2018 Qualifiers - Day 31

We're back for a Christmas Eve edition of qualifying. We'll likely only do 40 games today, beginning with...

North Modernistic Nighthawks captain Peach shooting 15-ball with the silver cue. Peach took nothing on the break, and added only two errors over her 27 shots to complete the outing in fairly good form. Next up, Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle plays 15-ball with the blue cue. Snuggle had a tougher outing, needing 33 shots with six errors, four by intent, to get through the game after going empty on the break and struggling initially. The third game today belongs to Swordpoint Blades star Dreamy, who plays Rotation with the red cue. Dreamy picked up 31 shots and four errors during her game, turning in another empty break and then struggling with positioning late in the appearance. After that, Pearl Surfers co-captain Neopolitan plays Accuracy with the blue cue, the 101st player to finish qualifying. Neopolitan couldn't make a ball on the break either, but she cleared the table in only 16 shots without an error for an excellent effort. She ends with 155 shots and 15 errors in total. Ending the group, the Central Warriors superstar Dustin plays Accuracy with the silver cue as the 102nd player done with qualifying. Dustin botched the game a bit at the end with a handful of misses and one error, ending at 21 shots with an empty break. Dustin totaled 147 shots and 11 errors in qualifying.

Group two begins with Central Warriors sophomore Mario playing Accuracy with the red cue, the 103rd player to finish qualifying. Mario came close but empty on the break, and despite some rattled shots, he finished in 18 shots for totals of 159 shots and 8 errors in all his games. His nemesis, the Lighton Prestige's Waluigi, plays Rotation with the blue cue. Waluigi had a tough break shot, but he rallied after taking two errors on an intentional play, breaking clusters up and getting through the game in 27 shots. Moving along, the Waves captain Snuggle returns to finish qualifying 104th with his Accuracy game with the silver cue. Snuggle couldn't haul in an evasive break ball, but he did finish the rack in 16 shots without an error, giving him 143 shots and 12 errors in total. The ninth game today is Nighthawks captain Peach shooting Accuracy with the silver cue, the 105th player to complete qualifiers. Peach rocked a ball in on the break and then closed the game in 17 shots, good for scores of 151 shots and 7 errors over all of her games. Rounding out the group, the Maplewood Lumberjacks newcomer Whiskers plays Rotation with the red cue. Whiskers needed five errors, the first a scratch on the break, and 28 shots to complete this game, getting a bit lucky with a few shots in the middle to keep the score down.

The third group sees the Golden Pilots' Strut play 15-ball with the blue cue. Strut couldn't get anything on the break, and he took four errors, mostly in the middle of the game before finishing with a poor 32 shots in total. Up next, Maplewood Lumberjacks rookie Summer shoots 15-ball with the blue cue. Summer brought the heat at the end of the game, taking two errors for scratches but potting the 8 to the bottom right and 15 to the bottom side after a cluster-buster while shooting the 6, good enough to end at 8 shots. Following that, the Royal Crowns' Cassie steps in for 12-ball with the red cue. Cassie had a tough outing, with two errors and 25 shots after going empty on the break and making some rookie mistakes with her form. The 14th game of the day goes to Web City Spiders captain Shadow, who shoots 12-ball with the red cue as well. Shadow left the game furious after a scratch on the break and missed contact late in the game put him at 23 shots and two errors with nothing on the break to show for. Wrapping up the group, Solaris of the Infinity Torpedoes does 15-ball with the blue cue. Solaris is starting to be pinned with an overrated tag, after going empty on the break and needing 36 shots with five errors to get through this game.

Batch four leads with Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi, shooting 12-ball with the blue cue. Kiwi got a ball on her break, but it didn't do any good, as she would take two errors and fight for positioning on the last four balls to run her score up to 24 shots. Eastside Sharks newcomer Cubby takes the next game, playing 12-ball with the silver cue. Cubby made two balls on the break and never looked back, taking no errors over 16 shots that featured some of the day's best positioning skill. Continuing along, Missy of the Capital City Sharpshooters takes her Rotation game with the blue cue. Missy had a slow start with an empty break and three tough errors before surging to end at 29 shots with a nice burst start on the 6. Royal Crowns star Kayla steps in for the next game, using the blue cue for 15-ball. Kayla completed the game remarkably without an error, finding a bit of luck early, slumping on the 8, and then pushing through to end at 26 shots despite the empty break. The 20th game today belongs to Capital City Sharpshooters rookie Pauline, as she is the 106th player done with qualifying by playing Accuracy with the silver cue. Pauline couldn't get anything on the break, but she did finish the game in 17 shots, totaling 165 shots and 13 errors overall.

Group five opens with Boston Swifts newcomer Ice Cream playing 9-ball with the silver cue. Ice Cream had two balls on the break but completely wasted the game with two errors and 17 shots by the end, struggling from the 4 onward. After that, Southern Monarchs veteran Dominic plays Accuracy with the silver cue, the 107th player to finish qualifying. Dominic had a scratch on the break but otherwise played well with 18 shots for the game and totals of 157 shots and 15 errors. Oceanside Waves sophomore Dewey is the 23rd player drawn today, shooting Accuracy with the red cue as the 108th player to complete his qualifiers. Dewey had a ball on the break and one error in the middle of the game, but he finished with a solid 16 shots in the game and totals of 131 shots and 11 errors. Next up, Royal Crowns captain Nightfur becomes the 109th player done with qualifying as she too shoots Accuracy with the red cue. Nightfur had nothing on the break and no errors, shooting a plain 17 shots in the game and finishing with 132 shots and 9 errors in total. Closing the group, the Capital City Sharpshooters' Sprinkles plays 9-ball with the blue cue. Sprinkles shut things down quickly, making two balls on the break and finishing in 8 shots without an error.

The sixth group starts with North Modernistic Nighthawks sophomore Luigi playing 15-ball with the red cue. Luigi had a ball on the break, but after taking two errors with intent, he started to err more, with six in total among his 28 shots. Cowzart of the Westside Rockers takes the 27th game of the day, playing Accuracy with the silver cue, the 110th player done with qualifying. Cowzart made a ball on the break and needed only 17 shots without an error to end the appearance. Cowzart scored 163 shots and 15 errors overall. The next game goes to Viewpoint Sound Meteors sophomore Nibbles, who shoots Accuracy with the blue cue as the 111th player to finish qualifying. Nibbles blasted three balls in on the break and took no errors over his 14 shots, setting the new pace for the event. Nibbles totaled 160 shots and 21 errors in a trying qualifying season. Following that, Jason N. of the Swordpoint Blades plays 15-ball with the red cue. Jason sized up his opportunities and converted a deflected shot off the 2 to make the 9-15 combination at the top right for a score of 3 shots and no errors after making a ball on the break. Finishing this batch, Southridge Defenders newcomer Caitlin Woode tries Rotation with the blue cue. Caitlin had an awful game, despite making a ball on the break at the start. She had eight errors in 40 shots, unable to corral the last five balls in a timely manner.

Group seven gets going as another Defender, the sophomore Hughbert, shoots 15-ball with the blue cue. Hughbert had nothing on the break but also took only one error in this game, finishing at 22 shots in a good performance. Continuing along, the Swordpoint Blades' Stealth shoots Rotation with the blue cue. Stealth took nothing on the break, and while he started well, he collected six errors over 27 shots, a late fade bringing his score to the higher mark. Up next, the Sharks' Cubby returns for Rotation with the blue cue as well. Cubby put in an all-day type of game, getting an empty break and 24 shots with seven errors by the end, setting a quick pace with his reckless style of play. The 34th game of the day goes to Westside Rockers star Goatee, who plays Rotation with the red cue. Goatee had a strong performance in this one, making a ball on the break and taking only three errors along the way to a score of 21 shots. At the back of the group, the Crowns' Kayla return as the 112th player done with qualifying, shooting Accuracy with the silver cue. Kayla joined the pace for the event, making a ball on the break and then a triple-pot of the 3 to the bottom side and the 2-13 follow-combination to the bottom right before closing the game in an error-free 14 shots. Kayla finished at 144 shots and only 5 errors in total.

The final group is fronted by the Pearl Surfers newcomer Beth, who shoots 12-ball with the silver cue. Beth did fairly well in this appearance, taking a ball on the break and only one error for an illegally potted ball among her 20 shots. The 37th game of the day belongs to Southern Monarchs rookie Avril Lavigne, who shoots Accuracy with the blue cue as the 113th player to finish qualifying. Avril couldn't corral her shots quickly enough, taking 23 shots after the empty break but adding no errors for one lone bright spot in the game. She had 164 shots and 14 errors in total. Moving along, Central Warriors returnee Noelle shoots 12-ball with the blue cue. Noelle didn't make a ball on the break, but she closed the appearance in 21 shots with no errors for a good enough outing. Isabella of the Atlantic Pirates gets the next game, shooting Rotation with the red cue. Isabella started out fine despite getting an empty break, but she collected six errors and 32 shots as her quality of play faded late in the game. Finally, Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris plays 15-ball with the silver cue. Chris didn't get anything on the break either, finishing with 27 shots and seven errors in a pacey and adventurous finale to the day.

That's it for today. We're off tomorrow in pool, but there will be plenty of cricket to fill the void at the Select level. This coming week will look a bit different for cricket, and with Qualifiers ending, there may be less activity around the new year.