2017 Qualifiers - Day 15

We're back after an unexpected day off, and we're set to play a healthy schedule today should the quality of play hold up well. Let's start with...

Group one, and the first player called today is Whitewater Shores veteran Twinkie III, who plays 12-ball with the blue cue. Twinkie III got things off to a good start with a score of 20, making a ball on the break and taking only one error as collateral for an otherwise successful shot. Next up, Dusty of the Golden Pilots plays Rotation with the blue cue. Dusty did manage to take a ball on the break, but she occasionally struggled, with four errors mixed in on her way to a decent 27 shots for the game. Fluffina, the Maplewood Lumberjacks captain, gets the next game, using the silver cue in her 15-ball qualifier. Fluffina potted a ball on the break, and seemed to do well early on, but struggled with long shots late in the game needed 29 shots, with six errors, to finish the appearance. Moving along, Lexi of the Harrison Specters shoots Rotation with the silver cue. Lexi went rogue after failing to make many shots early, collecting seven errors among her 30 shots after going empty on the break in a challenging appearance. Finishing the group and the short morning session, Midland Predators rookie Fuchsia ends her qualifying session with Accuracy and the silver cue. Fuchsia had only 19 shots after an empty break, and she suffered no errors in the appearance. For the qualifying as a whole, she had 159 shots, a decent mark for the rookie.

The second group opens the afternoon, led by Dusty, as the Pilots star appears in 15-ball with the blue cue. Dusty excelled in her game, getting a ball on the break and taking four errors during the appearance before finishing on 27 shots. Following that, Diamond Gems rookie Rosalina plays 15-ball with the blue cue as well. Rosalina made a massive impact on the standings, going empty on the break but still clearing a very favorable rack in 22 shots, and she did so with just one unintentional error near the end, showing clear dominance and proficiency. That will be tough for Tysini Hummingbirds sophomore Charli XCX to top, as she plays 15-ball with the red cue. Charli went empty on the break, and she didn't want to take the game school, so she just broke the rules for five errors in 26 shots, a decent performance regardless of method. Continuing along, Queens Flames rookie Violetta plays Rotation with the silver cue. Violetta didn't bring her best game, as she needed 33 shots and six errors to navigate unfriendly positioning after her empty break gave her no cushion. The tenth player of the day closes this batch, and that is Dominic of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors, playing 12-ball with the blue cue. Dominic had a lot of control in his game, making one ball on the break and taking one error as a shot traveled long, but then he closed at 18 shots for a good outing.

The third batch gets going with Stealth of the Swordpoint Blades bringing the silver cue to the table for 12-ball for the first time since Strawberry's disastrous outing. Stealth nearly gave the league flashbacks, as he blazed out to a great start with two balls on the break, but struggled to set up the last three shots, eventually ending with no errors in 22 shots. Up next, Leonardo of the Midland Predators is the last player to make a season debut, starting with the blue cue for 7-ball. Leonardo had some issues in the game, taking two errors after an empty break to give him 12 shots in total. The thirteenth player of the day is Brownie of the Tysini Hummingbirds, playing Rotation with the silver cue. Brownie had a very unusual game, scoring the rack in 30 shots without a ball on the break, but also doing so without any errors, playing a clean and honest performance well. After that, Daisy of the Modernistic Union plays 9-ball with the silver cue. Daisy didn't quite make anything on the break, but it set her up for a seven-ball run to start play, and she closed the game in 10 shots with no errors for a sterling performance. Rounding out the group, Zach, the Pronger Trident newcomer, plays 10-ball with the red cue. Zach had a very bizarre start to the game, taking nothing on the break and a rash of early errors, eventually totaling five errors in 23 shots for the game.

Group four begins with Dominic, as the Meteors newcomer returns to the table for Rotation with the silver cue. Dominic saw nothing fall on his break, and some errant shooting led to six errors in the game, but he closed at a decent 29 shots for the outing. Continuing along, Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige becomes the seventh player to finish qualifying as she shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Twinkie I needed only 17 shots for the appearance, although her break was empty, the lone bad mark on an error-free performance. She had 161 total shots in qualifying. Hoot, the Viewpoint Sound Meteors veteran, plays 12-ball with the blue cue in the next game. Free-shooting games have been Hoot's downfall, as he needed 28 shots with four errors to complete this appearance after a rare empty break in this event. The nineteenth player called to shoot is Leonardo, as he returns to the table for 8-ball with the red cue. Leonardo impressed in this appearance, going empty on the break but also keeping his errors at zero as he cruised around the table in a quick 18 shots to finish the game. Icing this group, Twinkie II of the Harrison Specters plays 15-ball with the red cue. Twinkie II had a little luck and a lot of skill in this appearance, taking no errors and making a ball on the break, all helping her to score 22 shots in the fantastic performance.

The fifth group kicks off with Slinks, the newest Westside Rocker, playing 10-ball with the red cue. Slinks turned in another encouraging performance in this game, making a ball on the break and finishing with no errors and 14 shots, and the first instance of a player making a ball as it's falling in. The 5 was hanging on the bottom side, and began falling as she struck the cue, which got there in time to tap it the rest of the way. Following that, Fluffina, the Lumberjacks captain, becomes the eighth player to complete qualifying with this Accuracy game with the red cue. Fluffina went empty on the break, somehow, and then needed 21 shots to finish the game, ending on an error. She had 165 total shots for qualifying. Continuing along, Todavía Stills captain Easter is the ninth to finish qualifying, as she too plays Accuracy with the red cue. Easter had a ball on the break, and while she did take one error for a scratch, she had only 17 shots in the game, a great outing. She ended with 154 shots across all her qualifiers. The 24th player drawn today is Atlantic Pirates rookie Isabella, who keeps the Accuracy party going with the blue cue, as she'll be the tenth player to finish. Isabella made a ball on the break, and then held down the fort for 19 shots, avoiding any errors in another great performance. Many good efforts helped the rookie Isabella to score 135 shots in qualifiers, currently league-leading. At the end of the group, Stripes of the Terrace City Knights is ready to play 12-ball with the blue cue. Stripes needed 20 shots after a very good break, as her set-up work was lacking much urgency, and she took two errors in the game to contribute to the problem.

Starting group six, Celestia, the Oceanside Waves rookie, is finishing eleventh in qualifying by playing Accuracy with the blue cue. Celestia performed well after a shaky start, going empty on her break but taking no errors, and she closed at 19 shots. For the whole effort, she had 158 shots, a solid total for the youngster. The last player before today's mid-afternoon break is Rainmane of the Midland Predators, who plays 12-ball with the blue cue. Rainmane was struggling after a successful break, unable to line up her shots, and she took one error early in the game. She looked to be in a bad position on her last shot, but she did a spinning kick to bring it to the top left and end with 24 shots, earning her the nickname of Saw Blade. After the break, Boots of the Pearl Surfers plays 12-ball with the red cue. Boots had only one error after an empty break got her game off to a weak start, and she closed with 20 shots for a good outing. Continuing along, Westside Rockers captain Misty shoots Accuracy with the blue cue, becoming the twelfth player to finish qualifying. Misty needed 23 shots to get through the game, going empty on the break and also taking no errors. For all of the qualifying session, she had a very strong 140 shots. The group ends with the thirtieth player of the day, Dominic, who is back for 15-ball with the silver cue. Dominic had a terrible break, and the middle of the game really did him in with five errors, sending his score to 32.

The seventh group leads off with Queens Flames rookie Violetta shooting 15-ball with the blue cue. Violetta did the unthinkable, sinking the 15 on the break, as well as the 1, and she kept the cue on the table, so she had no errors and a score of 0, guaranteeing herself a spot atop the event table. It's impossible for Charli XCX, the Tysini Hummingbirds sophomore, to beat that, but she'll use the red cue in Accuracy to be the thirteenth player done with qualifying. Charli didn't get anything on her break, and she needed 19 shots for the game, taking no errors in her appearance. She ended qualifying with 161 total shots, a satisfactory total. The 33rd player called today is Commerce Tradewinds veteran Ice Cream, who shoots Rotation with the blue cue. Ice Cream managed to get a ball on the break, and while she did take three early errors, she settled her game down quickly and ended on 23 shots, a good total. Moving along, the Tridents' Zach is back in action for a game of 12-ball with the blue cue. Zach ended with an amazing 16 shots, even after taking an error on the break for a scratch, and he sank one other ball on the opening shot. The performance is one of the event's best. Closing out the bunch, Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts will be the fourteenth player to finish, playing Accuracy with the silver cue. Sweetheart went empty on the break in this game, and she took no errors among her 20 shots to complete the game. Overall, Sweetheart took 159 shots, a solid effort from the veteran.

The final batch begins with Slinks of the Rockers playing 12-ball with the red cue in her second game of the day. Slinks had a rough outing, going empty on a very soft break and somehow avoiding errors despite the difficult distribution, ending on 24 shots. Next up, Bandit, the Swordpoint Blades rookie, appears in 10-ball with the silver cue. Bandit had some issues in his game, requiring 21 shots with nothing on the break and a pair of errors as he couldn't execute his shots very well. The 38th player to shoot today is Pearl Surfers co-captain Neopolitan, who will use the silver cue for 15-ball in this appearance. Neopolitan struggled from the start, going empty on the break and then needing 30 shots for the game to finish, including a pitiful five errors. Following that, Debby Ryan, the Southridge Defenders captain, shoots 9-ball with the red cue. Debby nearly had a ball on the break, but it wouldn't fall, and she would need one error in her 15 shots to finish the appearance in acceptable form. Finally, the Meteors' Dominic finishes qualifying, the fifteenth player to do so. He will use the blue cue for his Accuracy game. Dominic needed 25 shots, with one error and nothing from the break, to finish this appearance. He closed qualifiers with 167 total shots, one of the worse efforts so far.

Tomorrow might get back up to 50 games, but it's a slow week as some of the longer games have taken the spotlight. Cricket is also expected to see another post tomorrow.