Premier Cricket 2019 - Week 8

The highest level of cricket makes its return to action, beginning with...

Chevrolet Field, Everton: The week begins with the Eagles sitting Cleo for rest while the Torpedoes do the same for Hughbert. Smudge took a hard fail with 72 points for Infinity, sending her third swing too high to stay in bounds. Goldy did quite well in lead off for Everton, smacking 686 to give them a firm lead at the start of this game. Fluffina replied with 490 to make the Torpedoes a bit more respectable after the second attack. Bear answered with 597 for the Eagles, padding their lead a little more at the midway mark. Shelley pushed with 585 for Infinity on her turn, trying to keep them in the fight. Puff III dropped at 192 for Everton, her home struggles persisting into the second phase of the season. Mr. Snowman covered the deficit with 417 for the Torpedoes, setting their final score at 1564. Kirstin did enough with 327 to secure the Eagles' win at 1802. Everton's won four straight at home, rising to 8-6, while Infinity sinks to 5-9.

McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: Delila will sit this game out for the Pirates as they begin a home doubleheader, while Gradley is on the pine for the Swifts. Patches returned to form with 811 after slumping her way into the United Cup break for Boston. Isabella was shaky with her swings, ending at just 100 for Atlantic on their opening turn. Puff II fired back with 636 for the Swifts, looking fine despite also needing some rest. Steven lacked pace on his turn for the Pirates, ending up with a paltry 149. Sweetheart poured on 670 for Boston, a resurgent game that has the legendary franchise looking more like they did last season. Klaus got Atlantic up to a stronger score with 844 by himself, but they're likely to lose anyway. Ice Cream chipped 292 for the Swifts at the end, capping their attack at 2409. Jason N. tried to continue the rally with 655 for the Pirates, but they took the loss at 1748. Boston is back to winning at 7-7, while Atlantic is only a half-game ahead at 8-7.

McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates close their doubleheader with Klaus on the bench, while the visiting Eagles sit Goldy in their second game of the week. Bear carved out 426 for Everton to begin the game, the former captain making a rare lead-off appearance. Delila returned to action with 521 for Atlantic, pulling them ahead initially. Cleo answered with 770 for the Eagles in her return to the lineup, strengthening their lead with the bold attack. Isabella answered with 562 for the Pirates, keeping things fairly close halfway through the game. Puff III attacked well with 759 for Everton to maintain their lead nicely. Steven tried to keep up, but fell with a strong 614 for Atlantic. Kirstin managed 405 for the Eagles, bringing their total to 2360. Jason N. failed to keep up with 276 for the Pirates, who lost with 1973. Everton is up to 9-6, while Atlantic drops to 8-8, trading places in the standings.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Swifts play their final game of the week with their captain Patches sitting out, while the Hummingbirds bench Vincent in this one. Puff II looked very confident in her swing, but she fell at 292 for Boston after a high hit. Sarah went with more pace but suffered a similar fate, getting down at 415 for Tysini. Gradley covered that with 450 for the Swifts on the second attack, but they don't have much cushion. Leandra replied with 420 for the Hummingbirds, enough to retain a small lead in the middle of the game. Sweetheart shot back with 523 for Boston, continuing to challenge the hosts closely. Charli rolled 377 for Tysini on her turn, causing them to slip slightly behind with a player each to go. Ice Cream added a steady 408 for the Swifts at the end, giving them 1673 in total. Paps fell with 308 for the Hummingbirds, costing them the result as they lost with 1520. Boston gets away with another win to rise to 8-7, while Tysini sinks to 3-10 on the year.

HP Field, Midland: The Predators play their first of three games this week with Fuchsia on the bench while the Shores are in a similar position as they rest Katharine for this appearance. Marsell got Whitewater started in a positive manner with 593 points to establish their lead. Shawn lacked pace for Midland, hitting 281 as they'll start this match from behind. Twinkie III boosted the Shores' offense with 636 on her turn, giving them a lofty lead. Rainmane erased the damage, slugging 1173 on her turn to get the Predators back in the mix. Shaggy fired back with 619 for Whitewater to restore a smaller lead for the visitors. Americus couldn't cover that deficit with 280 for Midland, as they'll need another comeback on the final turn. Rosalina kept up with the rest of the Shores, tallying 531 to give them a total of 2379. Kitty fell at 276 for the Predators, leaving them at a loss with 2010. Whitewater surged to 6-10, while Midland drops to 2-11.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: In their second meeting of the week, Puff III takes a seat for the Eagles while Jason N. is on the Pirates' bench as the visitors seek vengeance. Delila didn't start so well with 258 for Atlantic, a mild opener from the visiting captain. Goldy held a steady pace at first and then zoomed upward to close with 655 for Everton for the initial lead. Isabella covered the deficit lightly with 411 for the Pirates, but they are far from a good position. Bear replied with 521 for the Eagles, reaffirming their lead with the good performance. Steven answered with 407 for Atlantic, doing enough to keep them close but not much more. Cleo kept Everton on a higher level with 572, extending their lead once again. Klaus fell with 199 for the Pirates, sucking the drama out of the contest as they lost with 1275, their third straight defeat. Kirstin added 423 for the Eagles to finish their win at 2171. Everton is on the rise at 10-6, while Atlantic dives to 8-9.

HP Field, Midland: Both captains are sitting this game out, as Twilight rests for the Warriors while Shawn is on the bench for performance for the Predators. Dustin churned out 925 for Central with a pacey opening attack, a great play for the visitors. Rainmane had to sacrifice pace to keep her turn alive after a desperate save, ending with 503 for Midland. Wings looked highly uncomfortable on his swings, ending with 288 for the Warriors as their lead weakens slightly. Americus covered the damage with 290 for the Predators, but the deficit remains virtually unchanged at the halfway mark. A well-rested Andrew exploded for 566 for Central on his turn, padding the lead quite nicely. Fuchsia had a quiet return to Midland's lineup, picking up only 176 as their hopes of a comeback are all but dashed. Noelle had only 345 to give the Warriors a total of 2124 in a likely victory. Kitty didn't push back much with 208 for the Predators, confirming their loss at 1177. Central made it look easy in rising to 8-5, while Midland dips to 2-12.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Blades play their second of an eight-game road trip with Stealth on the bench, while the host Pilots have their captain Valencia resting after a pool appearance. The United Cup break did Snowball some good, as she posted 512 to start the scoring in this game. Dusty responded with an even stronger 745 for Golden, using great pace to pull the hosts ahead. Dreamy answered with a chaotic 490 for the Blades, spraying the ball around fairly well to cover the deficit. Strut got caught on a heavy backswing, ending with 443 as the Pilots' lead took a small knock. Bandit answered with 379 for Swordpoint, pulling them ahead at least temporarily again. Max covered that with 429 for Golden, keeping them in front by a slight margin with a player each to go. Sugar fell at 145 for the Blades, sticking them with the loss at 1526. Sparkles added 490 for the Pilots at the end, icing their win at 2107. Golden jumps to 8-9 while Swordpoint drops to 10-11.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Wings returns to the bench for the Warriors as they take on the first-place Rockers, who sit Chimpy for regular rest. Twilight started off with pace but dropped a swing as a ball snuck under her bat to end her turn with 364 for Central. Misty started a little slowed with 211 for Westside, an unusually weak effort from the hosts' captain. Dustin stayed in top form, belting 930 for the Warriors to give them a hefty lead on the second attack. Slinks exited with 240 for the Rockers, who are struggling to regain their form after the United Cup break. Andrew answered with a solid 410 for Central, protecting their lead well. Goatee charged back with 745 for Westside, trying to cut into the deficit late in the game. Noelle covered the damage with 705 for the Warriors, icing their offense at 2409. Midnight didn't push the issue, her 327 confirming a second straight loss for the Rockers at 1523. Central is on the rise at 9-5, while Westside still paces the field at 20-2.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Shores will give Rosalina a game off in this one, while Mr. Snowman takes a spot on the bench for the hosting Torpedoes. Marsell looked alright at first, but a high hit downed him at only 64 points as the visitors will get a slow start. Smudge ripped 932 for Infinity on the first turn, giving the hosts a massive initial lead. Twinkie III stalled out quickly as well, taking a measly 81 for the Shores as they remain far behind. Fluffina piled on with 714 for the Torpedoes, boosting their lead significantly. Shaggy couldn't do much for Whitewater with 272 on her turn, in a game that's set to end quite lopsided. Shelley tapped 391 for Infinity, taking it slow on her turn as the hosts had no need for a rush. Katharine posted 521 for the Shores to give them a final score of 938 in the hard loss. Hughbert added 339 as the Torpedoes easily won with 2376. Infinity is up to 6-9, while Whitewater drops back to 6-11.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles will sit their captain Goldy again in this match, while the Predators sit Americus in their last game of the week. Shawn had a respectable start with 486 for Midland, challenging the hosts to keep up. Bear felt the pressure but managed to score 420 for Everton to keep the game close initially. Rainmane crushed 1020 for the Predators on the second attack, strengthening their lead with the massive performance. Cleo nearly covered the deficit with 1085 for the Eagles, the game as close as it can be at the halfway mark. Fuchsia got beat after an early swing, the ball sneaking by to take her wicket at 300 points for Midland. Puff III lost the smallest bit of ground with 295 for Everton, the game still incredibly close heading into the final turn. Kitty fell at 239 for the Predators, setting their final score at 2045. Kirstin secured the win with 382 for the Eagles, icing their offense at 2182. A close battle sees Everton rise again to 11-6 while Midland drops to 2-13.

Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The visiting Sharpshooters give Lorde her first game off, while the Shores return home in the week's finale and will sit their captain Shaggy. Chris wasted no time in establishing Capital City's attack with 786 on the first turn. Marsell fired back with a middling 292 for Whitewater, only a small dent in the deficit. Missy added a solid 472 for the Sharpshooters on her turn, keeping their lead stable. Twinkie III replied with 537 for the Shores, getting a small portion back for the hosts, who remain behind at midway. Sprinkles walloped 978 for Capital City, boosting their lead with the massive outing. Katharine tried to take a big swing but hooked the ball out play, ending her turn at 245 for Whitewater. Pauline poked just 88 for the Sharpshooters, capping their offense at 2324. Rosalina gathered 490 for the Shores, but they took the loss at 1564. Capital City is up to 5-3, while Whitewater sinks to 6-12.

We're done with week 8 action. Week 9 is set to begin with a big load of Select action tomorrow.

Qualifiers 2019 - Day 27

The last day of week five of the qualifying campaign is here, beginning with...

Central Warriors captain Twilight playing Rotation with the blue cue. Twilight had an ugly game despite making a ball on the break, forced to take six errors in 34 shots. Pacific Volcanoes veteran Ms. Kitty is up next, using the silver cue for 15-ball. Ms. Kitty struggled with the cue getting away from her, resulting in five errors and 30 shots after she potted a ball on the break. Viewpoint Sound Meteors newcomer Frosty cycles the red cue into action with her Rotation appearance. Frosty showed strong control over the cue, ending with 24 shots and only one error after potting a ball on the break and struggling early on. Midland Predators rookie Kitty is the 75th player done with qualifying as she shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Kitty struggled with side pocket shots and went empty on the break, taking one error in 23 shots. Kitty finished with 170 shots and 10 errors overall. The silver cue stays in action as Lighton Prestige captain Acorn plays today's 5th game, shooting Rotation. Acorn made a ball on the break and kept himself to two errors in 23 shots in a solid game.

Viewpoint Sound Meteors newcomer Princess gets group two going with the blue cue in hand for Accuracy, making her the 76th player done qualifying. Princess took 19 shots, fading after a positive start, but she had no errors in the game. She totaled 171 shots and 20 errors in her sessions. Atlantic Pirates veteran Steven will be the 77th player to complete qualifiers, shooting his Accuracy game with the red cue. Steven went empty on the break and then went cold in the middle of the game, finishing with 20 shots and no errors to tally 168 shots and 14 errors overall. Maplewood Lumberjacks star Whiskers plays the 8th game today, using the silver cue in 15-ball. Whiskers couldn't break the league's rut for the day, ending with 30 shots and one error after taking nothing from the break. Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle is next, playing Rotation with the blue cue. Snuggle made a ball on the break and took a casual approach to the game, ending with 25 shots and five errors, four intentional. More Rotation ends the group as A. Charlton of the Archtown Arrows plays in the event with the silver cue. A. Charlton made two balls on the break and triple-potted the 2-14 combination to the bottom side, with the 2 deflecting the 15 to the top right before dropping at the bottom right. She ended with a mere 14 shots and no errors in an amazing game.

Group three leads off with Nightfur of the Royal Crowns playing 12-ball with the blue cue. Nightfur made three balls on the break, cruising at first, but three errors happened late and she ended with 24 shots. Archtown Arrows veteran Dusky keeps the blue cue in action as she shoots 15-ball. Dusky started off well despite an empty break, but her lone error caused a drop-off in quality and she skidded to 26 shots for the game. Midland Predators veteran Americus is the 78th player to finish qualifying, using the red cue in her Accuracy game. Americus didn't exactly break the mold, making a ball on the break and using 19 shots and no errors to finish the game. Americus ended with 174 shots and 14 errors in her qualifiers. Swordpoint Blades hotshot Bandit plays 15-ball with the red cue in today's 14th game. Bandit didn't get a ball on the break, but a surge over the middle of the game helped him end at 24 shots and only two errors. The batch ends with Freedom Cascades veteran Stinky playing 13-ball with the silver cue. Stinky refused to miss often, making a ball on the break and closing the game in 15 shots without an error.

The fourth group sees Gabe of the Maplewood Lumberjacks playing 13-ball with the red cue. Gabe made a ball on the break, but he would illegally pot the 8 late in the game, ending with 29 shots and six errors for his troubles. Capital City Sharpshooters sophomore Pauline is next to try 13-ball, using the silver cue. Pauline had a ball on the break, but it was tough for her to get into position, and she ended up with 27 shots and two errors. Atlantic Pirates rising star Klaus plays 12-ball with the red cue in the 18th game of the day. Klaus got a ball on the break and made good progress early on before his lone error stalled him to 24 shots. Crowns captain Nightfur is back for her second game today, using the blue cue in 13-ball. Nightfur managed to get a ball on the break and only took one error late as she positioned herself cautiously to close at 23 shots. At the back of the group, Lorde of the Capital City Sharpshooters plays 12-ball with the silver cue. Lorde started out very well, but she took an error for missed contact and faded to 20 shots as positioning around the top side was tough to get.

The fifth set starts with Eastside Sharks veteran Gizmo playing 15-ball with the blue cue. Gizmo couldn't pot a ball on the break, putting up 27 shots with two errors in a respectable effort. Harrison Specters veteran Sydney S. plays 13-ball with the silver cue. Sydney S. pushed a ball down on the break and then finished at 20 shots and one error in a solid outing. The silver cue stays in action in the 23rd game of the day as Tysini Hummingbirds newcomer Vincent plays 12-ball. Vincent made quick work of the stripes after potting a ball on the break, and he ended the game in just 17 shots. Moving along, Lighton Prestige veteran Nicole plays 13-ball with the red cue. Nicole broke with her usual cautious form, taking some late risks with two errors in hand already. It paid off, as she finished with 20 shots and a ball on the break. Wrapping up the bunch, Wings of the Central Warriors plays 15-ball with the red cue. Wings made a ball on the break, and then recovered nicely from an early scuffle, taking no errors in his 22 shots.

Group six opens with Pronger Tridents sophomore Lize playing 12-ball with the silver cue. Lize had no trouble with this game, clearing the rack in 15 shots after making a ball on the break while taking no errors. The silver cue stays in action in today's 27th game, as Eastside Sharks veteran Cubby plays 15-ball. Cubby struggled initially, but got a burst at the end to mitigate the damage, which saw him at 31 shots and three errors after an empty break. The Warriors' Wings returns for his second game of the day, making him 79th to exit qualifying as he plays Accuracy with the blue cue. Wings went empty on the break and took no errors in a quiet 19 shots to finish the effort. Wings ended with 178 shots and 11 errors across all appearances. Southern Monarchs captain Panda keeps the blue cue active for 13-ball. Panda didn't make a ball on the break, but excellent and crafty positioning helped him end at 18 shots without an error. Rounding out the group, Modernistic Union veteran Puff I is the 80th player to finish qualifying, shooting Accuracy with the silver cue. Puff I did well to overcome a slow start and empty break, ending with 20 shots and no errors. She had totals of 185 shots and 21 errors for her sessions, worse than the established average.

Lumberjacks star Whiskers is the 81st player done with qualifying, playing Accuracy with the blue cue. Whiskers made two balls on the break, but also took two errors in 21 shots, pushing her overall totals to 182 shots and 11 errors. Stonebridge Wolves third-year Cobalt follows with Accuracy and the red cue to be the 82nd player done with qualifying. Cobalt actually did well despite an empty break, taking only 17 shots and no errors. His overall totals were less than stellar at 212 shots and 14 errors. North Modernistic Nighthawks sophomore Gal keeps the red cue active for her Rotation game. Gal had a ball on the break, but her early shooting dug her a hole, and she needed eight errors and 31 shots to finish the outing. Stonebridge Wolves sophomore Hershey takes the 34th game today, using the blue cue in 15-ball. Hershey made his appearance a quick one, ending with 10 shots when he found the 3-15 combination to the bottom right. He had an empty break and no errors. Waves captain Snuggle returns to bring the league to a dinner break, also using the blue cue in 15-ball. Snuggle did awful in this game, getting a ball on the break but piling up six errors over 35 shots.

After the break, Commerce Tradewinds third-year Solaris ends his qualifying 83rd by speed, using the red cue in Accuracy. Solaris had a disastrous outing, with 24 shots and one error after an empty break. He ended with totals of 159 shots and 12 errors. Stonebridge Wolves newcomer Wild Thing keeps the red cue in play for Rotation. Wild Thing made a ball on the break, and while he took two early errors, he ended with a solid 26 shots. Commerce Tradewinds veteran Niki mixes in some 10-ball with the blue cue for today's 38th game. Niki did well despite an empty break, finishing in 16 shots with two errors. North Modernistic Nighthawks captain Peach goes next, using the silver cue in 15-ball. Peach started a little slow with an empty break and a pair of errors, but she rallied to end at 22 shots for the game. Maplewood Lumberjacks veteran Bryant exits qualifying 84th, playing Accuracy with the silver cue. Bryant didn't make a ball on the break, and his mid-game play suffered, giving him 20 shots and no errors. Overall, he scored 184 shots and 17 errors.

The ninth group commences with the Meteors' Frosty playing 15-ball with the silver cue in her second appearance of the day. Frosty had nothing on the break, and she took three errors, including one for illegally potting the 15, which required her to clear the table. She did so in 22 shots. Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy plays the 42nd game of the day, using the red cue for Rotation. Ms. Puppy had no choice but to take six errors after an empty break quickly dried up for viable shots. Ms. Puppy ended the game at 31 shots. Harrison Specters newcomer Blizzard follows with the silver cue in hand for 13-ball. Blizzard made a pair on the break and ended with 21 shots and one error in a lively appearance. The Waves' Snuggle makes it a trio of games today, becoming the 85th player to finish qualifying as he shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Snuggle ended up with 16 shots and no errors after taking nothing on the break in the appearance. He totaled 202 shots and 21 errors in a rough qualifying campaign. Finishing the batch, the Diamond Gems newcomer Leonardo plays Rotation with the silver cue. Leonardo made a ball on the break and ended with 26 shots and three errors.

The final group is fronted by Everton Eagles captain Goldy, who plays 13-ball with the red cue. Goldy didn't get anything on the break, but she managed to close in 23 shots with only one error. The Specters' Sydney S. returns for Rotation with the blue cue in her second appearance today. Sydney S. didn't get a ball on the break, ending with 20 shots and no errors in a spectacular appearance. Southridge Defenders captain Debby will be the 86th player to complete qualifiers, using the red cue in Accuracy. Debby fired off 19 shots after an empty break, completing the appearance with no errors. She had totals of 179 shots and 22 errors in her qualifiers. More Accuracy awaits as the Blades' Bandit plays with the blue cue to be the 87th player to finish qualifying. Bandit made a ball on the break and finished in 17 shots without an error, putting his qualifying totals at 202 shots and 15 errors after some earlier failures. Accuracy will end the day as Eastside Sharks captain Graham plays the event with the red cue to be the 88th player done with qualifying. Graham split the middle of the previous two with 18 shots, no errors, and an empty break. Graham ended with 167 shots and only 8 errors in his appearances.

That's all for this week. Next week, Qualifiers come to a close with four regular days and a 70-game special on Friday.

Qualifiers 2019 - Day 26

Another day of qualifying is here, as we transition to the 15-ball majority portion of the campaign. First up today is...

Victoria Spurs sophomore Sage playing 10-ball with the silver cue. Sage needed only 12 shots despite her empty break, taking no errors in a crisp appearance. The Spurs see newcomer Mitchell take the next game, using the silver cue for 12-ball. Mitchell went empty on his break as well, but he managed to close the game in 23 shots with no errors, playing a clean and smart game. Staying in the southwest, Lighton Prestige captain Acorn plays 12-ball with the red cue. Acorn made a ball on the break as well as scratching for the first of his two errors, but he closed in 18 shots for a great outing. Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy takes the fourth game of the day, playing Rotation with the red cue. Shaggy made a ball on the break while scratching for the first of her three errors, ending with 29 shots in the mild appearance. She actually played out of order, skipping 13-ball, which she was drawn to play next with the red cue. The mix-up shook the veteran, as she needed 32 shots with only one error to finish the game after an empty break.

The second group begins with Cubby shooting Rotation with the silver cue. Cubby had nothing on the break, and despite some good shooting early, he ended with 33 shots and three errors for the game. Commerce Tradewinds veteran Niki gets the seventh game of the day, playing 9-ball with the red cue. Niki went empty on the break, but finished with 13 shots and only one error, even taking the 9 in a safe manner. The Prestige's Acorn is back for his second appearance of the day, using the blue cue in 13-ball. This was a much worse game for the respected captain, who potted balls on the break but ended at 34 shots and four errors after a long positioning fight. Everton Eagles star Puff III exits qualifying by playing Accuracy with the red cue, the 66th player to complete her run. Puff III needed only 18 shots after making a ball on the break, taking no errors in the game. Puff III finished with 176 shots and 12 errors overall. At the back of the batch, Web City Spiders newcomer Chicky Phil plays Rotation with the red cue. Chicky Phil saw nothing drop on the break, but he wouldn't be held back for long, finishing with 19 shots and no errors.

Central Warriors captain Twilight leads off group three with 10-ball and the blue cue. Twilight started and finished well, but a rough middle gave her 15 shots and no errors for the game after an empty break. Victoria Spurs captain is the 67th player done with qualifying by playing Accuracy with the blue cue. Spice walked away with 17 shots and one error after potting a ball on the break, which gave her totals of 178 shots and 11 errors. Westside Rockers newcomer Chimpy plays 15-ball with the red cue in the 13th game of the day. Chimpy made a ball on the break and wasted no time around the table, ending with 19 shots and two errors in a quick performance. More 15-ball awaits with the silver cue for Whitewater Shores sophomore Katharine. She made two balls on the break and had only two errors over 22 shots in a strong performance. Modernistic Union captain Ms. Puppy finishes the group with 13-ball with the blue cue. Ms. Puppy made two balls on the break but suffered three errors over 23 shots to complete the effort.

The Spiders' Chicky Phil returns for his second game of the day to kick off the fourth bunch, playing 15-ball with the red cue. Chicky Phil couldn't get a ball on the break, but he limited himself to two errors over 23 shots in a good outing. Archtown Arrows newcomer Hoppy closes her qualifiers 68th by speed, playing Accuracy with the blue cue. Hoppy made a ball on the break and took only 17 shots to clear the table, giving her totals of 172 shots and 9 errors after the clean finale. Infinity Torpedoes captain Smudge draws in next, playing 15-ball with the red cue. She went empty on the break and picked up three errors early on, but managed to thread the thinnest of needles on a 6-15 combination to the top right to end with 11 shots. Moving along, Southridge Defenders veteran Caitlin plays Accuracy with the silver cue, the 69th player to complete qualifying. Caitlin went off with 17 shots and one error after scratching while making a ball on the break. Caitlin's totals rested at 178 shots and 12 errors. The Warriors' Twilight plays the 20th game of the day, her second appearance coming in 12-ball with the silver cue. Twilight pushed the limits of the even, making three balls on the break and finishing with 13 shots and no errors.

The fifth group starts with Chelsea of the Eastside Sharks playing Rotation with the red cue. Chelsea had some good play early on, but she ended up taking three late errors, pushing her score to 26 shots. Archtown Arrows newcomer A. Charlton is set to shoot 13-ball with the blue cue in the next game. A. Charlton got two balls on the break and cruised from there, ending with 21 shots and no errors in a strong and well-planned sequence. Chicky Phil will end his qualifiers 70th, playing Accuracy with the red cue for his third game of the day. Chicky Phil played well after an empty break and took no errors, but needed 19 shots to bust clusters at the end. He had totals of 174 shots and 13 errors. Freedom Cascades veteran Stripes follows with Accuracy and the silver cue to make her 71st to finish. Stripes made a ball on the break, but tried to be too tricky at the end of the game and ended up with 19 shots and no errors. Stripes took 163 shots and 11 errors across her qualifiers. Whitewater Shores newcomer Rosalina uses the blue cue in Accuracy to become the 72nd player done with qualifying. Rosalina didn't take an error over 17 shots after making a ball on the break, only suffering a cold finish. She totaled 193 shots and 25 errors in a rough qualifying campaign.

Group six opens with Gabe of the Maplewood Lumberjacks playing 12-ball with the blue cue. Gabe posted 17 shots after going empty on the break, his solids and stripes both going down rapidly as he only had to do a little positioning. He took no errors. Queens Flames superstar Violetta plays 13-ball with the red cue in the 27th game of the day. Violetta will find herself at the bottom of the event standings after needing 44 shots and five errors despite making a ball on the break. We're right back to 13-ball as the Diamond Gems newcomer Leonardo plays in the event with the blue cue. Leonardo played exceptionally, also taking a ball on the break and no errors in his 20 shots in a much cleaner effort than the preceding one. Tysini Hummingbirds captain Leandra is next up, using the silver cue in Rotation. Leandra couldn't make anything on the break, and she needed 36 shots with seven errors to clear the table in a difficult appearance. Rounding out the group, Cheddar of the North Modernistic Nighthawks plays 10-ball with the red cue. Cheddar made a ball on the break, and then needed only 3 shots to convert the 1-10 combination to the bottom right, taking no errors in the quick appearance.

The seventh group sees Charli of the Tysini Hummingbirds play 10-ball with the silver cue. Charli was even better in her appearance, needing just 1 shot to make the 1-10 combination at the bottom right, with no errors and a ball on the break. Following that, Pearl Surfers co-captain Watermelon shoots Rotation with the blue cue. Watermelon made a ball on the break and played well at first, but a mid-game fade took her to 28 shots and one error in the game. Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette is next with the blue cue in hand for 15-ball. Tigerette had a clear disregard for the rules, taking four intentional errors early and still ending at 14 shots with a 5-15 combination to the bottom right to make up for the empty break. The 34th game of the day went to Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Lorde, who plays 10-ball with the blue cue. Lorde went empty on her break, and then needed 14 shots and two errors to put down the rack in short order. Wrapping up the group, Queens Flames newcomer Mario plays 13-ball with the silver cue. Mario made two balls on the break and took two errors later on, ending with 23 shots for the game.

Group eight gets going as the Spurs' Mitchell plays his second game of the day, using the red cue in 13-ball. Mitchell needed only 18 shots with one error after making a ball on the break and breezing through the rack. The Warriors' Twilight is on for her third game today, playing 13-ball with the red cue as well. Twilight couldn't get a ball to fall on the break, and she stumbled to 26 shots with three errors for the game. More 13-ball awaits Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle, who will use the silver cue in this one. Snuggle split the difference, getting a ball on the break and taking one error over his 22 shots. After that, Lighton Prestige newcomer Shiny plays Rotation with the red cue. Shiny couldn't get a ball on the break, but she kept herself to three errors and 25 shots in a solid performance, especially in the late game. Completing the group, Archtown Arrows captain Sally shoots 13-ball with the blue cue. Sally made two balls on the break and added two errors in 22 shots for a deuces wild performance.

Pacific Volcanoes veteran Leonette gets the 41st game today, heading group nine as the 73rd player done with qualifying as she plays Accuracy with the red cue. Leonette put a sour bow on her rough qualifying campaign with 23 shots and one error after an empty break to end at 215 shots and 24 errors overall. Stonebridge Wolves third-year Cobalt gives 15-ball a try with the silver cue. Cobalt struggled despite having the 15 near the bottom side. He went empty on the break and took three errors over 29 shots to clear the table. Arrows captain Sally is back for her second game today, using the red cue in Rotation. Sally simply couldn't stop potting balls after an empty break, taking only 18 shots and no errors to complete the game. The Sharks' Chelsea is back for her second game today, using the silver cue in 15-ball. Chelsea made a ball on the break and started well before three errors pushed her score up to 27 shots. Another Shark, the captain Graham, concludes the group with the red cue in hand for 15-ball. Graham did well, getting a ball on the break and taking only one error in his 25 shots.

The last group commences with the Shores' Katharine making her qualifying exit 74th, playing Accuracy with the blue cue. Katharine had some late troubles with her shots, ending with 20 shots and no errors. She scored 158 shots and 8 errors overall in an underrated qualifying session. Boston Swifts star Gradley is set to play in 15-ball with the blue cue. Gradley needed 25 shots and two errors after potting a ball on the break, as his play faded in the middle of the game. Lighton Prestige newcomer Citrus goes to Rotation with the silver cue in the 48th game of the day. Citrus couldn't get any consistent shooting, taking three errors and an empty break in 32 shots. Tysini Hummingbirds veteran Paps keeps the silver cue in play for his 15-ball game. Paps made a ball on the break, but couldn't dig himself out of bad positions, ending with 34 shots and four errors. Finally, Golden Pilots captain Valencia shoots 15-ball with the blue cue. Valencia got a ball on the break and took one error while finishing with 23 shots.

We've got one more day this week, playing tomorrow before taking the weekend off.

Qualifiers 2019 - Day 25

We're back for another day where speed is of the essence in qualifying action. First up...

Pounce of the Southern Monarchs plays 15-ball with the red cue. Pounce cranked a ball on the break, and then got lucky with positioning, making the 7-15 combination to the top right to end at 16 shots and one error. The red cue stays in action as Stonebridge Wolves sophomore Hershey plays 12-ball. Hershey had nothing on the break and took two errors over 25 shots in a decent outing. Oceanside Waves rising star Celestia shoots 9-ball with the red cue in the third game of the day. Celestia was decidedly average with 14 shots and one error after making a ball on the break. The blue cue comes on as Boston Swifts captain Patches plays 10-ball in her first look of the day. Patches didn't make a ball on the break and took one error for missed contact before settling in to finish with 17 shots. Ending the group, the Wolves' Hershey returns to play 13-ball with the silver cue in his second game today. Hershey had a ball on the break but struggled to keep up with his shooting pace, ending at 29 shots and two errors.

Royal Crowns sophomore Cassie puts an end to 8-ball with the red cue at the head of group two. Cassie ended with 26 shots and two errors after getting nothing on the break. After that, Southern Monarchs newcomer Mams becomes the 59th player done with qualifying as she uses the red cue in Accuracy. Mams held her ground after a rough patch in the middle erased her advantage from making a ball on the break. She ended at 20 shots and one error for totals of 186 shots and 14 errors overall. Boston Swifts veteran Gradley jumps in for 12-ball with the blue cue in today's eighth game. Gradley had an empty break and added three errors as his shots had too much drift on them when taken slowly before closing at 25 shots. Viewpoint Sound Meteors newcomer Princess steps up for 15-ball with the red cue in the next game. Princess had a tough game, getting nothing on the break and piling up eight errors over 37 shots. Whitewater Shores star Twinkie III closes the group with the blue cue in hand for 13-ball. Twinkie III picked up a ball on the break, but also took a late error among her 24 shots in an average game.

The Wolves' Hershey checks in for his third game of the day, using the red cue in Rotation. Hershey played well, with a ball on the break and three intentional errors to pave his way to 24 shots for the game. More Rotation awaits as Everton Eagles veteran Cleo plays in the event with the blue cue. Cleo rattled off two balls on the break and finished with 21 shots and three errors after smoothly navigating a tough start. The blue cue stays up as Whitewater Shores newcomer Rosalina plays 15-ball. Rosalina chose to ignore the rules, racking up seven errors in 23 shots after an empty break, with her finish coming early on the 12-15 combination to the bottom right. Maplewood Lumberjacks star Whiskers also uses the blue cue in her Rotation appearance. Whiskers got a ball on the break and took only one error in 25 shots as she blew around the table with ease. The 15th player of the day is Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris, who plays 13-ball with the blue cue. Chris looked fully in control on his turn, taking nothing on the break but easily finishing in 19 error-free shots.

The fourth group kicks off with Everton Eagles captain Goldy playing 12-ball with the blue cue. Goldy showed her expert-level skills with nothing on the break but only 16 shots needed to put away the rack without taking an error. Web City Spiders newcomer Chicky Phil gets on the blue cue hype train for 13-ball. Chicky Phil made three balls on the break, but that made things worse as he took four errors from bad positions to end at 28 shots. Atlantic Pirates captain Delila is up next, keeping the blue cue active for her 12-ball qualifier. Just like that, the hype is dead, as Delila made a ball on the break but ended up with 26 shots and two errors for the game. Another Pirate, the third-year Klaus, plays 10-ball with the blue cue in the day's 19th game. Klaus made two balls on the break and kept his performance clean with no errors in 12 shots in a quick game. Web City Spiders newcomer Waluigi plays Accuracy with the blue cue as the 60th player to finish qualifying at the back of this batch. Waluigi managed to close the game in 20 shots after one error and an empty break. His totals stood at 197 shots and 14 errors in a poor start to his Spiders' career in pool.

Group five opens with the Central Warriors' Dustin finishing 61st by speed in qualifying as he plays Accuracy with the silver cue. Dustin went empty on the break, but also finished with 17 shots and no errors for totals of 154 shots and only 6 errors. Cowzart of the Pacific Volcanoes gets the 22nd game of the day, using the silver cue in Rotation. Cowzart started with awful luck, missing the 1 multiple times, but he settled in and finished in 25 shots with just one error. The Swifts' Gradley makes his second appearance today in 13-ball with the red cue. Gradley went from great game to mess after two late errors in an attempt to get positioning. He made a ball on the break and finished with 27 shots. More 13-ball is on the way with Pearl Surfers co-captain Watermelon playing in the event with the blue cue. Watermelon played patiently after making a ball on the break, a wise choice that helped her finish with no errors in 21 shots. Rounding out the group, Mitchell of the Victoria Spurs plays 10-ball with the blue cue. Mitchell made a ball on the break after a couple of deflections, and then finished at 2 shots with the 1-10 combination to the bottom right, taking no errors in the quick game.

Starting bunch six, Jack of the Web City Spiders plays 13-ball with the red cue. Jack potted three balls on the break, and then took two errors while pushing himself quickly into position to end at 22 shots. Archtown Arrows newcomer Hoppy draws in for 15-ball with the blue cue in the next game. Hoppy made a ball on the break, then cooled down before her only error ignited a late burst to close at 26 shots. The Crowns' Cassie picks up her second game of the day, using the red cue in 9-ball to finally get off the slowest track. Cassie made a ball on the break and took the first of her two errors, but her offense was good and she ended in only 11 shots. The 29th game of the day is 12-ball with the red cue for the Todavía Stills' Bells. This game went well despite an empty break, with two errors but only 19 shots to her credit this time. Wrapping up the batch, Twinkie III of the Shores plays Rotation with the blue cue. She needed only 24 shots with two errors, both intentional, after going empty on the break, a strong effort for the struggling star.

Group seven sees the Monarchs' Pounce playing Accuracy with the blue cue as the 62nd player to finish qualifying. Pounce made two balls on the break and ended with 17 shots and no errors for the game, giving him 171 shots and 10 errors across all qualifiers. The Golden Pilots' Strut joined Pounce among the completed, the 63rd to finish as he shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Strut was even better, needing just 15 shots without an error despite going empty on the break. Strut finds himself near the top of the stack with 141 shots and only 8 errors across his appearances. Tysini Hummingbirds captain Leandra takes the 33rd game today, using the red cue for 12-ball. Leandra breezed through her game in 15 shots with no errors after making a ball on the break, dominating solids before patiently pocketing stripes. Following that, Archtown Arrows veteran Dusky plays Rotation with the blue cue. Dusky couldn't get anything on the break, ending with 24 shots and three errors in a good game. Infinity Torpedoes newcomer Hughbert takes a crack at 13-ball with the red cue to complete this set. Hughbert couldn't be slowed down, taking a ball on the break and only one error as he attacked and positioned for 19 shots.

The eighth group is led by Jasmine, the Freedom Cascades captain, playing Accuracy with the blue cue as the 64th player to finish qualifying. Jasmine couldn't get anything on the break, and ended with 19 shots and no errors for totals of 165 shots and 14 errors. Southridge Defenders captain Debby keeps the blue cue in action for Rotation. Debby managed to overcome taking four errors intentionally after an empty break, rallying to finish with 25 shots in the game. Moving along, Wild Thing of the Stonebridge Wolves plays 13-ball with the silver cue. Wild Thing made a ball on the break, but he faltered with positioning late, taking one error in 26 shots for a solid outing. The silver cue stays in action as Harrison Specters newcomer Blizzard shoots 12-ball. Blizzard didn't get a ball on the break, but only took one error and stayed smart with positioning to finish with 23 shots despite a slow push at the end. The 40th game of the day goes to Hummingbirds captain Leandra, who returns to play 13-ball with the red cue in her second appearance of the day. Leandra had to be patient despite making a ball on the break, fortunately finishing at 26 shots with three errors.

Group nine begins with North Modernistic Nighthawks stalwart Cheddar playing 9-ball with the silver cue. Cheddar had a ball on the break but took two errors over a pitiful 23 shots to complete the game. Midland Predators veteran Americus keeps the silver cue up for 15-ball. Americus made it quick, taking a ball on the break and then working her way to kick a 5-15 combination to the bottom right to end on 12 shots and one error. Commerce Tradewinds third-year Solaris also uses the silver cue for 15-ball in the 43rd game of the day. Solaris had nothing on the break and chaotically ended up with three errors, but his deflection off the 5 bumped the 13 to the top right and the 15 to the bottom side to end at 13 shots. Next up, North Modernistic Nighthawks sophomore Gal plays 13-ball with the red cue. Gal looked a little lost after an empty break, but she pushed on to end with 18 shots and no errors in a stunning performance with brilliant positioning. Tysini Hummingbirds newcomer Vincent concludes the group with 10-ball and the silver cue. Vincent seemingly couldn't get anything to fall the first time, requiring 27 shots and three errors to get out of the ugly appearance.

The 46th game of the day goes to Pearl Surfers veteran Beth, who shoots 12-ball with the red cue. Beth made two balls on the break and cleared the rack in a crisp 16 shots despite taking one error. The Swifts Gradley is next, playing his third game of the day in Rotation with the red cue. Gradley had nothing on the break, and then struggled at first, taking two errors over 28 shots as he finished a bit better. Another Swift, Puff II, plays 9-ball with the blue cue. Puff II made a ball on the break and avoided errors over 13 shots, alternating between brilliance and awkwardly missing. Diamond Gems captain is the 65th player to complete qualifying as he shoots Accuracy with the blue cue. Smokey knocked in a pair on the break and took no errors over 15 shots, bringing his qualifying totals to 170 shots and 12 errors. Finally, Defenders captain Debby returns for her second game today, using the silver cue in 15-ball. Debby made a ball on the break but added five errors over 26 shots in the performance, a mixed bag result.

That's all from a fast and furiously good day of games. We continue at a relaxed pace tomorrow.

Elite Cricket 2019 - Week 8

Elite returns to action after the first United Cup break, beginning with...

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: Melissa will sit for the Knights while the Surfers have Beth on the bench as Elite action returns at the start of week 8. Watermelon flipped 757 for Pearl right at the start, getting the visitors off to a positive opening turn. Kiwi answered her sister with only 304 for Terrace City, showing patience but not much pop in the response. Boots slipped at 257 for the Surfers, keeping their lead at about the same level as before. Jennifer made progress with 534 for the Knights, cutting away a large portion of the deficit at the halfway mark. Neopolitan answered with 532 for Pearl, offsetting the damage again. Oreo slipped up with 177 for Terrace City, taking them out of the battle late in the game. Bright added 324 for the Surfers, giving them a total of 1870 for the game. Quincy tried to rally but came up short with 388, leaving the Knights at a loss with 1403. Pearl continues to rise at 9-4, while Terrace City's freefall sees them at 10-9.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds return to action with Taylor S. sitting out, while the Prestige sit Spirit in their first game back from the break. Acorn opened with a fast 605 for Lighton, trying to right the ship after a rough end to the first segment of the season. Tigerette kept it close with 544 for Commerce on their opening turn, leaving the rest of the players to sort it out. Citrus scooped up 519 for the Prestige, restoring most of the damage done by the hosts. Solaris replied with 454 for the Tradewinds, keeping things close as they remain narrowly behind. Nicole allowed Lighton's offense to sag with 345 on her turn, potentially allowing the hosts to make a push. Niki did just that with 615 for Commerce, pulling them to a small lead with a player each to go. Shiny supplied 300 for the Prestige, setting their final score at a vulnerable 1769. Rosemary sent the fans home happy with 379 for the Tradewinds, icing their victory at 1992. Commerce jumps to 10-6, while Lighton is down to 4-8.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Castle Derby is renewed early in week 8, with the host Defenders sitting Caitlin, while the visiting Flames look for revenge with Violetta taking rest. Crystal made an absolute mess of the start with 50 points for Queens, leaving them highly vulnerable. Bianca answered with 579 for Southridge, setting them off to a much better start than their visitors. Briana stumbled with 144 for the Flames on the second attack, never coming near the deficit. Debby only added 272 for the Defenders, showing a little mercy at the halfway mark of the rivalry match. Mario had good pace, but a high swing downed him at 390 for Queens, as he only erased half of the deficit. Stephanie fired back with 546 for Southridge, rebuilding their lead late in the game. Hannah didn't put up much of a fight with 164 as the Flames took a hard loss at 748, their lowest score of the year. Wario iced the Defenders win with 395, for a total score of 1792. Southridge has Queens' number, with the former up to 3-15, while the latter drops to 8-8.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills continue a five-game home stand with Bells on the bench, while the visiting Crowns sit Cassie after a rough run in their short-lived United Cup action. Kayla cracked 541 for Royal on the first turn, putting them in a strong position initially. Ruby answered with 659 for Todavía, helping the hosts pull ahead after the first turn. Jake escalated the attack with 765 for the Crowns on the second turn, grabbing a larger lead than before. Sierra faltered at 195 for the Stills, putting the hosts in a deep hole at the midway point. Nightfur piled on with 709 for Royal, boosting their lead again with the big performance. Easter had an aggressive stance for her turn, but the Todavía captain exited at 164 after a high hit. Brownie tapped 264 for the Crowns, cruising them to a final score of 2279. Prism tried to rally but missed an offering and ended with 211 as the Stills crashed to a loss at 1229. Royal surges to 5-11, while Todavía is down to 5-8.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills complete a split doubleheader with Sierra on the bench, while the visiting Tridents have Zach taking rest in this game. Precious couldn't get a handle on her pace for Pronger, ending her turn with 304 in a mild start. Ruby slugged 1669 for Todavía to start their scoring in a massive way. Spot got beat by a high bounce that jumped his bat and took his wicket with only 64 points to his name, making this look very bad for the Tridents. Bells put up a solid 383 for the Stills, not like they need any help on offense at the midway mark. Potter didn't want to go quietly, rallying with a quick 581 for Pronger to shrink the deficit slightly. Easter chipped in with 434 for Todavía as they cruise toward a needed win. Lize took 368 for the Tridents, who suffered the loss at 1317 overall. Prism tacked on 548 for the Stills to close their win with 3034. Todavía is now 6-8, while Pronger slides to 10-6.

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: The Knights give Oreo a game off for a variety of reasons, while the Waves sit Josie in their first of two games this week. Snuggle got off to a hot start with 711 for Oceanside, giving them a strong lead early on. Kiwi pulled back with 470 for Terrace City, keeping the hosts in the battle initially. Celestia doubled up the Waves offense with 769 on her turn, continuing to pressure the hosts. Jennifer covered that damage with 771 for the Knights, keeping the deficit steady halfway through the game. Dewey kept Oceanside's offense sharp with 619 on his turn, parrying the pressure back to the hosts. Quincy couldn't keep up with 422 for Terrace City, allowing the deficit to grow entering the final turn. Jason V. dipped out at 208 for the Waves, giving them 2307 in total. Melissa tried to rally with 460 for the Knights, but they took the narrow loss at 2123. Oceanside remains atop the Elite table at 12-3, while Terrace City's slide takes them to 10-10.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades rest Stripes in their first game of the week, while the Prestige's last action of the week sees Citrus sitting out. Acorn charged with 625 for Lighton to open the scoring, a positive play from the visiting captain. Jasmine edged Freedom ahead with 684 on her turn, setting up a competitive game after one turn. Spirit's struggles persisted with only 115 for the Prestige here, leaving them vulnerable. Roxy tallied 337 to pull the Cascades ahead again by a thin margin as the game reaches half-completion. Nicole covered the deficit assertively with 554 for Lighton, presenting a challenge to the hosts. Nikolai countered with 480 for Freedom, enough to keep them ahead with a player each to go. Shiny poked 289 for the Prestige at the end, leaving them with 1583 overall. Stinky stood tall with 503 for the Cascades, icing their win at 2004. Freedom jumps to 6-6, joining a three-way tie for 6th, while Lighton sinks to 4-9.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills continue their home stand versus the Coastal rival Waves, with Snuggle sitting for the visitors while Easter takes regular rest for the hosts. Celestia started with 530 for Oceanside in a rare lead-off appearance. Ruby answered with 364 for Todavía, a decent appearance but hardly a drop in the bucket compared to her previous outing. Josie countered with 544 for the Waves in her return to the lineup, doubling their offense. Sierra hauled in 487 for the Stills to mitigate the damage done against them. Dewey hit 379 for Oceanside, potentially weakening their lead a bit with the average performance. Bells failed to capitalize on the opportunity, her 343 keeping the deficit steady heading into the final turn. Jason V. left it open with 272 for the Waves to give them 1725 overall. Prism let it slip with 256 for the Stills, confirming their defeat at 1450. Oceanside soars on to 13-3, while Todavía drops back to 6-9.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns return home with Nightfur taking this game off, while the visiting Volcanoes sit Twinkie I in their only game this week. Starlight showed a lot of offense with a quick 561 for Pacific to lead off the game. Kayla answered with 450 for Royal on her opening attack, keeping the hosts somewhat close at first. Ms. Kitty got rattled by a desperate save, holding on long enough to add 371 for the Volcanoes. Jake failed to capitalize for the Crowns, hitting a pathetic 135 as the hosts fall farther behind. Leonette broke out of a road slump with 512 to pad the Pacific lead. Brownie only got some of that back with 357 for Royal, continuing their downward slide. Cowzart chipped 368 for the Volcanoes to keep the lead steady as they finished with 1812. Cassie's 180 didn't even make it close for the Crowns as they dropped the game at 1122 overall. Pacific continues to rise to 9-5, while Royal is 5-12 on the year.

Sony Stadium, Queens: Mario sits for the Flames after two pool appearances Tuesday, while the Cascades have Stripes sitting out for similar reasons. Jasmine led off with a solid 492 for Freedom initially, trying to establish their offense in what's expected to be a tight game. Crystal stumbled a bit with 304 for Queens on their first turn, giving the hosts an uphill battle. Roxy slipped with a mere 199 for the Cascades on the second attack, leaving the door open. Violetta erupted for 1055 for the Flames, easily covering the deficit to give her side a massive lead. Nikolai was unable to counterattack for Freedom, his 214 barely moving the needle at all. Briana racked up another 635 for Queens on her turn, making their lead a confident one late in the game. Stinky dropped at 96 for the Cascades, giving them a pitiful final of 1001 for their first road loss. Hannah piled on with 831 for the Flames at the end, capping their massive win at 2825. Queens rises to 9-8 while sending Freedom to 6-7.

Apple Park, Todavía: This Coastal Derby match sees the host Stills sitting their star Sierra, while the Surfers rest co-captain Watermelon for the first game of their road doubleheader to end a six-game road trip. Boots hammered 747 for Pearl, as the veteran showed she still has the chops to lead a game off. Ruby countered with 622 for Todavía, giving the game an energetic feeling from the start. Neopolitan offset some of the damage with an even 500 on her pacey second attack for the Surfers. Bells replied with 456 for the Stills, doing well to mitigate the damage but not fighting back against the deficit. Bright had only 144 for Pearl, leaving the door wide open for the hosts to stage a comeback. Easter walked through with 484 for Todavía, keeping their offense well balanced as they take the lead. Beth covered the deficit with 319 for the Surfers, setting their final score at 1710. Prism did enough with 308 for the Stills to claim the win at 1870. Todavía lifts to 7-9 while Pearl dips back to 9-5 in a tie for second in Elite for now.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Surfers end their six-game road trip with Neopolitan out of the lineup, while the Tradewinds rest Rosemary after a pool appearance. Watermelon returned to Pearl's lineup with 494 to start this match. Tigerette had a rare misstep with 96 points for Commerce, putting the hosts in a significant hole right from the start. Boots was steady with pace but a little lower than expected as she added 345 to the Surfers' lead. Solaris hooked 711 for the Tradewinds on his turn, shrinking the deficit significantly. Bright erased the damage with 696 for Pearl, snapping out of his recent funk. Taylor S. took a high swing to end at 144 for Commerce, weakening their chances of a comeback on the final turn. Beth tapped 290 for the Surfers, giving them a total of 1825. Niki topped that with 305, but the Tradewinds fell far short at 1256 in the loss. Pearl jumps to 10-5, while Commerce drops to 10-7.

That's all for Elite this week. Thursday thru Saturday will see action at the Premier level.

Qualifiers 2019 - Day 24

Qualifying rolls on in Rotation-majority days, beginning today with...

The Golden Pilots' Sparkles playing 15-ball with the silver cue. Sparkles was lucky to put the 15 near the top right on the break, eventually tapping a 3-15 combination there to end with 17 shots and three errors after some questionable play. Royal Crowns captain Nightfur goes next, using the red cue for 10-ball. Nightfur also benefited from good positioning, making the 2-10 combination to the top right to close at 5 shots despite an early error for cue ball off the table. The silver cue is back in the day's third game so Infinity Torpedoes newcomer Hughbert can shoot 12-ball. Hughbert had a slow start, a strong middle, and two errors in a sloppy finish to close the game with 25 shots after an empty break. Modernistic Union veteran Puff I steps up in 15-ball to give the blue cue its daily debut. Puff I made a ball on the break and solidly worked around the table, wavering in precision before converting a 9-15 combination to the top right to bail at 25 shots and three errors. Finishing the group, Stonebridge Wolves captain Juno plays 12-ball with the blue cue. Juno made nothing on the break but attacked with force from there, ending in 16 shots with no errors.

The second group begins with North Modernistic Nighthawks captain Peach playing Rotation with the silver cue. Peach made two balls on the break and closed the rack in 24 shots with no errors, showing some strong skill in the effort. More Rotation follows for Central Warriors star Dustin, who appears with the red cue in the event. Dustin didn't have as much luck, taking one error after an empty break but also needing 30 shots to clear the table. After that, Pronger Tridents third-year Potter plays 15-ball with the blue cue. Potter couldn't get a ball on the break, but he closed with 24 shots and a surprisingly low three errors for his troubles. North Modernistic Nighthawks sophomore Gal plays 12-ball with the silver cue. Gal put in another good effort, taking only 16 shots and no errors after an empty break. The tenth game of the day goes to Pearl Surfers co-captain Neopolitan, who plays 15-ball with the silver cue. Neopolitan had nothing on the break and two errors early on before finishing with 27 shots.

Group three starts with an end, as the Viewpoint Sound Meteors leader Hoot plays Accuracy with the blue cue, the 44th player to complete qualifying. Hoot had no struggles in the game, getting a ball on the break and finishing without an error at 16 shots. He totaled 166 shots and 21 errors across his qualifying runs. Queens Flames newcomer Mario follows up with the red cue in hand for 10-ball. Mario had a chance for a good game with a ball on the break, but two errors, countless chipped shots, and 24 shots overall ruined it. Boston Swifts veteran Ice Cream is the 45th to finish qualifying, using the silver cue in Accuracy to make it a quarter of all players done. Ice Cream looked lost at first, but calmed to 19 shots and no errors for totals of 191 shots and 23 errors. Mr. Snowman of the Infinity Torpedoes will join her in the completed zone as the 46th by speed, playing Accuracy with the red cue. Mr. Snowman made a ball on the break but also finished with 19 shots and no errors. He finished at 181 shots and 16 errors overall. Rounding out the group, the Surfers' Neopolitan is the 47th player done with qualifying as she takes up the blue cue for Accuracy. Neopolitan went empty on the break, but had a fancy triple-kiss finish on the 6 to end with no errors at 17 shots. Neopolitan played cleanly with 166 shots and 8 errors overall.

The finales roll on in batch four, as Pronger Tridents veteran Zach plays Accuracy with the red cue as the 48th player to exit qualifying. Zach went empty on the break but didn't miss again, with 15 shots and no errors to give himself 165 shots and 15 errors overall. The Flames' Mario is back to shoot 12-ball with the silver cue in the 17th game of the day. Mario needed only 16 shots without an error, making two balls on the break and another double-pot early on. Back to finales with the Boston Swifts' Sweetheart, whose Accuracy game with the silver cue makes her the 49th player to finish. Sweetheart made no errors and a ball on the break for 16 shots in the game, ending her sessions with 189 shots and 22 errors in a mixed set of performances. Continuing along, Cobalt of the Stonebridge Wolves plays Rotation with the blue cue. Cobalt stepped up big with 23 shots and only two errors after an empty break, showing superb control until the last ball. Tysini Hummingbirds captain Leandra wraps up the group with 10-ball and the blue cue. Leandra left her appearance frustrated, taking three unavoidable errors in 21 shots after sinking nothing on the break.

Pearl Surfers co-captain Watermelon opens group five, playing 12-ball with the silver cue. Watermelon made a ball on the break and cracked out the rack in 19 shots without an error, showing some heady play with her positioning. Harrison Specters veteran Sydney S. gets the next game, using the red cue for 9-ball. Sydney S. wasted no time with her shots, making a ball on the break and finishing in 9 shots with no errors. The Warriors' Dustin returns for his second game of the day, playing 15-ball with the silver cue. Dustin potted three balls on the break, most notably the 15 at the top right to give him 0 shots and zero errors and a path to a top seed. The Freedom Cascades' Stripes will try to follow that up with the blue cue in 15-ball. Stripes had a ball on the break as well as the first of her three errors, but she closed in 22 shots in a solid full-rack effort. At the back of the set, Bandit of the Swordpoint Blades plays Rotation with the red cue. Bandit made a ball on the break and found a little luck early on with bounces, but it took 29 shots to make the 1, and 45 shots to clear the table with four errors.

The sixth group gets going as Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle plays 12-ball with the silver cue. Snuggle did well for having an empty break, closing at 24 shots and an error on his final play. Todavía Stills star Sierra is the 50th player to finish qualifying, using the blue cue in Accuracy. Sierra made a ball on the break, but she had some sloppy play that led to her needing 20 shots and no errors. She ended with 181 shots and 14 errors across all appearances. Her sister, Golden Pilots captain Valencia, brings on the silver cue to try Rotation. Valencia potted two balls on the break, and didn't slow from there, ending in 23 shots with only one error. Another Pilot, the veteran Strut, shoots 15-ball with the red cue in the 29th game of the day. Strut copied Dustin, blasting the 14 to the bottom left and the 15 to the top right to end at 0 shots and zero errors. Whitewater Shores newcomer Rosalina ends the group with the blue cue in hand for Rotation. Rosalina didn't do too well, with 35 shots and six errors after an empty break to scar her performances.

Group seven kicks off with Sydney S. of the Specters returning to play 10-ball with the blue cue. Sydney S. didn't do well this time, with a ball on the break but also four errors in 20 shots. Pronger Tridents third-year Potter closes his qualifying 51st by speed, using the red cue in Accuracy. Potter made a ball on the break and took one error for a late scratch, ending with 16 shots. He took 169 shots and 16 errors over all his qualifiers. Another finale, this one for Avril of the Web City Spiders, has her shooting Accuracy with the blue cue as the 52nd player to finish. Avril had nothing on the break and 20 shots while taking an error, finishing with 176 shots and 14 errors overall. The blue cue remains in action as Stealth of the Swordpoint Blades plays Rotation. Stealth started alright, but faded to 35 shots and two errors at the end, all after an empty break. Completing the batch, another Blade, the newcomer Sugar, plays 13-ball with the red cue. Sugar made a ball on the break, but three errors required her to take 25 shots to finish the effort.

The eighth set sees Nibbles of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors go in 15-ball with the silver cue. Nibbles had nothing on the break but played effectively after that, finishing with five errors but just 23 shots. Nibbles doubles down with Accuracy and the silver cue to become the 53rd player done with qualifying. Nibbles struggled in this quick second appearance of the day, ending at 21 shots and an error after making a ball on the break. Nibbles closed at 177 shots and 15 errors in total. Atlantic Pirates third-year Klaus goes 38th today, shooting 9-ball with the silver cue. Klaus took nothing but the first of his three errors on the break, ending ultimately with 15 shots in a rough outing. Everton Eagles veteran Cleo follows with the blue cue in hand for 13-ball. Cleo made a trio of balls on the break and kept herself to one error in the following 21 shots. Westside Rockers captain Misty concludes the group and her qualifying sessions, the 54th to finish as she shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Misty faltered with two errors over 20 shots after an empty break, the mediocre performance giving her final totals of 159 shots and 11 errors, well better than average.

The 41st player drawn today is Commerce Tradewinds sophomore Rosemary, who plays 10-ball with the blue cue. Rosemary had an empty break and no errors during her simple 14 shots. The 55th player to complete qualifiers is Oceanside Waves third-year Dewey, who will shoots Accuracy with the silver cue. Dewey got nothing on the break, and also took no errors in his 18 shots. Dewey closed with 219 shots and 18 errors overall in a rough start to his season. The silver cue will finish off another qualifying campaign as Kiwi ends 56th by speed in Accuracy. Kiwi didn't get anything on the break either, but she finished with 17 shots and no errors. Kiwi's totals are 158 shots and 16 errors. Next up, Jason N. of the Atlantic Pirates is 57th to finish qualifying, also using the silver cue in Accuracy. Jason N. looked sharp early on, but he faded to 20 shots without an error by the end. His totals were 193 shots and 23 errors despite not having a truly awful game. The Specters' Sydney S. jumps on to end the group with her third game of the day, shooting 12-ball with the blue cue. Sydney S. could have done better, but some late positioning fails took her to 24 shots and two errors after a successful break.

The final group commences with an ending, as the Pilots' Sparkles is the 58th player to complete qualifiers as she plays Accuracy with the blue cue. Sparkles narrowly missed on the break, but she took no errors over 17 shots, giving her 172 shots and 12 errors across all qualifiers. The blue cue remains up for Commerce Tradewinds veteran Niki playing 8-ball. Niki had nothing on the break and two errors over 26 shots, dropping off hard at the end of the game. Southern Monarchs newcomer Mams brings the silver cue back in action for her 15-ball game. Mams did quite well despite an empty break, taking no errors in 20 shots as she stayed composed and got a few favorable bounces. North Modernistic Nighthawks mainstay Luigi shoots 13-ball with the red cue in today's 49th game. Luigi had a ball on the break, but took five errors for illegally potting the 8 later on. He ended with 21 shots, as he had favorable positioning to wrap it up. Victoria Spurs sophomore Sage ends the day with 9-ball and the red cue. Sage closed at 19 shots and two errors after making a ball on the break, a lackluster performance.

Tomorrow, we will try to be faster behind the end of Elite Week 8 action.

Qualifiers 2019 - Day 23

A pivotal day in the league is here, as today's workload of either 40 or 50 games will dictate the final two to three weeks of qualifying. We begin with...

Queens Flames superstar Violetta playing 12-ball with the red cue. Violetta did reasonably well with two balls on the break and two errors in 24 shots to lead get the day moving. Archtown Arrows newcomer Hoppy goes next, playing Rotation with the silver cue. Hoppy couldn't be stopped after making a pair on the break, only taking two errors and 24 shots to complete the appearance. Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi plays the third game of the day, using the blue cue in 15-ball. Kiwi made a ball while scratching on the break, one of her two errors in 24 shots as a pattern starts to emerge in the early scores. More 15-ball follows as the Westside Rockers' Slinks plays with the silver cue. Slinks went empty on the break save for a scratch that counted as the first of her four errors, but she played well late to finish at 23 shots. Rounding out the group, Golden Pilots captain Valencia plays 13-ball with the blue cue. Valencia started out well, but bad positioning and some awkward misses pushed her up to 29 shots with one error after an empty break.

Group two leads off with the Freedom Cascades' Stripes playing Rotation with the red cue. Stripes narrowly went empty on the break and took three errors in 26 shots during the appearance. We stick with Rotation as the Modernistic Union sophomore Kodiak appears with the blue cue in the event. Kodiak notched a ball and one of his two errors on the break, and then stormed by to end at 24 shots. Another Rotation game goes as Briana of the Queens Flames plays with the silver cue in the eighth game of the day. Briana didn't get a ball on the break and suffered two errors but still closed in 27 shots, playing cautiously. Midland Predators veteran Americus tries her hand at Rotation with the silver cue in the next game. Americus kept the performances consistent, adding 25 shots and two errors in the event behind an empty break. The silver cue remains in action to wrap up the batch with the Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette shooting 13-ball. Tigerette required 30 shots and two errors after one troublesome ball ruined an otherwise strong game that started with a ball on the break.

The third set gets going with Oreo of the Terrace City Knights playing 13-ball with the blue cue. Oreo had no troubles with two balls on the break and three errors leading her to finish in 21 shots. Modernistic Union third-year Daisy is the 12th player called today, using the red cue for 15-ball. Daisy had complete control in her game, getting a ball on the break and taking no errors before an early finish on the 6-13-15 combination to the top right gave her a score of 11 shots. Following that, Everton Eagles captain Goldy shoots 10-ball with the blue cue. Goldy couldn't get anything on the break, and suffered two errors late to end at 19 shots. The last season debut is here, as Royal Crowns sophomore Cassie plays 7-ball with the blue cue. She made it worth the wait, as Cassie potted the 7 to the bottom side on the break for 0 shots and zero errors. At the back of the group, Tradewinds captain Tigerette plays her second game of the day, shooting Rotation with the red cue. Tigerette made a ball on the break, but played too wildly with seven errors and 36 shots necessary to end the appearance.

Group four begins as Max of the Golden Pilots shoots 12-ball with the red cue. Max knocked in two balls on the break and had two other double-pots in the game as the two suits matched each other up well. He added two errors but still needed only 17 shots. The Rockers' Slinks makes herself the 39th player to complete qualifying, playing Accuracy with the blue cue in her second game of the day. Slinks had a dud of a game, making a ball on the break but adding an error in 22 shots. She finished with 172 shots and 17 errors in total. Tysini Hummingbirds captain Leandra draws in next, playing 9-ball with the blue cue. Leandra smashed a ball in on the break and ended with a double-pot of the 3 to the top side and the 9 to the top right to give herself 3 shots and no errors. Chelsea of the Eastside Sharks is next to play, using the red cue in 12-ball. Chelsea buried a ball on the break and closed out the game in 23 shots, although she did add three errors along the way. The 20th player drawn today is Avril, the Web City Spiders newcomer, who plays Rotation with the blue cue. Avril had nothing good to take from this game, needing 35 shots and four errors after an empty break that also left a lot of clusters.

The fifth group kicks off with Shiny of the Lighton Prestige doing 13-ball with the silver cue. Shiny went empty on the break, but cruised through the rack in 21 shots without an error anyway, easily pushing balls into the right positions. Along to Rotation with the red cue for the Southridge Defenders' Wario. He didn't get anything on the break and got a little scratch-happy with four errors, but he shut things down late with 29 shots for the game. Viewpoint Sound Meteors leader Nibbles jumps in for the 23rd game of the day, also using the red cue in Rotation. Nibbles started with excellent form, but it all blew up as he chased the 8 and 9, and he ended up at 30 shots with two errors. Back in 13-ball, the Oceanside Waves' Josie takes today's 24th game with the silver cue. Josie popped up with a pair on the break, and avoided errors over 25 shots while digging some things out of tough positions. The silver cue remains in play as Web City Spiders veteran Jack closes the group with 12-ball. Jack had nothing on the break and took one early error before closing with 21 shots in a good performance.

Going 26th today, Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle plays 10-ball with the silver cue. Snuggle will want to forget this one, as he had four errors and 21 shots despite some close chances after his empty break. Viewpoint Sound Meteors leader Hoot plays 15-ball with the red cue in the next game. Hoot adjusted after making a ball on the break, adapting to difficult conditions with four of his five errors coming with intent to help him finish at 25 shots. Atlantic Pirates star Klaus plays 8-ball with the blue cue. Klaus did what he could after taking his lone error on an otherwise empty break, wrapping the game at 23 shots in the end. Spiders newcomer Avril plays her second game of the day, using the blue cue for 15-ball. Avril played well this time, making a ball on the break and taking only two errors over her 25 shots. The Sharks' Chelsea also gets a second look today, using the red cue in 13-ball at the end of the group. Chelsea made a ball on the break, but she illegally potted the 8 early in the game. She ended at a reasonable 26 shots and seven errors.

Maplewood Lumberjacks veteran Gabe starts group seven with 10-ball and the blue cue. Gabe had trouble making some shots throughout his game, taking one error and 21 shots after an empty break. Everton Eagles veteran Kirstin becomes the 40th player done with qualifying, playing Accuracy with the silver cue in the 32nd game of the day. Kirstin made two balls on the break and took no errors over 17 shots, giving her totals of 163 shots and 9 errors in all her appearances. After that, Southridge Defenders third-year Bianca plays 13-ball with the red cue. Bianca went empty on the break and added two errors in her 27 shots to complete the outing. Pearl Surfers veteran Boots takes the next game, using the blue cue in 15-ball. Boots had trouble with control, seeing six errors over 32 shots after an empty break gave her few options to work with. Concluding the group, Jennifer of the Terrace City Knights plays Accuracy with the blue cue as the 41st player to finish qualifiers. Jennifer managed to take two errors and an empty break over 19 shots, completing qualifiers with an unsightly 218 shots and 24 errors.

Central Warriors veteran Noelle opens the eighth batch as the 42nd player to finish qualifying, shooting Accuracy with the red cue. Noelle made a ball on the break and took no errors in 16 shots to give herself totals of 193 shots and 13 errors. Lighton Prestige newcomer Citrus is up next, using the blue cue in 13-ball. Citrus had a ball on the break and took only one error over 24 shots, keeping composed to record a solid game. The silver cue gets a look in 12-ball with the 38th game of the day, played by Everton Eagles veteran Cleo. She made a pair of balls on the break, and that made everything else easier as Cleo ended with 20 shots and no errors in a strong appearance. The Defenders' Wario makes his second appearance of the day in 15-ball with the blue cue. Wario had nothing on the break and three errors early on before settling down to finish with 26 shots. Southern Monarchs captain Panda finishes the group with 12-ball and the blue cue. Panda came out of nowhere for one of the event's best game, taking nothing on the break before finishing at just 16 shots.

The ninth group is fronted by Whiskers of the Maplewood Lumberjacks, who plays 13-ball with the silver cue. Whiskers took a ball on the break but also had two errors for 28 shots in the appearance. Pearl Surfers co-captain Neopolitan steps up for Rotation with the red cue in the next game. Neopolitan could have had a great game with better bounces, but took one error and 28 shots after going empty on the break. Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Lorde plays 9-ball with the silver cue. Lorde went empty on the break, but got a lucky cut on the 2 to the top side, setting her up to make the 3-9 combination to the bottom right. Lorde ended with 4 shots and no errors. Viewpoint Sound Meteors newcomer Princess gets the 44th game of the day, shooting Rotation with the red cue. Princess only scratched on the break, the first of her three errors over a mere 20 shots. Chimpy of the Westside Rockers completes the group, also shooting Rotation with the red cue. Chimpy had nothing on the break and two errors in 25 shots.

The 46th game of the day goes to Atlantic Pirates sophomore Jason N., who uses the silver cue in 15-ball. Jason N. didn't get anything on the break, and then went wild eight eight errors, mostly intentional, in 29 shots. Vladimir of the Stonebridge Wolves becomes the 43rd player done with qualifying as he shoots Accuracy with the blue cue. Vladimir refused to miss, potting three on the break and an extra double-pot to end at 11 shots and no errors. He ended with 148 shots and 10 errors in total, a great performance in most events to his name. Infinity Torpedoes newcomer Hughbert is set to follow that with 10-ball using the silver cue. Hughbert went empty on the break and took three errors for uncalled plays while finishing with an annoying 22 shots. Swordpoint Blades captain Snowball is on for Rotation with the blue cue. Snowball made five errors after potting a ball on the break, ending with 25 shots for the game. The last game of the day is Sierra of the Todavía Stills doing 15-ball with the blue cue. Sierra made a pair of balls on the break and closed out with 20 shots and two errors in a quick finale.

That's all for today. It appears we'll stay on our original schedule pending any major emergencies.