Qualifiers 2019 - Day 5

The fifth day of qualifying has us firmly in 8-ball central. We'll do another batch of 50 games today, leading off with...

The Midland Predators' Rainmane shooting 8-ball with the red cue. Rainmane had control right from the start, scoring a ball on the break and taking no errors over 20 shots. The Infinity Torpedoes captain Smudge is next up, using the silver cue for her 8-ball game. Smudge didn't get anything down on the break, but she also kept a clean turn, finishing with 22 shots and no errors. The Diamond Gems' Katelynn will activate the blue cue as she also plays 8-ball. Katelynn didn't have as much good fortune as the previous players, needing 25 shots and one error to clear the table after an empty break. The blue cue stays in action as Pronger Tridents captain Precious shoots her 9-ball qualifier. Precious did alright, but nothing spectacular, taking no errors in 14 shots. Another captain finishes this group, as the Victoria Spurs' Spice plays 8-ball with the red cue. Spice made a ball on the break and then fired off 21 shots without an error in a strong performance.

Group two begins with Fluffina of the Infinity Torpedoes playing 8-ball with the blue cue. Fluffina left the table frustrated, unable to string shots together until the end, where she finished with 30 shots and two errors. Sugar makes her Swordpoint Blades debut here, using the silver cue for 7-ball. Sugar kept it simple with 10 shots and no errors after a narrowly empty break. The eighth game of the day belongs to Lionel, as the newest North Modernistic Nighthawk plays 8-ball with the increasingly unfavorable blue cue. Lionel did well to defy the recent trends, converting his rack in 19 shots without an error and having no difficulty with making shots. Another 8-ball game is set to be played by the Maplewood Lumberjacks' Summer with the red cue. Summer did well in a tough event, taking a scratch on the break as her only error over 21 shots. The Westside Rockers' Goatee ends the group with her 8-ball game using the blue cue. Goatee didn't get anything on an explosive break, but needed only 20 shots and no errors to finish the appearance.

The third group kicks off as Leonette of the Pacific Volcanoes plays 9-ball with the blue cue. Leonette made a ball on the break, but two errors and a pointless chase on the 5 caused her score to rise to 20 shots. Another Volcano, the veteran mainstay Ms. Kitty, tries 8-ball with the red cue in the 12th game of the day. Ms. Kitty suffered a five-shot penalty for illegally potting the 8 early, and ended up with 27 shots and seven errors. The Boston Swifts' Ice Cream is next up, using the silver cue in 8-ball. Ice Cream had two balls on the break, and while she struggled with long shots, she finished with a score of 21 and no errors. Tysini Hummingbirds rookie Sarah makes her career debut with the red cue in 7-ball. Sarah impressed despite an empty break, finishing the game in 7 shots with no errors. Closing the batch, Jason N. of the Atlantic Pirates plays 9-ball with the red cue. Jason N. blasted three balls down on the break, but chased the 1 and 3 for a long time, ending with a solid 13 shots and no errors.

Group four gets going as Wings of the Central Warriors shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Wings had a ball on the break, and weathered a tough opening to get the game done in 22 shots with only one error. The 17th game of the day goes to the Whitewater Shores' Marsell for his 10-ball game with the blue cue. Marsell butchered a good start, taking a ball on the break but adding four errors due to awful positioning in his 23-shot game. After that, another blue cue 10-ball game is set to be played by the Southridge Defenders' Bianca. She had a good performance, making a ball on the break and needing only 17 shots without an error to clear the rack after cautious play. The blue cue stays in action as the Defenders' captain, Debby, makes her season debut in 7-ball. Debby had an empty break and took one error for a scratch, but finished well with 10 shots. The Warriors' Wings gets his second appearance of the day, using the blue cue for 9-ball. Wings dominated this time, making a ball on the break and finishing with 11 shots and no errors in a standout performance.

Today's 21st game goes to the Archtown Arrows' Dusky, who shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Dusky fails to allow her shots to line up, needing 29 shots without an error to clear the rack in an ugly game. The silver cue gets another chance at 8-ball with the Terrace City Knights' Jennifer. It started out alright, but a slow finish pushed her score up to a surprisingly error-free 30 shots. The Stonebridge Wolves' third-year Cobalt will get the league back on track with 7-ball and the blue cue. Cobalt failed at that mission, suffering four errors over 36 shots after an empty break in a historically awful appearance. The Pearl Surfers' Bright steps in for 8-ball with the red cue, with the league ready to call off the day if it goes poorly. Bright did better than the recent efforts, but had four errors over 24 shots to pair with his annoyingly empty break. Eastside Sharks rookie Taylor M. wraps up the group from hell with a long-standing dangerous combination of blue cue and 10-ball. Taylor M. did not fare any better than her fellow group-mates, ending with 24 shots and three errors after an empty break.

The sixth batch is led by Westside Rockers captain Misty, who has the red cue in hand for her season debut in 7-ball. Misty recorded 11 shots in her game, taking one error for a scratch in a calmer appearance than most of the recent ones. Another Rocker, Midnight, plays 9-ball with the silver cue in the next game. Midnight scratched on the break but managed to keep it clean from there, closing with 14 shots in the game. The blue cue returns to action in the 28th game of the day, which is a season debut in 7-ball for the Modernistic Union's Puff I. She would have preferred to play a different day, but Puff I limited the bad news to two errors and 12 shots, with neither of the errors coming from mistakes. Moving along, the Pronger Tridents' Spot shoots 8-ball with the red cue. Spot put in a good performance, potentially pulling the league out of the storm with 19 shots and no errors despite his empty break. Rounding out the group, the Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle shoots 7-ball with the red cue. Snuggle proved the league's struggles weren't over, taking 18 shots and one error after an empty break as he'll fit in near the back of the event's standings.

The seventh group begins with Central Warriors star Dustin using the silver cue for 8-ball. Dustin was humbled after an empty break and two errors pushed his score up to 25 shots. The Pronger Tridents' Zach will tempt fate with the blue cue playing 8-ball. Zach started off strong despite a clustered break, but a late error and plenty of misses left him with a fairly average 22 shots. Harrison Specters sophomore Rudolph cycles through the cues, taking his 8-ball turn with the red cue. Rudolph couldn't change the narrative for the event, taking one error and an empty break while scoring 26 shots. The Infinity Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman takes the 34th game of the day, using the silver cue in 10-ball. Mr. Snowman continued the overwhelming majority of empty breaks today and took two errors over 16 shots, bailed out by his 6-10 combination to the top right. Midland Predators rookie caps the batch with the silver cue and 8-ball. Kitty had no errors in her game, but it took 36 shots to clear the table after failing time and again to get a good shot on the 8.

A rookie makes her second appearance today, as the Hummingbirds' Sarah uses the blue cue in 8-ball. Sarah looked like she might avoid disaster at first, but a late fade sparked by an error caused her to end up at 26 shots. The red cue takes another turn in 8-ball with the Lighton Prestige's Nicole. She actually had a decent outing, making a ball on the break and finishing with 23 shots, but only because of a five-error penalty for illegally potting the 8. Next up, Modernistic Union rookie Sydney C. uses the red cue in her 8-ball appearance as well. Sydney C. pushed the 8 near the top side on the break, but then ran eight straight shots to deposit it cleanly. She slowed on the other suit, finishing with one error and 18 shots in a great outing. The Everton Eagles newcomer Bear keeps the red cue in action for some 9-ball. Bear suffered two errors after making a ball on the break, his frustration peaking near the end as he closed with 21 shots. Capital City Sharpshooters mainstay Sprinkles chose the wrong day to return, using the red cue in 8-ball. Sprinkles did well despite her empty break, avoiding errors over the course of 22 shots.

Batch nine opens with the Midland Predators' Americus using the silver cue for 8-ball. Americus had nothing on the break, but shot well early on. Two errors pinned her back to 22 shots at the end. The 42nd player drawn today is Victoria Spurs newcomer Mitchell, who uses the blue cue in 8-ball. Mitchell started off well and fell apart in the end, somehow avoiding errors but still ending up with 28 shots as his late game precision did not exist. The Central Warriors' Noelle goes next, using the red cue in 9-ball. Noelle knocked a ball down on the break and didn't let up at all, finishing with 12 shots and no errors with a little luck on her side to help. Whitewater Shores sophomore Katharine steps in the with the silver cue for her season debut in 7-ball. Katharine did fairly well for herself with just one error over 12 shots, avoiding a sloppy finish that has plagued many players today. Another season debut with the silver cue completes this group, as the Web City Spiders' Jack gets his first game of the season. Jack did a little better, taking no errors and a ball on the break in his 11 shots.

The final group starts as Starlight, the Pacific Volcanoes captain, shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Starlight dished a commanding break that netted a ball, but a late scratch for her only error caused her to need 26 shots by the end. Following that, Swordpoint Blades third-year Bandit makes his season debut with the red cue in 7-ball. Bandit rattled a ball in on the break and took no errors in 10 shots for a standard performance. The red cue gets another game, playing 8-ball with the North Modernistic Nighthawks sophomore Gal. This was one of the day's best games, as Gal potted two balls on the break and needed only 18 error-free shots to complete the outing. The 49th game of the day is for the Southridge Defenders' Wario, who shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Wario had a ball on the break and managed to stay error-free, although his cautious finish pushed his score up to 23 shots. The last player today is the Todavía Stills captain Easter, who has the blue cue in hand for 8-ball. Easter also had a ball on the break, and she also had no errors in 23 shots to put a positive finish on a highly negative day.

The league is tentatively allowing Day 6 to go tomorrow as planned, but given today's outbursts at officials, there will be a short leash. Cobalt has also been suspended for the Wolves' United Cup matches for his behavior today.