2017 Qualifiers - Day 3

We return to qualifying action with the typical 40-50 game slate on tap. We'll see how it goes, leading off in a short morning session with...

Boots, the Pearl Surfers draftee, who will use the blue cue in 8-ball to get the day started. Boots did alright despite an empty break, bursting out on a long run early in the game before being unable to secure the game quickly, taking her only error and closing with 21 shots in a suppressed finish. Next up, Atlantic Pirates rookie Isabella uses the red cue for her 7-ball qualifier and career debut. Isabella did well despite sinking nothing on the break, receiving lucky positions to be able to knock the rack away in quick succession, needing only 9 shots with no errors in the turn. The last game before lunch belongs to Diamond Gems captain Smokey, who shoots 8-ball with the blue cue. Smokey continues a strong run of play in qualifiers, getting unlucky with a bad rack to break with, but then picking at it for 17 shots with no errors to record a pace-setting score. Yekaterina Vasilyeva is the first to play after lunch, and fourth overall today, as the Victoria Spurs sophomore standout shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Yekaterina couldn't pot anything from the break, and she had a decent time in the game, but faltered with an error late that sent her to 22 total shots. Finishing off this group, Rainmane of the Midland Predators uses the blue cue for 8-ball. This game went very poorly, featuring Rainmane taking two errors and needing a pitiful 28 shots to clear the table and end the forgettable turn.

Group two will hope someone can make something from the break, as it has the potential to be a long day if that doesn't begin to happen more. Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle gets the next chance, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Snuggle didn't quite get anything on the break, but he shot well during his appearance, needing only 19 shots with a single error for his early scratch as he set himself up well for this season. The seventh player to shoot today is Peach, the rookie captain of the North Modernistic Nighthawks, who will use the silver cue in her career debut in 7-ball. Peach did well, getting a ball on the break and holding her own until the end, where command dropped a bit and she needed 11 shots but no errors to wrap it up. Moving along, the career Boston Swift Sweetheart shoots 7-ball with the silver cue as well. Sweetheart can bury her expectations for this year, as an empty break and one error as well as difficult shooting positions put her at 18 shots for the game. Twinkie II of the Harrison Specters was called next, and she'll start her year with the blue cue in 7-ball. Twinkie II left the table disappointed, suffering one error and no balls on the break, as well as a drastic cooling at the end of the game that left her on 14 shots. The group closes with Queens Flames rookie Violetta shooting 8-ball with the blue cue. Violetta impressed with a ball on the break, and she held her own save for her two errors on scratches, as she finished with 21 shots to end the appearance.

The third batch begins with Panda, the Southern Monarchs captain, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Panda looked poised for success with a good break, but after his scratch, a bunch of narrow misses ruined his game, sending him to 24 shots on the high end of the acceptable range along with the single error. Following that, Puff I of the Modernistic Union has the blue cue up for her 8-ball qualifier. Puff I did get a ball on the break after the 7 rolled into the bottom left, and she had one error, a mid-game scratch, as she worked her way to 22 shots in a solid outing for the reliable veteran. Going thirteenth today is Neopolitan, the Pearl Surfers veteran, who will use the red cue in her 8-ball game. Neopolitan didn't really have any issues during her game, going empty on the break but also taking no errors among the 21 shots she employed to finish the rack. Along to the Boston Swifts captain and superstar Patches, who makes her season debut in 7-ball with the red cue as she looks to follow up last year's campaign with something better. Patches had a fairly textbook performance, making two balls on the break and selectively choosing her times to shoot for a potting, working for 9 shots and no errors in the game. The group ends with Oceanside Waves rookie Celestia playing 8-ball with the red cue in her second career game. Celestia's break did produce a ball, but it was a bit messy otherwise, and she could have used a bit more spread, as she took an error and 22 shots to complete the game.

Batch four kicks off with Dustin, the reigning MVP and Central Warriors superstar, shooting 7-ball with the red cue as he kicks off his next conquest campaign. Dustin couldn't score a ball on the break, and he also avoided taking an error in 11 shots, a fairly humble start to the year for a player of his caliber. Shawn, the Midland Predators captain, gets the next game, using the blue cue to make his debut with the Predators in 7-ball. Shawn had a ball on the break, and that was the only positive for the game, as he messed up the 4-7 combination he had lined up and needed 15 shots with an error to finish the appearance. Up next, Strut of the Golden Pilots plays 7-ball with the silver cue in his season debut. Strut was happy to get a ball on the break and need only 9 shots despite having to chase the 7 for a bit in his game, as he also took no errors in a good performance. The nineteenth player called to shoot today is Stripes of the Terrace City Knights, who will have the red cue on hand for her 8-ball game. Stripes shot very accurately in the game, going empty on the break but finishing with 19 shots and no errors for the appearance, a good mark for the veteran. Wrapping up this group, another Knight, Jennifer Livilotti, shoots 7-ball with the silver cue in her season debut. Jennifer produced nothing on the break, and saw an error disrupt her game midway through, ending with the lone error in 13 shots.

The fifth group opens with Stephanie Livilotti, Jennifer's sister and the Southridge Defenders rookie, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Stephanie did okay, getting nothing from her break but also avoiding any errors, although she needed 24 shots after stagnating in the middle of the game. Going 22nd for the day is Diamond Gems sophomore Pedey, who will use the red cue for his game of 7-ball. Pedey didn't quite make the 7 on the break, but he left it close enough to the top right that after he made the 1, it was easy to deflect the cue off the 2 to pot the 7 cleanly. Pedey had no errors and just 2 shots in the remarkable appearance. That's a tough act to follow for Puff III, who has the silver cue up for 8-ball as the Everton Eagles star makes her second appearance this year. Puff III did basically as well as she could, getting a ball on the break and then shooting to near-perfection in her game, taking no errors and a small 16 shots to set a new pace in the event. Continuing along, Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine shoots 7-ball with the silver cue. Jasmine had an interesting game, getting a ball on the break, then scratching on the next shot for her lone error. A few shots later, she drilled the 2-7 bank combination to the top right to finish her game at 6 shots, somewhat surprisingly. Harrison Specters sophomore star Sydney Sierota plays the next game, her season debut in 7-ball with the blue cue. Sydney needed only 10 shots in her game, getting nothing on the break and committing no errors during the game for a solid effort all around.

The sixth bunch gets going with Spice of the Victoria Spurs playing 7-ball with the silver cue in her season debut. Spice had nothing on the break in her game, and she did take an illegal contact error, her lone one, early in the game, but she settled in to finish with 10 shots in a strong outing. Tysini Hummingbirds star Leandra got the next game, keeping the game at 7-ball, but bringing on the blue cue to shoot with. Leandra struggled during the game, getting nothing on the break and lacking the skill to make the tougher shots, ending at a score of 14 and one error for a late illegal contact call. The Commerce Tradewinds' Lionel gets the next game, using the red cue in his 8-ball qualifier. Lionel had plenty of poise on his turn despite coming up just barely empty on the break. He was very efficient with his shooting, needing only 17 shots to clear the table, and he took no errors in the process. Next up, Dusty of the Golden Pilots uses the silver cue to make her 8-ball appearance. Dusty got a ball on the break and didn't take any errors in a very strong performance, needing only 19 shots to clear the table with some savvy shot selection factoring into her success. Closing this group out is Brownie of the Tysini Hummingbirds, using the blue cue to play her game of 8-ball. Brownie excelled in this game, making two balls on the break, and her only mistake was a scratch for a lone error among the 17 shots she took to finish the game.

Leading off group seven is Midnight, the Westside Rockers veteran, who will use the red cue for 7-ball in the last game before the scheduled mid-afternoon break. Midnight couldn't get anything from her break, but she also didn't take any errors, dealing with long shots and scoring 10 to finish the appearance. The next player leads off the post-break portion, and that player is Charli XCX of the Tysini Hummingbirds, who will use the silver cue in her season debut in 7-ball. Charli had a rough turn at the table, needing 12 shots, including two errors, to clear the rack after an empty break left her a bit disappointed. Following that is Chris of the Capital City Sharpshooters, using the red cue for his 8-ball appearance. Chris was dominant on his turn at the table, getting a ball on the break and shooting 18 despite a single error on a poorly-timed scratch to disrupt an early run. Going 34th today, Bright of the North Modernistic Nighthawks uses the silver cue to shoot 8-ball. Bright couldn't quite make a ball on the break despite a solid shot, and he took a single scratch for his only error of the game, ending on 20 shots in a strong outing. The batch ends with Maplewood Lumberjacks stalwart Bryant shooting 8-ball with the red cue. Bryant had no trouble shooting well in his game, potting a ball on the break and then taking only 17 shots to finish the game without an error in a stunning performance.

In the eighth batch, the first player up is Mams, the Viewpoint Sound Meteors captain, who will play 7-ball with the blue cue in her season debut. Mams got a ball on the break and then needed only 3 shots to convert the 2-7 combination, ending with no errors in an abbreviated session. The last game before the afternoon ends belongs to Sparkles of the Todavía Stills, who will have the red cue in hand for her 8-ball qualifier. Sparkles didn't score a ball on the break, and while she started the game well, she struggled to close it out, ending with 20 shots and no errors despite the late flailing. The night starts, appropriately enough, with Nightfur of the Royal Crowns shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Nightfur went empty on her break shot, but also didn't take any errors during the appearance, ending early with a glancing hit off the 4 to tap the 7 to the bottom right for a score of 8. The 39th player drawn to shoot is Midnight of the Westside Rockers, using the red cue for 8-ball in this appearance. Midnight could have finished stronger in the game, as her empty break and a late error for missed contact sent her to 22 shots in total. Bryant of the Lumberjacks returns to action with the silver cue for 9-ball to wrap up this group. Bryant is putting himself in very good positions, making a ball on the break and taking this game in 7 shots with a 4-9 combination to the top right, although he had one error for a scratch that played an indirect role in his early finish.

The ninth group starts with Westside Rockers captain Misty using the silver cue to shoot 10-ball. Misty had no problems with her game, getting nothing on the break but taking no errors, and closing strong with 18 shots despite a very sluggish start and the temptation to take half-chances toward the 10. Up next, Everton Eagles sophomore Kirstin shoots 10-ball with the silver cue as well. Kirstin had arguably her best appearance so far in this game, needing just 12 shots despite an empty break to clear the table, and she had no errors in the briskly-paced game that gives her the lead in the event. Following that, Waluigi of the Maplewood Lumberjacks makes his second career appearance, shooting 8-ball with the blue cue. Waluigi shocked the crowd with his break, making two balls on it, and he barely slowed down from there, needing only 16 shots to finish the game with no errors in a great outing. Moving along, Bianca of the Southridge Defenders is up for 8-ball with the red cue in her second career appearance. Bianca proved unable to rise to the challenge of the game, needing 23 shots with nothing on the break and no errors, with the positioning of her shots lacking the skill it needed to be better. The 45th player of the day finishes this group, and that player is Starlight, the Pacific Volcanoes captain, who will use the silver cue to play 8-ball. Starlight looked to be in great form, going empty on the break but taking control of the game after that, needing only 17 shots to finish it with no errors.

The final group begins with Sally of the Archtown Arrows playing 8-ball with the red cue. Sally had a poor break, but she didn't let it get in her way. After an early scratch that counted as her only error, she buckled down and picked away at the rack to finish it off in 20 shots, a good mark given the circumstances. Nicole gets the next game, as the newest Capital City Sharpshooter will make her debut with the team in 7-ball with the red cue. Nicole dazzled on her turn, making a ball on the break and working from there to end the game in only 7 shots, as she lived up to her new team's name. Nicole took no errors during the game. Going 48th in the order today, Pedey, the Gems sophomore, shoots 8-ball with the blue cue. Pedey's break proved fruitless for him, and while he shot well during the game, a pair of errors late sent him to 22 shots, a solid but unremarkable effort in the end. Cascades captain Jasmine gets tonight's penultimate game, shooting 8-ball with the red cue on her turn. Jasmine was truly snake-bit at the start of her game, but it didn't last too long, and she closed the game down for 20 shots and no errors despite the empty break. Finally, Hoppy of the Southern Monarchs gets to play 9-ball with the silver cue to close out the day. Hoppy tried to play well, making a ball on the break and charging from the start, but two errors derailed her efforts and sent her to 17 shots in the end.

The league will see a shorter day for pool tomorrow, but with the chance that cricket might get another segment up. Also, Saturday will likely feature minimal play in either event.