, A. Charlton and Chelsea. The silver cue is on the slate for this series. The Quarterbacks dominated the early stages of game 1, with a run by Jake giving them a nice lead. They were unprepared for Chelsea to roar back with a six-ball run-out for the Cougars, using her positioning skills to swoop in for the win and make it a 1-0 series lead early on for her team. The Quarterbacks answered with a highly efficient five-ball run by Jake on his first turn. They slowed down a bit, allowing the Cougars to gain ground, but it didn't matter in the end, as Marsell closed out the game and took the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 featured a lot of playing for the other team, as each player had a moment where they made an opponent's ball instead of their own. With all the gift-giving, it was fitting for Jake to leave the 8 in a vulnerable spot, allowing Charlton to tap it into the bottom left corner for the cheap win, giving the Cougars a 2-1 series lead over the Quarterbacks. Game 4 saw both teams produce good runs, with Charlton and Chelsea each scoring a three-ball run that got overwhelmed by a four-ball run from Marsell and a two-ball run-out by Jake in the end to produce a consistent result, making it a tied series once again at 2-2, with one game to determine the rest. The Quarterbacks appeared to take the upper hand in game 5 as well, and they made it stick as the Cougars challenged at every shot. The close finish favored Jake, as Chelsea couldn't corral the last striped ball, and Jake was able to bury Marsell's set-up shot on the 8 for the win and a 3-2 series win. The Quarterbacks have found their way to the third round.
Going second, the Otherentals and the Old Gentlemen do battle with the silver cue. Bells kept the Otherentals in charge for much of the game, setting the tone with a five-ball run from break. The Old Gentlemen couldn't keep up with the pace, flailing with their off-target shots, and Bells later had a three-ball run-out to put the Otherentals up 1-0 in the series after a strong first game individually. The Old Gentlemen had a much improved effort for game 2, pulling ahead in the later stages. The Otherentals were helpless to watch as Snuggle took a shot at the 8, but his try was errant and found a pocked he did not call, gifting the Otherentals with the win that gave them a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw the Old Gentlemen emerge with a quick lead on a five-ball run from Mr. Snowman after Bells' empty break. Bells wouldn't let that stand, and she rallied with a five-ball run of her own on her next turn. Mr. Snowman then replied with a well-played three-ball run-out to snag the win and cut their deficit in the series to 2-1. The Otherentals salvaged the series back in their favor with a six-ball run by Bells, ending only in a small illegal contact play. Snuggle tried to reply for the Old Gentlemen, but it didn't work out, and Hoot helped set up Bells for her finale play, enough to earn the win and make it a 3-1 series lead for the Otherentals. The Old Gentlemen gave game 5 a solid try, and they ended up taking the win as Mr. Snowman posted a four-ball run-out to stun the Otherentals and produce a 3-2 series final. Bells and Hoot advance to the third round with a fair amount of confidence.
The third series features Taylor and Rosalina, the Tall Blondes, against Puff II and Twinkie II, the Second Generation. The blue cue plays this series. Game 1 was a game to forget on both sides, with the Tall Blondes only taking solace in picking up the win. This came about because the Second Generation scratched four times in the game, and the Tall Blondes managed to work around their opponents' errors to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw both sides improve, with Puff II scoring a four-ball run to give the Second Generation a nice early lead. The Tall Blondes didn't allow it, pulling themselves back into the game later with a run by Taylor and then Rosalina's three-ball run-out to win again and make it 2-0 in the series. Puff II and Taylor fought to a stalemate on their turns in game 3, but Twinkie II had a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to leave Rosalina in the dust, helping the Second Generation to their first win of the series as the score stands at 2-1 from the remarkable effort from Twinkie II. The Second Generation started off strong again, with Puff II doing most of the work in game 4. She kept defense in critical areas to prevent the Tall Blondes from making a run, and it stuffed Rosalina on her only turn. Puff II then made a four-ball run-out, including a jump over the 2 to pot the 10, which left her lined up for the 8 as she tied the series at 2 with the clever play. Puff II got nothing from the game 5 break, and things looked dire when Taylor assembled a five-ball run halted only by a scratch. Twinkie II took over from the kitchen at this point, posting an eight-ball run-out that seemed to be driven a bit by luck, but it worked to get the clinching win. The Second Generation heads to the third round on the backs of that run and a 3-2 series win.
The fourth series of the day is Chicky Phil and Panda, Farm and Forest, against Klaus and Prism, Technicolor Christmas. The red cue is up for this series. Farm and Forest got off to a blistering start, completing a shutout in game 1. Chicky Phil did the bulk of the work with a seven-ball run from the break, and Klaus missed his only shot for Technicolor Christmas. Panda iced the game by making the 8 to the top right for a 1-0 series lead in fine form. Farm and Forest followed the same blueprint for game 2, as Chicky Phil made a six-ball run from the break, leaving Klaus in a bad shooting position, and the having Panda make the last two shots this time to grab another win and take a 2-0 series lead. The Technicolor Christmas rookie duo is really struggling, and Prism has yet to see the table. Chicky Phil couldn't put up a big run in game 3, and this ruined Farm and Forest's game plan. Technicolor Christmas benefited well, as Klaus and Prism took approximately equal shares of the game en route to a victory iced off by the final two shots for Prism from the kitchen. The result made the series move to a 2-1 mark. Farm and Forest had to shot a bit more resiliency, as Technicolor Christmas jumped out to a decent lead in game 4. Unfortunately, Klaus lost a bit of pace on his later turns in the slow game, opening the doors for a comeback that was completed when Chicky Phil tapped in the 8 after Klaus missed it at the bottom side, securing the series at 3-1 for Farm and Forest. Technicolor Christmas managed to hold onto the lead they established in game 5, working from the start for a better result than the previous game. Klaus had some scratching issues late in the game, but came through with the last two shots after Prism pinned Chicky Phil along the rails. The series ended 3-2 for Farm and Forest, and they advance to the third round.
Next up is series five, with the red cue presiding over the match between Dogtown's Princess and Americus and the Top of the List's Misty and Leonette. Misty looked to put Top of the List in a good position for game 1, but Dogtown's Americus answered quickly with a five-ball run to keep them in the game. A few gritty turns ensued before Americus finished what she started with the final shot on the 8 for the win to take a 1-0 series lead. Princess carried a bit more of the load for Dogtown in game 2, rallying for a four-ball run from the break. Leonette challenged with a run of her own for Top of the List later in the game, but Americus defended it well, and Princess iced the game with the last two shots for a 2-0 series lead. Top of the List had to fight hard for their lives in game 3, aided by Princess' inability to make any shots from the break or her second turn. Leonette and Misty managed to get themselves onto the 8, but they had to wait before making it as Americus went on a three-ball run. The threat ended when Misty tapped the 8 in to get the win and cut the series to 2-1. Leonette put up a valiant effort for Top of the List in game 4, but the effort went to waste as Princess made a hard charge at the end of the game to steal the win away and take the series at 3-1 with her four-ball run-out, as Dogtown will be advancing. Leonette took Top of the List for one more win in game 5, working a three-ball run-out to stun Princess and Americus as the series will end in a 3-2 final. Dogtown heads to the third round nonetheless.
For the sixth series, Davidson's Conquest, featuring Kirstin and Niki, oppose the Exotics, Nicole and Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The blue cue is at the table to conduct this series. Game 1 was a mess, as neither team could make an assertive claim to the lead. Davidson's Conquest took advantage occasionally, pacing a small lead that Niki ultimately iced off after much work from Kirstin to set her up among all the missed shots from the Exotics. Davidson's Conquest leads 1-0 in the series. In game 2, Kirstin did her part with a four-ball run to answer Nicole's early five-ball run for the Exotics. Niki lifted Davidson's Conquest the rest of the way, outplaying Yekaterina with a two-ball run-out that saw her bank the 8 to the top right for the win, making it a 2-0 series lead for Davidson's Conquest. The Exotics continued to be just pieces short of making a game of things, and this stayed true as Yekaterina missed the chance for a deep run in game 3. The result went unfavorably for them, as Niki had left the 8 at the bottom right, and Kirstin made no mistake to pound it home from the kitchen after Yekaterina's scratch, giving Davidson's Conquest the series on the win as they move ahead 3-0. The Exotics had their best game in game 4, posting three-ball runs each on the first turns. The problem for them was that Yekaterina never got a second turn, as Niki stepped up to swipe another game for Davidson's Conqeust. She assembled a seven-ball run-out, using two banks and a couple of long strikes as well to get the win and take a 4-0 series lead. Nicole saved face for the Exotics with a game 5 win, taking the team on her back after a poor break from Davidson's Conquest's Niki. Nicole used a four-ball run-out in the end, including a 4-6 bank combination to the bottom right to get the win, but it only made it a 4-1 series win for Davidson's Conquest, who saw better play from Kirstin in the final game. They advance to the third round with their convincing win.
Series seven is next, with the Muscle Bros Lionel and Smokey against their Brute Force companions Muscle and Medicine, Rainmane and Slinks. Lionel looked to have the Muscle Bros in full control of game 1 throughout his early turns, but he left them open to the counterattack. Smokey missed on the 8, and from that point on, Slinks put up a three-ball run-out to ice the game and give Muscle and Medicine a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a pretty balanced attack on both sides, with each team taking a scratch. Smokey's scratch proved far less timely for the Muscle Bros, acting as a counter to a four-ball run by Lionel previously. This allowed Rainmane to put up a three-ball run-out for Muscle and Medicine, which gave them a 2-0 series lead after she stowed the 8 in the bottom right. Rainmane's break in game 3 wasn't her best, but she took two stripes and a solid, and selected stripes. Lionel couldn't dig out of trouble, accidentally potting the 13 for his opponents, and then Muscle and Medicine watched Slinks piece together a five-ball run-out before the Muscle Bros' Smokey could reach the table. This secured the series at 3-0 for Muscle and Medicine. Rainmane made a huge impact from the break in game 4, running seven balls and putting the Muscle Bros on alert. Lionel had a four-ball run, and it looked like Smokey would do the same after Slinks' set-up shot, but Smokey missed the 5, and Rainmane iced the game by tapping the 8 in to go ahead 4-0 in the series. Rainmane made an error at the end of game 5, accidentally spinning the cue into the 8 after making the 13 and sending Muscle and Medicine to their only loss in the series. The gift win to the Muscle Bros made it a 4-1 series win for Muscle and Medicine, sending them into the third round.
Finishing off this day's game, we have the series of the Ice Queens Kiwi and Watermelon against the Forgotten Generation of Spice and Sugar. The red cue is up in this series. The Forgotten Generation struck first in game 1 with a three-ball run-out from Spice capping a gritty game that saw the Ice Queens hold the advantage for the bulk of the game. Watermelon was unable to keep Spice at bay for long, and as they became vulnerable, Spice attacked to get a win and a 1-0 series lead. Spice proved relentless for the Forgotten Generation in game 2, potting a six-ball run from the break. Kiwi didn't want to get too far behind, and she kept the Ice Queens in the fight with a five-ball run of her own, but it didn't hold up against Sugar, who made the final two shots to seal the win and give her team a 2-0 series lead. The Ice Queens appeared to have control in game 3 after Spice's empty break, but that control didn't hold up over time. Sugar especially pressed the issue and forced Watermelon into a couple of critical misses, the latter of those allowed Spice to clean up with a three-ball run-out to complete the comeback win and clinch the series at 3-0. The Ice Queens were once again doomed by an inability to finish the game in game 4, as Kiwi had the Forgotten Generation down to their last shot but missed on the 8, allowing Sugar to clean up the leftovers with a tap-in to sink the 8 in the bottom right, making it 4-0 in the series. Watermelon got a bit reckless on her last turn, missing contact on a tough cut to end her late run and gift the Forgotten Generation the last piece they needed for a sweep. Spice made the final two shots to win the game and take the series 5-0, sending the Forgotten Generation into the third round in impressive fashion.
We've got more to play later today. However, there's also a note of sadness to mention. Recently, progress on the Reconstruction of the Career Matchups document was stunted when my computer crashed. What was once viewed as a week to finish both this Doubles Tournament and the Reconstruction is now more than likely an either-or proposition. This also means that UPCL Cricket will once again take the back burner and be postponed until the end of Reconstruction, which is almost 90% complete even with this setback. I will do everything I can to get both projects completed by Saturday, but it's looking less likely for both to be finished with my other obligations. Purely UPCL activities will resume once these two projects are completed in full.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Round 1 Part 4
We're wrapping up the first round today, with the final eight series included in this post. We begin with...
Tigerette and Cheddar, known as Grand, facing the Seattle Pride team of Dustin and Sally, with the red cue presiding over this series. Dustin established a strong lead for Seattle Pride in game 1, but it wouldn't be his work that led to their win. Instead, Grand's Tigerette had a four-ball run going as she did a cluster-buster shot, and the 8 went in illegally to the top right, giving Seattle Pride a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Dustin set the tone from the break, and he had a four-ball run at one point to really pace the Seattle Pride to a nice lead. Cheddar and Tigerette had ineffective turns for Grand, and this allowed Sally to come in and make two straight shots, including a set-up on the 8 that potted the 5 and removed Grand's defense. Sally's strong play gave them the win and a 2-0 series lead. Cheddar and Tigerette worked an effective tag-team in game 3, putting together a strong offense that shut down Dustin and Sally despite their late rally. Seattle Pride proved unable to catch up when Sally missed the 10, and Cheddar iced the game by putting the 8 in the top right for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Seattle Pride looked to have the series wrapped up after Dustin's massive six-ball run in the game 4 as he took over possession from Tigerette's empty break. Cheddar got nothing on her next turn, while Sally couldn't make the 8, and Tigerette's second turn saw her do an eight-ball run-out, swiping the game away with a well-executed series of shots to tie the series at 2. Game 5 appeared to follow a similar path, as the Seattle Pride pulled out to a nice lead only to watch Tigerette put Grand on her back, carrying herself and Cheddar to victory with a seven-ball run-out with wonderful positioning to grab the series at 3-2. Tigerette and Cheddar will face The Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin, in the second round.
Next up, the Princesses Peach and Daisy face the Muscle and Medicine duo of Rainmane and Slinks. The blue cue has the games in this series. Muscle and Medicine showed some of the grit that got them through their preliminary round series. They started slow, allowing the Princesses to establish a lead. On the second time through, Rainmane set Slinks up well, and Slinks obliged with a five-ball run-out to give them a 1-0 series lead. Muscle and Medicine's Rainmane suffered a bruised finger as she failed to remove her hand from the table in time, but she contributed two three-ball runs to the cause. Peach got a lot of it back with a four-ball run, but Slinks poked around the defense and made the 8 in the top right on a glancing kick to give her side a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw another strong opening run from Rainmane and a bit of a lack of pace from either of the Princesses as they fell with only a turn at the table each. Rainmane iced the game with the last two shots to clinch the series at 3-0 in dominant form. The Princesses finally took a little credit for a game, as Muscle and Medicine didn't show up in much strength for game 4. They allowed their leads to slip away, and this allowed Daisy's finishing turn, pinching and then double-kissing the 8 on a bank to the bottom left for the win, making it 3-1 in the series. Game 5 ended in a flurry of action, as the Princesses saw a four-ball run from Peach to counteract Muscle and Medicine's Slinks assembling a five-ball run. Both left the teams close to victory, and Rainmane was first to act, giving Muscle and Medicine the win and a 4-1 series win. They advance to the second round against the Muscle Bros Lionel and Smokey.
In the day's third series, Sydney and Debby, the Secondaries, face the Exotics, Nicole and Yekaterina, with the silver cue acting as the allocated cue choice. The Exotics struck first with a bold game 1 win, pacing themselves with a lead over the Secondaries. This lead didn't look to hold up very well when Debby embarked on a hard charge with a five-ball run, but Yekaterina had time to make the 8 and did so for a 1-0 series lead. The Secondaries got behind again in game 2, but this time, Sydney made sure to finish what she started, making a seven-ball run-out to shock the Exotics as they had decent position on their remaining shots but never had a chance to shoot them. The series moves into a 1-1 tie after Sydney's heroics. The Secondaries continued to look more comfortable as the series progressed, with Sydney making a four-ball run and leaving the Exotics in a good spot. Nicole couldn't make much of this after an ineffective game between her and Yekaterina, and Debby charged in for the last two shots to get the win and earn a 2-1 series lead for the Secondaries. Sydney put together a good five-ball run from the break in game 4, establishing a lead for the Secondaries that proved unable to withstand Nicole, whose second turn featured a seven-ball run-out with three combinations, three tap-ins, and a medium-range sharp cut to snag the win and retie the series at 2 before the decisive game. Yekaterina stepped up in game 5, ending a fairly deadlocked game with a four-ball run-out to give the Exotics a hard-earned 3-2 series win over the Secondaries. Nicole and Yekaterina had to battle in this series, but they've earned their way to the second round against Davidson's Conquest, Kirstin and Niki.
The silver cue stays up for series four, featuring Unexplored's Bryant and Jasmine against the Second Generation of Puff II and Twinkie II. It took quite a while for anything to click for either team, but the ending of the game looked good for Unexplored, as Jasmine ran out the final four balls to get the win and take a 1-0 series lead over a punchless Second Generation. Jasmine kept Unexplored at a higher pace in game 2, taking a four-ball run on her first turn to set the tone. The Second Generation had trouble at separating some of their shots, and this played well for Unexplored, who made two each on their next two turns to take the win, ending with a long strike from Jasmine on the 8 to the bottom right for the 2-0 series lead. The Second Generation stayed alive with a firm answer to a moderate break from Bryant. Puff II replied with a quick seven-ball run, leaving Jasmine to pick up the pieces. She failed, as did Twinkie II on the first try to end the game, but Puff II quickly had a chance and buried it to cut the series to 2-1. Unexplored struggled again in the later stages of game 4. They had trailed the entire game after a four-ball run by Puff II on the break, and she would be the one to crack them at the end as well. Jasmine scratched on her final shot while making the 5, and Puff II banked the 8 to the top left from the kitchen for the win to tie the series at 2. The Second Generation completed their comeback in game 5, winning a very tense battle with Unexplored. Neither team saw a player go on an extended run of any sorts, with the best being Twinkie II making a three-ball run-out to snag the win and secure the series at 3-2. The Second Generation survived to the second round, where they will face the Tall Blondes, Taylor Swift and Rosalina.
In the fifth series, team Spotter, featuring Spot and Potter, gets some practice time together for the Tridents against team Destiny, featuring Sierra and Spirit. The red cue makes this appearance. Destiny needed very little time to get the win, as only Sierra made it to the table. She ran out the stripes suit and the 8 in one turn to send the rookies of Spotter to the bench as Destiny leads 1-0. Destiny took a more balanced approach in game 2, featuring a strong break from Spirit and some silky shots from Sierra to pace their way to victory again. Spotter's representatives each had a couple of good shots, but keeping up with Destiny's pace was impossible for the rookies, and they fell behind 2-0 in the series. Spirit continued to serve as the breaker for Destiny, and she got enough for a four-ball run this time. Sierra followed with a three-ball run, again ditching Spotter in the dust as they struggled to get a shot in the pockets at all. Sierra was tasked with finishing the game after Spirit missed a bank on the 8, and Sierra came through for the win to clinch the series at 3-0. Spot had a highlight double-pot in game 4, making the 1-6 cut combination to the top right, which deflected the cue into the 4-3 combination to the bottom side. The rest of game 4 went very favorably for Destiny, with Sierra contributing well and Spirit making a three-ball run-out to get the win and preserve the series at 4-0 so far. Spirit went big again in game 5, going for a six-ball run. Spot got Spotter a bit closer with a five-ball run himself, but Sierra shut the door for a 5-0 win by Destiny. They advance into the second round to face the Italian Plumbers, Mario and Luigi.
Series six resumes the round after a break, with Goatee and Strut, the Barnyard, facing off with Misty and Leonette, the Top of the List. The red cue's last appearance of the round is in this game. The Barnyard struggled to finish off game 1 in a timely manner, but they had plenty of time to work with as the Top of the List failed to make much of any impact at all on the game. Eventually, Goatee buried the 8 on her team's third try at it, giving them a 1-0 series lead. Strut just managed to keep the Barnyard on the right track in a very sloppy game 2, in which both teams left a lot of easy shots on the table for the sake of trying to produce a highlight. Top of the List challenged to the end of the game, but fell when Strut made the last two shots to send the Barnyard to a 2-0 series lead. The Top of the List staved off elimination, coming from behind against the Barnyard despite Goatee's excellent break shot. Misty was in line to finish off the comeback after Leonette pulled her side ahead, and Misty made two shots to get the win and cut the series to 2-1. The Barnyard had game 4 in their hands for most of its playing time, as they charged out to a nice lead. The Top of the List chipped back in their later turns, and it eventually led to Misty's final two shots that Strut accidentally set up. Misty barely made the 8, but it counted as the tying shot to make it 2-2 in the series. The Top of the List refused to give up on the series, and the persistence paid off, as Misty dominated for a five-ball run in game 5. Strut made a countering run late in the game, but came up short on the 3 at the top side, and Misty buried the 8 to carry her and Leonette to the second round with a 3-2 series win. They will face Princess and Americus, the Underdogs.
For the penultimate series, we have the Master and Apprentice team of Juno and Bandit against Twinnest's Neopolitan and Ice Cream. The silver cue oversees this series. Game 1 did not end well for the Master and Apprentice, as Bandit proved unable to pick up Juno's slack, while Twinnest's dynamic duo potted balls consistently. The game ended with Juno's illegal potting of the 8 coupled with a scratch, sending them to a 1-0 deficit in the series. Twinnest had a stronger battle on their hands in game 2, but Neopolitan had a strong break, and Ice Cream backed it up well. Bandit couldn't help Master and Apprentice out of a corner during his turns, and this cost them, as Ice Cream banked the 8 to the bottom right for the win to make it a 2-0 series lead for Twinnest. Game 3 went much the same, but it was a hard charge from Twinnest's Neopolitan at the end with a four-ball run-out to clinch the series. Bandit played well, but Juno didn't match with Ice Cream during the game, resulting the 3-0 score for the series at this stage. In game 4, Ice Cream and Bandit exchanged five-ball runs back-to-back, making it a close game up to the end. Ice Cream flubbed her shot on the 8 after a failed run by Neopolitan, and Juno's miss allowed Bandit to be the hero as Master and Apprentice save face with their first win to cut the series down to 3-1. Bandit carried Master and Apprentice through another difficult game 5 as well, working a four-ball run-out at the end to steal the win away for them as Twinnest took their feet off the gas in the later games. Twinnest still won the series 3-2, and they match up against Bright and Wings, the Angel Bears, in the second round.
The first round ends with B. Chapman and Dani, the Mischief Makers, facing off with the Livilottis, Jennifer and Stephanie. The blue cue is on for this series. Game 1 went in favor of the Livilottis, as there seemed to be a lack of coordination among the Mischief Makers, especially with where they wanted shots left. Stephanie played the hero with a clever bank on the 8 to the top side to send the Livilottis to a 1-0 series lead. The Livilottis proved unable to pin the Mischief Makers down in game 2, allowing Dani to carve up the defense and Chapman to chip away a bit more as they struggled to corral the 8. Eventually, Stephanie was able to sink the 8 to the top right, giving them a 2-0 series lead. The Mischief Makers finally broke through in game 3, greatly aided by a six-ball run from Dani to pace the attack. She would be the one to pick up the scraps when everyone had a miss on the 8 after the Livilottis caught up near the end. Dani's big shot on the 8 secured a win and made it a 2-1 series, with momentum favoring the Mischief Makers greatly. In game 4, the Livilottis paced the play, and they paced it slowly, as it was a drawn-out game that saw some close misses for both sides. The Mischief Makers took the game too passively, failing to push their opponents, and Stephanie was able to pot the 8 without hassle on her second try to clinch the series at 3-1 for the Livilottis. The Mischief Makers got one back in game 5, as Dani paced the attack with a five-ball run. This proved not too critical, as the Livilottis were unable to challenge in any significant manner for the game. Dani cruised to a tap-in on the 8 to make it a 3-2 series. The Livilottis advance to the second round to face the Free Fallin' duo of Max and Ruby.
That's it for the first round. As a programming note: tomorrow's post may run a bit late due to personal commitments. I hope not to have to put a delay on it, but there's a reasonable chance that could happen.
Tigerette and Cheddar, known as Grand, facing the Seattle Pride team of Dustin and Sally, with the red cue presiding over this series. Dustin established a strong lead for Seattle Pride in game 1, but it wouldn't be his work that led to their win. Instead, Grand's Tigerette had a four-ball run going as she did a cluster-buster shot, and the 8 went in illegally to the top right, giving Seattle Pride a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Dustin set the tone from the break, and he had a four-ball run at one point to really pace the Seattle Pride to a nice lead. Cheddar and Tigerette had ineffective turns for Grand, and this allowed Sally to come in and make two straight shots, including a set-up on the 8 that potted the 5 and removed Grand's defense. Sally's strong play gave them the win and a 2-0 series lead. Cheddar and Tigerette worked an effective tag-team in game 3, putting together a strong offense that shut down Dustin and Sally despite their late rally. Seattle Pride proved unable to catch up when Sally missed the 10, and Cheddar iced the game by putting the 8 in the top right for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Seattle Pride looked to have the series wrapped up after Dustin's massive six-ball run in the game 4 as he took over possession from Tigerette's empty break. Cheddar got nothing on her next turn, while Sally couldn't make the 8, and Tigerette's second turn saw her do an eight-ball run-out, swiping the game away with a well-executed series of shots to tie the series at 2. Game 5 appeared to follow a similar path, as the Seattle Pride pulled out to a nice lead only to watch Tigerette put Grand on her back, carrying herself and Cheddar to victory with a seven-ball run-out with wonderful positioning to grab the series at 3-2. Tigerette and Cheddar will face The Woodelands, Lexi and Caitlin, in the second round.
Next up, the Princesses Peach and Daisy face the Muscle and Medicine duo of Rainmane and Slinks. The blue cue has the games in this series. Muscle and Medicine showed some of the grit that got them through their preliminary round series. They started slow, allowing the Princesses to establish a lead. On the second time through, Rainmane set Slinks up well, and Slinks obliged with a five-ball run-out to give them a 1-0 series lead. Muscle and Medicine's Rainmane suffered a bruised finger as she failed to remove her hand from the table in time, but she contributed two three-ball runs to the cause. Peach got a lot of it back with a four-ball run, but Slinks poked around the defense and made the 8 in the top right on a glancing kick to give her side a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw another strong opening run from Rainmane and a bit of a lack of pace from either of the Princesses as they fell with only a turn at the table each. Rainmane iced the game with the last two shots to clinch the series at 3-0 in dominant form. The Princesses finally took a little credit for a game, as Muscle and Medicine didn't show up in much strength for game 4. They allowed their leads to slip away, and this allowed Daisy's finishing turn, pinching and then double-kissing the 8 on a bank to the bottom left for the win, making it 3-1 in the series. Game 5 ended in a flurry of action, as the Princesses saw a four-ball run from Peach to counteract Muscle and Medicine's Slinks assembling a five-ball run. Both left the teams close to victory, and Rainmane was first to act, giving Muscle and Medicine the win and a 4-1 series win. They advance to the second round against the Muscle Bros Lionel and Smokey.
In the day's third series, Sydney and Debby, the Secondaries, face the Exotics, Nicole and Yekaterina, with the silver cue acting as the allocated cue choice. The Exotics struck first with a bold game 1 win, pacing themselves with a lead over the Secondaries. This lead didn't look to hold up very well when Debby embarked on a hard charge with a five-ball run, but Yekaterina had time to make the 8 and did so for a 1-0 series lead. The Secondaries got behind again in game 2, but this time, Sydney made sure to finish what she started, making a seven-ball run-out to shock the Exotics as they had decent position on their remaining shots but never had a chance to shoot them. The series moves into a 1-1 tie after Sydney's heroics. The Secondaries continued to look more comfortable as the series progressed, with Sydney making a four-ball run and leaving the Exotics in a good spot. Nicole couldn't make much of this after an ineffective game between her and Yekaterina, and Debby charged in for the last two shots to get the win and earn a 2-1 series lead for the Secondaries. Sydney put together a good five-ball run from the break in game 4, establishing a lead for the Secondaries that proved unable to withstand Nicole, whose second turn featured a seven-ball run-out with three combinations, three tap-ins, and a medium-range sharp cut to snag the win and retie the series at 2 before the decisive game. Yekaterina stepped up in game 5, ending a fairly deadlocked game with a four-ball run-out to give the Exotics a hard-earned 3-2 series win over the Secondaries. Nicole and Yekaterina had to battle in this series, but they've earned their way to the second round against Davidson's Conquest, Kirstin and Niki.
The silver cue stays up for series four, featuring Unexplored's Bryant and Jasmine against the Second Generation of Puff II and Twinkie II. It took quite a while for anything to click for either team, but the ending of the game looked good for Unexplored, as Jasmine ran out the final four balls to get the win and take a 1-0 series lead over a punchless Second Generation. Jasmine kept Unexplored at a higher pace in game 2, taking a four-ball run on her first turn to set the tone. The Second Generation had trouble at separating some of their shots, and this played well for Unexplored, who made two each on their next two turns to take the win, ending with a long strike from Jasmine on the 8 to the bottom right for the 2-0 series lead. The Second Generation stayed alive with a firm answer to a moderate break from Bryant. Puff II replied with a quick seven-ball run, leaving Jasmine to pick up the pieces. She failed, as did Twinkie II on the first try to end the game, but Puff II quickly had a chance and buried it to cut the series to 2-1. Unexplored struggled again in the later stages of game 4. They had trailed the entire game after a four-ball run by Puff II on the break, and she would be the one to crack them at the end as well. Jasmine scratched on her final shot while making the 5, and Puff II banked the 8 to the top left from the kitchen for the win to tie the series at 2. The Second Generation completed their comeback in game 5, winning a very tense battle with Unexplored. Neither team saw a player go on an extended run of any sorts, with the best being Twinkie II making a three-ball run-out to snag the win and secure the series at 3-2. The Second Generation survived to the second round, where they will face the Tall Blondes, Taylor Swift and Rosalina.
In the fifth series, team Spotter, featuring Spot and Potter, gets some practice time together for the Tridents against team Destiny, featuring Sierra and Spirit. The red cue makes this appearance. Destiny needed very little time to get the win, as only Sierra made it to the table. She ran out the stripes suit and the 8 in one turn to send the rookies of Spotter to the bench as Destiny leads 1-0. Destiny took a more balanced approach in game 2, featuring a strong break from Spirit and some silky shots from Sierra to pace their way to victory again. Spotter's representatives each had a couple of good shots, but keeping up with Destiny's pace was impossible for the rookies, and they fell behind 2-0 in the series. Spirit continued to serve as the breaker for Destiny, and she got enough for a four-ball run this time. Sierra followed with a three-ball run, again ditching Spotter in the dust as they struggled to get a shot in the pockets at all. Sierra was tasked with finishing the game after Spirit missed a bank on the 8, and Sierra came through for the win to clinch the series at 3-0. Spot had a highlight double-pot in game 4, making the 1-6 cut combination to the top right, which deflected the cue into the 4-3 combination to the bottom side. The rest of game 4 went very favorably for Destiny, with Sierra contributing well and Spirit making a three-ball run-out to get the win and preserve the series at 4-0 so far. Spirit went big again in game 5, going for a six-ball run. Spot got Spotter a bit closer with a five-ball run himself, but Sierra shut the door for a 5-0 win by Destiny. They advance into the second round to face the Italian Plumbers, Mario and Luigi.
Series six resumes the round after a break, with Goatee and Strut, the Barnyard, facing off with Misty and Leonette, the Top of the List. The red cue's last appearance of the round is in this game. The Barnyard struggled to finish off game 1 in a timely manner, but they had plenty of time to work with as the Top of the List failed to make much of any impact at all on the game. Eventually, Goatee buried the 8 on her team's third try at it, giving them a 1-0 series lead. Strut just managed to keep the Barnyard on the right track in a very sloppy game 2, in which both teams left a lot of easy shots on the table for the sake of trying to produce a highlight. Top of the List challenged to the end of the game, but fell when Strut made the last two shots to send the Barnyard to a 2-0 series lead. The Top of the List staved off elimination, coming from behind against the Barnyard despite Goatee's excellent break shot. Misty was in line to finish off the comeback after Leonette pulled her side ahead, and Misty made two shots to get the win and cut the series to 2-1. The Barnyard had game 4 in their hands for most of its playing time, as they charged out to a nice lead. The Top of the List chipped back in their later turns, and it eventually led to Misty's final two shots that Strut accidentally set up. Misty barely made the 8, but it counted as the tying shot to make it 2-2 in the series. The Top of the List refused to give up on the series, and the persistence paid off, as Misty dominated for a five-ball run in game 5. Strut made a countering run late in the game, but came up short on the 3 at the top side, and Misty buried the 8 to carry her and Leonette to the second round with a 3-2 series win. They will face Princess and Americus, the Underdogs.
For the penultimate series, we have the Master and Apprentice team of Juno and Bandit against Twinnest's Neopolitan and Ice Cream. The silver cue oversees this series. Game 1 did not end well for the Master and Apprentice, as Bandit proved unable to pick up Juno's slack, while Twinnest's dynamic duo potted balls consistently. The game ended with Juno's illegal potting of the 8 coupled with a scratch, sending them to a 1-0 deficit in the series. Twinnest had a stronger battle on their hands in game 2, but Neopolitan had a strong break, and Ice Cream backed it up well. Bandit couldn't help Master and Apprentice out of a corner during his turns, and this cost them, as Ice Cream banked the 8 to the bottom right for the win to make it a 2-0 series lead for Twinnest. Game 3 went much the same, but it was a hard charge from Twinnest's Neopolitan at the end with a four-ball run-out to clinch the series. Bandit played well, but Juno didn't match with Ice Cream during the game, resulting the 3-0 score for the series at this stage. In game 4, Ice Cream and Bandit exchanged five-ball runs back-to-back, making it a close game up to the end. Ice Cream flubbed her shot on the 8 after a failed run by Neopolitan, and Juno's miss allowed Bandit to be the hero as Master and Apprentice save face with their first win to cut the series down to 3-1. Bandit carried Master and Apprentice through another difficult game 5 as well, working a four-ball run-out at the end to steal the win away for them as Twinnest took their feet off the gas in the later games. Twinnest still won the series 3-2, and they match up against Bright and Wings, the Angel Bears, in the second round.
The first round ends with B. Chapman and Dani, the Mischief Makers, facing off with the Livilottis, Jennifer and Stephanie. The blue cue is on for this series. Game 1 went in favor of the Livilottis, as there seemed to be a lack of coordination among the Mischief Makers, especially with where they wanted shots left. Stephanie played the hero with a clever bank on the 8 to the top side to send the Livilottis to a 1-0 series lead. The Livilottis proved unable to pin the Mischief Makers down in game 2, allowing Dani to carve up the defense and Chapman to chip away a bit more as they struggled to corral the 8. Eventually, Stephanie was able to sink the 8 to the top right, giving them a 2-0 series lead. The Mischief Makers finally broke through in game 3, greatly aided by a six-ball run from Dani to pace the attack. She would be the one to pick up the scraps when everyone had a miss on the 8 after the Livilottis caught up near the end. Dani's big shot on the 8 secured a win and made it a 2-1 series, with momentum favoring the Mischief Makers greatly. In game 4, the Livilottis paced the play, and they paced it slowly, as it was a drawn-out game that saw some close misses for both sides. The Mischief Makers took the game too passively, failing to push their opponents, and Stephanie was able to pot the 8 without hassle on her second try to clinch the series at 3-1 for the Livilottis. The Mischief Makers got one back in game 5, as Dani paced the attack with a five-ball run. This proved not too critical, as the Livilottis were unable to challenge in any significant manner for the game. Dani cruised to a tap-in on the 8 to make it a 3-2 series. The Livilottis advance to the second round to face the Free Fallin' duo of Max and Ruby.
That's it for the first round. As a programming note: tomorrow's post may run a bit late due to personal commitments. I hope not to have to put a delay on it, but there's a reasonable chance that could happen.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Round 1 Part 3
This segment will bring us close to the end of the biggest round of this tournament. We begin with the make-up series skipped a few days ago.
Mr. Snowman and Snuggle, the Old Gentlemen, face off with the Executives Shawn and Chris. The red cue will play in this series. Shawn did all the work in game 1 for the Executives, but his three-ball run was overwhelmed by the Old Gentlemen's Snuggle, who scored a seven-ball run. Shawn kept the control out of the hands of the opponent by illegally potting the 8 early, gifting the Old Gentlemen a win they would have taken anyway for the series lead at 1-0. Game 2 had a bit of a slower start, but Mr. Snowman sent the Old Gentlemen forward with a six-ball run on his second turn. Shawn and Chris each had runs to cut into the deficit, but Mr. Snowman held the Executives at bay with his winning shot on the 8, advancing them a 2-0 series lead. The Executives tried to stage a rally in game 3, but Shawn's scratch derailed the early attack, and Mr. Snowman made a good run on his last turn to set up Snuggle later. Shawn couldn't pull back, and Snuggle made the last shot for the Old Gentleman, icing the series at 3-0 with their win. The Executives refused to be swept out of the tournament, playing a very solid game 4. They weathered a run from Snuggle, as Shawn's four-ball run put them on the brink of a win, and when Mr. Snowman's run ended short of the 8, Chris cut the 8 to the top side to make it 3-1 in the series. The Executives looked to have game 5 under control too, but misses on the 8 from both of their players allowed the Old Gentlemen to chip in and make the final four shots over two turns for the win, making it a 4-1 series. The Old Gentleman are in to the second round.
Back on the originally planned schedule, Kiwi and Watermelon, the Ice Queens, face off against Dusky and Brownie, the Brownnosers. The blue cue gets the honors for this series. The Ice Queens had very little trouble in game 1, although a scratch from Kiwi made things a bit difficult in the middle. Dusky and Brownie failed to capitalize on it, and the Brownnosers went down 1-0 in the series as Watermelon finished a three-ball run-out by banking the 8 to the top left. The Brownnosers absolutely threw game 2 away, as they worked well at the start but stalled out before the 8. The Ice Queens slowly made their way back into the game, and Watermelon dealt the deathly blow by potting the 8 as the second of two shots on her final turn, making it 2-0 in the series. It didn't seem good for the Ice Queens in game 3, especially after a shot that saw them gift two balls to the Brownnosers. Dusky and Brownie were unable to make anything of the gifts, losing their momentum after that and watching as Kiwi had a run and Watermelon set up an easy shot on the 8. Kiwi tapped it in to clinch the series at 3-0 with the strong play after a silly error. The Brownnosers found some redemption with a very strong game 4 performance, mostly due to a lack of success for Kiwi. Dusky did her part with a three-ball run to get things set up, and Watermelon's last miss led to Brownie sinking the 8 at the top side for the win, making it a 3-1 series lead for the Ice Queens. In game 5, the Ice Queens had to stave off a bold run near the end from the Brownnosers, and they did so with a clever pair of finishing shots by Watermelon, taking the win and a 4-1 series win as well in the performance. The Ice Queens advance to the second round against the Forgotten Generation of Sugar and Spice.
Series three today pits the Daughters of Delila, Fluffina and Precious, against the Empyre Sisters, Snowball and Stripes. The red cue returns to action for this series. The Empyre Sisters had a stronger start in game 1, but it was a war of attrition at the end, as the teams exchanged long-distance and off-target slow shots. Frustration built until Stripes gave the Empyre Sisters the win by scoring the 8 in the bottom side for a 1-0 series lead over the Daughters of Delila. Stripes carried much of the offensive load for the Empyre Sisters in game 2, making a four-ball run and adding two more on her second turn, but the Daughters of Delila kept pace and stole the game away with a three-ball run-out by Precious to tie the series at 1 in good form. The Empyre sisters made a big run to start game 3, as Snowball put away four in a row. Stripes proved detrimental to the offense, going empty in her first turn and taking an illegal contact foul the second time, allowing Fluffina to set up a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, which she converted to give the Daughters of Delila a 2-1 series lead. The Daughters of Delila had another tough challenge in game 4, as Stripes had a four-ball run to counter Precious' breakout for the hosts. Ultimately, the Empyre Sisters faltered on their attempt at the 8 taken by Stripes, and Fluffina cleaned the game up in the last two shots to seal the series at 3-1. Game 5 went quickly and without much resistance from the Empyre Sisters, as Fluffina ran seven balls from the break and left Precious with a tap-in on the 8 at the top side to give the Daughters of Delila a 4-1 series win. Fluffina and Precious face the Italians, a rookie duo of Bianca and Isabella, in the second round.
In the fourth series, Chicky Phil and Panda, of Farm and Forest, face off with Double P members Pounce and Pedey, a mismatched pair. Double P took game 1 and a 1-0 series lead thanks to dominant turn from Pounce that saw him do a five-ball run. Pedey added a little bit, and while Chicky Phil tried to help Farm and Forest defend, the effort failed and allowed Pounce to finish the game. Pounce needed only one shot to double the Double P lead, as he blasted the 8 to the bottom right on the break, making it a dangerously strong 2-0 series lead over a hapless Farm and Forest. The 8-on-break is the second in the tournament. Rainmane was the other player to do it in the preliminary round en route to Muscle and Medicine's 4-1 series win. Chicky Phil at least temporarily avoided a brutal losing fate, smashing a three-ball run-out in a much more balanced game 3 to cut the series to 2-1. Panda and Chicky Phil did well for Farm and Forest to keep them going, while Pedey had to carry Double P in this game and came up slightly short in the end. Double P again failed to close out a game, suffering the loss in game 4 as Pounce's untimely scratch and Pedey's poor final turn allowed Panda to set things up and Chicky Phil to knock them down, ending with a diagonal bank on the 8 to the bottom right, tying the series at 2. Panda sprang Farm and Forest to a lead in game 5 with a four-ball run, and from there, Double P couldn't rally back, always staying a step behind until Chicky Phil iced the game and took the series 3-2 with the final shot on the 8 beyond light defense. Farm and Forest heads to the second round to oppose Technicolor Christmas (Klaus and Prism) in the second round.
Series five features the Smudgonardo duo of Smudge and Leonardo against Darkest Night, featuring Nightfur and Midnight. The silver cue is designated for this series. Things did not start quickly, and scratches from both members of Smudgonardo didn't help the cause. They still almost won, but a bad angle on the 8 allowed Nightfur to piece together a four-ball run-out for Darkest Night to win the game and take a 1-0 series lead. Smudgonardo pursued a late run through Leonardo in game 2, as he went on a four-ball sprint but missed on the 2 and ended up leaving Nightfur lined up for a three-ball run-out, which she converted to give Darkest Night the 2-0 series lead with a little help from Midnight in the middle of the game. Smudgonardo had a breakthrough in game 3 to keep themselves alive in the series. Leonardo paced their attack with a four-ball run early on, and they held off a threatening layout by Darkest Night to take the win and make it a 2-1 series. Smudgonardo took the early lead again in game 4, with a four-ball run by Smudge sufficing at first. Darkest Night played significant defense in the later parts of the game, but Nightfur's block of the top right just encourage Leonardo to use the defensive ball as safety against scratching as he kicked the 8 to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 2 with the highlight shot. Game 5 was excellent for the players, as Smudgonardo mixed up their strategy. Leonardo broke and went on a five-ball run, answered quickly by an expert seven-ball run from Nightfur. Smudge looked to have control with just two balls on the table after Nightfur gave one away, but she missed wide left on the 8, and Midnight pocketed it at the top left for the win and a 3-2 series win for Darkest Night. Nightfur and Midnight gutted this one out and advance to the second round against the Mismatch of Boots and Strawberry.
Continuing to series six, where Roxy and Nikolai, the Big Bears, face off with the Power Couple of Valencia and Gradley. The blue cue is called on for this series. The Power Couple had no issues in game 1, with Valencia's four-ball run and Gradley's three-ball run scaring the Big Bears into submission. Roxy challenged with a three-ball run, but Valencia potted the 8 to give the Power Couple a 1-0 series lead. The Big Bears would not back down in game 2, and that was the work of Nikolai, who smashed a six-ball run on his first turn, and then ended the game the next time around with a pair of good shots, including a bank of the 8 to the top left to leave Valencia waiting to shoot as the series went to a 1-1 tie. In game 3, the only real busy moment of the game came during a six-ball run of improbable proportions by Nikolai, who set the tone. The Power Couple never got back into it, and while the Big Bears took their time in ending the game, they did eventually lay claim to the victory for a 2-1 series lead. The boys were tasked with settling things in this game, and it came down to them after each had a six-ball run on their first turns. Nikolai was able to get the 8 in position when he had the chance to, but he failed to make the shot, and this left Gradley open to tap in the final two shots for the win, helping the Power Couple retie the series at 2 and send it to a final decisive game. Roxy ultimately proved vital to securing the series win at 3-2 for the Big Bears, as she made a six-ball run early, ending with a scratch. Nikolai pushed a little more on his turn, putting the Power Couple in a defensive mindset they couldn't get out of as the game expired on Roxy's sinking of the 8 to the top right to clinch it. The Big Bears head to the second round against Easter and Whiskers, or team Atomic Aunt.
For the seventh series, the Founders Acorn and Oreo face off with the Snoozers Dreamy and Shadow. The blue cue is again in action. The Founders took game 1 after a solid break by Acorn and a good secondary run by Oreo left them in good position. The Snoozers kept up well, but Dreamy's run ended at three balls, and Acorn made the last two shots to take the game and a 1-0 series lead with a couple of simple shots. The Founders continued their strong play, taking a little longer to start but holding the Snoozers at bay as well. Shadow got the Snoozers close to winning game 2, but his miss on the 8 left Oreo free for a three-ball run-out to snag the win and take a 2-0 series lead for the Founders as they march closer to advancing. The Snoozers did not go down without a fight in game 3, and they kept themselves alive thanks to a somewhat understated seven-ball run by Dreamy on her only turn of the game after a decent break from Acorn left the table fairly open. The big run by Dreamy cut the series to 2-1 as it's still anyone's to win. This brief breath of air for the Snoozers didn't last, as the Founders' Oreo got pretty lucky on a four-ball run-out in game 4. Oreo banked the 12 off the right rail and the 8 to pot it in the bottom side, unintentionally, and then sent the 8 to the bottom right for the victory that clinched the series at 3-1 while the Snoozers watched, helpless. In game 5, the teams each took a quick pace to their games. This reached its peak with Acorn and Shadow exchanging three-ball runs late in the game before the table turned to Oreo, who was able to end the game with the final shot for the win and a 4-1 series win. The Founders look very solid in this game, and they'll hope to continue their good fortune in the second round against the Checkers, Gizmo and Bear.
In the day's final series, the Otherentals, Bells and Hoot, go up against Sophomoric, composed of Paige and Shannon. The silver cue has the series. Bells made a large six-ball run for the Otherentals in game 1 after a fairly slow start to the game. Paige answered on a four-ball run, getting no help from Shannon in the game, but Hoot was there to end it in a win for the Otherentals with his final two shots. They lead the series 1-0. Sophomoric tried to pull back into game 2 after another strong start from the Otherentals. Shannon led the comeback attempt with a four-ball run at one stage, but things stagnated after this point and Hoot was the lucky one in the end to pot the final shots to put the Otherentals ahead 2-0 in the series. Shannon had a bold shot attempt toward the 8 in game 3, and this was the defining play of their series loss, as she did pot the 8 illegally after the contacting the 12, and this gifted the final required win for the Otherentals as they clinched the series at 3-0. Paige and Shannon combined early on in game 4 to stake out a fairly large lead, and while Bells mostly did work to bring the Otherentals into the game, Sophomoric was able to finish off their win as Paige made the final two shots, bringing the series to a score of 3-1. Hoot rallied in the end of game 5 with a three-ball run-out, overcoming a very strong start from Sophomoric's Shannon to steal the game away and ice the series at 4-1. With the result, the Otherentals will face the Old Gentlemen, winners of today's first series, in the second round.
That's all for this one. The anticipated schedule has us finishing the first round tomorrow with the top 8 seeds going against the preliminary round winners. Tuesday and Wednesday are reserved for the Second Round, and Thanksgiving day will be the Third Round. Friday should be the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, 3rd place series, and Final to complete the tournament. Overages may be played on Saturday should the schedule prove difficult to stick to.
Mr. Snowman and Snuggle, the Old Gentlemen, face off with the Executives Shawn and Chris. The red cue will play in this series. Shawn did all the work in game 1 for the Executives, but his three-ball run was overwhelmed by the Old Gentlemen's Snuggle, who scored a seven-ball run. Shawn kept the control out of the hands of the opponent by illegally potting the 8 early, gifting the Old Gentlemen a win they would have taken anyway for the series lead at 1-0. Game 2 had a bit of a slower start, but Mr. Snowman sent the Old Gentlemen forward with a six-ball run on his second turn. Shawn and Chris each had runs to cut into the deficit, but Mr. Snowman held the Executives at bay with his winning shot on the 8, advancing them a 2-0 series lead. The Executives tried to stage a rally in game 3, but Shawn's scratch derailed the early attack, and Mr. Snowman made a good run on his last turn to set up Snuggle later. Shawn couldn't pull back, and Snuggle made the last shot for the Old Gentleman, icing the series at 3-0 with their win. The Executives refused to be swept out of the tournament, playing a very solid game 4. They weathered a run from Snuggle, as Shawn's four-ball run put them on the brink of a win, and when Mr. Snowman's run ended short of the 8, Chris cut the 8 to the top side to make it 3-1 in the series. The Executives looked to have game 5 under control too, but misses on the 8 from both of their players allowed the Old Gentlemen to chip in and make the final four shots over two turns for the win, making it a 4-1 series. The Old Gentleman are in to the second round.
Back on the originally planned schedule, Kiwi and Watermelon, the Ice Queens, face off against Dusky and Brownie, the Brownnosers. The blue cue gets the honors for this series. The Ice Queens had very little trouble in game 1, although a scratch from Kiwi made things a bit difficult in the middle. Dusky and Brownie failed to capitalize on it, and the Brownnosers went down 1-0 in the series as Watermelon finished a three-ball run-out by banking the 8 to the top left. The Brownnosers absolutely threw game 2 away, as they worked well at the start but stalled out before the 8. The Ice Queens slowly made their way back into the game, and Watermelon dealt the deathly blow by potting the 8 as the second of two shots on her final turn, making it 2-0 in the series. It didn't seem good for the Ice Queens in game 3, especially after a shot that saw them gift two balls to the Brownnosers. Dusky and Brownie were unable to make anything of the gifts, losing their momentum after that and watching as Kiwi had a run and Watermelon set up an easy shot on the 8. Kiwi tapped it in to clinch the series at 3-0 with the strong play after a silly error. The Brownnosers found some redemption with a very strong game 4 performance, mostly due to a lack of success for Kiwi. Dusky did her part with a three-ball run to get things set up, and Watermelon's last miss led to Brownie sinking the 8 at the top side for the win, making it a 3-1 series lead for the Ice Queens. In game 5, the Ice Queens had to stave off a bold run near the end from the Brownnosers, and they did so with a clever pair of finishing shots by Watermelon, taking the win and a 4-1 series win as well in the performance. The Ice Queens advance to the second round against the Forgotten Generation of Sugar and Spice.
Series three today pits the Daughters of Delila, Fluffina and Precious, against the Empyre Sisters, Snowball and Stripes. The red cue returns to action for this series. The Empyre Sisters had a stronger start in game 1, but it was a war of attrition at the end, as the teams exchanged long-distance and off-target slow shots. Frustration built until Stripes gave the Empyre Sisters the win by scoring the 8 in the bottom side for a 1-0 series lead over the Daughters of Delila. Stripes carried much of the offensive load for the Empyre Sisters in game 2, making a four-ball run and adding two more on her second turn, but the Daughters of Delila kept pace and stole the game away with a three-ball run-out by Precious to tie the series at 1 in good form. The Empyre sisters made a big run to start game 3, as Snowball put away four in a row. Stripes proved detrimental to the offense, going empty in her first turn and taking an illegal contact foul the second time, allowing Fluffina to set up a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, which she converted to give the Daughters of Delila a 2-1 series lead. The Daughters of Delila had another tough challenge in game 4, as Stripes had a four-ball run to counter Precious' breakout for the hosts. Ultimately, the Empyre Sisters faltered on their attempt at the 8 taken by Stripes, and Fluffina cleaned the game up in the last two shots to seal the series at 3-1. Game 5 went quickly and without much resistance from the Empyre Sisters, as Fluffina ran seven balls from the break and left Precious with a tap-in on the 8 at the top side to give the Daughters of Delila a 4-1 series win. Fluffina and Precious face the Italians, a rookie duo of Bianca and Isabella, in the second round.
In the fourth series, Chicky Phil and Panda, of Farm and Forest, face off with Double P members Pounce and Pedey, a mismatched pair. Double P took game 1 and a 1-0 series lead thanks to dominant turn from Pounce that saw him do a five-ball run. Pedey added a little bit, and while Chicky Phil tried to help Farm and Forest defend, the effort failed and allowed Pounce to finish the game. Pounce needed only one shot to double the Double P lead, as he blasted the 8 to the bottom right on the break, making it a dangerously strong 2-0 series lead over a hapless Farm and Forest. The 8-on-break is the second in the tournament. Rainmane was the other player to do it in the preliminary round en route to Muscle and Medicine's 4-1 series win. Chicky Phil at least temporarily avoided a brutal losing fate, smashing a three-ball run-out in a much more balanced game 3 to cut the series to 2-1. Panda and Chicky Phil did well for Farm and Forest to keep them going, while Pedey had to carry Double P in this game and came up slightly short in the end. Double P again failed to close out a game, suffering the loss in game 4 as Pounce's untimely scratch and Pedey's poor final turn allowed Panda to set things up and Chicky Phil to knock them down, ending with a diagonal bank on the 8 to the bottom right, tying the series at 2. Panda sprang Farm and Forest to a lead in game 5 with a four-ball run, and from there, Double P couldn't rally back, always staying a step behind until Chicky Phil iced the game and took the series 3-2 with the final shot on the 8 beyond light defense. Farm and Forest heads to the second round to oppose Technicolor Christmas (Klaus and Prism) in the second round.
Series five features the Smudgonardo duo of Smudge and Leonardo against Darkest Night, featuring Nightfur and Midnight. The silver cue is designated for this series. Things did not start quickly, and scratches from both members of Smudgonardo didn't help the cause. They still almost won, but a bad angle on the 8 allowed Nightfur to piece together a four-ball run-out for Darkest Night to win the game and take a 1-0 series lead. Smudgonardo pursued a late run through Leonardo in game 2, as he went on a four-ball sprint but missed on the 2 and ended up leaving Nightfur lined up for a three-ball run-out, which she converted to give Darkest Night the 2-0 series lead with a little help from Midnight in the middle of the game. Smudgonardo had a breakthrough in game 3 to keep themselves alive in the series. Leonardo paced their attack with a four-ball run early on, and they held off a threatening layout by Darkest Night to take the win and make it a 2-1 series. Smudgonardo took the early lead again in game 4, with a four-ball run by Smudge sufficing at first. Darkest Night played significant defense in the later parts of the game, but Nightfur's block of the top right just encourage Leonardo to use the defensive ball as safety against scratching as he kicked the 8 to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 2 with the highlight shot. Game 5 was excellent for the players, as Smudgonardo mixed up their strategy. Leonardo broke and went on a five-ball run, answered quickly by an expert seven-ball run from Nightfur. Smudge looked to have control with just two balls on the table after Nightfur gave one away, but she missed wide left on the 8, and Midnight pocketed it at the top left for the win and a 3-2 series win for Darkest Night. Nightfur and Midnight gutted this one out and advance to the second round against the Mismatch of Boots and Strawberry.
Continuing to series six, where Roxy and Nikolai, the Big Bears, face off with the Power Couple of Valencia and Gradley. The blue cue is called on for this series. The Power Couple had no issues in game 1, with Valencia's four-ball run and Gradley's three-ball run scaring the Big Bears into submission. Roxy challenged with a three-ball run, but Valencia potted the 8 to give the Power Couple a 1-0 series lead. The Big Bears would not back down in game 2, and that was the work of Nikolai, who smashed a six-ball run on his first turn, and then ended the game the next time around with a pair of good shots, including a bank of the 8 to the top left to leave Valencia waiting to shoot as the series went to a 1-1 tie. In game 3, the only real busy moment of the game came during a six-ball run of improbable proportions by Nikolai, who set the tone. The Power Couple never got back into it, and while the Big Bears took their time in ending the game, they did eventually lay claim to the victory for a 2-1 series lead. The boys were tasked with settling things in this game, and it came down to them after each had a six-ball run on their first turns. Nikolai was able to get the 8 in position when he had the chance to, but he failed to make the shot, and this left Gradley open to tap in the final two shots for the win, helping the Power Couple retie the series at 2 and send it to a final decisive game. Roxy ultimately proved vital to securing the series win at 3-2 for the Big Bears, as she made a six-ball run early, ending with a scratch. Nikolai pushed a little more on his turn, putting the Power Couple in a defensive mindset they couldn't get out of as the game expired on Roxy's sinking of the 8 to the top right to clinch it. The Big Bears head to the second round against Easter and Whiskers, or team Atomic Aunt.
For the seventh series, the Founders Acorn and Oreo face off with the Snoozers Dreamy and Shadow. The blue cue is again in action. The Founders took game 1 after a solid break by Acorn and a good secondary run by Oreo left them in good position. The Snoozers kept up well, but Dreamy's run ended at three balls, and Acorn made the last two shots to take the game and a 1-0 series lead with a couple of simple shots. The Founders continued their strong play, taking a little longer to start but holding the Snoozers at bay as well. Shadow got the Snoozers close to winning game 2, but his miss on the 8 left Oreo free for a three-ball run-out to snag the win and take a 2-0 series lead for the Founders as they march closer to advancing. The Snoozers did not go down without a fight in game 3, and they kept themselves alive thanks to a somewhat understated seven-ball run by Dreamy on her only turn of the game after a decent break from Acorn left the table fairly open. The big run by Dreamy cut the series to 2-1 as it's still anyone's to win. This brief breath of air for the Snoozers didn't last, as the Founders' Oreo got pretty lucky on a four-ball run-out in game 4. Oreo banked the 12 off the right rail and the 8 to pot it in the bottom side, unintentionally, and then sent the 8 to the bottom right for the victory that clinched the series at 3-1 while the Snoozers watched, helpless. In game 5, the teams each took a quick pace to their games. This reached its peak with Acorn and Shadow exchanging three-ball runs late in the game before the table turned to Oreo, who was able to end the game with the final shot for the win and a 4-1 series win. The Founders look very solid in this game, and they'll hope to continue their good fortune in the second round against the Checkers, Gizmo and Bear.
In the day's final series, the Otherentals, Bells and Hoot, go up against Sophomoric, composed of Paige and Shannon. The silver cue has the series. Bells made a large six-ball run for the Otherentals in game 1 after a fairly slow start to the game. Paige answered on a four-ball run, getting no help from Shannon in the game, but Hoot was there to end it in a win for the Otherentals with his final two shots. They lead the series 1-0. Sophomoric tried to pull back into game 2 after another strong start from the Otherentals. Shannon led the comeback attempt with a four-ball run at one stage, but things stagnated after this point and Hoot was the lucky one in the end to pot the final shots to put the Otherentals ahead 2-0 in the series. Shannon had a bold shot attempt toward the 8 in game 3, and this was the defining play of their series loss, as she did pot the 8 illegally after the contacting the 12, and this gifted the final required win for the Otherentals as they clinched the series at 3-0. Paige and Shannon combined early on in game 4 to stake out a fairly large lead, and while Bells mostly did work to bring the Otherentals into the game, Sophomoric was able to finish off their win as Paige made the final two shots, bringing the series to a score of 3-1. Hoot rallied in the end of game 5 with a three-ball run-out, overcoming a very strong start from Sophomoric's Shannon to steal the game away and ice the series at 4-1. With the result, the Otherentals will face the Old Gentlemen, winners of today's first series, in the second round.
That's all for this one. The anticipated schedule has us finishing the first round tomorrow with the top 8 seeds going against the preliminary round winners. Tuesday and Wednesday are reserved for the Second Round, and Thanksgiving day will be the Third Round. Friday should be the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, 3rd place series, and Final to complete the tournament. Overages may be played on Saturday should the schedule prove difficult to stick to.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Heart of the Game Doubles Tournament - Round 1 Part 2
We'll make a slight schedule change to accommodate potential travel and weather concerns today. The series with Mr. Snowman and Snuggle against Chris and Shawn is postponed to the next segment. With that, we begin with...
Dusty and Patches, the Original Generation, against Gizmo and Bear, the Checkers. The blue cue will play this series. The Checkers came out much stronger in game 1 than the Original Generation, as Dusty's weak break left the hosts vulnerable. Gizmo had a four-ball run and Bear followed with a three-ball run and a good leave for the 8. Bear made the final shot after Patches' three-ball run ended, giving the Checkers a 1-0 series lead. The Original Generation got their revenge in game 2, a much choppier game after Gizmo's average break. Neither team saw a player go on a deep run, and it would be a late scratch by Bear opening Patches' path for the win, ending on a bank of the 8 to the bottom left to tie the series at 1. The Checkers pulled back with a fairly strong game 3. Dusty scratched on the break, hurting the Original Generation quite a bit, and Gizmo and Bear chipped away at the rack until Bear unleashed a long bank of the 8 to the top right to secure the win and a 2-1 series lead. Bear continued to be an elite finisher for the Checkers, clinching the series after Dusty's four-ball run proved too little for the Original Generation. Gizmo had gotten things ready, but it was Bear on the three-ball run-out, banking the 8 to the top left to clinch it. The Original Generation saved face with a game 5 win, each managing to pot four balls, including Patches' four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after an egregious missed contact from Bear. The series ended 3-2 for the Checkers, with Gizmo and Bear heading to the second round.
Next up, the silver cue will oversee Zach and Hannah, the Shy Ones, against Easter and Whiskers, or Atomic Aunt. It was a quick victory for Atomic Aunt in game 1, as Easter pounded a five-ball run after an empty break from the Shy Ones' Zach. Whiskers got the last shots set up on her turn, and Easter closed with a pair of tap-ins to make it 1-0 Atomic Aunt. The Shy Ones stayed in it as Zach and Hannah took advantage of some missed shots from Easter and Whiskers in game 2. These critical misses were heavily punished, and it ended with a scratch that saw Hannah make the last two shots to tie the series at 1. Atomic Aunt recovered with a pretty solid win in game 3, capitalizing on a couple of misses from Hannah to establish a bit of control. Whiskers and Zach exchanged bad misses late in the game, but this allowed Easter to end it for a 2-1 lead for Atomic Aunt, as the Shy Ones continue to struggle with their accuracy. Whiskers ascended to a higher status for game 4, running seven balls on her first and ultimately only turn, and Easter made the 8 after Hannah's short turn. This win secured the series at 3-1 for Atomic Aunt in a convincing and dominating fashion. Hannah brought some joy to the Shy Ones, making a four-ball run-out after a bit of a game 5 collapse for Atomic Aunt, and this big run by Hannah cut the series final to 3-2. Atomic Aunt will go through to the second round on their win.
The third series of the day features the rookie duo of Hughbert and Salmo, the Smalls, against Boots and Strawberry, the Junkyarders. The silver cue has another turn at the table for this series. The Junkyarders came away with a somewhat sloppy game 1 dominated by scratches from the Smalls, primarily from Hughbert throughout the game. Once the shots became clear, it was Boots who finished the game off and gave the Junkyarders a 1-0 series lead. The Junkyarders took a commanding 2-0 series lead after Boots took over game 2. It didn't look good initially, as she allowed Hughbert to work well after a decent break, but Strawberry and Salmo came up empty before a five-ball run from Boots changed the game. Boots would also make the final two shots for the win. Hughbert kept a run alive for the Smalls in game 3 with a kick-combination of the 12-15-14 to the top left corner, a stunning highlight executed to perfection. The run ultimately hit six balls, swaying the game significantly. The Junkyarders nearly rallied all the way back, but Strawberry's kill-shot on the 2 saw the ball bounce out of a crowded pocket and leave Salmo in line for the winning shot to keep the Smalls alive in the series at 2-1. Hughbert and Salmo nearly appeared to carry their momentum into game 4, with Salmo executing a pair of crazy caroms to get them onto the 8, but Boots squashed the rally on her turn, rocking a sharp five-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-1 for the Junkyarders. Boots and Hughbert combined for all the offense in game 5. Hughbert had a three-ball run on the first turn after the break, but Boots answered with a four-ball run after that. Hughbert replied in form with a five-ball run-out to give Smalls a win, although the Junkyarders took the series 3-2. Boots and Strawberry, the most unlikely pairing in the tournament, will head to the second round.
Series four has Klaus and Prism, the Technicolor Christmas, facing Mams and Paps, the Panda Parents. The silver cue continues its reign at the table. Game 1 was a long and drawn-out process, with players rarely stringing more than one successful shot together. This slow pace continued to the end, where Prism was responsible for ending it by making the 8, sending Technicolor Christmas to a 1-0 series lead over the Mams-leaning Panda Parents. Mams made a critical error for the Panda Parents in game 2, one turn after her three-ball run gave them a bit of hope. She missed contact with the 8, allowing Prism to take the last two shots cleanly from ball-in-hand for the win, and Technicolor Christmas leads the series 2-0. Mams didn't need a lot of help from Paps in game 3, as she twice assembled three-ball runs under heavy pressure from Klaus of Technicolor Christmas. Mams' second three-ball run was the winner, and the Panda Parents now trail only 2-1 in the series. The Panda Parents paced game 4 quite easily, working from the break. Paps led the late offensive, making the 8 on his second try as they frustrated Klaus and Prism from getting any sort of long run going. The win by Paps tied the series at 2, sending it to one decisive game. Klaus found a highlight in game 5, working a double-pot that saw the 15 carom off the 12 and into the bottom side, driving the 12 to bottom left to start a run. That run went five balls, setting the tone to favoring his team. Mams and Paps worked back into it, but an untimely scratch from Mams led to Klaus scoring the final two balls to give Technicolor Christmas the 3-2 series win. They'll advance to the second round with the bold win over the veteran duo.
The blue cue returns to action as the First Generation of Puff I and Twinkie I faces Little Italy, Bianca and Isabella, as the fifth series of the day. The rookie duo of Little Italy took a little time to get warm, but once they got going, they had no trouble working around the more conservative First Generation. Bianca made a big run on her second turn, and Isabella followed up with a four-ball run-out to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. Bianca got to play hero for Little Italy in game 2, working a three-ball run-out to answer Twinkie I's prior three-ball run that made the game a bit closer than the rookies preferred. The series now favors Little Italy 2-0. Puff I proved more detrimental to the First Generation in game 3, as she had a couple of misses that made it a lot easier for Little Italy to capitalize. Her worst mistake was potting one ball and nearly another near the end of the game, allowing Isabella to play off the tap-in and then drive the 8 to the bottom left for the win, securing the series at 3-0 with the savvy play. Little Italy did not relent in game 4 at all, with Bianca going on a four-ball run from break, and Isabella backing it up on a three-ball run. Isabella would be the one to get the chance to pot the 8 after a slight miss by Puff I after Twinkie I had a made a good effort to bring the First Generation back into the game. The series stands at 4-0 with a game to go. Little Italy decided to get tricky, having at least three shots of the lucky variety in game 5. Bianca had a couple of these during her opening five-ball run. Puff I would later cancel that out with a five-ball run, but she left things open for Isabella to make the last two shots, including potting the 8 off the 2 into the bottom side to complete the 5-0 series sweep that sees Little Italy advance to the second round in great form.
Another all-Reality battle awaits in series six, with the blue cue enabling Missy and Stinky, the Mismatch, to face off with Sugar and Spice, the Forgotten Generation. The Mismatch worked well together, as Missy and Stinky played off each other fairly well and capitalized when the Forgotten Generation made mistakes. The last of these was a scratch by Spice, which was taken advantage of three players later when Missy finished the game on a bank of the 8 hard off the bottom rail to the top side for the 1-0 Mismatch lead. Stinky tried to match his partner's finishing skill with a bank to the bottom side in game 2, but it went awry, and Mismatch took the loss when the 8 fell in the top side, gifting the win to the Forgotten Generation, who saw a decent effort from both players in the game that made it a 1-1 series. Game 3 played out in a very sloppy manner, with multiple illegal contact penalties on each time. It also got choppy at the end, as Missy had a miss on the 8, and Stinky had to clean it up before the equally ineffective Forgotten Generation could catch up. The Mismatch team is ahead 2-1 from Stinky's big finishing shot. Stinky appeared to set up Mismatch for a great finish in game 4, but Sugar had different plans, swooping in with a huge five-ball run-out featuring excellent positioning to nab the win and tie the series at 2, leaving the series to be decided by the final game. The Forgotten Generation took an early lead in this game, and while Mismatch put up a solid defense to keep game 5 going, Spice proved while she was the leader for her team, putting a spinning kick on the 8 to the top right from a long distance down and back. This amazing highlight shot gave the Forgotten Generation a 3-2 series lead and their ticket to the second round in a well-earned way.
In series seven, the silver cue makes its last appearance of the day in a battle between the Third Generation of Puff III and Twinkie III, and the Cougars, A. Charlton and Chelsea. The Third Generation is going to be ruing its missed chances in game 1, having at least three clean shots to finish the game and failing to. Instead, it was Charlton on her second try putting the 8 away for a 1-0 lead for the Cougars. Chelsea made a massive impact for the Cougars in game 2, constructing a six-ball run that left the Third Generation in trouble. Unfortunately for the Cougars, Charlton illegally potted the 8 prematurely, bailing out the Third Generation that had been ineffective in the game. The series is tied at 1. Game 3 stalled with the top left pocket getting full quickly, ruining the Third Generation's attack as they tried to slot one more ball in there. While the Cougars appeared to go after the pocket as well, it was all a ruse for Chelsea's kick of the 8 to the bottom left for the win, giving them a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 had another slow ending for the Cougars, but it was Chelsea's second try on the 8 that led them to victory whilst holding off the Third Generation's somewhat choppy attack as they tried to fight for their lives. The Cougars have clinched the series at 3-1 with the gutsy win. In game 5, it was Chelsea once again pacing the Cougars attack with a late five-ball run, but she needed Charlton to ice the game with a tap-in on the 8 after the Third Generation failed to get back in the game. The Cougars took the series 4-1, sending Charlton and Chelsea to the second round, with their opponent to be determined in today's final series thanks to the scheduling quirk.
Ending the day on the blue cue, Jake and Marsell, the Quarterbacks, face Cobalt and Fuchsia, the Neon Rabbits. Game 1 in this series went fairly back-and-forth after Jake established an early lead for the Quarterbacks. Cobalt and Fuchsia challenged on occasion, but the Neon Rabbits collapsed in the end as Marsell made the last two shots for a 1-0 Quarterbacks series lead. Game 2 went much the same way but with a faster pace, as Jake looked solid for most of the game for the Quarterbacks, and he capitalized on the end of Fuchsia's three-ball run that nearly pulled the Neon Rabbits level. Jake pounded the 8 to the top left, securing the win and extending the series lead to 2-0 Quarterbacks. In game 3, Fuchsia appeared to get away with illegal use of the stick late in the game, and made a shot on the play. However, the judgment was a legal shot. The Quarterbacks held off on protesting, and Jake made it all a moot point, as he made the last two shots for his team to secure the series at 3-0 with a bold and only slightly controversial victory. Game 4 showed a much more relaxed effort from both teams. Marsell had a four-ball run to make the Quarterbacks look good early on, but it was countered in the end by Cobalt, whose five-ball run-out for the Neon Rabbits gave them the win and made it 3-1 in the series as they try to redeem themselves a bit. Marsell appeared to be the only taking game 5 seriously, with an early three-ball run and a three-ball run-out to ice the game and finished the series with the Quarterbacks ahead 4-1. With the Neon Rabbits vanquished, the Quarterbacks will face Charlton and Chelsea, the Cougars, in the second round.
More Heart of the Game action will be conducted next week. The tournament is expected to end around Thanksgiving.
Dusty and Patches, the Original Generation, against Gizmo and Bear, the Checkers. The blue cue will play this series. The Checkers came out much stronger in game 1 than the Original Generation, as Dusty's weak break left the hosts vulnerable. Gizmo had a four-ball run and Bear followed with a three-ball run and a good leave for the 8. Bear made the final shot after Patches' three-ball run ended, giving the Checkers a 1-0 series lead. The Original Generation got their revenge in game 2, a much choppier game after Gizmo's average break. Neither team saw a player go on a deep run, and it would be a late scratch by Bear opening Patches' path for the win, ending on a bank of the 8 to the bottom left to tie the series at 1. The Checkers pulled back with a fairly strong game 3. Dusty scratched on the break, hurting the Original Generation quite a bit, and Gizmo and Bear chipped away at the rack until Bear unleashed a long bank of the 8 to the top right to secure the win and a 2-1 series lead. Bear continued to be an elite finisher for the Checkers, clinching the series after Dusty's four-ball run proved too little for the Original Generation. Gizmo had gotten things ready, but it was Bear on the three-ball run-out, banking the 8 to the top left to clinch it. The Original Generation saved face with a game 5 win, each managing to pot four balls, including Patches' four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after an egregious missed contact from Bear. The series ended 3-2 for the Checkers, with Gizmo and Bear heading to the second round.
Next up, the silver cue will oversee Zach and Hannah, the Shy Ones, against Easter and Whiskers, or Atomic Aunt. It was a quick victory for Atomic Aunt in game 1, as Easter pounded a five-ball run after an empty break from the Shy Ones' Zach. Whiskers got the last shots set up on her turn, and Easter closed with a pair of tap-ins to make it 1-0 Atomic Aunt. The Shy Ones stayed in it as Zach and Hannah took advantage of some missed shots from Easter and Whiskers in game 2. These critical misses were heavily punished, and it ended with a scratch that saw Hannah make the last two shots to tie the series at 1. Atomic Aunt recovered with a pretty solid win in game 3, capitalizing on a couple of misses from Hannah to establish a bit of control. Whiskers and Zach exchanged bad misses late in the game, but this allowed Easter to end it for a 2-1 lead for Atomic Aunt, as the Shy Ones continue to struggle with their accuracy. Whiskers ascended to a higher status for game 4, running seven balls on her first and ultimately only turn, and Easter made the 8 after Hannah's short turn. This win secured the series at 3-1 for Atomic Aunt in a convincing and dominating fashion. Hannah brought some joy to the Shy Ones, making a four-ball run-out after a bit of a game 5 collapse for Atomic Aunt, and this big run by Hannah cut the series final to 3-2. Atomic Aunt will go through to the second round on their win.
The third series of the day features the rookie duo of Hughbert and Salmo, the Smalls, against Boots and Strawberry, the Junkyarders. The silver cue has another turn at the table for this series. The Junkyarders came away with a somewhat sloppy game 1 dominated by scratches from the Smalls, primarily from Hughbert throughout the game. Once the shots became clear, it was Boots who finished the game off and gave the Junkyarders a 1-0 series lead. The Junkyarders took a commanding 2-0 series lead after Boots took over game 2. It didn't look good initially, as she allowed Hughbert to work well after a decent break, but Strawberry and Salmo came up empty before a five-ball run from Boots changed the game. Boots would also make the final two shots for the win. Hughbert kept a run alive for the Smalls in game 3 with a kick-combination of the 12-15-14 to the top left corner, a stunning highlight executed to perfection. The run ultimately hit six balls, swaying the game significantly. The Junkyarders nearly rallied all the way back, but Strawberry's kill-shot on the 2 saw the ball bounce out of a crowded pocket and leave Salmo in line for the winning shot to keep the Smalls alive in the series at 2-1. Hughbert and Salmo nearly appeared to carry their momentum into game 4, with Salmo executing a pair of crazy caroms to get them onto the 8, but Boots squashed the rally on her turn, rocking a sharp five-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-1 for the Junkyarders. Boots and Hughbert combined for all the offense in game 5. Hughbert had a three-ball run on the first turn after the break, but Boots answered with a four-ball run after that. Hughbert replied in form with a five-ball run-out to give Smalls a win, although the Junkyarders took the series 3-2. Boots and Strawberry, the most unlikely pairing in the tournament, will head to the second round.
Series four has Klaus and Prism, the Technicolor Christmas, facing Mams and Paps, the Panda Parents. The silver cue continues its reign at the table. Game 1 was a long and drawn-out process, with players rarely stringing more than one successful shot together. This slow pace continued to the end, where Prism was responsible for ending it by making the 8, sending Technicolor Christmas to a 1-0 series lead over the Mams-leaning Panda Parents. Mams made a critical error for the Panda Parents in game 2, one turn after her three-ball run gave them a bit of hope. She missed contact with the 8, allowing Prism to take the last two shots cleanly from ball-in-hand for the win, and Technicolor Christmas leads the series 2-0. Mams didn't need a lot of help from Paps in game 3, as she twice assembled three-ball runs under heavy pressure from Klaus of Technicolor Christmas. Mams' second three-ball run was the winner, and the Panda Parents now trail only 2-1 in the series. The Panda Parents paced game 4 quite easily, working from the break. Paps led the late offensive, making the 8 on his second try as they frustrated Klaus and Prism from getting any sort of long run going. The win by Paps tied the series at 2, sending it to one decisive game. Klaus found a highlight in game 5, working a double-pot that saw the 15 carom off the 12 and into the bottom side, driving the 12 to bottom left to start a run. That run went five balls, setting the tone to favoring his team. Mams and Paps worked back into it, but an untimely scratch from Mams led to Klaus scoring the final two balls to give Technicolor Christmas the 3-2 series win. They'll advance to the second round with the bold win over the veteran duo.
The blue cue returns to action as the First Generation of Puff I and Twinkie I faces Little Italy, Bianca and Isabella, as the fifth series of the day. The rookie duo of Little Italy took a little time to get warm, but once they got going, they had no trouble working around the more conservative First Generation. Bianca made a big run on her second turn, and Isabella followed up with a four-ball run-out to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. Bianca got to play hero for Little Italy in game 2, working a three-ball run-out to answer Twinkie I's prior three-ball run that made the game a bit closer than the rookies preferred. The series now favors Little Italy 2-0. Puff I proved more detrimental to the First Generation in game 3, as she had a couple of misses that made it a lot easier for Little Italy to capitalize. Her worst mistake was potting one ball and nearly another near the end of the game, allowing Isabella to play off the tap-in and then drive the 8 to the bottom left for the win, securing the series at 3-0 with the savvy play. Little Italy did not relent in game 4 at all, with Bianca going on a four-ball run from break, and Isabella backing it up on a three-ball run. Isabella would be the one to get the chance to pot the 8 after a slight miss by Puff I after Twinkie I had a made a good effort to bring the First Generation back into the game. The series stands at 4-0 with a game to go. Little Italy decided to get tricky, having at least three shots of the lucky variety in game 5. Bianca had a couple of these during her opening five-ball run. Puff I would later cancel that out with a five-ball run, but she left things open for Isabella to make the last two shots, including potting the 8 off the 2 into the bottom side to complete the 5-0 series sweep that sees Little Italy advance to the second round in great form.
Another all-Reality battle awaits in series six, with the blue cue enabling Missy and Stinky, the Mismatch, to face off with Sugar and Spice, the Forgotten Generation. The Mismatch worked well together, as Missy and Stinky played off each other fairly well and capitalized when the Forgotten Generation made mistakes. The last of these was a scratch by Spice, which was taken advantage of three players later when Missy finished the game on a bank of the 8 hard off the bottom rail to the top side for the 1-0 Mismatch lead. Stinky tried to match his partner's finishing skill with a bank to the bottom side in game 2, but it went awry, and Mismatch took the loss when the 8 fell in the top side, gifting the win to the Forgotten Generation, who saw a decent effort from both players in the game that made it a 1-1 series. Game 3 played out in a very sloppy manner, with multiple illegal contact penalties on each time. It also got choppy at the end, as Missy had a miss on the 8, and Stinky had to clean it up before the equally ineffective Forgotten Generation could catch up. The Mismatch team is ahead 2-1 from Stinky's big finishing shot. Stinky appeared to set up Mismatch for a great finish in game 4, but Sugar had different plans, swooping in with a huge five-ball run-out featuring excellent positioning to nab the win and tie the series at 2, leaving the series to be decided by the final game. The Forgotten Generation took an early lead in this game, and while Mismatch put up a solid defense to keep game 5 going, Spice proved while she was the leader for her team, putting a spinning kick on the 8 to the top right from a long distance down and back. This amazing highlight shot gave the Forgotten Generation a 3-2 series lead and their ticket to the second round in a well-earned way.
In series seven, the silver cue makes its last appearance of the day in a battle between the Third Generation of Puff III and Twinkie III, and the Cougars, A. Charlton and Chelsea. The Third Generation is going to be ruing its missed chances in game 1, having at least three clean shots to finish the game and failing to. Instead, it was Charlton on her second try putting the 8 away for a 1-0 lead for the Cougars. Chelsea made a massive impact for the Cougars in game 2, constructing a six-ball run that left the Third Generation in trouble. Unfortunately for the Cougars, Charlton illegally potted the 8 prematurely, bailing out the Third Generation that had been ineffective in the game. The series is tied at 1. Game 3 stalled with the top left pocket getting full quickly, ruining the Third Generation's attack as they tried to slot one more ball in there. While the Cougars appeared to go after the pocket as well, it was all a ruse for Chelsea's kick of the 8 to the bottom left for the win, giving them a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 had another slow ending for the Cougars, but it was Chelsea's second try on the 8 that led them to victory whilst holding off the Third Generation's somewhat choppy attack as they tried to fight for their lives. The Cougars have clinched the series at 3-1 with the gutsy win. In game 5, it was Chelsea once again pacing the Cougars attack with a late five-ball run, but she needed Charlton to ice the game with a tap-in on the 8 after the Third Generation failed to get back in the game. The Cougars took the series 4-1, sending Charlton and Chelsea to the second round, with their opponent to be determined in today's final series thanks to the scheduling quirk.
Ending the day on the blue cue, Jake and Marsell, the Quarterbacks, face Cobalt and Fuchsia, the Neon Rabbits. Game 1 in this series went fairly back-and-forth after Jake established an early lead for the Quarterbacks. Cobalt and Fuchsia challenged on occasion, but the Neon Rabbits collapsed in the end as Marsell made the last two shots for a 1-0 Quarterbacks series lead. Game 2 went much the same way but with a faster pace, as Jake looked solid for most of the game for the Quarterbacks, and he capitalized on the end of Fuchsia's three-ball run that nearly pulled the Neon Rabbits level. Jake pounded the 8 to the top left, securing the win and extending the series lead to 2-0 Quarterbacks. In game 3, Fuchsia appeared to get away with illegal use of the stick late in the game, and made a shot on the play. However, the judgment was a legal shot. The Quarterbacks held off on protesting, and Jake made it all a moot point, as he made the last two shots for his team to secure the series at 3-0 with a bold and only slightly controversial victory. Game 4 showed a much more relaxed effort from both teams. Marsell had a four-ball run to make the Quarterbacks look good early on, but it was countered in the end by Cobalt, whose five-ball run-out for the Neon Rabbits gave them the win and made it 3-1 in the series as they try to redeem themselves a bit. Marsell appeared to be the only taking game 5 seriously, with an early three-ball run and a three-ball run-out to ice the game and finished the series with the Quarterbacks ahead 4-1. With the Neon Rabbits vanquished, the Quarterbacks will face Charlton and Chelsea, the Cougars, in the second round.
More Heart of the Game action will be conducted next week. The tournament is expected to end around Thanksgiving.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)