Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 2

We're ready to go on another day with six games in the competition. First up...

Humanity Senior 1 plays their second game, acting as host to the coalition OCOUENT. Cobalt had good swings initially for OCOUENT, but he missed on the fourth ball, falling with 85 to start the coalition slowly. Kayla had a very steady swing for HS1, slapping 439 on their opening turn to establish the lead. Salmo shot back with 343 for OCOUENT, which wasn't enough for them to cover the deficit. Chelsea hammered 642 for HS1, never looking rattled on any of her swings. Hughbert provided strength with his swings, but he fell at 383 as OCOUENT continues to trail. Yekaterina delivered 521 on a high pace for HS1, boosting their lead again. Shiny had a false start, and then made only 239 for OCOUENT, a disappointing turn from the veteran. Jennifer tacked on a solid 396 for HS1, adding mildly to their lead at the halfway point. Dewey gathered 547 for OCOUENT, digging into the deficit slightly with his attack. Chris spiked 350 for HS1, causing their lead to fade a bit. Chimpy ripped another 541 for OCOUENT, helping the coalition spark a late rally. Zach stumbled with 112 for HS1, potentially putting them in a vulnerable position. Ruby went with 328 for OCOUENT, making things incredibly close near the end of the game. Katelynn fought off the danger with 525 for HS1, restoring their lead heading into the final turn. Chicky Phil ran out at 300 for OCOUENT, their valiant comeback falling short at 2766 in the loss. Shawn covered that with 310 for HS1, capping their win at 3295. HS1 is 2-0 on the competition, firmly leading Group A now.

In Group B play, Reality faces another stern test from the Outcast team. Violetta cranked out 558 for Outcast in a productive first turn, overcoming her own slow start. Patches flipped 353 for Reality on their first turn, causing them to be behind initially. Josie looked good at first for Outcast, but a heavy swing that went high cut her down at 292. Spice flicked 490 for Reality, doing just what she wanted to do to make things close after the first two turns. Klaus fell into the same trap as Josie, falling with 245 after a firm hit went too high, which craters Outcast's lead. Dusty pounded 532 for Reality, narrowly avoiding an early exit with good bat skills. Potter fell with 279 for Outcast, failing to provide much of a response. Puff II finished with a bad swing, but collected 475 over the rest of the turn to add a little more to the Reality lead. Prism rolled 249 for Outcast, keeping with their recent trend of disappointing offense. Missy covered it with 344 for Reality, maintaining their lead despite the rougher turn. Summer bowed out at a measly 32 for Outcast, clipping the boundary very early in her turn. Twilight used the free turn to good effect, tacking on 447 for Reality this time. Kodiak put up only 100 for Outcast, furthering their disadvantage late in the game. Twinkie I took few risks in gathering 490 for Reality, padding their lead with another steady turn. Nibbles didn't do poorly relative to the rest of Outcast, his 346 leaving them in a loss at 2101. Stinky chipped a reasonable 360 at the end, icing Reality's win at 3491. Reality is up to 2-0 atop the group.

Along to Group C, where Oriental United tries to even their record against Humanity Senior's second team. Gabe disappointed for HS2 on the first turn, skying a ball to end at a pathetic 32 points. Goldy tapped 326 for OU, a solid but uninspiring start for the acting hosts. Bryant answered with 547 for HS2, a much more impressive attack that helps them cover the deficit. Stealth stumbled with 162 for OU, causing them to fall behind at the quarter pole of the game. Niki answered with 355 for HS2, padding their lead a bit with the solid performance. Panda fired back with 377 for OU, making minimal progress against the deficit. Jasmine drilled 480 for HS2, continuing to build a strong attack for her team. Sparkles fought back with 520 for OU, cutting into the deficit again despite the narrow margins in recent turns. Nicole stumbled completely with 85 for HS2, giving them a very weak lead now. Shelley took 397 for OU in response, pulling her side ahead for the first time since turn one. A. Charlton fell at 164 for HS2, their lack of depth offense showing late in the game. Mams put up a middling 249 for OU, leaving the door slightly ajar for the opposition to attack. Lexi rattled off 705 for HS2, pulling them ahead again with a noticeable lead. Paps replied with 515 for OU, restoring a lead for them in a game that will be decided on the last turn. Beth hit only 200 for HS2, leaving them at 2568, which is likely not enough. Wild Thing left no doubt with 357 for OU, sending them to the win on a total of 2903. OU is now 1-1, keeping themselves in the fight for the group.

Humanity Junior will play their second Group D game, facing the Reality/Humanity Junior coalition team that will only have two HJ players active. Twinkie II got off to a solid start for REAHJ, producing 330 to begin the scoring. Andrew had the right idea with his swings, but a vertical hit ended his turn early at 276 for HJ. Gizmo slipped at 112 for REAHJ, weakening their initial lead. Stephanie had a hard swing and managed 324 for HJ to give them a lead at the quarter mark. Puff I couldn't create a breakout attack, ending at 319 for REAHJ to challenge the opposition. Jason N. shot back with 432 for HJ, pushing their lead a little higher with the bold turn. Sugar found a productive groove and rode it to 774 for REAHJ, making a game of things again. Sydney C. blocked a swing off her own hand, ending at 272 as HJ finds themselves behind now. Bear had a chance to make an attack, but two bad swings unsettled him, and he ended at 176 to leave REAHJ vulnerable again. Briana crushed 1203 for HJ, surging her team ahead with the thundering attack. Hannah tried to reply against her usual teammate, but ended at just 64 as REAHJ's deficit continues to grow. Mitchell popped 319 for HJ to extend their lead again with a more modest addition. Kitty fell at 426 for REAHJ, a solid first career appearance. Vladimir kept HJ in control with a decent 351 on his turn. Vincent took 561 for REAHJ, working at an incredible pace to make the rally that saw his team still fall short at 2762. Jason V. exited with 167 for HJ, capping their win at 3344. Humanity Junior has evened their record after a setback yesterday.

Brute Force looked good but fell short yesterday, and now take on a fresh Celebrity team. Lorde raked in 562 for Celebrity, a fantastic start for the quietly confident lead-off hitter. Cleo replied with 321 for Brute Force, bobbling a swing late in her turn to force herself out of action. Sydney S. wrapped her bat around 702 for Celebrity on the second attack, boosting their lead. Americus poked a ball too high for Brute Force, exiting at 256 in a disappointing turn. Debby destabilized the Celebrity lead with a paltry 81, one bad swing causing an early exit. Juno slammed 443 with good pace for Brute Force, doing what she could to cut into their deficit. Pauline covered the damage with 616 for Celebrity, providing exactly what they needed to strengthen their lead. Nightfur went for a big swing and missed late in her turn, giving her 425 to add to the Brute force offense. Charli started off alright, but some bad swings ground her pace down until she left at 241 for Celebrity. Leandra carved out 532 for Brute Force, chopping some of the deficit away. Mario collapsed at 205 for Celebrity, another turn that weakens their lead. Princess wasted the chance to catch up with a pitiful 45 for Brute Force. Daisy flipped 295 for Celebrity on her turn, adding to their lead just a little more. Pedey got a little bit back with 313 for Brute Force, but they'll need a massive attack to save this game on the last turn. Taylor S. unleashed 1007 for Celebrity, anchoring their final score at a massive 3709. Dominic bounced 330 for Brute Force, giving their club a second loss at 2665. Celebrity leads Group E on a points advantage.

Group F will close out the day today with two coalitions in battle, as the three-team BFFSCENT hosts the two-team CELYM. Avril began with 449 for CELYM in a positive first turn for her team. Cowzart struggled for BFFSCENT with only 177 this time, giving them a deficit to work out of. Gal took over the CELYM team lead on offense with 537, a firm attack from the likable sophomore. Strawberry fired back with 619 for BFFSCENT, covering the second-turn damage. Peach had an awful start for CELYM, skying a ball to end at just a meager 16. Cubby swung for 471 for BFFSCENT, capitalizing on their opponent's mistake to take the lead three turns in. Taylor M. matched it with 471 for CELYM, keeping the two-club coalition in the fight. Rudolph couldn't fight back with 168 for BFFSCENT, bringing the two coalitions to much more even terms. Luigi faltered with a missed swing, ending at 258 as CELYM holds a slight lead. Lionel fired back with 527 for BFFSCENT, giving them the lead with three players left to hit on each team. Brownie dropped off with only 148 for CELYM, hurting their chances of a comeback. Marsell got wild with his swing at the end, causing his exit at 463 for BFFSCENT. Solaris struck 476 for CELYM here, shrinking the deficit with the good turn. Noelle replied with 391 for BFFSCENT, maintaining their lead heading into the final players' turns. Wario bounced out with a miserable 64 for CELYM, sealing their loss at 2419. Bright blasted 619 for BFFSCENT at the end to ice their win at 3435. BFFSCENT is up to 1-1 in the group.

We'll complete the first complete round robin tomorrow to get halfway through the group stage.

Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 1

We're here to begin the group stage of the Club Cricket Challenge today. First up...

Enterprise takes their first act as a club against Humanity Senior 1. Kayla took the first turn for HS1, recording 311 in a productive appearance to lead off the competition. Ice Cream couldn't keep up with 254 for Enterprise, putting them slightly behind after one turn. Chelsea found a late groove to record 388 for HS1 before skying a ball to end the turn. Neopolitan saw a ball spin over her bat, ending her turn at 30 for Enterprise in an ugly second turn for the supposed hosts. Yekaterina churned out 521 for HS1, maintaining a fierce attack for her side. Precious looked alright with 283 for Enterprise, but they are quickly losing ground in the game. Jennifer didn't have the most consistent swing for HS1, but her 361 provided a solid addition to the team's attack. Twinkie III scooped 313 for Enterprise, dropping another turn to bring this game to its halfway point. Caitlin got twisted by a high ball for HS1, ending at 105 in the worst turn that team has seen so far. Whiskers tried to stay aggressive for Enterprise, ending up with a measly 64 when she knocked a ball too high. Chris supplied 314 for HS1 in a decent performance, keeping up to speed with the rest of the team pretty well. Kiwi got knocked down by an errant swing at 288 for Enterprise, allowing the deficit to grow again for her team. Steven failed with 16 on a sloppy turn for HS1, allowing their lead to weaken for the first time. Max had a slow start, and he had some nervy moments before finally exiting at 251 for Enterprise. Zach delivered a studly 537 for HS1 at the end, capping their offense at a total of 2553 in what's projected to be a win. Fluffina gave it her all at the end for Enterprise, but not even 704 could save them from a loss at 2187. The win puts Humanity Senior 1 atop Group A after the first game day.

In Group B, Solid Core meets with Reality to open up their competition schedules. Patches cracked an even 500 for Reality to begin the game in fine form for the heavily favored side. Sprinkles fell with 144 for Solid Core in a weak response on the first turn. Spice fired back with a top-heavy 424 for Reality, as she fell off a hot pace she established with her early swings. Sleepy B. tried to mirror that attack for Solid Core, faltering as her pace dropped. A missed swing brought the veteran down at 312, allowing the deficit to grow. Dusty chopped 577 for Reality, another big extension added to their already towering lead. Smudge tried to settle a ball at one point, but knocked it into the stumps, cutting her off at 225 for Solid Core. Puff II showed some strength with 451 for Reality before an awkward missed swing cut her turn short. Misty looked good with 402 for Solid, but it didn't get them any closer to their opponents at the middle of the game. Boots ended at 272 for Reality, a somewhat low mark for the high-achieving team, but not so low as to endanger their lead. Crystal buckled at 135 for Solid Core, unable to counter the weak attack from the opponent. Missy turned a slow start into a great performance with 518 for Reality, padding their lead yet again as they show off some depth. Shadow followed suit for awhile, but reached new heights before a failed backhand ended his turn at an epic 1079, the first 1k game in the new era. Starlight rebuffed the attack from Solid Core, recording 326 for Reality to repair their lead. Stripes slipped at 298 for Solid Core, causing some of Shadow's hard work to go to waste in the face of a still-large deficit. Twilight refused to make it easy, tallying 567 to give Reality their final score of 3635. Shaggy made it interesting with 619 for Solid core, but they fell at 3214 in a competitive game. Reality has taken the top spot in Group B early on.

The remainder of Solid Core's squad, combined with members from Prime, face Oriental United to begin Group C play. Goldy had a solid start with 359 for OU, but it wasn't anything to make them feel particularly secure early on. Leonette answered with 224 for SCPRI, keeping things close for the coalition team. Stealth replied with 345 for OU, keeping them in the lead with another solid output. Frosty's first step on a comeback trail saw her tally 567 for SCPRI, pulling them ahead at the quarter mark. Hoot couldn't pull back a ball he missed on the initial swing, ending with 128 for OU in a rough turn that sees them in a vulnerable spot. Ms. Puppy fell at 704 for SCPRI, providing a steady stream of good contact that sees the hosting side take a strong lead. Panda dropped 319 for OU on his turn, wasting a good pace by only halving the deficit. Snowball showed no mercy, smashing 742 as SCPRI takes a commanding lead in the middle of the game. Bells made a mess of her turn with only 96 for OU, almost guaranteeing her side will fall in their competition debut. Diddley added a supporting attack of 405 for SCPRI, a good turn to keep them firmly in control. Sparkles hooked 530 for OU in a productive turn, but they remain far behind even after her good work. Tigerette slipped at 289 for SCPRI, but their lead remains fairly strong as the game inches toward its late turns. Shelley continued the late burst of offense for OU with 620 on her turn, chipping away at the deficit. Ms. Kitty shot back with 778 for SCPRI, erasing any hope of a comeback left in the opposition with her team-leading effort. Mams clubbed 454 for OU, but they took the loss in the end at 2851 despite a spirited comeback effort. Leonardo got almost all of it back with 449 for SCPRI, icing their winning score at 4158. SCPRI has the top position in the group for now.

Prime's main team leads off Group D action at home, facing a rookie-riddled Humanity Junior side. Andrew had a rough first appearance for HJ, gathering 240 to begin the game. Acorn fired back with 552 for Prime, the experienced captain having no trouble putting the new club ahead. Stephanie tried to pick the corner after some good swings, but she got knocked down at 235 for HJ, who remain behind after that turn. Snuggle tried to show patience with his swings, but a high hit ended his turn at 144 as Prime's lead takes a small hit. Jason N. couldn't find a breakout attack for HJ, bowing out at 264 as their offense remains compact. Sweetheart fired back with 443 for Prime, restoring their lead with the firm attack. Sarah spiked a ball too quickly for HJ, her turn ending at 128 in a true disappointment of a debut. Strut pummeled 777 for Prime on his turn, a massive performance that gives his side a boost on offense. Sydney C. hit 441 for HJ, a good look for the rookie in her first appearance for club. Oreo fought back with 341 for Prime, a slightly down turn from the veteran. Briana slugged 714 on her turn for HJ, showing some strength at the start of her sophomore campaign. Delila had an ugly 96 for Prime, putting their lead in doubt with two players left to hit on each side. Ted wasted the chance to catch up, plucking only 128 for HJ. Goatee missed a swing late in her turn, but it didn't matter, as she posted 621 to restore Prime's lead heading into the final turn. Mitchell failed at 150 for HJ, leaving them to take the loss at a total of 2300. Mr. Snowman tacked on 287 to give Prime 3261 in the big win. Prime leads Group D after the first game.

Two clubs who experienced drastic remodels in the offseason square off in Group E action with Youth Movement facing Brute Force. Cleo ripped 650 for BF on the first turn, showing great poise on her swings to establish a nice lead. Celestia broke 1k on her turn, demolishing 1047 to give YM the lead after one turn of a high-scoring battle. Americus rocketed 547 for BF in response, covering the deficit on another exciting turn. Gradley delivered a menacing 919 for YM, extending their lead in an electric game that has fans already on their feet. Juno couldn't cover this attack with 443 for BF, as the visiting side now hopes their opponents will falter. Valencia obliged that wish, hitting a pathetic 135 for YM to destabilize their lead. Midnight failed to capitalize on the opportunity, taking 225 to keep BF at a deficit. Spirit topped that with 308 for YM, getting a little bit of their lead back at the halfway point. Nightfur slashed 385 for BF in a solid response, turning the game into a chippy affair now. Bianca hammered 633 in response for YM, rebuilding their lead with another nice attack. Leandra couldn't do anything with 235 for BF, causing them to fall farther behind. Sierra faltered with 129 for YM, potentially reopening the door for their opponents. Rainmane failed with a meager 80 for BF, wasting another chance to get back into the game. Isabella didn't make any moves, ending with 211 to keep YM's lead steady heading into the final turn. Princess looked good with 554 for Brute Force, but they took the loss anyway on a total of 3119. Dusky capped it with 135 for YM, giving them the win at 3517.

The final game from day 1 sees Forest Sporting Club face a coalition between Brute Force, Forest SC, and Enterprise, known as BFFSCENT. The three-team coalition got off to a rough start with only 48 points from Smokey. Jake showed some skill as a batter with 661 for Forest SC, getting the newfound club off to a good start. Cowzart hit 553 for BFFSCENT, covering a large portion of the deficit they faced. Nikolai pounded 424 for Forest SC in response, doing his part to protect their lead. Strawberry kept the pressure high with 620 for BFFSCENT, challenging the opposition to slip up. Wings did falter with 240 for Forest SC, but they retain a narrow lead after three turns. Cubby didn't ease up for BFFSCENT, challenging his own club-mates with 414 for the coalition. Dustin challenged his old friend with 534 for Forest SC, keeping the hosting side in the lead at the midway mark. Rudolph couldn't keep up with 272 for BFFSCENT, causing their deficit to grow a bit. Hershey muscled up for 636 for Forest SC, boosting their lead with the heavy turn. Lionel scuffled with 150 for the coalition, causing them to remain behind in the game. Bandit sent a ball high for Forest SC, ending his offense at 120 after an exchange of poor turns. Slinks couldn't break through with 130 for BFFSCENT, wasting a chance to pull them close late in the game. Jack answered with 376 for Forest SC, doing plenty to maintain their lead with a player each to go. Marsell made a valiant comeback attempt for BFFSCENT, but they fell with 2814 despite his individual 627. Roxy hit 160 for Forest SC at the end, icing their win at 3151. Forest SC holds a lead over Group F after the first day.

We plan on making the CCC a quick competition, likely running through next week at most. There are five more group stage days to play.

2019 UPCL Draft

It's draft day, and we've got 26 players queued up, waiting to see where they will play their 2019 season.

First up, there are two picks in the first round. The Southern Monarchs are drafting 1st overall after a trade with the Todavía Stills. This year, Salmo is the top pick, heading to the Monarchs after failed seasons with the Eastside Sharks in 2018 and the Lighton Prestige in 2017. Salmo is a boom or bust pick, and a bit of a surprise for the Monarchs, who are looking to rebuild on the fly.

The North Modernistic Nighthawks have the 2nd pick, ending the first round. This is a compensatory pick they received after B. Chapman announced her retirement from the league, and they'll look to fill the hole she left behind with Lionel. Previously of the Commerce Tradewinds, and also a former Modernistic Union man, Lionel joins a Nighthawks side on the cusp of great things with a massive chip on his shoulder to prove his worth to his now regional-rival former team.

The second round sees the Web City Spiders using the 3rd overall pick they acquired from the Diamond Gems for Shadow. Their rebuilding year begins with the selection of Avril, a sophomore who played her rookie season with the Southern Monarchs. Avril should balance out the gritty identity of the other three players currently on the Spiders roster.

The Tysini Hummingbirds fill their roster with the 4th overall pick, acquired in a trade that sent Brownie to the Royal Crowns. A rebuilding year for the Hummingbirds sees highly coveted rookie Sarah Brookes join Vincent Sullivan as the two acquisitions to replace the outgoing Princess and Brownie on the promoted Premier side's roster.

The Queens Flames end the second round with the 5th overall pick, a compensatory selection awarded for Kyle's second retirement. The Flames select the former Central Warrior third-year Mario to complete their Governor's Cup-defending roster. A mid-range player, Mario should complement the high-end talent with solid depth down the roster as he slides into a familiar 3/4 role.

The fourth round begins and ends with the Southern Monarchs, who hold the 6th overall pick from a trade with the Archtown Arrows. The Monarchs complete their roster with Mams, the former Coastal rival and Viewpoint Sound Meteors captain. Mams joins her son, Panda, on the Monarchs roster, creating a truly heartwarming moment for the family on draft day.

The fifth and final round holds the remaining 20 picks, beginning with the Archtown Arrows at 7th overall. A rebuilding season that saw them trade their captain will commence with the selection of A. Charlton, the former Golden Pilot. Charlton has had good years in the past, and should be a powerful force on a streamlined Arrows roster.

The Viewpoint Sound Meteors have the 8th overall pick, and will look to replace their former captain Mams with Frosty, the former Stonebridge Wolf. Frosty had an abysmal 2018, but will look to bounce back on the coast, joining the other Meteors acquisition Princess as providers of an aggressive playing style for the team.

The Everton Eagles look to replace 2017's MVP, Blizzard, with the 9th overall pick. The Eagles didn't waste the good pick, selecting the former Whitewater Shores captain Bear to be Blizzard's replacement. Bear's rough 2018 got him to this point, and he'll join a team with plenty of talent to go around.

The Harrison Specters will round out the top ten with the 10th overall pick as they look to replace Mitchell, a rookie pick last year that didn't pan out as expected. They'll add the previously mentioned former 2017 MVP Blizzard, as the former Eagle transfers to another Northeastern team. Blizzard joins a team not lacking for leadership, but her veteran presence should stabilize the 3/4 position.

The Diamond Gems continue their overall at 11th overall, looking to see who will replace after Rosalina after trading to cover Cassandra's retirement and Citrus' exit in trade. Joining Shadow and Katelynn as newcomers on the Gems is the former Midland Predator, Leonardo. A boom or bust cricket hitter, Leonardo should give the team an aggressive tilt alongside the returning Smokey and Pedey.

The Swordpoint Blades are picking 12th overall, looking to replace Jason N. after making a borderline call to cut him following his tough rookie year. Coming aboard for 2019 is the veteran Sugar, previously of the Web City Spiders. Sugar is a good depth player who will mainly battle with Stealth for playing time.

The Infinity Torpedoes shipped Solaris to the Commerce Tradewinds, ultimately trading up to 13th overall in return. The draft reaches its midway point as the Torpedoes select Hughbert, the former Southridge Defender third-year player. Hughbert was one of the Defenders' few missteps in youth development, but he'll be asked to play only a small role on a stacked Torpedoes roster.

The Atlantic Pirates begin the second half of the draft as they use the 14th overall pick to replace Max after he flamed out in one season for the team. Jason N. will be the newest Pirate, as the sophomore formerly of the Blades looks to make a better impression on his second team.

The Whitewater Shores hold the 15th overall pick, and are guaranteed to have a new face on the team to replace long-time captain Bear. This time, they'll poach Rosalina from their bitter rivals, the Diamond Gems, adding the third-year soft-spoken star to a team looking to build a more skill-based reputation.

The Southridge Defenders hold the 16th overall pick. Famous for their myriad rookie selections in the last three years, the largely home-grown team will go a different direction this year, adding Wario from the Victoria Spurs. An aggressive third-year player, Wario should provide a bit more muscle to a relatively soft Defenders side.

The Westside Rockers can still get their former player back at 17th overall. The Rockers opt to go a different way, adding the enigmatic Chimpy from their Urban rivals, the Modernistic Union. Chimpy provides a certain deceptive quality to an otherwise straightforward team.

The Web City Spiders complete their trio of additions at 18th overall. Joining Waluigi and Avril as this year's acquisitions is the former Pacific Volcano, Chicky Phil. A typically underrated player, Chicky Phil will play a vital role in the pure 4 slot for cricket while also likely clocking in as their third best in pool.

The Pacific Volcanoes will have to replace Chicky Phil with the 19th overall pick, and will do so with the former Westside Rocker Cowzart. This is the second time the Volcanoes have picked up a Rockers castoff, the first being when they added Chicky Phil a few years ago.

The Eastside Sharks are up with the 20th overall pick, and see a majority of the available players remaining are rookies. The Sharks go with a rookie this time, adding Taylor Momsen a year after trading Taylor Swift away to the Commerce Tradewinds, although these two players really only share a name. The Sharks will maintain a skillfully gritty composition on their roster with few soft spots.

The Modernistic Union look to move on from Chimpy at 21st overall, and are sure to welcome a new face to their team. Their selection is another rookie, Sydney C., who brings a similar unpredictability but far less drama to the Union roster. She will not be asked to do much in her rookie season, which makes this Select team a positive landing spot for the rookie.

The Stonebridge Wolves have the 22nd overall pick in their quest to replace the departed Frosty. Wild Thing will be the replacement, coming from being cut by the Archtown Arrows to join a team well-suited to his aggressive playing style. Wild Thing has shown skill in both sports before and will look to put it all together under Juno's leadership.

The Golden Pilots look to replace a longtime veteran with the 23rd overall pick. Max is their choice for this, as the former Pirate, Flame, and Lumberjack joins the Pilots in place of A. Charlton. Max should fit in nicely to a team with depth in place, battling with Sparkles for playing time at the Premier level.

The draft is winding down as the Central Warrior step up for the 24th overall pick. Replacing Mario on this talented team's roster is the rookie Andrew, who is expected to receive only minor playing time in cricket while trying to establish himself as a promising pool rookie.

The final true selection comes at 25th overall for the Midland Predators, who select the rookie Kitty, a late addition to the draft pool. Kitty is a docile and calm rookie, expected to provide a certain skill that will soften the Predators' attacking style.

With the 26th and final selection, the Victoria Spurs are left with Mitchell, the former Harrison Specter. This is the most like-for-like swap seen in today's draft, with Mitchell having just one less year of experience compared to Wario, who he replaces.

That's it for this year's UPCL Draft. Over the next few days, I will be working on updating the cumulative documents to reflect the draft. There is also the addition of the Club Cricket Challenge 2018, which sees 18-club oriented teams battle for the title in a short competition. Later, in December, the Heart of the Game Tournament returns, with a featured event of 13-ball this year ahead of that discipline's potential inclusion in the main Tournament for 2019.

Available players + Offseason trades (2019 Draft Prep)

The 2019 Draft is just a day away. The following players will be available in what will be a 26-pick draft when all is said and done.

A. Charlton
Andrew
Avril
Bear
Blizzard
Chicky Phil
Chimpy
Cowzart
Frosty
Hughbert
Jason N.
Kitty
Leonardo
Lionel
Mams
Mario
Max
Mitchell
Rosalina
Salmo
Sarah
Sugar
Sydney C.
Taylor M.
Wario
Wild Thing

Additionally, prior to the 2019 UPCL Draft, the following five trades were completed.

The Web City Spiders trade Shadow to the Diamond Gems for the 3rd overall pick.
The Diamond Gems trade Citrus to the Lighton Prestige for Katelynn.
The Lighton Prestige trade Waluigi to the Web City Spiders for Shiny.
The Tysini Hummingbirds trade Princess to the Viewpoint Sound Meteors for Vincent.
The Tysini Hummingbirds trade Brownie to the Royal Crowns for the 4th overall pick.
The Infinity Torpedoes trade Solaris to the Commerce Tradewinds for the 13th overall pick.
The Southern Monarchs trade Hoppy to the Archtown Arrows for the 6th overall pick.
The Archtown Arrows trade Ruby to the Todavía Stills, who then trade the 1st overall pick to the Southern Monarchs to complete the three team deal.

The following originally allocated picks were forfeited.
Southern's natural 4th round pick.
Tysini's natural 4th round pick. 
Southern's natural 5th round pick.
Lighton's natural 5th round pick.
Tysini's natural 5th round pick.
Infinity's natural 5th round pick.

The following players not involved in the draft or trades will be receiving new jersey numbers due to club realignment: Cheddar (North Modernistic Nighthawks) and Snowball (Swordpoint Blades).

The following teams will not be participating in the UPCL Draft this year.
Pronger Tridents
Todavía Stills (roster filled via trade)
Commerce Tradewinds (roster filled via trade)
Capital City Sharpshooters
Lighton Prestige (roster filled via trade)
Pearl Surfers
Maplewood Lumberjacks
Royal Crowns (roster filled via trade)
Terrace City Knights
Freedom Cascades
Boston Swifts
Oceanside Waves

The draft is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

2018 City Cup - Rounds 2 thru 4

We'll close out the City Cup competition today, putting an end to the playing days in the 2018 season. The quarterfinals are first today, with all series indoors at Toyota Arena in Freedom, beginning with...

Golden Pilots v. Web City Spiders. Both teams in this series completed unlikely upsets in the first round. Golden's Sparkles had a good 7-ball game against Web City's Ted, who scratched while trying to do a trick shot. Sparkles made a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win to give Golden a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty struck first in 8-ball, and managed to hold off a dangerous attack from the Spiders' Shadow. Dusty then converted a four-ball run-out, her highlight being a kick on the 15 to the bottom right from range. Dusty's win puts the Pilots ahead 2-0. Dusty made sure to prevent Shadow from getting to the table in 9-ball, shattering the break in just the right way for the 9 to drift into the bottom right for the win. Golden's series lead extends to 3-0 as they take a firm grip on the series. Sparkles had a decent break in 10-ball, leading to Ted kicking in the 1 but finding nothing to work with on the 2. Sparkles took over from here, unleashing a nine-ball run-out on her second turn filled with perfectly executed cut shots. The Pilots are on the edge of the semifinals with their current 4-0 series lead. Dusty picked up solids on the break in 12-ball, but she looked lost as the game progressed. Shadow had an easy time getting onto his last ball, but Dusty arranged a well-positioned play to defend. Dusty then fired off a four-ball run-out when Shadow couldn't sink his last ball on his one good chance. Dusty's win secured Golden's advancement with their 5-0 series lead. Strut had a great start for the Pilots in Rotation, making five balls over two turns, but he only potted one more, allowing Shiny to rally back for the 8-6 win. The Spiders won't be swept, but remain down 5-1. Shiny had the better of offense in 15-ball for Web City, showing creativity early on but losing her touch later. Strut managed a late four-ball run to threaten for the win, but he missed the 14, and Shiny made the last two shots to cut the series down to 5-2 in favor of Golden. Strut and Shiny remained perfect deep into Accuracy, with Strut holding the advantage from his ball on the break. Strut would miss first, but Shiny missed twice late, giving Strut the 1-2 win for a 6-2 Pilots series win over the Spiders. Golden will have plenty of time to rest before the semifinals this afternoon.

Terrace City Knights v. Pacific Volcanoes. After the lunch break, the second quarterfinal is set to go. Neither player immediately grabbed control in 7-ball, but Terrace City's Kiwi saw her cold stretch last longer, while Pacific's Ms. Kitty eventually got the win and 1-0 series lead on a four-ball run-out. Kiwi scratched once on the break and again late in the 8-ball game, making it far too easy for the Volcanoes' Leonette to launch her attack. Leonette defeated the Knights captain with a three-ball run-out, giving her side a 2-0 series lead. Terrace City got on the board with Quincy making three balls over two turns to start in 9-ball. Quincy double-potted on the break and converted a 1-9 combination to the top right on the next shot to keep Pacific's Ms. Kitty away from the table. The series is now at 2-1. Kiwi looked much better in 10-ball for the Knights, capitalizing on a pair of missed contact plays from the Volcanoes' Twinkie I. The second of these plays led Kiwi to finding a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 2. Oreo made her first appearance for Terrace City in 12-ball, and she had the better of play initially, but there was nothing she could do about the miracle four-ball run-out Twinkie I assembled for Pacific. Twinkie I made three of the four shots from low-percentage situation, practically stealing the win to put her team ahead at 3-2. Leonette burst ahead after a slow start in Rotation, holding off an early attack from Quincy and the Knights. Leonette had to repel a second attack from Quincy near the end, holding on for an 8-6 win that gives the Volcanoes a 4-2 series lead. Quincy provided pressure in a slow 15-ball game for Terrace City, but he scratched while trying to position himself on the 15. Ms. Kitty converted her shot for the win, securing a series win for the Volcanoes at 5-2. Oreo slipped behind initially in Accuracy, but the Knights veteran persisted to the end, getting Twinkie I to miss a few times late in the game. Oreo won 2-3, but Pacific claimed the 5-3 series win to send them to the semifinals.

Oceanside Waves v. Stonebridge Wolves. Teams built on youth play in the third quarterfinal. Oceanside's Celestia pushed in 7-ball, but she faltered on the 7 at the end, and Stonebridge's Vladimir ended up taking it on a tap-in for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Josie put in a five-ball run at one point in 8-ball, countering an earlier run from the Wolves' Vladimir to pull herself ahead. Josie played patiently at the end, weathering a slow attack from Vladimir before poking the 8 to the top left for the win, which tied the series at 1. Celestia again had something missing from her game in 9-ball for Oceanside, leading to Stonebridge's Vladimir taking his second win on an 8-9 combination to the top right. Vladimir's late-game success has his side up 2-1 in the series. Celestia had a positive break leading to a three-ball run in 10-ball. She added a pair before Cobalt fired back with two pairs for the Wolves on his next two turns. He just missed on the 10 at the top left, and Celestia tapped it in for the Waves, retying the series at 2. Josie played well on the 12-ball break for Oceanside, but she gave away a wild-card ball later on her first turn. Juno couldn't do much with it at first for Stonebridge, but she eventually unraveled a path forward, easily taking the win as Josie couldn't get her shots sorted out. Stonebridge returns to a lead at 3-2. Josie started off pretty well in Rotation, but suffered a four-ball run against her by the Wolves' Cobalt. Josie fired back, tying the game, and then pulling away with two pairs of shots staggered around another make from Cobalt. Josie would win 8-5, helping the Waves get their third equalizer as the series sits tied at 3. Jason V. stepped up for Oceanside in 15-ball, battling in a choppy start with Stonebridge's Cobalt before the two players exchanged three-ball runs in the middle. Another short spar occurred after that, and then Jason found a four-ball run-out to give Oceanside their first series lead at 4-3. Jason stayed on in Accuracy for the Waves, and again had to battle with the Wolves' player, this time keeping an even fight with Juno for awhile. Eventually, Jason pinned Juno back, holding on to win 2-5, which in turn gave the Waves a 5-3 series win after some nervous starts. The Waves will take on the Golden Pilots in the semifinals.

Queens Flames v. Modernistic Union. The last quarterfinal sees the top-seeded team take on a dangerous underdog. Violetta put in a couple of good shots for Queens in 7-ball, but she blew it with a missed 5-7 combination toward the bottom left. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy converted that same shot for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah had a terrible start in 8-ball, scratching on the break. Daisy looked good for the Union for awhile, until she got down to her last ball, which proved quite troublesome. Hannah roared back at this point, taking the win with a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Violetta put in a majority of the offense in 9-ball, but the Queens star was again denied the win with her miss on the 9. Ms. Puppy took a bank attempt at it and found the bottom right corner for the win, restoring Modernistic's series lead at 2-1. Daisy had a nice three-ball run early on for the Union, but she had to battle evenly with the Flames' Violetta right up to the end. Daisy found a pair of shots at the end to set herself ahead for the win, giving the Union a 3-1 series lead. Crystal looked good in her first appearance for Queens, but her offense faded late in 12-ball as she tried to pick at the side pockets. Daisy capitalized for Modernistic, aligning and converting on a four-ball run-out to grab the win that extends their series lead to 4-1. Crystal burst out to a nice lead to start Rotation for the Flames, but she lost the lead on a four-ball run from Puff I, as the Union veteran made a late counterattack. Crystal replied with a pair of shots for the 8-7 win, cutting the series back to 4-2. Puff I continued a strong offense for Modernistic in 15-ball, but even a pair of three-ball runs early in the game didn't deter Hannah. Queens' sophomore charged back at the end, taking the final two shots for the win to pull Queens closer at a 4-3 deficit. Crystal made a pair on the break, but her inability to stick Ms. Puppy with a bad position at the end of the Accuracy game caused the Flames to take the loss. Ms. Puppy had a tap-in on the final ball to seal a 2-3 win that secured the series for the Union at 5-3. Modernistic has no time to bask in the glory of this win, as they play in the first semifinal.

Modernistic Union v. Pacific Volcanoes. The Union are right back at it in the first semifinal. Ms. Puppy had two errors early in 7-ball for Modernistic, but sealed the game at the end after Pacific's Ms. Kitty lacked a decisive attacking pose. Modernistic holds a 1-0 series lead, much as they did from the previous series. The Union's Daisy began with a five-ball run early in 8-ball, staking out a significant lead. Leonette made a valiant effort at a comeback for the Volcanoes, but her four-ball run ended by potting Daisy's last ball, and Daisy cut the 8 to the top right to take the win. The Union move to 2-0 ahead in the series. Ms. Puppy had a dangerous break in 9-ball, and she controlled the offense for much of the game despite Ms. Kitty's good chances. Modernistic fans would be disappointed to see Ms. Puppy's bank on the 9 come up short at the top right, where Ms. Kitty tapped it in to give Pacific a win, which cuts the series deficit to 2-1. Daisy and Twinkie I engaged in a pitiful excuse of a 10-ball game, both players potentially showing some fatigue in the two-day tournament. The Union got the win when Daisy found a three-ball run-out after a bad miss from the Volcanoes' Twinkie I on the 8. The Union are up 3-1 in the series. Daisy started on the break in 12-ball for Modernistic, but she came up short with a couple of her shots. Twinkie I used defense to slow Daisy, and she would have won the game even faster without a scratch in the middle. Twinkie I removed the defense and outran Daisy for the win, pulling Pacific back within a game at 3-2. Puff I gave no opportunity for Leonette to be comfortable in Rotation. Puff I converted a pair of three-ball runs very early in the game, and while Leonette chipped back with a pair late in the game, her missed contact on the 10 allowed Puff I to claim the 8-2 win from ball-in-hand. Puff I's win puts the Union on the brink of knocking out the Volcanoes at a 4-2 series lead. Ms. Kitty seemed fine for Pacific at the start of the 15-ball game, but she would crumble early, and Puff I took over on a standard-setting ten-ball run-out to win the game and the series for Modernistic, as Puff I's remarkable attack gave them a 5-2 advantage. Ms. Puppy played a near-perfect Accuracy game for the Union to finish the series off, winning 1-3 with her only miss coming at the end with the result firmly in hand against the Volcanoes' Twinkie I. Modernistic won this one 6-2, making them the first City Cup Finalist as they await the winner of the next series.

Oceanside Waves v. Golden Pilots. The new favorites take on a resilient veteran team in the second semifinal. Celestia started well in 7-ball for Oceanside, but her continued inability to close out games surfaced with a narrow miss on the 7. Golden's Sparkles opportunistically converted at the bottom side, taking the win to give her team a 1-0 lead in the series. The Waves' Josie began with a pair on the break in 8-ball, an assertive start from the rookie. The Pilots' Dusty answered on a three-ball run, trying to shake Josie, but she replied with a six-ball run-out, a turn that secured the win for the Waves to tie the series at 1. Dusty stayed up for Golden in 9-ball, sparring with Oceanside's Celestia in a sloppy start to the 9-ball game. Dusty found an opening for a three-ball run-out and ended the game by splitting the cue off the 5 to bump the 9 to the bottom right for the win. Golden's ahead 2-1 in the series. Sparkles followed a similar formula for the Pilots, weathering a slow start to frustrate the Waves' Celestia before beating her on a three-ball run-out capped by a 4-10 combination to the bottom right. Sparkles' win puts the Pilots up 3-1 in the series. Dusty struck first in 12-ball for Golden, picking the stripes for her suit, but she lacked a decisive run to set herself apart. Josie again challenged her successfully, getting the better positioning with each player down to two balls, and Josie patiently waited until she could convert both shots, earning the win to get Oceanside back to only a 3-2 deficit. Strut started with a four-ball run in Rotation for the Pilots, but he was quickly overtaken by a pair of three-ball runs from the Waves' Josie. Strut got a point back, but Josie won the game 8-5, tying the series once again at 3 games apiece. Jason V. entered the fray for Oceanside in 15-ball, looking pretty good with a four-ball run over the middle of the game to supplement earlier offense. Strut waited patiently, and then struck a three-ball run-out at the end to give Golden a 4-3 series lead despite a lacking performance on offense. Jason V. continued against Strut in Accuracy with his team's season on the line. Jason put in nearly a perfect performance, faltering once with the lead but holding on for a 1-3 win to help the Waves retie the series at 4. The tiebreaker is in 13-ball, and Jason played again, striking on the break. He soon gave away some collateral damage, but Sparkles was pinned at the bottom left corner with four balls for Golden. She tried to navigate out of that, but not in time, as Jason's four-ball run-out secured the win and 5-4 series win in favor of Oceanside. The Waves have lived dangerously on day 2, but the #2 seed is into the City Cup Finals.

Oceanside Waves v. Modernistic Union. This is the final series of the City Cup and the 2018 Tournament as a whole. Oceanside's Celestia showed up with a four-ball run in 7-ball, but she missed on the 5 and missed contact at the 6. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy made the 6 and 7 to take the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Josie had an empty break in 8-ball, but she fired back on a six-ball run to assert herself. The Union's Daisy had a four-ball run later in the game, but missed on the last stripe, allowing Josie to pound the 8 to the bottom right for the win, which tied the series at 1. Oceanside's Celestia opened with a seven-ball run in 9-ball on her second turn, a decisive attack from the struggling sophomore. Ms. Puppy gummed up at the end of the game, eventually taking the 9 on her third try for the stolen win to regain a 2-1 series lead for Modernistic. Celestia had a frustrating break in 10-ball for the Waves, leading to a chippy game with most of the balls along the bottom rail. Daisy broke through at the end, kicking the 9 to the bottom right before putting the 10 in the top right to extend the Union lead to 3-1. Josie struck for a pair on the break in 12-ball, and the Oceanside rookie played well from here, defending two pockets from Daisy's attacks for Modernistic. The defense held, giving Josie enough time to do a three-ball run-out for the win after Daisy surrendered a wild-card ball. Modernistic remains ahead 3-2 in the series. Puff I gave the Union a good start in Rotation with a three-ball run, but Josie fought back over two turns to pull ahead. The two players were tied late, but Josie walked away with the 8-6 win on a three-ball run-out, tying the series again at 3 games each. Jason V. had a decent performance for Oceanside in 15-ball up to his scratch while potting the 5, which gave Puff I an irresistible ball-in-hand on the 6-15 combination. Puff I converted, putting Modernistic up 4-3 in the series to assure them two chances to win the City Cup. Ms. Puppy battled with Jason to the tune of a draw through regulation, but Ms. Puppy did have the last shot advantage. Jason's overtime break went empty, and with it the Waves' hopes of the title died, as Ms. Puppy made her one shot for the 3-4 win to seal the series at 5-3. Ms. Puppy was named the City Cup MVP for her 10-2 record with three series-clinching wins in the competition as the Union are named City Cup Champions in 2018.

The 2018 Tournament year is over. The blog will be going quiet as I work on a myriad of tasks in the next few weeks, most notably with record-keeping and the upcoming 2019 UPCL Draft. I will likely publish a list of available players in the next two days, as well as any completed trades for the league. Official announcements about December activities should be coming as well. After the draft, I will be working on updating player pages and other administrative tasks, as well as improving the back-end of matchup tracking by going through the old documents. I would expect Qualifiers to begin some time in January, but everything is subject to change.

2018 City Cup - First Round

We're off to a late start for the first round of the City Cup. We begin with...

Toyota Pitch: Modernistic Union v. Freedom Cascades. The tournament hosts are actually the visitors in the lead-off series. Freedom got off to a good start with Stripes making a pair and then a four-ball run-out in 7-ball to easily defeat Modernistic's Ms. Puppy for the 1-0 series lead. Stripes continued to play fairly well for the Cascades in 8-ball, outpacing the Union's Daisy with her attack. Stripes did enough to get Daisy to miss contact on her last ball. Stripes made a pair of shots from ball-in-hand to take this win, boosting her side's lead to 2-0 in the series. Ms. Puppy returned to action for Modernistic, pacing the 9-ball game with a four-ball run in the middle. Jasmine challenged for Freedom near the end, but Ms. Puppy got the 9 at the top left for a win to cut the series down to 2-1. Daisy supplied a weak start in 10-ball for the Union, but she pulled away at the end on a six-ball run-out, stunning the Cascades' Nikolai after the sluggish first few turns. Daisy's big run helped to tie the series at 2 halfway through. Nikolai struck first for Freedom in 12-ball, but his offense didn't hold up over the course of the game. Daisy got close to a win, forcing Nikolai into a defensive stance that backfired when he scratched. Daisy then made a pair of shots to get the win, pulling Modernistic ahead 3-2 in the series. Puff I took over on offense for the Union, exchanging a pair of three-ball runs in Rotation with the Cascades' Jasmine, who chipped individual shots on her last two turns but couldn't keep her play clean. Puff I won 8-5, and the Union are on the brink of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Puff I made seven balls over her first two turns in 15-ball, only for a six-ball run by Jasmine to complicate matters at the end. Both players missed the 15 twice, but Jasmine buried it on her third try to keep Freedom in the fight despite trailing Modernistic 4-3. Ms. Puppy bailed herself out of trouble in Accuracy, as the Union captain managed to get the Cascades' Nikolai to scratch late in the game. Ms. Puppy held the lead from here, winning 2-3 to take the series 5-3 as the Union head to the quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena: Stonebridge Wolves v. Boston Swifts. Inside, a historically great team acts as visitors to a playoff newcomer. Stonebridge's Vladimir weathered a three-ball run from Boston's Gradley in the first of three-straight games between the players. Gradley scratched to end that run, and Vladimir won 7-ball with one shot from ball-in-hand, giving Stonebridge a 1-0 series lead. Vladimir began with a four-ball run in 8-ball, straight from the break. Gradley countered it with his own four-ball run on his second turn, but he didn't stop there, supporting the attack on two more turns to grab the win. Gradley's victory helped the Swifts tie the series at 1 early on. Gradley found a way to get the better of Vladimir in 9-ball as well, as Boston's calm star attacked with a four-ball run-out at the end to counter Vladimir's opening three-ball run. Gradley's win put Boston up 2-1 in the series. Sweetheart took over for the Swifts in 10-ball, blasting a four-ball run early to stun the Wolves' replacement Cobalt. Sweetheart didn't stop there, winning on a three-ball run-out by splitting her shot off the 7 to drive the 10 into the top right. The Swifts hold a 3-1 series lead. Stonebridge's Juno made her first appearance a statement for her side, blasting in a three-ball run at one point to pin back Boston's Ice Cream. Juno removed Ice Cream's defense quickly and decisively, winning a turn later when Ice Cream missed contact. Juno's win cut the series back to 3-2. Cobalt couldn't do the same for the Wolves, his three-ball run sandwiched between a great start and a four-ball run-out finish from Sweetheart in her 8-3 Rotation win. The Swifts restored their series lead at 4-2 here. Ice Cream started well in 15-ball for Boston, attacking nicely, but a scratch ended her four-ball run before she could make a play on the 15 near the bottom right. Cobalt took over for Stonebridge, aligning and converting a 5-15 combination on the second shot from ball-in-hand for the win. Stonebridge stays alive but behind 4-3 in the series. Juno kept the Wolves going again, maintaining a perfect Accuracy game deep into the rack. She and Ice Cream exchanged misses twice, but Ice Cream missed again late, and Juno sealed the 2-3 win to tie the series at 4, setting up a tiebreaker in 13-ball. Juno started with great force in the tiebreaker, making five balls over her first two turns. Sweetheart, meanwhile, scuffled through her shots, unable to get traction. Juno took a patient approach late, nearly letting Sweetheart back in. Juno defended the top right well, putting the 8 there for the win just in time. Stonebridge goes to the quarterfinals on a 5-4 series win.

Toyota Pitch: Central Warriors v. Golden Pilots. Tough veterans and stars of the league populate the second outdoor series. Central's Noelle scratched on the break in 7-ball, and Golden's Sparkles took no chances, making a 1-7 combination to the bottom right from ball-in-hand to give Golden the 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight started slowly in 8-ball, allowing the Pilots' Dusty to stake out a lead with a five-ball run. Dusty failed to collect her final ball quickly enough, as Twilight steadily pulled herself back, getting ahead and making the 8 on her third try to tie the series at 1 for the Warriors. Dusty started the offense for Golden in 9-ball, but she didn't see many successful shots until Central's Twilight flubbed her attempt on the 9 at the end. Dusty tapped it to the top right to poach a win, restoring Golden's 2-1 series lead. Noelle had the better of play in 10-ball, including a late four-ball run for the Warriors, but she missed on the 10, and the Pilots' Sparkles made her second low-percentage cut shot of the game to steal away the win to extend their series lead to 3-1. Noelle made a pair on the break in 12-ball for Central, although she scratched on the next shot. This didn't hold her back, as she got down to her last ball quickly. Dusty had some defense up for Golden, but couldn't keep it in place, as Noelle did a glancing kick shot to pot a ball at the top right for the win. Golden is still ahead 3-2 in the series. Strut never looked back after a four-ball run to take the lead in Rotation. The Warriors' Dustin took a few shots but couldn't get much going, and the Pilots rode an 8-1 win by Strut to a 4-2 series lead, putting them a win away from advancing. Dustin started 15-ball with an electric break for Central, but he couldn't sustain that pace later in the game. Strut fired back with some offense, eventually making the 11 before adding a 13-15 combination to the top left for the win. Golden defeated Central at this point, leading 5-2 in the series. Twilight did well in Accuracy, pinning Strut at the start with a bad break. Strut never recovered, as the Warriors took this win 3-5. The Pilots advance on a 5-3 series win, earning their spot in the quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena: Midland Predators v. Pacific Volcanoes. Another playoff debut comes in this series. Midland's Fuchsia led off with a five-ball run in 7-ball, but her miss on the 6 saw Pacific's Ms. Kitty line up and convert a pair of shots for the win that put Pacific ahead 1-0 in the series. The Volcanoes' Leonette blasted a five-ball run in 8-ball, buying her time for a patient finish. The Predators' Americus came close with some of her shots, but the lack of a decisive run allowed Leonette to strike back at the end on a pair of shots for the win to boost her side's series lead to 2-0. Fuchsia had a pair on the break and another pair later in the 9-ball game for Midland, but a miss on the 4 led to Pacific's Ms. Kitty making it and the 6-9 combination to the bottom right on the next shot for another win. Pacific leads the series 3-0. Twinkie I continued the dominance for the Volcanoes, leading with a three-ball run and adding a five-ball run-out on her second turn to completely nullify Fuchsia's efforts for the Predators. Pacific is guaranteed a tiebreaker, leading 4-0 now. Americus and Twinkie I participated in a slow and ugly 12-ball match, with Americus making a pair on the break about the only highlight. Americus would win it for Midland after deliberate set-up work, making a pair of shots to end Pacific's sweep hopes as the series shifts to a 4-1 score. Shawn trailed three separate times in Rotation, as the Predators captain had issues with his offense, but he found a three-ball run-out to finally topple the Volcanoes' Leonette for an 8-7 comeback win. Midland has halved the deficit down to 4-2. Americus returned for 15-ball for Midland, attacking with ease but feeling uncomfortable as Ms. Kitty delivered a four-ball run for Pacific. Americus fought back with a gritty ending, just getting the win when Ms. Kitty flubbed her shot on the 15 the bottom right. Americus has dragged Midland back to just a 4-3 deficit. Shawn did everything he could in Accuracy for the Predators, but Twinkie I just wouldn't bend, winning 1-2 to seal a 5-3 Volcanoes series win in a well-played final game. This brings the first round of the City Cup to half-completion.

Toyota Pitch: Terrace City Knights v. Eastside Sharks. The third outdoor series sees teams with deceptive depth do battle. Terrace City's Kiwi didn't look good at the start in 7-ball, as Eastside's Chelsea controlled the early pace, but Kiwi made a pair of shots at the end to get the win in an even game. Terrace City leads 1-0. The Knights' Kiwi had virtually all of the offense in 8-ball, but a cluster buster in the middle of the game sank the 8 illegally, gifting a win to the Sharks' Cubby to tie the series at 1. Chelsea stormed back into action for Eastside in 9-ball, crafting a seven-ball run-out to win with a deflected shot on the 8 that pushed the 9 to the top right. Quincy had virtually no impact as Terrace City falls behind 2-1 in the series. Kiwi found redemption for the Knights, stealing a win back in 10-ball as the Sharks' Gizmo controlled the offense but fell apart with a missed contact at the 9. Kiwi made the last two shots cleanly for the win, retying the series at 2. Oreo made a four-ball run from the break in 12-ball, leading Terrace City to a great and quick victory. Eastside's Gizmo had nothing to reply to Oreo with, and after a couple of turns, she converted her last two shots for the win to regain the series lead at 3-2. Quincy had an impressive and lucky run to get onto the brink of victory in Rotation, only to see it nearly all disappear as Gizmo shot back with a five-ball run to tie the game. The Knights would take the win as Quincy made the 15 after Gizmo missed it twice, with the Knights now leading the Sharks 4-2 in the series. Gizmo was nullified in his three games. Quincy had a five-ball run from the break in 15-ball, and he made 80% of the balls in 15-ball, but it was a scratch as he potted the 15 that bailed out Eastside's Chelsea. Terrace City has gifted away two wins now, making their close 4-3 series lead a bit of disappointment. Accuracy proved to be a smoothie of emotions on both sides, with Oreo blowing a couple of leads for the Knights before Cubby dropped a shot right at the end to set up overtime. Cubby's overtime break resulted in a scratch, and Oreo converted for the 4-5 win and 5-3 series win, avoiding the tiebreaker. Terrace City will face Pacific in the quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena: Victoria Spurs v. Web City Spiders. Back indoors, a former champion team takes on a team on the verge of blowing it up and starting over. Victoria's Sage showed force in 7-ball, making two on the break and then a three-ball run-out at the end, running circles around Web City's Ted as Victoria will own a 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow made quick work of that deficit, striking for a pair on his first turn before weaving a mind-blowing six-ball run-out to defeat the Spurs' Strawberry on his second turn. Shadow's win tied the series at 1. Yekaterina challenged in 9-ball early on, as Victoria's leader for the competition made a pair from the break. Web City's Shadow fired back with a three-ball run, and when Yekaterina missed contact with the 5 later on, Shadow converted a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to give his side a 2-1 series lead. Sage kept the Spurs on pace in 10-ball, getting the better of the offense but also looking a bit sloppy with scratches as she again bested the Spiders' Ted. The series is tied at 2 at the halfway mark. Sage had a fine start for Victoria in 12-ball, but she surrendered a wild-card ball to Shadow. It looked like it wouldn't matter at first, but after some minor positioning, Shadow found a four-ball run-out while Sage was still trying to line her shots up. Shadow's win has Web City ahead 3-2 in the series. Yekaterina made three balls on the break and a double-pot on her next shot before a miscue, a massive start in Rotation. Shiny shot back with a four-ball run, and then a three-ball run featuring a double-pot of the 10 and 14 to the right corners to get on the brink of victory. Yekaterina didn't falter at the end, making three shots over two turns for the 8-7 win, helping the Spurs tie the Spiders again at 3 games apiece in a thrilling series so far. Yekaterina had a less impactful performance in 15-ball for Victoria, and even ruined it at the end, as she illegally hit the 10, which led to a kick that sent the 15 to the bottom side. Shiny had been pressing but would accept the freebie win as well, giving Web City a 4-3 series lead to put them on the edge of a massive upset. Strawberry and Shiny dueled quite well for most of the Accuracy game. Strawberry had a couple of misses, but buried Shiny on position late. From a tough angle, Shiny converted the last ball, good for a 1-2 win and 5-3 series win for the Spiders over the Spurs. The Spiders are set to meet the Golden Pilots in the quarterfinals.

Toyota Pitch: Oceanside Waves v. Westside Rockers. The last outdoors series comes under the lights. Westside's Misty had some good shots early in 7-ball, but Oceanside's Celestia converted on the last two shots to claim the win and a 1-0 series lead in their favor. The Rockers' Slinks struck first in 8-ball, trying to establish her offense, but good shots proved hard to come by for her. The Waves' Josie fired back with more complex turns, using nice runs to get the win after a pair of shots at the end. Josie's win put them up 2-0. Oceanside quickly saw that lead jump to 3-0, as Celestia struck the 9 down on the break, putting it in the top right to prevent Westside's Slinks from getting a shot in this game. The Rockers' Misty prevented her side from going too far behind, making a five-ball run-out to win the 10-ball game, handing the Waves' Celestia her first loss of the series so far. Westside still trails 3-1 in the series. Josie showed well for Oceanside, making four balls over her first two turns. Cowzart had nothing for Westside until he assembled a three-ball run, but he was too slow at the end, and Josie put her final shot in the top side for the win. Oceanside is on the edge of advancing with a 4-1 series lead. Josie continued to excel for the Waves, dominating with a four-ball run from the break in Rotation. Slinks offered a little resistance, but not enough to stop Josie from winning 8-2, a result that secures advancement for the Waves as they hold a 5-1 series lead. Jason V. took over for Oceanside for the last two games, earning the win in 15-ball after a slow start turned into a six-ball run-out by the end, easily besting Westside's Cowzart, who looked overwhelmed. Jason V. fell behind about halfway through the Accuracy game, but Misty missed three times down the stretch, allowing Jason to take the 1-3 win for a 7-1 Oceanside Waves series win. Oceanside is set to face the Stonebridge Wolves in the quarterfinals.

Toyota Arena: Queens Flames v. Infinity Torpedoes. The final series of the first round is indoors, featuring the President's Cup winners. Queens' Violetta had a four-ball run to start in 7-ball, but after another pair, she went cold on the 7. Infinity's Mr. Snowman sniped it to the top right at the end, giving his side an unlikely 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley put up another strong effort in 8-ball, staking out a lead. The Flames' Hannah had a four-ball run and a three-ball run, staggered to seem like push-backs against Shelley, but a miss on the 8 from Hannah allowed Shelley to tap in a pair of shots for the win. The Torpedoes move to a 2-0 series lead. Violetta had a decent start for Queens in 9-ball, but she ceded a lot of possession to Infinity's Smudge, who soaked up a majority of the shots. Violetta had a tough shot on the 9 at the end that she missed, but Smudge whiffed on her attempt as well, and Violetta tapped it in for the win to cut the series back to 2-1. Shelley had plenty of chances to strike for the Torpedoes late in 10-ball, but she lost her touch after the Flames' Violetta created a three-ball run. Violetta managed to cut the 10 to the top right at the end for the win, tying the series at 2 as she exits the series. Queens' Crystal gave away a wild-card ball on the break in 12-ball, and while it didn't seem to be a big deal at first, it mattered a lot when Infinity's Mr. Snowman popped in a four-ball run. Mr. Snowman played patiently as Crystal removed her defense, and Mr. Snowman eventually cut his last ball to the top left for the win. Infinity is ahead again by a 3-2 score. Crystal quickly got revenge, as the Flames captain potted a ball on the break in Rotation, and twice left Mr. Snowman with no clear shot. Crystal made the other seven balls from ball-in-hand plays, winning 8-0 to retie the series with the Torpedoes at 3. Hannah looked uncomfortable again for most of the 15-ball game, but she struck on a three-ball run-out at the end to head off a ferocious attack from Infinity's Smudge. Heading into the last regulation game, Hannah's win gave Queens the advantage at 4-3. Accuracy didn't go well for either of Crystal or Shelley, as they each missed five times in a sloppy regulation session. In overtime, Shelley missed twice more before Crystal closed the game on a 6-7 win, which gave the Flames a 5-3 series win over the Torpedoes. Queens had a scare here, which they'll need to be over when they face the Modernistic Union tomorrow.

Tomorrow, we close the book on the 2018 Tournament year with the last three rounds of the City Cup.

2018 Clan Cup

We're ready to start the day of the Clan Cup competition in Oceanside. First up, we've got four quarterfinals, beginning with...

Reality v. Empyre. Reality's Missy struck well on the break in 7-ball, making a shot. She added another one on her second turn, but gave way to Empyre's Jake from there, as he made a five-ball run-out for the win, giving Empyre the 1-0 series lead. In 8-ball, Reality's Patches had a decent start, but received a lot of help from Empyre's Tigerette, who potted two balls of collateral damage. Tigerette couldn't get onto the 8 cleanly at the end, allowing Patches to make a final pair of shots for the win, which tied the series at 1. Reality got another good break from Boots in 9-ball, who started on a three-ball run. Jake shot back for Empyre with a good amount of force, but he left too much on the table at the end. Boots made a pair of shots when Jake missed contact, taking the win and a 2-1 series for Reality. It didn't go so well for Missy in 10-ball, as her break was lackluster, and Empyre's Marsell made a weird deflected shot off the 2 that nudged the 10 around traffic and into the top right for a quick win. Empyre has retied the series at 2, nullifying Missy completely. Reality's Patches returned in 12-ball, attacking with great force in this even. She had a scratch and struggled for position for awhile, while Empyre's Hershey held his own, but a clever cut by Patches at the end gave her the win, which restored a 3-2 series lead to Reality. Spice made two on the break and added a five-ball run on her next turn for Reality to stake out a huge lead in Rotation. Marsell got one back for Empyre, but he didn't have the time to make a comeback, as Spice buried her last shot to win 8-1. Reality is on the brink of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Spice and Tigerette exchanged statement runs early in 15-ball, although Spice supported hers with a later four-ball run. Tigerette had a pair near the end, but she missed twice on the 15, and Spice made it on her second try, the win sealing a series win for Reality at 5-2. Sally made Empyre proud in Accuracy, holding her ground and forcing a few misses from Reality's Twinkie II. Sally maintained a perfect effort to win 0-4, but Reality walked away with the 5-3 series win to punch their ticket to the Semifinals.

Solid Core v. Brute Force. The second quarterfinal pits two of the Rivalry clubs against each other. Solid Core's Dreamy did everything but win in 7-ball, making a six-ball run from the break before a scratch while missing the 7. Brute Force's Smokey converted the one shot he needed to take for a 1-0 series lead, and he won't be seen until a potential tiebreaker. Brute Force looked good in 8-ball despite Rudolph potting one of each suit on his first turn. He elected to shoot stripes, and he got onto the 8 but failed to convert it in time to stop Solid Core's comeback through a three-ball run-out by Leonardo. This gave Solid Core the win necessary to tie the series at 1. Dreamy returned for 9-ball for Solid Core, and put up another good performance, this time actually getting the win despite her offense fading toward the end. Her Swordpoint Blades teammate Bandit scratched while potting the 8 for Brute Force, allowing Dreamy to take the 9 for the win and 2-1 lead in the series. Due to an event selection error, Brute Force had to choose between Rudolph and Bandit for 10-ball. Rudolph was selected, and he gladly cleaned up some loose shooting by Solid Core's Shaggy to take the win with a three-ball run-out. Brute Force has retied the series at 2. Shaggy also had a good start in 12-ball for Solid Core, attacking the top edge of the table at first. Bandit held back a bit at first, but found his way later in the game, and capitalized on Shaggy's scratch at the end to get the win for a 3-2 series lead. Wings had a cluttered start in Rotation for Brute Force, and briefly fell behind Solid Core's Acorn after a scratch. Acorn would suffer the same fate, his scratch paving the way for Wings to make a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to push Brute Force up to a 4-2 series lead. Wings continued to play well in 15-ball for Brute Force, battling with Solid Core's Roxy for a few turns after a tough middle section. Wings pulled away with a five-ball run-out for the win, securing the series at 5-2. Accuracy proved to be a fairly even game for Solid Core's Roxy and Brute Force's Bright, although Bright prevailed on a 2-3 win at the end. Brute Force handily took the series 6-2, and will prepare themselves for the Semifinals.

Outcast v. Delila Enterprises. Less bitterness arises from a promising third quarterfinal. Neither player had a great performance in 7-ball, as Outcast's Klaus only took the win after a scratch from Delila Enterprises' Whiskers as she made the 5. Klaus made a pair of shots to put Outcast up 1-0. Outcast's Prism began with a three-ball run with collateral damage to start 8-ball, and she added a pair of scratches to slow her own offense. Delila Enterprises got close at the end as Delila attacked with a little more intent, but Prism won on a four-ball run-out to move Outcast to a 2-0 series lead. Klaus returned to action in 9-ball for Outcast, and after a painfully slow and ugly battle with Delila Enterprises' Leandra, he managed to make the last two shots for the win to push Outcast's series lead to 3-0. Summer had a three-ball run at the start of the 10-ball game for Outcast, and she added ample offense throughout the game as well. Leandra tried to keep up for Delila Enterprises, but Summer's sublime bank of the 10 to the top left for the win assured Outcast's rise to a 4-0 series lead. Prism gave up a wild-card ball on the break for Outcast, selecting stripes after making one of each on the break. Delila had a four-ball run after that, but couldn't finish on her final ball. Prism made her remaining five balls over two turns for the win, sealing the series at 5-0 as Outcast makes quick work of Delila Enterprises, ending the club's run ahead of next year's reorganization. Kodiak had nothing for Outcast in Rotation, getting absolutely trashed by Delila Enterprises' Snuggle. Kodiak scratched on the break, and Snuggle took a small lead at first before connecting with a five-ball run-out to win 8-0. Delila Enterprises is on the board, but trailing 5-1 in the series. Kodiak had better shooting in 15-ball, but Delila Enterprises took this win as well, as Diddley persisted a little longer in a difficult finish to the game. Diddley finally took the 15 at the bottom left for the win, cutting the series down to 5-2. Dewey didn't have the best Accuracy game for Outcast, missing five shots with some sloppy early play and a late fade, while Delila Enterprises' Whiskers held her ground after the rough start to win 2-5. Outcast still won the series 5-3, giving them a chance to face Brute Force in the Semifinals. They also have the only home player left in Dewey, automatically making them the crowd's favorite.

Humanity Junior v. Youth Movement. The two sides known for their youthful energy meet in the last quarterfinal. Humanity Junior saw an aggressive start in 7-ball from Anton, but he couldn't convert on the 7 at the end, missing twice. Youth Movement's Twinkie III made the 7 on her second try for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Humanity Junior again controlled a game, as Zach looked great in 8-ball as he worked on a four-ball run. His attempt to slip the last solid behind defense at the bottom right led to a deflection that illegally potted the 8, gifting Youth Movement's Sierra with the win to put her club ahead 2-0. Anton steamed ahead with a seven-ball run in 9-ball for Humanity Junior, beginning with a fantastic break shot. Twinkie III was having none of it at the end, striking on the last two balls to steal the win for a 3-0 lead in the series for Youth Movement. Vincent refused to let Humanity Junior buckle under pressure, making a pair from the break and a five-ball run-out at the end, smothering any offense Youth Movement's Bianca could have tried. Vincent's dominant game cut the series to 3-1. Vincent had a good break in 12-ball, but Watermelon shredded him on her first few turns. Watermelon got down to one ball before a scratch set her back, and Vincent employed a strategic scratch to get out of a tough position. Vincent would look like a genius when he later made a three-ball run-out for the win, digging into Youth Movement's series lead, which now sits at 3-2. Cassie had a decent start in Rotation for Humanity Junior, although Watermelon kept the pressure up for Youth Movement. Cassie broke free on a four-ball run, and later staved off Watermelon's probing counterattack later on, winning 8-5 as Humanity Junior erases the deficit by tying the series at 3. Kirstin came to play with a mean break in 15-ball, scratching as she made a pair of shots. Bianca kept up for a bit, but Kirstin took a five-ball run and a four-ball run-out on consecutive turns, with Bianca managing just one potted ball in between. Kirstin's dominant finish puts Humanity Junior in a good position, ahead 4-3 in the series. The tension in Accuracy was noticeable, as both Humanity Junior's Zach and Youth Movement's Citrus flubbed a few shots. Citrus came up clutch on the overtime break, leading to Zach missing three turns later by a 6-7 score. Citrus' win tied the series at 4, setting up a tiebreaker in the 8-ball/12-ball hybrid known as 13-ball. Kirstin will play for Humanity Junior while Sierra steps up for Youth Movement. Kirstin led off with a ball of each suit on the break, which does not lead to a wild-card ball situation. Kirstin had a better grasp on the stripes as she navigated the table, but she slowed at the end, and Sierra made a pair of shots after Kirstin had a missed contact. Sierra's pair won the game, with the 8 going as called to the top side for the win. Youth Movement advances on the tiebreaker by a 5-4 margin, with an immediate turnaround as they face Reality in the Semifinals.

Reality v. Youth Movement. Missy wasted no time in establishing Reality's series lead at 1-0, winning the 7-ball game on the break as the 7 went in the top side to prevent Youth Movement's Twinkie III from having any impact on the game. Reality's Patches continued the club's dominance with a six-ball run to start the 8-ball game. She easily took her last stripe after that, but faded when it came to making the 8. Youth Movement's Sierra delivered a four-ball run shortened by a scratch, followed by another miss for Patches on the 8. Sierra closed out an epic comeback with a five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Boots didn't have much for Reality in 9-ball, but she struck when it counted, answering a three-ball run by Youth Movement's Twinkie III with a 3-9 combination to the bottom right. Boots' win restores Reality's series lead at 2-1. Missy had a strong break and a scratch to start 10-ball for Reality. Bianca looked good at times for Youth Movement, but she lost her touch in the middle, and Missy went off with a five-ball run-out for the win to push Reality's advantage to 3-1 in the series. Patches had an assertive break in 12-ball, getting stripes. Watermelon challenged for Youth Movement, getting some good shots off before missing contact with three balls to go. Patches then spun a brilliant five-ball run-out, capping it by banking the 10 to the bottom side for the win that puts Reality up 4-1. Watermelon stayed in action for Youth Movement, starting out alright in Rotation by keeping an even score. She missed on the 7, a critical mistake, as Reality's Spice constructed a five-ball run-out to win 8-3. Reality will advance, having clinched at a 5-1 series lead. Bianca threw everything she could into her 15-ball effort for Youth Movement, beginning with a four-ball run and adding a six-ball run later, but Spice's late three-ball run shook Bianca's confidence. Spice would make the 15 on the next shot after Bianca missed it, giving Reality their 6-1 series lead. Twinkie II played a good Accuracy game for Reality, but two late misses caused her to blow her lead, and Citrus capped the 2-3 win easily for Youth Movement to save some face. Reality's 6-2 series win puts them into the Clan Cup Finals, with the opponent to be determined in the next series.

Outcast v. Brute Force. The other semifinal is the last series between Rivalry clubs in this competition. Outcast's Klaus had a poor break in 7-ball, allowing Brute Force's Smokey to deliver a dangerous opening turn. Smokey swiped and missed at the 7, while Klaus also had a close call before finally winning with a deflection off the 3 to tap the 7 into the top right. Outcast leads the series 1-0. Brute Force's Rudolph had no problem commanding 8-ball, as Outcast's Prism delivered virtually no offense during the game. Rudolph took his time on the 8, making a clean and simple shot at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Klaus had a loose performance in 9-ball, unable to control his shots at first. Bandit made a three-ball run to pressure Klaus, but his later offense lacked power, and Klaus managed to buy time before making a pair of shots, restoring Outcast's 2-1 series lead. Rudolph's offense in 10-ball was slow to arrive, but he put up a five-ball run after the slow start. Summer replied with a quick four-ball run and a miss on the 10. Rudolph missed his chance to win the game, and Summer made the 10 on her second try to push Outcast's series lead to 3-1. Prism had a three-ball run on her second turn in 12-ball for Outcast, a push that stunned and slowed the attack of Brute Force's Bandit. Prism struggled to break Bandit's good defense, but Bandit did it himself as he elected to go for it with his club in desperate need of a win. The plan failed, and Prism converted her final ball to the top right after giving up a wild-card ball to clear the way. Prism's win makes it a 4-1 lead in the series for Outcast. Kodiak had his moments in Rotation, but the Outcast rookie struggled in the middle of the game. Wings pulled ahead for Brute Force with short runs and choppy offense, and while Kodiak challenged him late, Wings won the first of their two consecutive meetings by an 8-6 margin. Wings' win cuts the series lead for Outcast down to 4-2. Kodiak made sure not to let Wings get a shot in 15-ball, burying the 3 and 11 on the break and then making a 1-7 combination deflected off the 15 to the bottom right, with the 15 running into the top right for the win. Kodiak's clutch pair of double-pots clinched advancement for Outcast as they secured the series at 5-2. Dewey gave it his all for Outcast in Accuracy, but again came up short safely with the series already in hand. Bright put on a show, winning 1-2 in a fantastic effort to make it only a 5-3 series win for Outcast, which sends them thru to the Finals.

Outcast v. Reality. The upstart young club meet the most dangerous and decorated club in the Clan Cup Finals. Outcast's Klaus didn't have much to brag about in 7-ball, but he managed to poach the win when Reality's Missy left the 7 standing at the top left after a five-ball run. Klaus' tap-in gave Outcast a 1-0 series lead. Prism had her best 8-ball performance of the day for Outcast here, finding a six-ball run to pressure Reality's Patches. Prism faltered near the end, but righted herself in time to bank the 8 to the bottom side before Patches could make a real threat. Outcast leads the series 2-0. Klaus kept up the attack for Outcast in 9-ball, matched early on by Boots for Reality in a competitive start to the game. Klaus broke away at the end on a four-ball run-out, claiming the victory and a 3-0 series lead for an Outcast team that seems to be on the brink of a great series. Summer made a critical push in 10-ball for Outcast, challenging Missy for every shot. Summer picked up a fast win with a four-ball run-out, giving Outcast a 4-0 series lead that assures they will have a chance at a tiebreaker in the worst-case scenario. Prism had a huge five-ball run on her second turn in 12-ball, as Outcast took a favorable position. Patches played defense at the bottom right for Reality, but Prism removed the defense before winning a turn later to seal the series at 5-0. Kodiak and Spice battled in an epic first of two games against each other, with the lead swapping hands multiple times in this Rotation battle. At the end, Reality's Spice struck on a three-ball run-out to win 8-7 over Outcast's Kodiak, cutting the series to 5-1. In 15-ball, Kodiak and Spice again played to a pretty even battle, going back and forth on offense until the very end, where Kodiak made a pair of shots to win, the 15 from range at the bottom right being the winning shot. Kodiak put Outcast up 6-1 over Reality. The hometown player Dewey took the field for Accuracy for Outcast and proceeded to drop another result, as Reality's Twinkie II took a little more skill with her in winning 3-4. Outcast still won the series and the Clan Cup Championship 6-2, a statement from the young club against one of the league's best. Klaus was named Clan Cup MVP for his 6-0 record in 7-ball and 9-ball, setting a tone for the champions in each series.

That's all for the Clan Cup. Tomorrow, the first round of the 16-team City Cup kicks off from Freedom's Toyota Pitch and Toyota Arena.

2018 Tournament of Champions

This year's eight event winners are ready to go in Midland, with seven 7-game series composing the Tournament of Champions. First up...

Cobalt v. Twinkie I: The coin flip went in favor of Twinkie I, meaning the first event will be in 12-ball. The red cue will be used for this playoff event. Game 1 saw Stonebridge's Cobalt bury a four-ball run from the break. Pacific's Twinkie I used ball-in-hand later on to get a three-ball run, but she was too slow in attacking the top side, and Cobalt took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Cobalt looked far less confident in game 2, whiffing on a large portion of his early shots. He played some defense to slow down the Volcanoes' Twinkie I, but she had no problems breaking through that for the win, tying the series at 1. Cobalt bounced back with an early three-ball run in game 3. Twinkie I tried to hold him back, but she couldn't stop him after she surrendered a wild-card ball. Cobalt patiently waited to strike at the right corners, taking the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Cobalt scratched on the break in game 4, but that didn't seem to hold him back at all, as he attacked well on his next turn. Twinkie I tried to combat it, but she failed to get her offense going, allowing Cobalt to win on a three-ball run-out. Cobalt is up 3-1 in the series. Cobalt didn't have a good performance in game 5 by any measure, scratching early and failing to line up his shots well, but the game remained close at the end. Twinkie I had plenty of trouble on her final ball to the top left, but she eventually made it just in time to get the win, cutting the series back to 3-2. Twinkie I didn't back down at all in game 6, making a five-ball run on her second turn after Cobalt couldn't get a run of his own going. Twinkie I won on her next turn with a tap-in at the top right, tying the series at 3. Twinkie I remained strong with a three-ball run from the break, and she had a solid attack after that, making the last three balls before Cobalt could get down to his last ball. Twinkie I won the series in a 4-3 comeback advancing to the Tournament of Champions semifinals.

Quincy v. Jake: A strong rookie gets his preferred event, as Rotation was chosen when Quincy beat Jake on the coin flip. Royal's Jake got out to a good start in game 1, but Terrace City's Quincy erased it with a four-ball run to take the lead. The two tangled for awhile, until Quincy went on a three-ball run-out to take the 8-5 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake again jumped out to the early lead in game 2, but the result was the same for him. The Knights' Quincy pulled back with one four-ball run, and then won the game 8-4 with a four-ball run-out. Quincy is showing his skills as he moves to a 2-0 series lead. Quincy made a shot on the break in game 3, and he played a strong attacking game with defensive positioning mixed in. Jake had no shot for his first two turns, and only converted one point later on before Quincy used a decoy shot on the 9 to deflect the cue toward the 14, which fell at the top left for the 8-1 win. Quincy is up 3-0 in the series. Jake had a slow forming attack in game 4, but Quincy only took one successful shot early on. Jake chipped in one or two balls on just about every turn and left Quincy with bad positioning, eventually leading to Jake's 8-1 win to cut the series to 3-1. Jake built up a lead again early in game 5, clearly trying an old strategy to see if Quincy was off his game. Quincy evened the score rather quickly, and then double-potted the 4-15 and 7-5 combinations with a kind deflection to ignite a well-made five-ball run-out. Quincy won 8-3, clinching the series at 4-1. Game 6 went very evenly from the start on both sides. Quincy had to catch up a bit initially, but he failed to hold his mid-game lead as well, and Jake took the win with a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 result to pull back to 4-2 in the series. Jake made a four-ball run on his second turn of game 7, and when Quincy didn't launch a large counterattack, Jake cruised to the 8-2 win at the end. Quincy still owned a 4-3 series win here, making him the second Tournament of Champions semifinalist.

Fuchsia v. Tigerette: The home crowd is excited for their player in this one, and she gets her preferred 9-ball event. Midland's Fuchsia excited the crowd with a three-ball run from the break and a later pair of shots, but Commerce's Tigerette tempered their expectations by making the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette scratched on the game 2 break after making a ball, while the Predators' Fuchsia fired back with consecutive turns of four- and three-ball runs, winning with the latter one to tie the series at 1. Game 3 saw a change of styles from the free-flying runs of before, with pairs and single shots being more common. Fuchsia had two chances to swipe at the 9 while shooting the 7 and 8, but she missed on the latter. Tigerette made the 8 and 9 both to the bottom side for the win, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Fuchsia had two brutal misses in game 4, one due to a miscue and the other from her own bad aim. Tigerette capitalized on both situations to create offense, winning with a pair of shots from the latter of Fuchsia's mistakes. Tigerette is on the brink of advancing as she leads the series 3-1. Tigerette remained relentless in game 5, using her defensive positioning to great effect. Tigerette slipped up at the end, leaving the 7 in a good spot for Fuchsia, who sparked a three-ball run-out to save her season. Fuchsia's win cut the series to 3-2. Fuchsia had arguably her second-best effort in game 6, a fantastic mix of offense and craftiness, but she faded toward the end after making six balls over three turns. Tigerette slammed the 8 into the top left, and then put the 9 in the bottom left for the win to secure the series at 4-2. Tigerette didn't put too much into game 7, but she had some ugly shots in the middle of the game. Fuchsia would attack later on, picking up the 9 on a tap-in at the top right for the win. Tigerette bested Fuchsia in her own event, knocking the home favorite out on a 4-3 series win. Tigerette faces Quincy in the Tournament of Champions semifinals.

Twilight v. Misty: The last quarterfinal series is in Twilight's preferred 8-ball, as the top seeded player in the competition will get one more advantage. Central's Twilight made a ball on the break in game 1, but her offense went cold in the face of a four-ball run by Westside's Misty. The ending was slow, but Misty coasted to the victory with single-ball turns, earning a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight attacked with menace in game 2, building up a significant lead initially. The Rockers' Misty took her time in responding, but made things close enough at the end where two straight misses on the 8 by Twilight proved costly. Misty made the 13 to the bottom left and the 8 at the top right at the end for the win, going up 2-0 in the series. Twilight again attacked well in game 3 after Misty took a ball from the break. Twilight looked poised to get the win, but her last two balls gave her trouble, and a miss on the 8 proved critical. Misty made her last two balls and then the 8 from distance to the top right, pushing ahead to a 3-0 lead in the series. Misty left no room for Twilight to attack in game 4, blasting a six-ball run right away. Twilight made a four-ball run in response, but Misty closed down with a pair of good shots at the end, sealing the series at 4-0. Twilight finally struck with absolutely no mercy in game 5, burying a six-ball run on her first turn. Misty had some chances to pull back, but not enough time before Twilight knocked in the last two balls she needed for the win. Misty remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Misty had a five-ball run to start the offense in game 6, but she never gave it proper support. A four-ball run followed from Twilight, and she added a three-ball run and a shot on the 8 to pull ahead before making the 8 on the next turn. Twilight's win cut the deficit to 4-2. Misty again attacked well early in game 7, but she didn't have enough left in the tank to close it out. Twilight delivered a four-ball run-out on her last turn to snag another win, getting this series to match the rest at 4-3 in favor of Misty. There won't be time for Misty to rest, as she plays in the first Tournament of Champions semifinal.

Twinkie I v. Misty: Leading off the semifinals, Misty will have the game advantage by playing Accuracy. Pacific's Twinkie I held the lead for much of game 1 after an early miss from Westside's Misty, but Twinkie I had a handful of misses late in the game, allowing Misty to pick up the 2-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I fell behind early in game 2, but kept close enough to briefly push the Rockers' Misty backwards. Twinkie I couldn't make the last ball to secure a win, leading the game into overtime, where she missed on the overtime break. Misty converted her shot, winning 2-3 again to take a 2-0 series lead. Misty had a poorer break in game 3, but both players remained perfect for a long time. Twinkie I fell off with two straight misses, and another one after Misty had her only miss set up the 1-3 win for Misty, who is up 3-0 in the series. Misty again took care of business despite an ugly miss on her second turn in game 4. Twinkie I had a lead that slipped out of her hands towards the end, as three misses over five turn gave Misty all she needed for the 1-3 win to seal the series at 4-0. Misty predictably eased up on her shooting style in game 5, falling off her pace a bit with a lot of bad misses. Twinkie I didn't fell comfortable until the very end, where Misty scratched to give Twinkie I the 3-5 win. Misty remains ahead 4-1 in the series. Misty put up a good fight as both players stayed perfect deep into game 6, but when she missed, she let the game go to Twinkie I. The result was 1-3 in Twinkie I's favor, allowing her to cut the series down to 4-2. Misty used the same strategy in game 7, competing well with Twinkie I until the game got into a deadlock near the end. Misty missed her last two shots to allow Twinkie I the 1-3 win without the process of overtime. Misty takes the series 4-3, as the lowest-ranked participant in the Tournament of Champions has reached the final series.

Quincy v. Tigerette: The two winners of the most closely-related events clash in the other semifinal, with the breaking advantage in the final going to the winner of this series of Rotation. Terrace City's Quincy started out alright in game 1, but a pair of three-ball runs from Commerce's Tigerette put her ahead. Tigerette finished from ball-in-hand, icing the 8-2 win with a pair of shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette hit the skids after making a ball on the game 2 break, allowing the Knights' Quincy to take the lead. Quincy remained a few steps ahead of Tigerette for the rest of the game, sealing off an 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Quincy had the early lead in game 3, but it fell apart when Tigerette pulled off an impressive double-pot to tie the game. The two players tangled for awhile, but Tigerette got away and managed to win 8-4, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Tigerette smashed a five-ball run from the break in game 4, establishing a large lead quickly. She was on the brink of victory before Quincy made a pair of shots, but he faltered on the 9, and Tigerette buried it to seal an 8-2 win. Tigerette moves to a 3-1 series lead. Tigerette remained in control to start game 5, blasting a pair in on the break. The middle of the game went a bit slowly, but two defensive plays by Tigerette helped her to build a late offense of three balls over two turns for the 8-3 win. Tigerette clinched the series at 4-1 with this victory. Tigerette didn't have her best on offense in game 6, allowing Quincy to build his lead almost unchecked for the early parts of the game. Tigerette put a little effort in, but not enough to stop Quincy from winning 8-3 to cut the series back to 4-2. Tigerette built a massive lead early in game 7, unwilling to gift away another game to Quincy as she maintains a fighting mindset. Quincy got some of the deficit back, but much like in the series, Tigerette proved too tough for him in her 8-4 win. Tigerette took a decisive 5-2 series win to earn the breaking position in the Tournament of Champions finals, up next.

Tigerette v. Misty: The Tournament of Champions will be decided in Tigerette's preferred event of 15-ball as two members of the original Tournament compete for the title. Commerce's Tigerette set the tone early in game, and backed it up with a later five-ball run. Westside's Misty made a good defensive play near the end, but a scratch as she tried to get positioning on the 15 ruined her game. Tigerette took the 15 from ball-in-hand for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Tigerette had a dominant share of offense in game 2, peppering the Rockers' Misty with short runs and attacks all around the table. Tigerette ended with a four-ball run-out, complete with a deflection off the 12 to put the 15 in the top right for the win that gave her a 2-0 series lead. Tigerette began with three balls on the break of game 3, and she added another four-ball run later, but both of those turns and one other ended in a scratch. Misty didn't collect much offense from these situations, but it shook Tigerette's confidence enough for Misty to pot the last two balls at the end for the win. Tigerette still holds a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette continued to impose herself with a dominant share of the offense in game 4, but she faded again at the end. This bought Misty enough time to sneak in on the last two shots for the win, cleaning up Tigerette's miss on the 15 at the top side on the second turn of her final push. Misty's win tied the series at 2, shrinking the margin for error on both sides. Tigerette had her chances in game 5, getting ball-in-hand after Misty scratched but butchering a shot on the 14 that would have given her a chance to win. Misty made the last two balls, continuing her surge on offense that sees her ahead 3-2 in the series at this point. Game 6 proved to be an instant classic, with Tigerette storming back on offense but Misty playing good defense to stall Tigerette's attacks. Tigerette had a clear chance for the win at the end, but she rattled the 15 out of the bottom right, giving Misty the win when she calmly converted the shot. Misty will be this year's Champions Cup winner after clinching this series at 4-2. Misty started game 7 on a four-ball run, just missing her look at a deflected shot off the 5 that would have put the 15 away. Tigerette took over from here, and while Misty had a chance to finish the game, she missed, and Tigerette buried it. Misty won the Champion of Champions title by a 4-3 series win.

That's it for the Tournament of Champions this year. Tomorrow, we will play the Clan Cup tournament to decide the championship club.