Qualifiers are here, in the familiar form as they've always been. This year, we're not tracking break accomplishments, as the three-year research sequence concluded that making a ball on the break does have a generally positive impact on performance. Today's opening day action will mostly consist of 7-ball, with a slight chance of 8-ball or 9-ball later in the action. First up...
Terrace City Knights veteran Jennifer will kick off the Qualifying season with the purple cue. Jennifer had a pair of balls on the break, but quickly suffered a missed contact scratch to account for her two errors in a 13-shot season debut. Boston Swifts captain Patches gets the second appearance today, using the green cue. Patches brought the heat with three balls on the break, and then finished in 7 shots with just one error after illegal contact. Pearl Surfers co-captain Watermelon brings one of the veteran cues on as she debuts with blue. Watermelon didn't bring her best to this game, an empty break and a brutal error sending her to a 14-shot outing to start her qualifying season. The Victoria Spurs' Strawberry (wearing their brand new pink-and-black home jersey) will give the red cue its first action in qualifying. Strawberry scratched on the break for her lone error, and then rattled off a perfect run from there, scoring 8 shots. The green cue is back for the Todavía Stills' Bells to close the group. Bells got a ball on the break, but sloppy play at the end put her at 13 shots and no errors.
The green cue opens for group two as the Royal Crowns' Brownie makes her season debut. Brownie made a ball on the break and looked good until a missed contact. She ended at 12 shots and one error. Viewpoint Sound Meteors star Frosty goes next with the red cue. Frosty found a pair on the break but stumbled mid-game a bit. She held true and finished at 10 shots with no errors. Prism is ready for her Pronger Tridents debut, picking up the green cue for the game. Prism took two on the break and had a good alignment early on. She just missed contact for a lone error on the 7, but converted on the next attempt to end at 9 shots. New Diamond Gems captain Shadow will give the silver cue its first taste of Tournament X play with its new shaft. Shadow kept it clean over his 12 shots, although his early finishing lacked much punch. Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi will close out the batch with the purple cue in hand. Kiwi scratched on the break for her lone error in her season debut. She made up for it with a 3-7 combination to the bottom side to end in 5 shots.
The third bunch starts with Eastside Sharks rookie Maison making his qualifying debut with the green cue. Maison did his part with a ball on the break, but he also took an early error. The rookie finished with 10 shots in a solid first game. Diamond Gems veteran Leonardo will take today's 12th game, using the red cue. Leonardo had a scratch early in his game and needed 15 shots to clear the rack in a disappointing effort. Another Eastern Hills player goes next, as the Pronger Tridents' Potter starts his season with the blue cue. Potter overcame a scratch on the break by sinking three other balls at the same time. He was a little overzealous near the end, but finish with 7 shots. The Web City Spiders' Waluigi uses the red cue to start his second year with the team. Waluigi made good with a ball on the break and kept his play clean over 9 shots to start the season well. Salmo will make his Diamond Gems debut with the purple cue in hand to finish this group. Salmo did alright despite one error for missed contact. He was locked in after that to close at 11 shots.
Commerce Tradewinds superstar Taylor S. leads the next group with the green cue. Taylor S. capitalized on her missed contact error, aligning a solid run to finish the game in 10 shots. Midland Predators veteran Americus will take her debut with the silver cue. Americus couldn't get contact on the 2 and scratched for a pair of errors early, but she cruised to an 11-shot effort at the end. Another Commerce Tradewind, the rising star Rosemary, will use the blue cue in her season debut. Rosemary struck on the break and surged early before the 7 gave her trouble. She finished with 10 shots and no errors. North Modernistic Nighthawks veteran Lionel is the 19th player drawn today, using the purple cue to start his season. Lionel picked up a pair on the break but didn't shoot all that well with 11 shots and no errors over the rest of the game. Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy completes the group with the green cue in hand. Shaggy made a pair on the break and stayed composed early, but began to chase as she finished with 10 shots and no errors.
The fifth group sees Maplewood Lumberjacks third-year Summer playing with the red cue to start. Summer finally achieved the 7 on the break in her game, debuting perfectly with 0 shots and zero errors. The Terrace City Knights' Melissa will follow that, using the green cue in her season debut. Melissa was a little more loose on her shots, including an early scratch for her lone error. She ended up with 13 shots by the end. The blue cue cycles in as the Golden Pilots' Strut takes today's 23rd game. Strut knocked in a ball on the break, but he also missed contact on the 7 at first. Strut took one error in 11 shots. The Swordpoint Blades' stalwart Dreamy will bring the green cue back for her season debut. Dreamy had a ball on the break and crushed down her shots through good positioning to end with 7 shots and no errors. The group wraps up with Whitewater Shores star Twinkie III using the blue cue. Twinkie III went perfect in her season debut, sending the 7 straight to the top right for 0 shots and zero errors.
Group six begins with the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Cheddar using the silver cue. Cheddar got a ball on the break and found some early success before a scratch. She then surged to end at 8 shots and just the one error. The Blades' Dreamy will take this year's first crack at 8-ball, using the purple cue. Dreamy came out blazing on stripes and then followed up with a nice run on solids. She finished at 19 shots, fading late but taking no errors. Next up, Modernistic Union veteran Daisy plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Daisy made three balls on the break, giving her time to play smart in her season debut. She ended with 7 shots and no errors for a good game. The Whitewater Shores' Marsell keeps the blue cue in action for his debut game. Marsell was empty on the break, but his confident play allowed him to finish in 9 shots and no errors. Pacific Volcanoes veteran Cowzart takes the 30th game today, using the purple cue. Cowzart made a ball on the break and navigated some tough positions to end with 9 shots and no errors.
The purple cue will stay up to kick off group seven as Westside Rockers captain Misty is set to play. Misty quickly went the distance in her season debut, needing 4 shots with no errors after taking three balls on the break. Her daughter, the Harrison Specters' Blizzard, uses the green cue here. Blizzard made a pair on the break and elected to play cautiously near the end, sending the 7 to the top right to finish at 7 shots and no errors. Solid Core players remain in action as the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette takes games 33 with the red cue. Leonette had some struggles with positioning this time, ending with 11 shots and one error after a scratch. Up next, Boston Swifts veteran Ice Cream uses the silver cue in her season debut. Ice Cream's break saw three balls go down, but poor positioning meant she needed 8 shots and no errors to finish the game. The batch ends with Lighton Prestige rookie Angelica making her career debut with the red cue. Angelica had a little luck in her debut, making a pair on the break and double-kissing the 1-7 combination to the bottom side to end with 1 shot and zero errors.
The eighth bunch gets going with Stonebridge Wolves captain Juno using the blue cue in her season debut. Juno displayed a steady hand after a slow start, finishing with 8 shots and no errors. The Knights' captain Kiwi gets a second game today, playing 8-ball with the purple cue. Kiwi had to alternate between suits a lot but ended up with just 19 shots and no errors in a good outing. Back in 7-ball, the Swordpoint Blades' Stealth plays with the blue cue. Stealth didn't get much luck in his season debut, which required 11 shots and an error to wipe the table. The blue cue will go again with Harrison Specters star Sydney S. playing the 39th game of the day. Sydney S. couldn't get any control in her debut, unraveling after rattling the 5 out of the bottom left. She ended on 17 shots and no errors. The blue cue will stay up for Nibbles' Web City Spiders debut to wrap up this bunch. Nibbles couldn't make a good first impression with his new team, requiring 14 shots and three errors in his debut.
The ninth set begins with the Nighthawks' Cheddar doing 8-ball with the purple cue. Cheddar was not immune to the late-day slump, ending up with 26 shots and surprisingly no errors in her second appearance. Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows is up next with the red cue in 7-ball. Sleepy B. missed a couple of shots and took an error, ending with 12 shots in her opening game. The Stills' Bells will draw in for 8-ball using the blue cue. Bells struggled with solids, leading to a slow finish and two errors for illegal contact. Bells ended up with 26 shots in the game. More 8-ball awaits with the Gems' Salmo making a second appearance today, using the silver cue. Salmo took the early event lead with a clean 18 shots this time. Max brings back the green cue as the Golden Pilots veteran ends this group with 7-ball. Max wasn't able to get on track with three errors peppered throughout his 14 shots.
The last group of opening day begins with Infinity Torpedoes rookie Blaze using the purple cue. Blaze showed no hesitation to be creative, resulting in a solid 10 shots and one error in the game. Central Warriors captain Twilight steps in for the 47th game today, using the blue cue. Twilight couldn't get good positioning, pushed to the perimeter over 16 shots and two errors in a poor debut. The Southridge Defenders' Bianca is next, playing with the silver cue. Bianca scratched on the break in her season debut, but recovered to finish with 10 shots and just the one error. Stonebridge Wolves qualifying maestro Wild Thing will debut with the red cue this season. Wild Thing looked shaky at first, but a deflection off the 4 put the 7 in the bottom side to give him 6 shots and no errors. The Golden Pilots superstar Dusty ends the day with 7-ball with the green cue. Dusty had some early struggles, including two errors, but a 4-7 combination to the bottom left gave her 8 shots at the end.
This is just the first of 32 qualifying days over the course of the next 7-8 weeks. We'll be back at it tomorrow.
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