2018 Qualifiers - Day 13

A new day is here, and with the expectation of a larger slate of games should play quality hold up. First up is...

The Boston Swifts debut for Ice Cream, as she plays 7-ball with the red cue. Ice Cream didn't get much movement, let alone anything sinking, on the break shot, but she played clean with no errors and finished the appearance in 12 shots, a solid effort. Next up, the Midland Predators star Rainmane uses the silver cue in 10-ball. Rainmane had nothing on her break, although she did come close, but her smart play allowed her to finish with a 6-10 combination to the bottom right for a score of 10 shots without an error. Another debut is on the way when the Viewpoint Sound Meteors rookie Vincent Sullivan plays his first-ever game of 7-ball with the blue cue. Vincent came up empty on the break, but he showed a dynamic shooting strategy, always getting multiple balls in motion, and this led him to finish in 8 shots without an error. The fourth game today goes to the Atlantic Pirates newcomer Max, who shoots 9-ball with the silver cue. Max made a ball on the break, and while he had two errors on his first shot from play for illegal contact and a scratch, he ended the game in 11 shots for a very strong outing. The Eastside Sharks' Chelsea wraps up the group with the silver cue in hand for 12-ball. Chelsea had one error for missed contact during the appearance, and she went empty on the break, but she finished with a score of 19 shots in a strong showing.

Group two leads off with the Tysini Hummingbirds captain Princess shooting Rotation with the blue cue. Princess didn't have the best game, but she stuck to a clean style of play, ending on 28 shots and just one early error for a scratch in her game. The Eastside Sharks newcomer Cubby goes next, using the red cue in 10-ball. Cubby had eyes on the 10 early on despite going empty on the break. He connected quickly, glancing the cue off the 1 to drive the 10 to the top right to end the game in 2 shots without an error. Following that, Jason N. of the Swordpoint Blades plays his second game this year, 8-ball with the blue cue. Jason didn't have as explosive of a game this time, but he did make a ball on the break and finished the rack in 20 shots with only one error for an early scratch. The ninth player called to shoot today is Viewpoint Sound Meteors sophomore Nibbles, who uses the silver cue for 8-ball. Nibbles went empty on the break, and would take another knock in the middle of the game by illegally potting the 8. Nibbles ended with six errors and 25 shots in what would have been a pretty good outing. Finishing the group, the Diamond Gems captain Smokey plays 9-ball with the silver cue. Smokey made a ball on the break, but more surprisingly got a good enough position after making the 1 to the bottom right to convert the 2-9 combination to the top right to end in 3 shots without an error.

The third bunch starts with the Everton Eagles' Cleo playing 10-ball with the blue cue. Cleo had essentially a perfect performance, making a ball on the break and getting a clear look at the 1-10 combination to the top right, which she made to end with 1 shot and no errors. Oceanside Waves rookie Jason V. will feel pressure to keep the good games coming as he shoots 8-ball with the red cue. Jason did quite well, making a ball on the break and taking only one error for a scratch before closing the game in 20 shots with a late surge. The 13th player today is Southridge Defenders newcomer Caitlin Woode, who plays 8-ball with the silver cue. Caitlin played one of the best starts to a game all year, making two balls on the break and only slowing when she took two errors for missed contact and a scratch. She would end up with a still-strong 19 shots for the game. Moving along, Westside Rockers veteran Midnight shoots 12-ball with the red cue. Midnight had one of the ugliest good games out there, needing six errors after making two balls on both the break and the first shot from play. She finished with 21 shots, struggling to get a clear look at the final ball. At the end of the group, the Pirates' Max is back for his second game of the day in 10-ball with the blue cue. Max didn't have the miracle bailout shot available to him like previous players, making a ball on his poor break but also taking four errors among the 23 shots to complete the game.

Group four begins as Westside Rockers captain Misty plays 9-ball with the blue cue. The magic around the league appears to have faded, as Misty had nothing on the break and two errors as well as plenty of missed shots before deflecting the 9 to the bottom side to end at 20 shots. Stinky, the Freedom Cascades veteran, goes 17th today using the red cue for 9-ball. Stinky had nothing on the break, and took three errors during the game before closing at 16 shots in an acceptable performance. Next up, the Todavía Stills' Bells plays 9-ball with the silver cue. Bells had a ball on the break, but she was less than decisive early in the turn, and she finished with 18 shots and one error once she cleared the table, unable to find a combo in the mix. After that, the Eastside Sharks newcomer Gizmo keeps the silver cue in action for his 8-ball game. Gizmo had a strong outing this time, but a couple of errors and some struggles to get clear runs later in the game negated his making a ball on the break and sent him to score 25 shots. Closing the group is his brother, the Whitewater Shores captain Bear, who plays 9-ball with the silver cue. Bear had some poor play early on, but after his lone error on a scratch, he cleaned it up and finished with 14 shots for a solid outing.

Batch five opens with Diamond Gems star Citrus playing Rotation with the silver cue. Citrus had a solid game, scratching on an otherwise empty break but playing perfectly clean from there as she finished with 27 shots in the outing. The Everton Eagles superstar captain Goldy goes next with the red cue in 10-ball. Goldy had nothing on the break and took two errors as she struggled to get clear shots early on, ending at 22 shots total in another disappointing effort. The 23rd game today belongs to North Modernistic Nighthawks newcomer B. Chapman, as she shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Chapman had the makings of a potentially good outing, but her empty break and an error later in the game derailed it. Her biggest problem was shooting from the perimeter, as she couldn't get good hits, and she needed 26 shots to complete the game. Maplewood Lumberjacks rookie Summer tries to get the shooting back on track as she plays 9-ball with the blue cue. Summer made a ball on the break, but like many recent players, she also added an early error with a scratch. Some frustrating misses later, she finished at 15 shots for a decent effort. Midland Predators newcomer Americus ends the group with her 9-ball game with the silver cue. Americus left no doubt in her appearance, taking one error for a scratch but also making a ball on the break and closing the game in 10 shots.

The sixth batch gets going as Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris does 9-ball with the red cue. Chris buried a ball on the break, but his shots were loose and twice induced errors. He stayed on a decent course, ending with 15 shots in a solid appearance. Dewey of the Oceanside Waves goes next, using the blue cue for 9-ball. Dewey had nothing on the break, a minor disappointment, but he surged from there to close the game in 11 shots, taking no errors in an excellent showing of his shooting skill. Continuing along, the Freedom Cascades' Nikolai is up for 8-ball with the red cue. Nikolai kept the quality heating up again, making a ball on the break and taking no errors among his 17 shots in a top-notch performance this time out. The 29th game of the day goes to the Pacific Volcanoes' Twinkie I, as she shoots 8-ball with the blue cue. Twinkie I had a decent game, but late positioning for the last two solids frustrated her, and she made a bad error by scratching while potting the 8 to end at 26 shots and five errors, a long way away from her successful break. The Tysini Hummingbirds' Brownie rounds out the group with 15-ball and the silver cue. Brownie tried hard to stay clean after a good break, but she picked up four errors for various fouls, and this pushed her score to 28 shots as she never had a chance for combo.

Group seven is headed by Modernistic Union sophomore Daisy, who plays 10-ball with the blue cue. Daisy looked good this game, making a pair of balls on the break. She flirted with the 10 quite a bit, but finally made it on a 5-10 combination to the top right to end at 9 shots and no errors. Diamond Gems veteran Pedey goes next with the red cue for 10-ball. Pedey had a much rougher start, with nothing on the break and a missed contact scratch for two errors on the first shot. He would ended at three errors, but a late burst helped him keep it down to 18 shots. The 33rd player drawn to shoot is Harrison Specters rookie Rudolph, playing 10-ball with the blue cue. Rudolph couldn't get short-range looks at the 1, chasing it around the table after an empty break. He had two errors, for an illegally potted ball and cue off table on one shot, ending at 22 shots for the game when it was over. Hoping for better, Archtown Arrows legend and captain Ruby plays 10-ball with the same blue cue. Ruby couldn't solve the problem, needing 25 shots with one error after an empty break, walking away highly frustrated. Wrapping up the group, Wario of the Victoria Spurs uses the silver cue in 9-ball. Wario didn't do much better in this event, getting nothing on the break and burning through 16 shots with two errors before a 7-9 bank combination to the bottom right ended the game.

The eighth group sees Terrace City Knights rookie Quincy use the blue cue for 10-ball, which is quickly becoming a toxic pairing. Quincy made a ball on the break for a good start, but he lost his carefully-balanced control on the 2, and only a 4-10 bank combination to the top right could save the game at 11 shots and one error. The Pirates' Max gets a third game today, the 37th overall for the day, as he plays 12-ball with the silver cue. Max had a ball on the break, but some difficult positioning gave him a single error and forced him to take 22 shots to finish the outing, still a good score. The Eagles captain Goldy goes next for her second game today, using the red cue in 12-ball. Goldy played a fairly similar game, but with less of the peripheral stuff. She had nothing on the break and no errors, but finished with the same 22 shots as the player before her. After that, Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy uses the blue cue in 10-ball. Ms. Puppy did alright at first, but frustrations with rattled shots persisted later in the game, inflating her score to 20 shots with one error for illegal contact. The Eagles' Cleo ends the group with her second game today, playing 12-ball with the blue cue. Cleo scored 20 with a ball on the break and no errors in the game, solidly playing through one of the tougher events.

Batch nine commences as another Everton Eagle, Kirstin, comes to play 12-ball with the silver cue. Kirstin had a ball on the break, and also took one error trying to get better position on a ball. She didn't slow down, ending with a good 19 shots for the game. The 42nd game of the day belongs to the Union's Daisy, who returns to action with the red cue in 12-ball. Daisy picked up a ball on the break and avoided errors in a difficult game that saw her break a cluster in pieces as she strategically worked her way through the rack. It worked, as she had only 20 shots and no errors in the game. Moving along, the Cascades' Stinky gets his second game today, using the silver cue in 10-ball. Stinky had a great game, making a ball on the break and taking no errors during the game, finishing classically with a bank of the 10 to the bottom right to end at 13 shots. Pacific Volcanoes superstar captain Starlight goes next, shooting Rotation with the silver cue. Starlight couldn't get anything on the break in this game, and she took a pair of errors early on, but she quickly turned the game around, closing at 26 shots after keeping it clean from the 3 onward. Sparkles of the Golden Pilots completes this bunch with her 12-ball game with the blue cue. Sparkles couldn't solve bad positioning in this game after making a ball on the break, needing 25 shots with one error to get out of the appearance in decent form.

The last group is led by the Stills' Bells, playing her second game of the day in 10-ball with the blue cue. Bells had a ball on the break, but also added two errors to her score for various fouls. She rattled the 10 on her first direct shot on it, before ending the game with 17 shots. Sharpshooters captain Chris continues the double-dip trend, returning for his second game of the day with the red cue in 10-ball. Chris didn't get much movement out of the break, and it caused him problems early on. He picked up two errors for illegal contact and an illegally potted ball, then surged, before leveling off at 19 shots in the end. The Everton Eagles' reigning MVP Blizzard steps in to play 10-ball with the red cue as well. Blizzard made the 10 on the break, the only event where the target ball isn't an automatic win, but it counts as a ball on the break. She would take two errors for illegally potted balls, including once more on the 10, before finishing at 25 shots in a game that has a player with a lot of sway challenging the rules. The 49th game of the day is 12-ball with the blue cue for Queens Flames rookie Briana Livilotti. Briana had a fairly good game, going empty on the break but immediately plotting a strong course through the rack, finishing the game in 17 shots and no errors. The final game is the Arrows' Ruby using the blue cue in 12-ball in her second game today. Ruby looked great in this game, although not by the empty break and two errors for scratches. Those made her 17 shots all the more impressive.

We'll have a standard day tomorrow and Wednesday as long as the quality of play is acceptable. Thursday is a scheduled day off.