2018 Qualifiers - Day 32

Qualifiers are back for likely the final week of the year. We expect the final games to be played on Friday. For today, 40 games are set, beginning with...

Golden Pilots captain Valencia shooting Accuracy with the silver cue, the 114th player done with qualifying. Valencia did alright with 19 shots after an empty break and no errors in the game. She had totals of 182 shots and 22 errors after a couple of previous rough outings. The Pearl Surfers' Beth is next up, playing Rotation with the blue cue. Beth had a ball on the break, and then only took three errors over 24 shots for a very strong appearance. The third game of the day goes to the Infinity Torpedoes sophomore Solaris, who shoots Accuracy with the silver cue as the 115th player to finish qualifying. Solaris couldn't get any big runs going, ending in 22 shots without an error after going empty on the break. Solaris totaled 184 shots and 16 errors in an ugly set of qualifiers. Continuing along, Viewpoint Sound Meteors rookie Vincent Sullivan shoots Rotation with the silver cue. Vincent couldn't get a ball on the break, and after four errors, he was able to finish with a decent 30 shots for the game. The group ends with the Everton Eagles reigning MVP Blizzard, who plays Accuracy with the blue cue, the 116th player to complete qualifiers. Blizzard made a ball on the break and took no errors in the game, ending at 16 shots in a good performance. Blizzard had 149 shots and 6 errors in qualifying this year.

The second group is led by Viewpoint Sound Meteors star Hoot, who does Rotation with the silver cue. Hoot had nothing on the break and a bit of a slow start, then got loose in the middle with three errors before a late push to end with 28 shots. The seventh game of the day belongs to Midland Predators sophomore Fuchsia, who plays Accuracy with the blue cue as the 117th player to finish qualifying. Fuchsia had two balls on the break, but a late cluster pushed her to 16 shots with no errors. She tied Cleo's mark at 112 total shots, but with only 3 errors over all of her games. Following that, Lighton Prestige newcomer Waluigi shoots 15-ball with the blue cue. Waluigi walked a dangerous line after an empty break, but managed to keep his score at 30 shots despite his four errors in the game. The next game goes to Harrison Specters veteran Lexi Woode, who shoots Accuracy with the red cue as the 118th player to finish her qualifiers. Lexi scratched on the break for her only error, and then needed a poor 21 shots to get through the game. She had 144 shots and 12 errors throughout qualifying. The group ends with Eastside Sharks newcomer Cubby shooting 15-ball with the red cue. Cubby had a shameless five errors, including a scratch on the break that also potted the 1, and he ended with 23 shots in a quick appearance.

Group three gets going as Ms. Kitty of the Pacific Volcanoes shoots 15-ball with the blue cue. Ms. Kitty had an empty break without much spread, leading to her taking eight errors with a large portion unintentional. She had 35 shots before she could finish the game. Going next, the Surfers' Beth is back for 15-ball with the red cue. Beth made a ball on the break and had only one late error in this game, finishing with a good 25 shots. Moving along, North Modernistic Nighthawks sophomore Luigi plays Accuracy with the red cue as the 119th player done with qualifying. Luigi had a solid game, taking 19 shots with an empty break and no errors during the game. Luigi scored 163 shots and 18 errors overall during his sessions. Swordpoint Blades star Stealth draws in for 15-ball with the blue cue. Stealth wanted to play quickly and got his wish, with two balls on the break and only two errors over a great 20 shots. Eastside Sharks captain Graham has the 15th game of the day, playing 12-ball with the blue cue. Graham had a ball on the break and looked savvy with his positioning, although one error brought him to 19 shots by the end of the game.

The fourth batch opens with Diamond Gems captain Smokey playing 15-ball with the red cue. Smokey made a ball on the break but also scratched for his first of six errors. His loose control led him to 25 shots in the game. Up next, the Atlantic Pirates' Klaus plays Rotation with the blue cue. Klaus struggled this time, taking three errors just after an empty break before drifting along to finish the appearance with 33 shots, rarely looking in control of the game. After that, Freedom Cascades veteran Roxy plays Accuracy with the blue cue, the 120th player to complete qualifying. Roxy had nothing on the break and somehow managed to avoid errors in a sloppy game that saw her take 21 shots. She finished with 135 shots and 11 errors in total in a solid set of performances. The 19th game of the day sees Atlantic Pirates sophomore Isabella shoot 15-ball with the silver cue. Isabella was challenged early, taking four errors in total after an empty break, but her second-half push helped her end at 28 shots. Closing the group, Cubby is the 121st player to finish qualifying as he shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Cubby couldn't get a ball on the break, but he had a refreshingly error-free effort to end at 21 shots. He finished with 137 shots and 21 errors in total.

Batch five starts with Todavía Stills sophomore Prism playing 12-ball with the silver cue. Prism had a rough time in this game, going empty on the break and needing 22 shots with two errors to clear the table, unable to get fortunate touches when she needed them. Next up, Maplewood Lumberjacks mainstay Bryant ends the silver cue's duties in 12-ball with his fifth appearance of the year. Bryant tried to get sneaky with his late shots, but he ended up with 22 shots and one error for his troubles even after making a ball on the break. The 23rd game of the day is Golden Pilots veteran Strut shooting Accuracy with the blue cue, the 122nd player done with qualifying. Strut struggled to build on his successful shots late in the game, ending at 22 shots with an empty break and no errors. Strut had totals of 170 shots and 14 errors. Continuing along, Atlantic Pirates returnee Steven shoots the 123rd Accuracy game, bowing out of the qualifiers with the red cue in hand. Steven didn't quite get a ball on the break, but he had a strong shot and ended with 17 shots and no errors in the game for totals of 158 shots and 15 errors. Finishing the group, Stonebridge Wolves veteran Frosty plays Accuracy with the silver cue, the 124th player to complete qualifying. Frosty had one error and an empty break, the event's recurring theme for the latter, among her 21 shots. Frosty finished a terrible stretch at 189 shots and 17 errors.

The sixth group kicks off with Southridge Defenders sophomore Hughbert shooting Accuracy with the silver cue as the 125th player to finish qualifying. Hughbert couldn't change the bad luck on the break, and he took one error in the middle to finish at 20 shots. Hughbert had totals of 142 shots and 8 errors. The next game goes to another Defender, the newcomer Caitlin Woode, who plays 15-ball with the blue cue. Caitlin had an excellent game here, not getting a ball on the break but nearly finishing early on a 5-14-15 combination to the top right that saw her only error, a scratch, also occur. Caitlin ended at 20 shots after clearing the table. Following that, the Tysini Hummingbirds' Paps shoots 12-ball with the silver cue. Paps had 23 in this game, but with three errors after two of his four balls on the break were illegally potted. The 29th game of the day is Vladimir Vasilyev of the Stonebridge Wolves finishing qualifying 126th with his Accuracy game with the blue cue. Vladimir had nothing on the break and one late error for a scratch before finishing at 19 shots. Vladimir had totals of 160 shots and 16 errors in total. Wrapping up the group, the Defenders' Caitlin becomes the 127th player done with qualifying as she plays Accuracy with the silver cue. Caitlin had one error and an empty break in shooting 19 shots this game, good for scores of 171 shots and 16 errors overall.

Group seven sees the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty return to finish her qualifiers 128th as she plays Accuracy with the red cue. Ms. Kitty followed the pattern with nothing on the break and 19 shots to her credit by the end of the game. She finished at 167 shots and 21 errors overall. Moving along, Puff III of the Everton Eagles does 12-ball with the red cue. Puff III did make a ball on the break, but she had two errors in the game, which combined with bad positioning to leave her at 26 shots by the end of the game. The 33rd game of the day is for Royal Crowns rookie Cassie, who plays Rotation with the blue cue. Cassie got a ball on the break, and then had a rough start with a couple of errors. She played clean from here, but still ended at 30 shots with a late fade. Up next, Jason V. of the Oceanside Waves shoots 12-ball with the red cue. Jason challenged himself at times after making a ball on the break, but he had no errors and finished with 17 shots in a good outing. Rounding out the group, Freedom Cascades mainstay Nikolai does Rotation with the silver cue. Nikolai put up 27 shots in the game, going empty on the break and getting things moving after a slow start with all four of his errors coming with intent.

The last group is fronted by Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine, who plays 15-ball with the blue cue. Jasmine didn't have a ball on the break, and she took a quick three errors, but surged from there, ending on 24 shots with a 14-15 combination to the bottom right to end her game. The 37th game of the day belongs to the Hummingbirds' Paps, who plays Rotation with the red cue. Paps couldn't quite get a ball on the break, but he kept himself at just 1 error and finished with 22 shots in an excellent game. After that, Archtown Arrows star Dusky plays Rotation with the silver cue. Dusky couldn't quite get a ball on the break, but she also took no errors and finished the game in a solid 25 shots. Going next, Diamond Gems sophomore Rosalina plays Accuracy with the red cue as the 129th player to finish qualifying. Rosalina had a very slow start after an empty break, but her hot finish put her at 21 shots with no errors. Rosalina totaled 159 shots and 14 errors in all her games. Finally, Nicole of the Lighton Prestige tries 15-ball with the red cue. Nicole had 26 shots and two errors in her game, successfully making a ball on the break and playing well throughout.

It came to my attention today that there was a major input error in 12-ball, which affects a minimum of two players. The issue was a failure to record their scores as they happened. This caused some of them to play the event twice; in one case, to a great improvement. This will stand, and all data has been fixed to represent the official scoring. What will happen at the end of qualifiers, presumably on Friday, is that a small number of "bonus" games will have to be played to fill things out. This is just fair warning that the final group of qualifying will likely be only two games or so if no more similar errors are found.