We'll reach the middle of the first round at the end of today's games. We start with...
Ebay Center, Queens: Kyle v. Wings. A returnee and a veteran clash in Accuracy with the blue cue in the first series of the day. Central's Wings fell behind early in game 1, but he stabilized his performance and induced some misses from Queens' Kyle, leading to Wings winning 2-5 for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Kyle fell behind early in game 2, but he made an impressive effort to drag the Warriors' Wings down with him. It nearly worked, but a long-distance cut on the last ball secured a 2-3 win for Wings, who also clinched the series at 2-0. Kyle played a bit better in game 3, finally sustaining his lead to the end, where a medium-range cut gave him a 2-3 win over Wings. The series went 2-1 to Wings, who will play in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Cowzart. The red cue tags in for some 8-ball between two of Empyre's club members. Westside's Cowzart had a six-ball run to start game 1, but he wouldn't get anymore offense after that. Central's Dustin slowly rallied back, using defense to buy time before banking the 8 to the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Cowzart had a slower start in game 2 but still managed to find a four-ball run to put the pressure on the Warriors' Dustin late in the game. Dustin replied with a double-pot of the 11 to the bottom right and the 14 to the top left, and he made the 8 a turn later to secure the series at 2-0. Cowzart again went on a big run, this time a scratch-stalled seven-ball surge that Dustin found himself unable to successfully counter even with a four-ball run. Cowzart took a pair of shots a couple turns later for the win, sending Dustin to the second round on a 2-1 series win instead of a sweep.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Max v. Dusky. The A-line Derby gets a 15-ball twist, as the blue cue steps in for this series. Alantic's Max was strongest in game 1 at the start and the end, including a four-ball run-out after Archtown's Dusky scratched while trying to make the 12. Max put a good effort in for the win, good for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 started a bit shakier, and the Arrows' Dusky made a bigger impact on offense this time. The Pirates' Max had a three-ball run to counter a five-ball run from Dusky near the end of the game, but Max couldn't sink the 15. Dusky tapped it in at the top left for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw a cagey battle with lots of errors resulting from defensive play. In the end, Dusky broke out with a three-ball run-out to finish Max, taking the series 2-1 as Dusky heads off to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Shadow. The blue cue remains in action for this series of 9-ball between highly-rated players. Commerce's Niki had a massive possession share in game 1, controlling play and winning on a four-ball run-out after Web City's Shadow missed on the 6. Niki made a rare cut on the 9 to the top right to take the 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow had a better performance in game 2, keeping the Tradewinds' Niki from producing any dominant runs. Shadow closed the door with a shot on the 9 after a brief chase, earning the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 kept an even balance between the players until a late scratch by Niki allowed Shadow to take the last two shots from ball-in-hand. He converted both, winning the game and the 2-1 series, which puts Shadow through to the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Spirit. The red cue is back in action, playing 10-ball between veterans. Freedom's Nikolai had a clear majority of possession in an abbreviated game 1, running circles around Lighton's Spirit before making the 5-10 combination to the bottom right as called. Nikolai holds a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Nikolai started a bit slower in game 2, allowing the Prestige's Spirit an errant kick try on the 1 before ripping his own ten-ball run-out to clear the table in a win that clinched the series for him at 2-0. Spirit had her best game of the series in game 3, but a late three-ball run ended in missed contact, and Nikolai poked the 10 in to pair with an earlier four-ball run. Nikolai swept the series 3-0 to get to the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Wild Thing v. Jeremias. The red cue gets another series, this time in 9-ball. Archtown's Wild Thing led off with an aggressive four-ball run in game 1, but Royal's Jeremias never let possession go back, winning with a five-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jeremias had a decent chance to follow it up in game 2, but he hit the 1 too softly, and the Arrows' Wild Thing took over. The host Wild Thing smashed a five-ball run-out, ending with a double-pot that sent the 4 to the bottom left and the 9 deflected in the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 started a lot slower than the other two, but it finished in a run, as Wild Thing made the last four balls to put Jeremias out. Wild Thing's 2-1 series win sends him to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Vincent Sullivan v. Sparkles. The blue cue returns to play in this 12-ball series. Viewpoint Sound's Vincent gave away two wild-card balls in game 1 and still almost rallied late. Golden's Sparkles had trouble getting a clear shot until Vincent had an error, and then she potted her final ball for the win and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Pilots' Sparkles did surrender a wild-card ball in game 2, but it didn't seem to matter, as she had a better distribution. The Meteors' Vincent couldn't break through at any point, and Sparkles picked up the win to secure the series at 2-0. Game 3 took much longer than necessary for a throw-away game, but it did see Vincent use a two-rail kick on the 14 at the top side to rally from behind for the win. Sparkles took the series 2-1, and will visit Lighton Prestige captain Acorn for a second round series.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Chimpy. An all-Union series pits rival clubs Outcast and Oriental United against each other in 8-ball with the blue cue. Kodiak nearly had the 8 on the break in game 1, but it ended him on his second turn, as he potted it illegally while on a three-ball run, gifting a 1-0 series lead to Chimpy. In game 2, Chimpy pulled off a four-ball run on the opening turn, but he couldn't sustain that offense late, and Kodiak rallied back. Kodiak needed some time to catch up, and then he took the win late after Chimpy stalled on the last stripe, which tied the series at 1. Kodiak rallied with a six-ball run from the break in game 3, including a pair on the break shot itself. Chimpy made a mild counterattack, but Kodiak easily took the win for a 2-1 series win, and he will host the Atlantic Pirates sophomore Isabella in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Bells. The silver cue makes its daily debut a bit late in 9-ball between veterans. Central's Noelle had some struggles with keeping her shots clean in game 1, but it worked out when Todavía's Bells missed her chance on the 9. Noelle got the tap-in for the win, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Noelle still played a bit shaky in game 2, but the Stills' Bells couldn't pick up the slack. With a lack of big runs, it came down to possession, and Noelle had it at the right time to kick the 9 to the bottom right, clinching the series at 2-0 after another late failure by Bells. Noelle nearly made the 9 on the break in game 3, but she would pot the 2-9 combination to the bottom right on her second turn after Bells couldn't make it. Noelle swept the series 3-0 to earn a trip to the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Cassie v. Isabella. A rookie and a sophomore meet as the silver cue stays in action for 15-ball. Royal's Cassie pulled in a good performance, starting with a pair of balls on the break. She shot authoritatively, while Atlantic's Isabella played a bit more cautiously. This caution failed Isabella, as Cassie took the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Isabella improved her offense over most of game 2, but she couldn't convert the 11-15 combination at the top right, and the Crowns' Cassie surged forward on a four-ball run-out, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 could have been a bit faster, but it was decidedly in Cassie's favor even before a seven-ball run-out confirmed the result. Cassie swept Isabella 3-0 to advance to the second round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Kirstin v. Katharine McPhee. The silver cue gets a taste in 8-ball now between a third-year and a rookie. Whitewater's Katharine had a productive five-ball run on her first turn, but Everton's Kirstin shot back with a four-ball run to make it close and a three-ball run-out to pick up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Kirstin tried to trick the Shores' Katharine in game 2, but Katharine didn't claim a suit quickly, and Kirstin took the solids. This allowed Katharine to keep up pretty closely with stripes, and she won in the end, banking the 8 to the bottom side to tie the series at 1. Kirstin went off on a five-ball run early in game 3, pacing the offense. Katharine followed more slowly, and had a chance at a game-ending run, but she chipped her last shot, and Kirstin poked in the 8 for the win and a 2-1 series win. A competitive series sees Kirstin move to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Bryant. The final series of the first half of the first round is in 15-ball with the red cue. Terrace City's Kiwi applied ample pressure with a pair of four-ball runs in game 1. Feeling the heat, Maplewood's Bryant used an illegal contact error by Kiwi to pot the 10-15 combination to the bottom right, giving himself a needed 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured less prominent runs and more chippy play between the opponents. The Lumberjacks' Bryant probably had a slight edge in possession, but he couldn't make the 15 on his one chance, and the Knights' Kiwi tapped it in for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 started quite contested, but Bryant went on a bender at the end, making nine of the last ten balls over two turns, with a seven-ball run setting up his late pair of shots. Bryant won the series 2-1, heading to the second round with the nice performance.
Tomorrow is likely the last standard day of the week for both sports. Premier will end week 14, and no cricket will take place until Monday, while Tournament play will take 1-4 days off.
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