We'll reverse the hosts from Day 3 action to keep the competition moving. We begin with...
Enterprise taking on the OCOUENT coalition squad. Cobalt found a good attacking pace for OCOUENT, leading off with 517 to start this game. Ice Cream shot back with 487 for Enterprise, keeping things close on the first turn. Salmo answered with 635 for OCOUENT, extending their lead with the impressive turn. Neopolitan had another lackluster effort for Enterprise, exiting with a meager 65 points. Hughbert scooped up 471 for OCOUENT, keeping them in charge as the game progresses. Precious covered that damage with 486, but did little to bring Enterprise closer. Shiny had a middling turn of 274 for OCOUENT, causing their attacking pace to slow. Twinkie III made a desperate play for offense that failed on the third swing, downing her at 72 points for Enterprise. Dewey showed no mercy, smashing 915 for OCOUENT to solidify their lead again. Whiskers had a great pace, but an early exit at 319 when she mishit a high swing out of play for Enterprise. Chimpy faltered at 128 for OCOUENT, but they remain comfortably ahead despite his poor turn. Kiwi carved out some of the deficit with her 703 for Enterprise, trying to launch a late comeback. Chicky Phil stumbled with 185 for OCOUENT, potentially leaving the door open. Fluffina rallied with 879 for Enterprise, making it a much closer game heading into the final turn. Fuchsia responded with 766 for OCOUENT, setting the mark at 3891. Puff III failed to block an offering early on her turn, ending at 176 to seal Enterprise's third loss at 3187. OCOUENT will continue to compete for the group title, while Enterprise can only play spoiler.
Solid Core gets a second crack at Outcast as we move to Group B action. Violetta combined pace and longevity for a competition-leading 1334 for Outcast on the opening turn of the game. Sprinkles got a little back with 379 for Solid Core, but they face a long and trying game this time. Klaus answered with 463, completing his goal to offset the damage done against Outcast's lead. Sleepy B. replied with 476 for Solid Core, trying to give them a chance to mount a later comeback. Potter slipped up with 230 for Outcast, shrinking their advantage a bit. Smudge missed a swing, ending at 227 as a key moment goes to waste for Solid Core. Prism fired back with 868 for Outcast, restrengthening their lead after the previous turn. Crystal belted 1009 for Solid Core, answering her Flames teammate quite well to bring the game to its midway point. Summer kept Outcast strong with her 784, a far cry from her first appearance in the competition. Shadow covered that damage with 809 for Solid Core, but they remain far behind. Kodiak supplied 401 for Outcast, a good turn but a little low for this particular match. Stripes made progress with 569 for Solid Core, cutting a piece of the deficit away. Spot buckled at 144 for Outcast, weakening their lead at a critical point in the game. Shaggy crumbled under the pressure of the moment, her 32 points likely ending Solid Core's title chances. Hoppy cranked out 659 for Outcast, capping an epic attack at 4883. Dreamy bailed at 64 for Solid Core, sticking them at a tough loss with 3565. Outcast and Reality will battle for the top spot in the competition's fiercest group.
The SCPRI coalition team looks to double up against Humanity Senior 2. Gabe didn't do well for HS2 at the start, false-starting on his first try and taking only 112 on the next one. Leonette had a shaky start, but settled in for 562 to give SCPRI a good early lead. Niki slashed 652 for HS2 on the second attack, covering the deficit with her good turn. Frosty held her own with 352 for SCPRI, restoring a smaller lead for the hosts. Nicole struggled in her second appearance, falling at 192 for HS2 to undo some of their progress. Ms. Puppy covered it with 243 for SCPRI in a low-scoring turn for both sides. A. Charlton missed a swing, stalling at 405 as HS2 hangs around in this one. Snowball fired back on 545 for SCPRI, keeping them ahead at the midway mark. Lexi had a false start and then scored 108, missing swings on both attempts as HS2 crumbles again. Diddley hit 600 for SCPRI, showing great control with a strong pace. Beth dropped at 264 as HS2 fades away from the competition as the game goes on. Tigerette smashed 904 for SCPRI on her turn, likely securing the result in their favor. Kirstin had a mildly decent 321 for HS2, but they will probably take the loss anyway. Citrus lost a little of the lead at 264 for SCPRI, but they're in no danger yet. Dani picked up 804 to give HS2 a total of 2858 in the loss, their third in the competition that will see them exit after this stage. Blizzard tacked on 644 to bring SCPRI up to 4114 in the win as they take over the competition lead in points scored while sitting at 3-0.
In Group D, Prime looks to keep their hot start going against the Reality/Humanity Junior coalition team. Twinkie II had a better start for REAHJ this time, tallying 525 on the opening turn. Acorn fired back with 668 for Prime, narrowly avoiding disaster with an early handle block. Gizmo had good form, but a high swing stalled him out at 405 for REAHJ. Snuggle let Prime down again with 176 on their second attack, causing them to lose the lead. Puff I lost a bit of the lead with 321 for REAHJ, leaving them exposed. Sweetheart capitalized on the chance with 534 for Prime, pulling them ahead again in a back-and-forth game. Bear failed to cover the deficit, hitting only a mediocre 90 for REAHJ. Strut missed a swing, bringing him down with 310 for Prime in an unfortunate early exit. Hannah nearly covered it with 341 for REAHJ, but they'll still have to play catch up. Oreo covered the damage and a little more with 382 for Prime, keeping them ahead in a close and low-scoring game. Kitty cracked 529 for REAHJ on her turn, giving them a chance to lead the game briefly. Goatee answered with 447 for Prime, regaining the lead with two turns left for each team. Vincent left REAHJ in a tough spot with only 170 on his turn, making a late comeback less likely. Mr. Snowman swatted 665 for Prime, stabilizing their lead late in the game. Lize ended with 176 for REAHJ, leaving their total score at 2557 in the loss. Easter lifted 419 for Prime at the end, capping their win at 3601. Prime goes to 3-0, while REAHJ is likely out of it at 0-3.
A pivotal game for Group E has Youth Movement facing Celebrity. Sydney S. went at a wicked pace for Celebrity, gathering 611 on the first turn of the game. Celestia answered with 519 for YM, a solid response to keep things close initially. Debby let a ball slip off her backhand, ending her turn at 429 for Celebrity. Valencia recovered some of the deficit, finishing with 480 to bring YM closer after this turn. Pauline dropped off at 363 for Celebrity, a decent turn that weakens their lead nonetheless. Spirit rattled off 650 for YM, a fierce attack to put them ahead for the first time in the game. Charli missed a swing and then took out her wicket on the recovery attempt, ending at a pathetic 50 for Celebrity. Sierra also missed a swing, but she did hers with 514 in the bank for YM, helping to extend their lead. Mario skied a ball for Celebrity, cutting his turn short at 150 as the visiting side crumbles. Isabella clubbed 809 for YM, a productive outing to boost their lead once again. Taylor S. went with 470 for Celebrity, trying to rally her side back into the game. Dusky didn't get it all back, but her 402 did well for YM to protect their lead late in the game. Melissa had a good pace but bad aim, ending with 291 for Celebrity. Rosemary fell at 230 for YM after a ball hopped over the handle of her bat. Katharine failed at 64 for Celebrity, leaving them at a total of 2428 in a hard loss. Cheddar also played badly, with only 81 points to finish YM's win at 3685. With the result, YM has clinched the group for themselves at 3-0, leaving the other spot to be determined by the other teams.
Group F ends the split-day with Forest SC taking on the CELYM coalition. Gal began with 305 for CELYM, an acceptable first turn. Jake answered with 366 for Forest SC, pulling them narrowly ahead after one turn. Peach slammed 724 for CELYM on their second turn, giving them a much more formidable advantage. Nikolai fired back with 736 for Forest SC, regaining a tiny lead. Taylor M. set the next mark at 490 for CELYM, hoping to catch a break at some point. Wings provided that break, falling at a lousy 208 for Forest SC to put them behind for the first time. Luigi answered with 475 for CELYM, boosting their lead a little bit as the game approaches its midpoint. Hershey didn't make much of a response for Forest SC, falling at 121 on an ugly turn. Solaris slapped 429 for CELYM on his turn, continuing to extend their lead. Bandit picked up 256 for Forest SC, but they continue to slip as the game progresses. Wario matched that with 256 for CELYM, keeping their lead stable at this point. Roxy chipped 310 for Forest SC on her turn, shrinking the deficit a bit. Rosalina snagged 370 for CELYM, protecting their lead well once again. Sally ripped 447 for Forest SC, again chipping the deficit down but far too slowly to be helpful. Waluigi finished at 334 for CELYM, icing their offense at 3383. Graham ended at 310, leaving Forest SC to suffer their first loss at a total of 2754. CELYM avenged an earlier loss, making it anyone's series in this group.
We'll try to do better on scheduling over the weekend, but it is a long-shot for it to get done quickly.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Monday, December 3, 2018
Club Cricket Challenge 2018 - Day 3
Today's action comes delayed from the original schedule. We begin the third day of group play with...
OCOUENT hosting Enterprise in Group A action between winless teams. Ice Cream started with a false start before cranking 674 to get Enterprise off to a hot start in the game. Salmo answered with a smooth 492 for OCOUENT on their first turn, keeping the game within their reach early on. Precious responded with 544 for Enterprise, covering the opposition's damage. Hughbert looked alright with 368 for OCOUENT, but their deficit has grown. Twinkie III showed no mercy, pummeling 917 for Enterprise to pad their lead significantly. Dewey slashed 567 for OCOUENT, refusing to allow the coalition to back down despite the growing deficit. Kiwi took a step back with 400 for Enterprise, but they remain well ahead. Chimpy launched 802 for OCOUENT, cutting into the deficit at the halfway mark. Max stumbled with only 65 for Enterprise, leaving his team vulnerable after the awful turn. Ruby couldn't catch OCOUENT all the way up, but her 295 got the coalition closer to her usual club-mates' scores. Fluffina did well until missing a swing, cutting her off at 790 as Enterprise's lead is restored to a loftier height. Chicky Phil answered with 461 for OCOUENT, halving the deficit. Puff III slipped up with only 240 for Enterprise, potentially leaving a door open for the opponents. Fuchsia charged with 736 for OCOUENT, pulling them ahead with a player each to go. Watermelon crashed out on 85 for Enterprise, costing them the game with a losing total of 3715. Quincy exited with a measly 48, capping OCOUENT's win at 3769. OCOUENT has taken the inside track to earning the second knockout round spot from Group A.
In Group B, Outcast plays host to Solid Core in the midst of a fight for second in that group. Sleepy B. started off with 445 in a decent first turn for Solid Core. Violetta edged Outcast ahead with 487, hoping that her teammates with provide a better supporting attack in this game. Smudge replied with 518 for Solid Core, a second attack that gets them back in the lead. Josie failed to answer the challenge, her turn ending on 264 as Outcast slips behind. Misty slipped up at 186 for Solid Core, weakening their advantage with the poor turn. Klaus butchered part of his turn at the end, taking out his own wicket on his backhand at 353 for Outcast. Shadow couldn't take over for Solid Core, fumbling out at 258 with a bad swing. Potter found a groove and rallied to 736 for Outcast, pulling them far ahead halfway through the game. Stripes carved out 518 for Solid Core, pulling them back a bit in a game that has gone off the rails for them. Prism hit 304 in a middling effort for Outcast that restores a small lead in the close game. Shaggy managed 296 for Solid Core, covering the deficit lightly with that output. Nibbles butchered his turn with only 65 for Outcast, leaving the teams just about even with two turns to go. Dreamy raked in 580 for Solid Core, giving them a larger lead late in the game. Spot dragged Outcast ahead with 617 on his turn, setting up a fierce finish. Pounce didn't make it look good for Solid Core with his 209, leaving their final score at 3010. Hoppy went with 364 for Outcast, capping their win at 3190. Outcast is 1-1 now, in second place in the group.
Group C sees Humanity Senior 2 face the SCPRI coalition team. Frosty started with 429 for SCPRI in a respectable opener. Bryant stumbled with a mediocre 128 for HS2, giving them an early deficit to fight against. Ms. Puppy struck back with another 450 for SCPRI, adding nicely to their lead with a stable dose of offense. Niki did alright with 344 for HS2, but they remain noticeably behind at this stage. Snowball kept the SCPRI offense stable, posting 417 to extend their lead a little bit more. Jasmine faltered with 274 for HS2, unable to attack at the deficit with the iffy turn. Diddley had good pace for SCPRI, but a missed swing led to him taking out his own wicket to fall at 460. A. Charlton answered with 572 for HS2, putting her team on the ascent with a positive turn. Ms. Kitty left SCPRI exposed with a measly 65 on her turn, weakening their hard-fought lead. Lexi chunked 368 for HS2, removing part of the deficit with a clever but short turn at bat. Leonardo continued SCPRI's fall from grace with just 80 on his turn, leaving them completely vulnerable. Beth missed a swing, causing her to exit at 321 as HS2 takes a small lead with two players left per team. Citrus belted 654 for SCPRI, putting them ahead after their recent descent. Kirstin kept HS2 in the fight with 585, putting them narrowly ahead with the final players coming to bat. Blizzard drilled 767 for SCPRI, setting the mark at 3322. Dani tried to drag a ball back but missed the chance to save her turn, falling at 308 as HS2's roller coaster game ends in a loss at 2900 even. SCPRI is 2-0 with a high-powered offense, making them a certified threat for the group title.
The REAHJ coalition hosts the next game, facing Prime in a battle that could shape Group D's future. Acorn used great pace to accrue 350 for Prime, a high hit causing his rather early exit. Twinkie II answered with 310 for REAHJ, also a bit of a low score that keeps the game close. Sweetheart muscled up with 576 for Prime, giving them a stronger lead on the second attack. Puff I struggled initially but ended up with 467 for REAHJ, keeping them within striking distance. Strut couldn't pick the corner at the end of his turn, recording 625 for Prime to boost their lead. Sugar collapsed at 146 for REAHJ, causing the deficit to grow rapidly. Oreo didn't plan on showing mercy, but a high swing cut her down at 450 for Prime, who are confident with the lead. Bear shrugged his way to 503 for REAHJ, covering the most recent damage. Goatee slugged 1065 for Prime in an epic rally of a turn, using a steady swing and high pace. Kitty fell at 291 for REAHJ, hardly putting up a resistance to their opponent's attacks. Mr. Snowman added 476 for Prime on his turn, keeping their offense charging to the finish. Vincent provided a decent 364 for REAHJ, who are nowhere near catching up. Easter tapped 346 for Prime, allowing them to coast a bit near the end of the game. Cassie didn't show very well with 205 for REAHJ, making the deficit just a bit worse. Sage grabbed only 211, icing Prime's win at 4099. Lize delivered 615 for REAHJ, which was merely window dressing on their brutal loss at 2901. Prime is poised to win the group, currently sitting at 2-0.
Celebrity acts as host against Youth Movement, with the winner temporarily taking sole control of Group E. Celestia led off with 717 for YM this time, a massive attack to get things going positively for her side. Lorde fell off at 130 for Celebrity, an awful start for their lead-off hitter. Gradley bobbled a swing on his turn, ending with 32 when he sent it sky-high; YM's lead shrinks with the poor turn. Sydney S. went with 528 for Celebrity, shrinking the deficit with a good bounce-back effort. Valencia shot back with 523 for YM, parrying the most recent attack away. Pauline kept the pressure up with 466 for Celebrity, allowing them to stay relatively close. Spirit whacked a big 795 for YM on her turn, boosting their lead as the game approaches half-completion. Charli tried to maintain a big pace for Celebrity, but she exited at 379 after a bad swing. Bianca was late to swing and tried a backhand play that failed, dropping her offense at 215 for YM. Daisy wasted the chance to catch up for Celebrity, ending on a puny 49 points. Isabella restored a stable attack for YM with 463, reaching back for a save at one point. Taylor S. was put in the same position for Celebrity, but she bumped the ball backward, ending on 379 as the deficit grows a little more. Rosemary went for fast pace, ending at 280 when she sent a swing too high, but YM is not in danger currently. Melissa made progress with 501 for Celebrity, but they've got a lot of ground to cover on the final turn. Cheddar had only 274 for YM, putting their final score at 3299. Katharine failed to catch up with 193 for Celebrity, their losing final score resting at 2625. Youth Movement has the edge atop Group E for now.
Finally, the coalition of CELYM takes on Forest SC, looking to even Group F. Jake chopped 475 for Forest SC on the opening turn, a good start from their front man. Avril made a mess of her opening turn with only 32 for CELYM, putting them in a sizable hole early on. Nikolai saw the ball well until a high bounce stalled him at 671 for Forest SC, adding nicely to their lead. Gal found a similar groove, gathering 640 for CELYM until a ball hopped over her swing without being touched. Wings kept up the attack with 472 for Forest SC, maintaining their strong lead. Taylor M. tried to dig in for a big turn, but flicked a ball too high to end at 186 for CELYM. Dustin couldn't find his swing, taking a hard fall at 69 points to weaken Forest SC's lead. Luigi answered with 405 for CELYM, making up some of the lost ground. Hershey bit on a back-spun ball, ending an otherwise great outing for Forest SC at 546 when he backhanded it into his wicket. Brownie fell off for CELYM this time, an awful 56 assuring her a spot on the bench in their next game. Jack lashed 451 for Forest SC, extending their lead with another strong performance. Solaris cut into the deficit with 595 on a fiery turn, but CELYM remains far back with two turns left. Sally tacked on 484 for Forest SC, keeping their lead stable late in the game. Rosalina lost ground with 289 for CELYM, as it appears hopeless for them in this game. Graham wiped out at 205 for Forest SC, capping their offense at 3373. Waluigi struggled with 120 for CELYM, leaving their losing total at 2323. Forest SC remains undefeated at 2-0 to lead the group.
We'll likely play the rest of the group stage over the next three days.
OCOUENT hosting Enterprise in Group A action between winless teams. Ice Cream started with a false start before cranking 674 to get Enterprise off to a hot start in the game. Salmo answered with a smooth 492 for OCOUENT on their first turn, keeping the game within their reach early on. Precious responded with 544 for Enterprise, covering the opposition's damage. Hughbert looked alright with 368 for OCOUENT, but their deficit has grown. Twinkie III showed no mercy, pummeling 917 for Enterprise to pad their lead significantly. Dewey slashed 567 for OCOUENT, refusing to allow the coalition to back down despite the growing deficit. Kiwi took a step back with 400 for Enterprise, but they remain well ahead. Chimpy launched 802 for OCOUENT, cutting into the deficit at the halfway mark. Max stumbled with only 65 for Enterprise, leaving his team vulnerable after the awful turn. Ruby couldn't catch OCOUENT all the way up, but her 295 got the coalition closer to her usual club-mates' scores. Fluffina did well until missing a swing, cutting her off at 790 as Enterprise's lead is restored to a loftier height. Chicky Phil answered with 461 for OCOUENT, halving the deficit. Puff III slipped up with only 240 for Enterprise, potentially leaving a door open for the opponents. Fuchsia charged with 736 for OCOUENT, pulling them ahead with a player each to go. Watermelon crashed out on 85 for Enterprise, costing them the game with a losing total of 3715. Quincy exited with a measly 48, capping OCOUENT's win at 3769. OCOUENT has taken the inside track to earning the second knockout round spot from Group A.
In Group B, Outcast plays host to Solid Core in the midst of a fight for second in that group. Sleepy B. started off with 445 in a decent first turn for Solid Core. Violetta edged Outcast ahead with 487, hoping that her teammates with provide a better supporting attack in this game. Smudge replied with 518 for Solid Core, a second attack that gets them back in the lead. Josie failed to answer the challenge, her turn ending on 264 as Outcast slips behind. Misty slipped up at 186 for Solid Core, weakening their advantage with the poor turn. Klaus butchered part of his turn at the end, taking out his own wicket on his backhand at 353 for Outcast. Shadow couldn't take over for Solid Core, fumbling out at 258 with a bad swing. Potter found a groove and rallied to 736 for Outcast, pulling them far ahead halfway through the game. Stripes carved out 518 for Solid Core, pulling them back a bit in a game that has gone off the rails for them. Prism hit 304 in a middling effort for Outcast that restores a small lead in the close game. Shaggy managed 296 for Solid Core, covering the deficit lightly with that output. Nibbles butchered his turn with only 65 for Outcast, leaving the teams just about even with two turns to go. Dreamy raked in 580 for Solid Core, giving them a larger lead late in the game. Spot dragged Outcast ahead with 617 on his turn, setting up a fierce finish. Pounce didn't make it look good for Solid Core with his 209, leaving their final score at 3010. Hoppy went with 364 for Outcast, capping their win at 3190. Outcast is 1-1 now, in second place in the group.
Group C sees Humanity Senior 2 face the SCPRI coalition team. Frosty started with 429 for SCPRI in a respectable opener. Bryant stumbled with a mediocre 128 for HS2, giving them an early deficit to fight against. Ms. Puppy struck back with another 450 for SCPRI, adding nicely to their lead with a stable dose of offense. Niki did alright with 344 for HS2, but they remain noticeably behind at this stage. Snowball kept the SCPRI offense stable, posting 417 to extend their lead a little bit more. Jasmine faltered with 274 for HS2, unable to attack at the deficit with the iffy turn. Diddley had good pace for SCPRI, but a missed swing led to him taking out his own wicket to fall at 460. A. Charlton answered with 572 for HS2, putting her team on the ascent with a positive turn. Ms. Kitty left SCPRI exposed with a measly 65 on her turn, weakening their hard-fought lead. Lexi chunked 368 for HS2, removing part of the deficit with a clever but short turn at bat. Leonardo continued SCPRI's fall from grace with just 80 on his turn, leaving them completely vulnerable. Beth missed a swing, causing her to exit at 321 as HS2 takes a small lead with two players left per team. Citrus belted 654 for SCPRI, putting them ahead after their recent descent. Kirstin kept HS2 in the fight with 585, putting them narrowly ahead with the final players coming to bat. Blizzard drilled 767 for SCPRI, setting the mark at 3322. Dani tried to drag a ball back but missed the chance to save her turn, falling at 308 as HS2's roller coaster game ends in a loss at 2900 even. SCPRI is 2-0 with a high-powered offense, making them a certified threat for the group title.
The REAHJ coalition hosts the next game, facing Prime in a battle that could shape Group D's future. Acorn used great pace to accrue 350 for Prime, a high hit causing his rather early exit. Twinkie II answered with 310 for REAHJ, also a bit of a low score that keeps the game close. Sweetheart muscled up with 576 for Prime, giving them a stronger lead on the second attack. Puff I struggled initially but ended up with 467 for REAHJ, keeping them within striking distance. Strut couldn't pick the corner at the end of his turn, recording 625 for Prime to boost their lead. Sugar collapsed at 146 for REAHJ, causing the deficit to grow rapidly. Oreo didn't plan on showing mercy, but a high swing cut her down at 450 for Prime, who are confident with the lead. Bear shrugged his way to 503 for REAHJ, covering the most recent damage. Goatee slugged 1065 for Prime in an epic rally of a turn, using a steady swing and high pace. Kitty fell at 291 for REAHJ, hardly putting up a resistance to their opponent's attacks. Mr. Snowman added 476 for Prime on his turn, keeping their offense charging to the finish. Vincent provided a decent 364 for REAHJ, who are nowhere near catching up. Easter tapped 346 for Prime, allowing them to coast a bit near the end of the game. Cassie didn't show very well with 205 for REAHJ, making the deficit just a bit worse. Sage grabbed only 211, icing Prime's win at 4099. Lize delivered 615 for REAHJ, which was merely window dressing on their brutal loss at 2901. Prime is poised to win the group, currently sitting at 2-0.
Celebrity acts as host against Youth Movement, with the winner temporarily taking sole control of Group E. Celestia led off with 717 for YM this time, a massive attack to get things going positively for her side. Lorde fell off at 130 for Celebrity, an awful start for their lead-off hitter. Gradley bobbled a swing on his turn, ending with 32 when he sent it sky-high; YM's lead shrinks with the poor turn. Sydney S. went with 528 for Celebrity, shrinking the deficit with a good bounce-back effort. Valencia shot back with 523 for YM, parrying the most recent attack away. Pauline kept the pressure up with 466 for Celebrity, allowing them to stay relatively close. Spirit whacked a big 795 for YM on her turn, boosting their lead as the game approaches half-completion. Charli tried to maintain a big pace for Celebrity, but she exited at 379 after a bad swing. Bianca was late to swing and tried a backhand play that failed, dropping her offense at 215 for YM. Daisy wasted the chance to catch up for Celebrity, ending on a puny 49 points. Isabella restored a stable attack for YM with 463, reaching back for a save at one point. Taylor S. was put in the same position for Celebrity, but she bumped the ball backward, ending on 379 as the deficit grows a little more. Rosemary went for fast pace, ending at 280 when she sent a swing too high, but YM is not in danger currently. Melissa made progress with 501 for Celebrity, but they've got a lot of ground to cover on the final turn. Cheddar had only 274 for YM, putting their final score at 3299. Katharine failed to catch up with 193 for Celebrity, their losing final score resting at 2625. Youth Movement has the edge atop Group E for now.
Finally, the coalition of CELYM takes on Forest SC, looking to even Group F. Jake chopped 475 for Forest SC on the opening turn, a good start from their front man. Avril made a mess of her opening turn with only 32 for CELYM, putting them in a sizable hole early on. Nikolai saw the ball well until a high bounce stalled him at 671 for Forest SC, adding nicely to their lead. Gal found a similar groove, gathering 640 for CELYM until a ball hopped over her swing without being touched. Wings kept up the attack with 472 for Forest SC, maintaining their strong lead. Taylor M. tried to dig in for a big turn, but flicked a ball too high to end at 186 for CELYM. Dustin couldn't find his swing, taking a hard fall at 69 points to weaken Forest SC's lead. Luigi answered with 405 for CELYM, making up some of the lost ground. Hershey bit on a back-spun ball, ending an otherwise great outing for Forest SC at 546 when he backhanded it into his wicket. Brownie fell off for CELYM this time, an awful 56 assuring her a spot on the bench in their next game. Jack lashed 451 for Forest SC, extending their lead with another strong performance. Solaris cut into the deficit with 595 on a fiery turn, but CELYM remains far back with two turns left. Sally tacked on 484 for Forest SC, keeping their lead stable late in the game. Rosalina lost ground with 289 for CELYM, as it appears hopeless for them in this game. Graham wiped out at 205 for Forest SC, capping their offense at 3373. Waluigi struggled with 120 for CELYM, leaving their losing total at 2323. Forest SC remains undefeated at 2-0 to lead the group.
We'll likely play the rest of the group stage over the next three days.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
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.
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.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
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.
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.
Saturday, November 24, 2018
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
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.
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.
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