We're back after an unplanned day off to play Day 2 of qualifying. We'll still likely see a majority of 7-ball, but more 8-ball should factor in as well. First up...
Golden Pilots captain Valencia makes her season debut with the blue cue. Valencia played smart after an empty break, eventually finishing at 5 shots and no errors with a 2-7 bank combination. Victoria Spurs veteran Sage steps in with the silver cue to start her season. Sage didn't have much command on her late shots, ending up at 12 shots and no errors. Tysini Hummingbirds sophomore Sarah gets the third game today, debuting with the red cue. Sarah started well and faded late, closing her first game at 11 shots and no errors after some trouble finishing up. The Pearl Surfers' Bright is up next, playing with the blue cue. Bright was not good in his season debut, lacking precision and taking two errors over 13 shots. The first group closes with Westside Rockers veteran Slinks using the green cue in 7-ball. Slinks couldn't shake the common theme of poor finishing, but her strong early play put her at 10 shots and no errors.
Atlantic Pirates captain Delila kicks off this batch with the red cue in hand for her season debut. Delila posted 8 shots and no errors in a solid performance that saw her stay consistent. Vladimir is set for his Maplewood Lumberjacks debut, using the purple cue. Vladimir did not make a good first impression, missing a lot of plays and taking two errors over 15 shots. Wings is set to make his re-debut with the Pearl Surfers, using the green cue to kick off his second stint with the team. Wings avoided disaster with multiple glancing kicks, ending the game at 11 shots and no errors. The ninth player drawn today is Southridge Defenders star Bianca, who uses the silver cue in 8-ball. Bianca did her job well in this one, finishing with 20 shots and no errors. Pacific Volcanoes veteran Twinkie I takes us into the morning break with 7-ball and the purple cue. Twinkie I started fairly well but struggled late to close at 10 shots and no errors.
The Everton Eagles' Puff III will use the purple cue for her season debut after the lunch break. Puff III made the 7 but also scratched on the break for her lone error. She had to clear the table and did so in 9 shots. Viewpoint Sound Meteors captain Hoot keeps the purple cue active for his season debut. Hoot potted the 7 illegally on his first attempt after the break, which accounted for his lone error. He wound up with 10 shots at the end after clearing the table. Lize's Southridge Defenders debut is next, which features the blue cue. Lize made a perfect impression on her new team, sinking the 7 to the bottom side on the break for 0 shots and zero errors. The purple cue is back for Mr. Snowman's first appearance as a Central Warrior. Mr. Snowman one-upped his predecessor, pulling off 0 shots and zero errors with two balls falling on the break, including the 7 to the top side. Finishing the group, the Golden Pilots' Dusty plays 8-ball with the silver cue. Dusty was in control the entire time, finishing with 19 shots and no errors in a good second outing.
Group four starts with Tysini Hummingbirds captain Leandra using the green cue in her season debut. Leandra posted 10 shots and no errors after a hot start cooled a little too quickly. Infinity Torpedoes rookie Blaze goes in 8-ball with the purple cue. Blaze held his own in this appearance, working solids quickly and ending with 20 shots and no errors. The first 9-ball game of the year goes to the Swordpoint Blades' Dreamy, who will use the red cue. Dreamy had a couple of early errors, but she settled in and finished at 14 shots. The 19th player drawn today is Max of the Golden Pilots, who uses the red cue in 8-ball. Max did reasonably well despite some early struggles, closing the game at 22 shots and no errors. Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle wraps up this batch with the silver cue in hand for 7-ball. Snuggle had an easy debut, making a ball on the break and then converting his second attempt on the 2-7 combination to the top right to finish with two shots and no errors.
The fifth bunch opens with Freedom Cascades veteran Nikolai using the blue cue in his season debut. Nikolai had an early error, which offset his two balls on the break. He closed with 7 shots and the single error for missed contact. The 22nd game of the day goes to Central Warriors captain Twilight, who has the purple cue for 8-ball. Twilight looked very confident this time, but she sank the 8 in the wrong pocket for a five-error performance in 22 shots. Terrace City Knights third-year Quincy brings the blue cue back for 7-ball. Quincy missed contact early in his game, but that was his only error among 10 shots in a solid outing. Freedom Cascades veteran Stripes debuts next, using the red cue. Stripes had illegal contact early on, but closed at 11 shots with just one error. Todavía Stills veteran Bells ends the group with the blue cue in 9-ball. Bells struggled with two errors in 17 shots during this game, perhaps fatigued from her busy start to qualifying.
The sixth group gets going with the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Gal playing 7-ball with the green cue. Gal played with fire early on a tricky double-pot, but took a later error and finished in 10 shots. Another Celebrity takes up the green cue as the Queens Flames' Mario makes his season debut. Mario posted 9 shots and no errors in a solid performance to start his year. More green cue action comes in 8-ball with the Whitewater Shores veteran Twinkie III. She was only able to shoot solids well, while stripes got in the way in the middle of the game. At the end, Twinkie III had 29 shots and three errors. Queens Flames hotshot Briana is set to play 7-ball with the red cue. Briana took some chances and didn't get punished, finishing with 10 shots and no errors in a standard effort. Southern Monarchs veteran Dominic seals the group with the blue cue in 7-ball. Dominic had the best of luck after making the 1 on the break, as he dug the 2 out of danger and sent the 7 to the top side for a 1-shot and no errors game.
Batch seven sees Commerce Tradewinds youngster Rosemary take a go at 8-ball with the red cue. Rosemary started pretty well before an error shook her up. It was her only foul in 22 shots. The Queens Flames' Violetta keeps the red cue up for her season debut in 7-ball. Violetta showed good form throughout the game, which lasted 7 shots with no errors. Diamond Gems rookie Autumn goes next, her career debut coming with the silver cue. Autumn came close to a couple of errors but didn't commit, then ended a clean outing in 8 shots. Infinity Torpedoes veteran Shelley is next up, using the green cue in 7-ball. Shelley scratched on the break for her lone error, then cleared the table in 10 shots. The group closes with Whitewater Shores veteran Katharine using the red cue in 7-ball. Katharine went empty on the break but didn't miss a shot after that, posting 7 shots and no errors.
The Torpedoes' Shelley is right back in action for 8-ball with the green cue. Shelley made a pair on the break and rarely faltered in her game, although a scratch on her last ball gave her a lone error in 17 shots. More 8-ball awaits in the 37th game today as the Web City Spiders' Waluigi plays with the blue cue. Waluigi was solid with 21 shots and one error for an early foul in this game. It's debut time next for Swordpoint Blades rookie Esmeralda, who has the blue cue for 7-ball. Esmeralda required 11 shots and one error after an unusually soft break from the rookie. Stinky plays his first game as Freedom Cascades captain, using the purple cue in 7-ball. Stinky didn't show much in his game, taking one error in 14 shots. Ending the bunch, Archtown Arrows captain Sally plays her season debut with the red cue. Sally had a great start, but she didn't want to take a foul at the end. She would scratch anyway, finishing with 11 shots and one error.
The 41st game today features the Flames' Briana playing 8-ball with the blue cue, her second appearance of the day. Briana wasn't perfect, taking an error for a scratch, but she finished with 21 shots. The blue cue gets another crack at 8-ball with Stonebridge Wolves veteran Wild Thing. He didn't do well, with one error among 27 shots as he failed to string together multiple big runs. More 8-ball awaits as the Flames' Mario takes a second turn today, using the red cue. Mario popped off early in his appearance, but stalled late and took an error before finishing with 23 shots. The 8-ball tour continues with the Warriors' Mr. Snowman using the silver cue in the event. Mr. Snowman took one error for illegal contact, but he finished in just 19 shots due to a good form throughout. The group ends with Midland Predators veteran Rainmane debuting in 7-ball with the green cue. Rainmane potted one on the break and took one error with an early scratch before closing at 7 shots.
The final group is fronted by Golden Pilots captain Valencia, who will do 8-ball with the silver cue. Valencia kept this game clean, needing 22 shots to clear the table. The silver cue will stay up for Modernistic Union third-year Kodiak, who plays 7-ball in his season debut. Kodiak was plagued by bad luck early on, but a little good luck helped him finish with 13 shots and three errors. Eastside Sharks rookie Maison will draw in for 8-ball with the blue cue. Maison couldn't get clear shots early on, causing him to need 25 shots with one late error to finish the game. The Spurs' Sage gets her second game of the day as well, using the purple cue in 8-ball. The usually mild-mannered Sage was livid after this game, which saw her need 29 shots and one error after stripes evaded her efforts. Longtime Everton Eagles captain Goldy will finish the day in 7-ball with the blue cue. Goldy tried a little too hard to be fast in her appearance, which took 10 shots and two errors.
That'll be all for today. Tomorrow, we go again, but then take Friday and Saturday off due to other commitments.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Monday, February 10, 2020
Tournament X Qualifiers - Day 1
Qualifiers are here, in the familiar form as they've always been. This year, we're not tracking break accomplishments, as the three-year research sequence concluded that making a ball on the break does have a generally positive impact on performance. Today's opening day action will mostly consist of 7-ball, with a slight chance of 8-ball or 9-ball later in the action. First up...
Terrace City Knights veteran Jennifer will kick off the Qualifying season with the purple cue. Jennifer had a pair of balls on the break, but quickly suffered a missed contact scratch to account for her two errors in a 13-shot season debut. Boston Swifts captain Patches gets the second appearance today, using the green cue. Patches brought the heat with three balls on the break, and then finished in 7 shots with just one error after illegal contact. Pearl Surfers co-captain Watermelon brings one of the veteran cues on as she debuts with blue. Watermelon didn't bring her best to this game, an empty break and a brutal error sending her to a 14-shot outing to start her qualifying season. The Victoria Spurs' Strawberry (wearing their brand new pink-and-black home jersey) will give the red cue its first action in qualifying. Strawberry scratched on the break for her lone error, and then rattled off a perfect run from there, scoring 8 shots. The green cue is back for the Todavía Stills' Bells to close the group. Bells got a ball on the break, but sloppy play at the end put her at 13 shots and no errors.
The green cue opens for group two as the Royal Crowns' Brownie makes her season debut. Brownie made a ball on the break and looked good until a missed contact. She ended at 12 shots and one error. Viewpoint Sound Meteors star Frosty goes next with the red cue. Frosty found a pair on the break but stumbled mid-game a bit. She held true and finished at 10 shots with no errors. Prism is ready for her Pronger Tridents debut, picking up the green cue for the game. Prism took two on the break and had a good alignment early on. She just missed contact for a lone error on the 7, but converted on the next attempt to end at 9 shots. New Diamond Gems captain Shadow will give the silver cue its first taste of Tournament X play with its new shaft. Shadow kept it clean over his 12 shots, although his early finishing lacked much punch. Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi will close out the batch with the purple cue in hand. Kiwi scratched on the break for her lone error in her season debut. She made up for it with a 3-7 combination to the bottom side to end in 5 shots.
The third bunch starts with Eastside Sharks rookie Maison making his qualifying debut with the green cue. Maison did his part with a ball on the break, but he also took an early error. The rookie finished with 10 shots in a solid first game. Diamond Gems veteran Leonardo will take today's 12th game, using the red cue. Leonardo had a scratch early in his game and needed 15 shots to clear the rack in a disappointing effort. Another Eastern Hills player goes next, as the Pronger Tridents' Potter starts his season with the blue cue. Potter overcame a scratch on the break by sinking three other balls at the same time. He was a little overzealous near the end, but finish with 7 shots. The Web City Spiders' Waluigi uses the red cue to start his second year with the team. Waluigi made good with a ball on the break and kept his play clean over 9 shots to start the season well. Salmo will make his Diamond Gems debut with the purple cue in hand to finish this group. Salmo did alright despite one error for missed contact. He was locked in after that to close at 11 shots.
Commerce Tradewinds superstar Taylor S. leads the next group with the green cue. Taylor S. capitalized on her missed contact error, aligning a solid run to finish the game in 10 shots. Midland Predators veteran Americus will take her debut with the silver cue. Americus couldn't get contact on the 2 and scratched for a pair of errors early, but she cruised to an 11-shot effort at the end. Another Commerce Tradewind, the rising star Rosemary, will use the blue cue in her season debut. Rosemary struck on the break and surged early before the 7 gave her trouble. She finished with 10 shots and no errors. North Modernistic Nighthawks veteran Lionel is the 19th player drawn today, using the purple cue to start his season. Lionel picked up a pair on the break but didn't shoot all that well with 11 shots and no errors over the rest of the game. Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy completes the group with the green cue in hand. Shaggy made a pair on the break and stayed composed early, but began to chase as she finished with 10 shots and no errors.
The fifth group sees Maplewood Lumberjacks third-year Summer playing with the red cue to start. Summer finally achieved the 7 on the break in her game, debuting perfectly with 0 shots and zero errors. The Terrace City Knights' Melissa will follow that, using the green cue in her season debut. Melissa was a little more loose on her shots, including an early scratch for her lone error. She ended up with 13 shots by the end. The blue cue cycles in as the Golden Pilots' Strut takes today's 23rd game. Strut knocked in a ball on the break, but he also missed contact on the 7 at first. Strut took one error in 11 shots. The Swordpoint Blades' stalwart Dreamy will bring the green cue back for her season debut. Dreamy had a ball on the break and crushed down her shots through good positioning to end with 7 shots and no errors. The group wraps up with Whitewater Shores star Twinkie III using the blue cue. Twinkie III went perfect in her season debut, sending the 7 straight to the top right for 0 shots and zero errors.
Group six begins with the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Cheddar using the silver cue. Cheddar got a ball on the break and found some early success before a scratch. She then surged to end at 8 shots and just the one error. The Blades' Dreamy will take this year's first crack at 8-ball, using the purple cue. Dreamy came out blazing on stripes and then followed up with a nice run on solids. She finished at 19 shots, fading late but taking no errors. Next up, Modernistic Union veteran Daisy plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Daisy made three balls on the break, giving her time to play smart in her season debut. She ended with 7 shots and no errors for a good game. The Whitewater Shores' Marsell keeps the blue cue in action for his debut game. Marsell was empty on the break, but his confident play allowed him to finish in 9 shots and no errors. Pacific Volcanoes veteran Cowzart takes the 30th game today, using the purple cue. Cowzart made a ball on the break and navigated some tough positions to end with 9 shots and no errors.
The purple cue will stay up to kick off group seven as Westside Rockers captain Misty is set to play. Misty quickly went the distance in her season debut, needing 4 shots with no errors after taking three balls on the break. Her daughter, the Harrison Specters' Blizzard, uses the green cue here. Blizzard made a pair on the break and elected to play cautiously near the end, sending the 7 to the top right to finish at 7 shots and no errors. Solid Core players remain in action as the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette takes games 33 with the red cue. Leonette had some struggles with positioning this time, ending with 11 shots and one error after a scratch. Up next, Boston Swifts veteran Ice Cream uses the silver cue in her season debut. Ice Cream's break saw three balls go down, but poor positioning meant she needed 8 shots and no errors to finish the game. The batch ends with Lighton Prestige rookie Angelica making her career debut with the red cue. Angelica had a little luck in her debut, making a pair on the break and double-kissing the 1-7 combination to the bottom side to end with 1 shot and zero errors.
The eighth bunch gets going with Stonebridge Wolves captain Juno using the blue cue in her season debut. Juno displayed a steady hand after a slow start, finishing with 8 shots and no errors. The Knights' captain Kiwi gets a second game today, playing 8-ball with the purple cue. Kiwi had to alternate between suits a lot but ended up with just 19 shots and no errors in a good outing. Back in 7-ball, the Swordpoint Blades' Stealth plays with the blue cue. Stealth didn't get much luck in his season debut, which required 11 shots and an error to wipe the table. The blue cue will go again with Harrison Specters star Sydney S. playing the 39th game of the day. Sydney S. couldn't get any control in her debut, unraveling after rattling the 5 out of the bottom left. She ended on 17 shots and no errors. The blue cue will stay up for Nibbles' Web City Spiders debut to wrap up this bunch. Nibbles couldn't make a good first impression with his new team, requiring 14 shots and three errors in his debut.
The ninth set begins with the Nighthawks' Cheddar doing 8-ball with the purple cue. Cheddar was not immune to the late-day slump, ending up with 26 shots and surprisingly no errors in her second appearance. Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows is up next with the red cue in 7-ball. Sleepy B. missed a couple of shots and took an error, ending with 12 shots in her opening game. The Stills' Bells will draw in for 8-ball using the blue cue. Bells struggled with solids, leading to a slow finish and two errors for illegal contact. Bells ended up with 26 shots in the game. More 8-ball awaits with the Gems' Salmo making a second appearance today, using the silver cue. Salmo took the early event lead with a clean 18 shots this time. Max brings back the green cue as the Golden Pilots veteran ends this group with 7-ball. Max wasn't able to get on track with three errors peppered throughout his 14 shots.
The last group of opening day begins with Infinity Torpedoes rookie Blaze using the purple cue. Blaze showed no hesitation to be creative, resulting in a solid 10 shots and one error in the game. Central Warriors captain Twilight steps in for the 47th game today, using the blue cue. Twilight couldn't get good positioning, pushed to the perimeter over 16 shots and two errors in a poor debut. The Southridge Defenders' Bianca is next, playing with the silver cue. Bianca scratched on the break in her season debut, but recovered to finish with 10 shots and just the one error. Stonebridge Wolves qualifying maestro Wild Thing will debut with the red cue this season. Wild Thing looked shaky at first, but a deflection off the 4 put the 7 in the bottom side to give him 6 shots and no errors. The Golden Pilots superstar Dusty ends the day with 7-ball with the green cue. Dusty had some early struggles, including two errors, but a 4-7 combination to the bottom left gave her 8 shots at the end.
This is just the first of 32 qualifying days over the course of the next 7-8 weeks. We'll be back at it tomorrow.
Terrace City Knights veteran Jennifer will kick off the Qualifying season with the purple cue. Jennifer had a pair of balls on the break, but quickly suffered a missed contact scratch to account for her two errors in a 13-shot season debut. Boston Swifts captain Patches gets the second appearance today, using the green cue. Patches brought the heat with three balls on the break, and then finished in 7 shots with just one error after illegal contact. Pearl Surfers co-captain Watermelon brings one of the veteran cues on as she debuts with blue. Watermelon didn't bring her best to this game, an empty break and a brutal error sending her to a 14-shot outing to start her qualifying season. The Victoria Spurs' Strawberry (wearing their brand new pink-and-black home jersey) will give the red cue its first action in qualifying. Strawberry scratched on the break for her lone error, and then rattled off a perfect run from there, scoring 8 shots. The green cue is back for the Todavía Stills' Bells to close the group. Bells got a ball on the break, but sloppy play at the end put her at 13 shots and no errors.
The green cue opens for group two as the Royal Crowns' Brownie makes her season debut. Brownie made a ball on the break and looked good until a missed contact. She ended at 12 shots and one error. Viewpoint Sound Meteors star Frosty goes next with the red cue. Frosty found a pair on the break but stumbled mid-game a bit. She held true and finished at 10 shots with no errors. Prism is ready for her Pronger Tridents debut, picking up the green cue for the game. Prism took two on the break and had a good alignment early on. She just missed contact for a lone error on the 7, but converted on the next attempt to end at 9 shots. New Diamond Gems captain Shadow will give the silver cue its first taste of Tournament X play with its new shaft. Shadow kept it clean over his 12 shots, although his early finishing lacked much punch. Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi will close out the batch with the purple cue in hand. Kiwi scratched on the break for her lone error in her season debut. She made up for it with a 3-7 combination to the bottom side to end in 5 shots.
The third bunch starts with Eastside Sharks rookie Maison making his qualifying debut with the green cue. Maison did his part with a ball on the break, but he also took an early error. The rookie finished with 10 shots in a solid first game. Diamond Gems veteran Leonardo will take today's 12th game, using the red cue. Leonardo had a scratch early in his game and needed 15 shots to clear the rack in a disappointing effort. Another Eastern Hills player goes next, as the Pronger Tridents' Potter starts his season with the blue cue. Potter overcame a scratch on the break by sinking three other balls at the same time. He was a little overzealous near the end, but finish with 7 shots. The Web City Spiders' Waluigi uses the red cue to start his second year with the team. Waluigi made good with a ball on the break and kept his play clean over 9 shots to start the season well. Salmo will make his Diamond Gems debut with the purple cue in hand to finish this group. Salmo did alright despite one error for missed contact. He was locked in after that to close at 11 shots.
Commerce Tradewinds superstar Taylor S. leads the next group with the green cue. Taylor S. capitalized on her missed contact error, aligning a solid run to finish the game in 10 shots. Midland Predators veteran Americus will take her debut with the silver cue. Americus couldn't get contact on the 2 and scratched for a pair of errors early, but she cruised to an 11-shot effort at the end. Another Commerce Tradewind, the rising star Rosemary, will use the blue cue in her season debut. Rosemary struck on the break and surged early before the 7 gave her trouble. She finished with 10 shots and no errors. North Modernistic Nighthawks veteran Lionel is the 19th player drawn today, using the purple cue to start his season. Lionel picked up a pair on the break but didn't shoot all that well with 11 shots and no errors over the rest of the game. Whitewater Shores captain Shaggy completes the group with the green cue in hand. Shaggy made a pair on the break and stayed composed early, but began to chase as she finished with 10 shots and no errors.
The fifth group sees Maplewood Lumberjacks third-year Summer playing with the red cue to start. Summer finally achieved the 7 on the break in her game, debuting perfectly with 0 shots and zero errors. The Terrace City Knights' Melissa will follow that, using the green cue in her season debut. Melissa was a little more loose on her shots, including an early scratch for her lone error. She ended up with 13 shots by the end. The blue cue cycles in as the Golden Pilots' Strut takes today's 23rd game. Strut knocked in a ball on the break, but he also missed contact on the 7 at first. Strut took one error in 11 shots. The Swordpoint Blades' stalwart Dreamy will bring the green cue back for her season debut. Dreamy had a ball on the break and crushed down her shots through good positioning to end with 7 shots and no errors. The group wraps up with Whitewater Shores star Twinkie III using the blue cue. Twinkie III went perfect in her season debut, sending the 7 straight to the top right for 0 shots and zero errors.
Group six begins with the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Cheddar using the silver cue. Cheddar got a ball on the break and found some early success before a scratch. She then surged to end at 8 shots and just the one error. The Blades' Dreamy will take this year's first crack at 8-ball, using the purple cue. Dreamy came out blazing on stripes and then followed up with a nice run on solids. She finished at 19 shots, fading late but taking no errors. Next up, Modernistic Union veteran Daisy plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Daisy made three balls on the break, giving her time to play smart in her season debut. She ended with 7 shots and no errors for a good game. The Whitewater Shores' Marsell keeps the blue cue in action for his debut game. Marsell was empty on the break, but his confident play allowed him to finish in 9 shots and no errors. Pacific Volcanoes veteran Cowzart takes the 30th game today, using the purple cue. Cowzart made a ball on the break and navigated some tough positions to end with 9 shots and no errors.
The purple cue will stay up to kick off group seven as Westside Rockers captain Misty is set to play. Misty quickly went the distance in her season debut, needing 4 shots with no errors after taking three balls on the break. Her daughter, the Harrison Specters' Blizzard, uses the green cue here. Blizzard made a pair on the break and elected to play cautiously near the end, sending the 7 to the top right to finish at 7 shots and no errors. Solid Core players remain in action as the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette takes games 33 with the red cue. Leonette had some struggles with positioning this time, ending with 11 shots and one error after a scratch. Up next, Boston Swifts veteran Ice Cream uses the silver cue in her season debut. Ice Cream's break saw three balls go down, but poor positioning meant she needed 8 shots and no errors to finish the game. The batch ends with Lighton Prestige rookie Angelica making her career debut with the red cue. Angelica had a little luck in her debut, making a pair on the break and double-kissing the 1-7 combination to the bottom side to end with 1 shot and zero errors.
The eighth bunch gets going with Stonebridge Wolves captain Juno using the blue cue in her season debut. Juno displayed a steady hand after a slow start, finishing with 8 shots and no errors. The Knights' captain Kiwi gets a second game today, playing 8-ball with the purple cue. Kiwi had to alternate between suits a lot but ended up with just 19 shots and no errors in a good outing. Back in 7-ball, the Swordpoint Blades' Stealth plays with the blue cue. Stealth didn't get much luck in his season debut, which required 11 shots and an error to wipe the table. The blue cue will go again with Harrison Specters star Sydney S. playing the 39th game of the day. Sydney S. couldn't get any control in her debut, unraveling after rattling the 5 out of the bottom left. She ended on 17 shots and no errors. The blue cue will stay up for Nibbles' Web City Spiders debut to wrap up this bunch. Nibbles couldn't make a good first impression with his new team, requiring 14 shots and three errors in his debut.
The ninth set begins with the Nighthawks' Cheddar doing 8-ball with the purple cue. Cheddar was not immune to the late-day slump, ending up with 26 shots and surprisingly no errors in her second appearance. Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows is up next with the red cue in 7-ball. Sleepy B. missed a couple of shots and took an error, ending with 12 shots in her opening game. The Stills' Bells will draw in for 8-ball using the blue cue. Bells struggled with solids, leading to a slow finish and two errors for illegal contact. Bells ended up with 26 shots in the game. More 8-ball awaits with the Gems' Salmo making a second appearance today, using the silver cue. Salmo took the early event lead with a clean 18 shots this time. Max brings back the green cue as the Golden Pilots veteran ends this group with 7-ball. Max wasn't able to get on track with three errors peppered throughout his 14 shots.
The last group of opening day begins with Infinity Torpedoes rookie Blaze using the purple cue. Blaze showed no hesitation to be creative, resulting in a solid 10 shots and one error in the game. Central Warriors captain Twilight steps in for the 47th game today, using the blue cue. Twilight couldn't get good positioning, pushed to the perimeter over 16 shots and two errors in a poor debut. The Southridge Defenders' Bianca is next, playing with the silver cue. Bianca scratched on the break in her season debut, but recovered to finish with 10 shots and just the one error. Stonebridge Wolves qualifying maestro Wild Thing will debut with the red cue this season. Wild Thing looked shaky at first, but a deflection off the 4 put the 7 in the bottom side to give him 6 shots and no errors. The Golden Pilots superstar Dusty ends the day with 7-ball with the green cue. Dusty had some early struggles, including two errors, but a 4-7 combination to the bottom left gave her 8 shots at the end.
This is just the first of 32 qualifying days over the course of the next 7-8 weeks. We'll be back at it tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Tournament X Draft
Today, we'll complete the draft for Tournament X in the UPCL. The draft is live from IBM Cathedral in North Modernistic, where the hosting Nighthawks have just a single fifth round pick. Leading off...
The Web City Spiders have a compensatory first-round pick. The Spiders elected to go with a rookie to fill the opening left by Ted's retirement, bringing in the outgoing Omari Rashid. A tall and lean player, Omari is another player in the vein of Waluigi. The rookie brings sneaky power and precision in his game, but may struggle with more of the mental aspects. Omari represents Humanity Junior at the club level.
The Eastside Sharks are next with a compensatory first-round pick. The Sharks also dipped into the rookie pool by selecting Toki, a Reality first-year, to replace the retired Chelsea. Toki, the younger sister of last year's Midland Predators rookie Kitty, is a positive player with an optimistic outlook. Toki is expected to bring a vibrant attitude and a little fire to the rebuilding Sharks, who have two more picks today.
The Oceanside Waves have the third overall pick, a compensatory first-round selection. The Waves will replace the retired Jason V. with the rookie Rocky, who has committed to Youth Movement at the club level. Rocky has some of the highest expectations among rookies this season, an all-around strong player who is yet to develop strongly in any one area. He joins club-mate Celestia on a fairly inexperienced Waves team.
The Victoria Spurs possess the fourth overall pick, a compensatory first-round pick. The Spurs will go with experience, taking former Whitewater Shore Rosalina to replace the retired Mitchell. Rosalina joins her third team in four years in the league. The heady veteran has a lot of experience and will look to combine with Yekaterina as a crafty player on the skilled Spurs.
The Freedom Cascades are on the clock with a compensatory first-round selection. To replace longtime captain Jasmine, the Cascades select sophomore Andrew, formerly of the Central Warriors. Andrew had about as awful a rookie season as he could, leaving the Warriors no choice but to send him back into the draft pool. The Humanity Junior player has a powerful shot but will need to refine his skill for a Cascades team now entering its second chapter under Stinky's leadership.
The Maplewood Lumberjacks use the first of two compensatory picks to select Vladimir, formerly of the Stonebridge Wolves. The third-year Humanity Junior man fell out of favor in Juno's tight-run organization, and he'll get a second chance on a Lumberjacks team that needs to replace both Bryant and Gabe (retirement). Vladimir is a strong-and-silent type player that should fit well with the hard-working Lumberjacks, who are led by captain Diddley.
The Southridge Defenders have the seventh overall pick, a first-round compensatory pick. The Defenders took former North Modernistic Nighthawk Luigi, drawing boos from the home crowd. Luigi, a fourth-year Celebrity player, was never a popular Nighthawk, but stayed with the team at Peach's orders. Luigi will look for a fresh start alongside another familiar face -- the Defenders turned Wario into a top-20 player last season. He'll look to fill the gap left behind by Caitlin's retirement.
The Queens Flames are on the clock for a compensatory first-round pick. They'll fill out their roster with Pauline, formerly of the Capital City Sharpshooters. Pauline spent two years in Capital City, mostly with unimpressive results. Pauline will look to replace Hannah on the roster. The Celebrity player should get along well with teammate Mario, providing some chemistry outside of the Flames' big three star players.
The Atlantic Pirates have the ninth pick, a first-round compensatory selection. They'll fill the void left by Jason N.'s retirement with Reality rookie Buddy. The rookie is known to be a free-spirited type, which could make acclimating to Delila's strong leadership tough. Buddy won't have a lot of pressure on a defending City Cup champion squad, which should allow the rookie time to adjust to UPCL play.
The Pronger Tridents look to replace four-year star Zach with the 10th overall pick, a compensatory first-round selection. They tabbed former Web City Spider Avril with the task. Avril, a Celebrity player, has yet to find her groove in UPCL action, joining her third team in as many years. Avril has displayed potential at times, but she'll need to perform immediately with smart shot-selection under captain Precious.
The Archtown Arrows will fill out their roster with a compensatory first-round selection. The Arrows spent their pick on rookie Greg, a Humanity Junior signee. Greg will look to fill the gap left by A. Charlton, who retired after the 2019 season. Greg brings endless energy and humor to the Sally-led Arrows. Greg joins Klaus as the newcomers to the squad that finished middle of the pack.
The Lighton Prestige have a compensatory first-round pick to fill out their 2020 roster. The Prestige spent the 12th overall pick on Angelica, an Enterprise rookie. Angelica brings poise and calm to the team, mirroring the likes of long-term captain Acorn and star Spirit. The Prestige once again demonstrate their talent for finding players that fit their system, doing so this time to replace the retired Nicole.
Ending the first round, the Harrison Specters own a compensatory first-round pick. They'll look to replace the retired Lexi with the former Oceanside Wave Dewey with the 13th overall pick. Dewey was inconsistent over his three-year Waves tenure, with a poor 2019 being the final straw. Dewey has upside, and he'll serve in a supporting role on Twinkie II's Specters squad.
The Lumberjacks are back with the 14th overall pick, one of three second-round selections in the league this year. The Lumberjacks will replace the retired Gabe with Humanity Junior rookie Marissa. A fiery player with a flair for the dramatic, Marissa represents the total opposite of Vladimir, the Lumberjacks' earlier pick today. Marissa may need to reign in the creativity to fit in with her teammates, but the rookie should be a strong addition.
The Royal Crowns use their second-round compensatory pick to select rookie Sunshine with the 15th overall selection. Sunshine, an Enterprise commit, is a leader among the rookie class for his aggressive yet thoughtful playing style. He could be a future captain for the squad, but for now, Sunshine will look to help the Crowns offset the loss of the retired Cassie.
The Eastside Sharks are now on the clock for two picks. With the 16th overall pick, a compensatory selection acquired from the Pearl Surfers, the Sharks select rookie Lily. This is the second rookie the Sharks have taken to fill out what looks to be a young roster this year. Lily, like fellow draftee Toki, is a softer and more creative player. Lily will likely be more of a depth player than a young leader for the Sharks. The Sharks also selected Lily's brother, Maison, with the 17th overall pick. Maison, a third rookie, profiles as a tactically gifted player with a slightly strong propensity to lead. The Sharks will have three rookies and a sophomore under new captain Nightfur as they complete a wholesale change to their lineup.
The Southridge Defenders are on the clock for the 18th overall pick, acquired via trade from the Diamond Gems. The Defenders took former Pronger Trident Lize with the selection they gained by trading away Debby. Lize had an injury-plagued rookie year, but didn't show enough as a sophomore to be kept by the Tridents. She'll look for a fresh start with the Defenders, who have typically succeeded with young talent. Lize tends to play softer than expected due to her injury history.
The Web City Spiders open the fourth round by selecting Cubby with the 19th overall pick. Cubby, a journeyman from Forest SC, will join up with club-mate and new captain Jack on the squad. Cubby spent the last couple of years with the Eastside Sharks in a depth role, but will hope for a successful fresh start a bit farther north.
The Central Warriors will fill out their roster with the 20th overall pick. The Warriors picked up former Infinity Torpedo Mr. Snowman with the selection. Mr. Snowman will provide a veteran presence to the team, joining Graham as newcomers. Mr. Snowman likely has the least tough playing style on the team, but he's no pushover either. After a disappointing 2019, the Warriors will expect a lot of all players, new and old.
The Royal Crowns acquired the 21st overall pick in a trade with the Eastside Sharks. They'll use that pick to add Katelynn, a longtime league veteran most recently with the Diamond Gems. Katelynn was part of last year's three-team blockbuster, but she didn't stick on a rebuilding Gems squad. She'll add veteran depth and leadership that should provide a little creativity under Kayla's business-like captaincy.
The Stonebridge Wolves' have their natural fourth-round pick, selecting rookie Jane. The Humanity Junior commit will essentially replace club-mate Vladimir on the roster here. Jane projects as a supporting player with a knack for simple play, which fits right into Juno's vision for her team. Jane will look to have a good qualifying session, as the Wolves take pride in starting the year well.
The Diamond Gems get the 23rd pick to begin their rebuilding effort in earnest. They selected a journeyman, Salmo, with the pick. Salmo, mostly recently of the Southern Monarchs, didn't catch the train as his team shot to the top of the regular-season standings without him. The Gems will be his fourth team in as many years, and captain Shadow will not tolerate a lack of performance.
The Tysini Hummingbirds look to rebuild on the fly with the 24th overall pick, used on Outcast journeyman Hughbert, most recently of the Infinity Torpedoes. Hughbert has failed to make an impact at any of his stops in his career so far. He'll join a Hummingbirds team captained by Leandra, an intense player who has yet to truly unite a team. Hughbert projects as a direct replacement for the outgoing Paps.
The Infinity Torpedoes end the fourth round with the 25th pick. They selected rookie Blaze, a Youth Movement recruit. As the name suggests, Blaze brings a fiery attack to the Torpedoes. Blaze has a similar playing style to captain Smudge and star Fluffina, which makes him a good addition to the team attempting to push for the playoffs after 2019's narrow miss.
The Web City Spiders begin the fifth round with the 26th overall pick, selecting former Viewpoint Sound Meteors leader Nibbles. This addresses the lack of leadership around first-time captain Jack, as Nibbles is the leader of his Outcast club. The Spiders hope he's more than just good in that regard, as the inexperienced and largely unsuccessful squad tries to work back into competitiveness.
Another Northeastern team, the Everton Eagles, are next. They select Vincent, formerly of the Tysini Hummingbirds, to fill out their roster. An enigmatic pool player, Vincent can provide a challenge to the status quo of Goldy's leadership, which has come into question after the team missed the 2019 playoffs. Vincent, a third-year player on his third team, will hope he can get it right in the Northeast.
The Oceanside Waves look to fill out a fairly young roster with a second rookie, taking Humanity Junior recruit Megan with the 28th overall pick. Megan, like her cousin Sarah, provides energy and skill all in one. The Waves' rookie crop of Rocky and Megan should give the Waves a youthful feel as the Snuggle-led squad attempts to get back into contention.
The Stonebridge Wolves fill out their roster with the 29th overall pick, selecting former Everton Eagle Kirstin. A fifth-year veteran Kirstin brings a bit more spark to the roster than rookie fourth-round pick Jane. Kirstin may butt heads with captain Juno at times, but many will remember Kirstin was a fringe cut for the Eagles, who could be in line for a Ringer Award at the end of 2020.
The Todavía Stills look to add to a talenting but under-performing squad with the 30th pick. The Stills selected former Diamond Gems Pedey. This is a bargain pick for the Stills, as it was clear the veteran's time with the Gems was done by the end of the season. Pedey was never a bad player, but sometimes missed his potential. Even a good year could leave him as the Stills' fifth-best option, which could mean great things lie ahead for the Coastal powerhouse.
The Swordpoint Blades use their fifth-round pick to acquire Enterprise rookie Esmeralda. The most intriguing player in this year's rookie crop, Esmeralda also represents a bit of a risk for Snowball and co., any of whom could be in next year's draft if they have a down season. Esmeralda hasn't shown a knack for anything. She could end up being solid in all aspects or a disappointment. The Blades will hope for the former, as they've been treading water for years.
The Diamond Gems will fill out their roster with the 32nd overall pick. They'll turn to rookie Autumn for the task, electing to officially move on from former captain Smokey in the process. Autumn has the potential to be the most energetic player on a roster that also features Debby and Leonardo. The Humanity Junior rookie is going to be a big x-factor for the Gems, who really need to have a good year.
The Capital City Sharpshooters selected Paps with the 33rd overall pick. The former Hummingbird won't get back to his former team, as the Sharpshooters take a flier on the well-traveled veteran to fill out their roster. Paps has rarely been anything better than a No. 5 on his teams, and that seems to be the case again here as the Sharpshooters elected for a middle-of-the-road veteran.
The Tysini Hummingbirds complete their draft with the 34th overall pick. They'll pick up Sugar, the former Swordpoint Blade, in what's recently become a Southwestern shuffle. Sugar has played on many teams during her time; the Hummingbirds will be her fifth UPCL stop. The Hummingbirds elected to play it safe with Sugar and Hughbert as their draft additions, making the best of having just two late picks. Perhaps the team will show chemistry.
The Infinity Torpedoes conclude the Southwestern portion of the draft with the 35th overall pick, adding former Midland Predator Fuchsia to the fold. Fuchsia's three-year stay with the Predators started well and ended horribly, and she was a victim of the need to shake things up. Fuchsia has put in good efforts before and shouldn't be overlooked, as she'll likely compose the veteran depth with Shelley on the roster.
The Whitewater Shores are on the clock with the 36th overall pick. Their pick will strike the deepest, a huge bargain in adding former Diamond Gems captain Smokey. Under Smokey, the Gems and Shores engaged in some of the fiercest battles in the Bloodbath Derby. He'll now get to taste the rivalry from the other side, replacing Rosalina, who also made the switch between the two teams two years ago. Smokey's addition makes the Shores a team to watch in 2020.
It's been a long wait, but the home fans finally get to see the North Modernistic Nighthawks make their draft pick. At 37th overall, they selected former Eastside Shark Gizmo. This will be the Reality veteran's third team in his career. The Nighthawks can tout the reclamation effort on Lionel from last year as their ability to get more out of players. Gizmo replaces Luigi on the roster.
The Midland Predators fill out their roster with the 38th selection. They added former Web City Spider Chicky Phil to the squad. Chicky Phil has often found himself on the fringe of staying with team, but he was caught up in the Spiders' rebuild in 2019. He's a similar player to Fuchsia, who he replaced on the Predators roster, in that both don't typically separate themselves from the field.
The Viewpoint Sound Meteors look to add depth to their roster with the 39th overall pick. They selected former Stonebridge Wolf Cobalt to achieve that goal. Cobalt spent three years with the Wolves, often acting as Juno's second-in-command in the tightly-run organization. Life with the Meteors will be a bit more relaxed for Cobalt, who will look to improve on what club-mate Nibbles brought last year before his exit.
The Pronger Tridents' second pick of the day is the 40th overall, and the last true choice. The Tridents chose to go with a veteran, selecting former Todavía Still Prism here. Prism is on her third team in four years, as the Outcast veteran has struggled to perform consistently. The Tridents now have three Outcast players on their roster, as well as captain Precious and first-round selection Avril heading into 2020 with some question marks.
The Southern Monarchs ended up with rookie Molly with the 41st and final pick of the Tournament X draft. Molly, the sixth and final Enterprise rookie to be taken, will have a chip on her shoulder for being the last pick. Molly brings energy and excitement that may need to be refined into solid play, but a veteran Monarchs team will give her room to grow as she can only be a pleasant surprise based on her draft position.
For all live-action #UPCL needs, check out the official Twitter feed @UnitedPCL. The upcoming schedule is mostly non-website related. We'll be working on administrative/behind-the-scenes stuff in the next few days to prepare for the start of Qualifiers, likely on Monday.
The Web City Spiders have a compensatory first-round pick. The Spiders elected to go with a rookie to fill the opening left by Ted's retirement, bringing in the outgoing Omari Rashid. A tall and lean player, Omari is another player in the vein of Waluigi. The rookie brings sneaky power and precision in his game, but may struggle with more of the mental aspects. Omari represents Humanity Junior at the club level.
The Eastside Sharks are next with a compensatory first-round pick. The Sharks also dipped into the rookie pool by selecting Toki, a Reality first-year, to replace the retired Chelsea. Toki, the younger sister of last year's Midland Predators rookie Kitty, is a positive player with an optimistic outlook. Toki is expected to bring a vibrant attitude and a little fire to the rebuilding Sharks, who have two more picks today.
The Oceanside Waves have the third overall pick, a compensatory first-round selection. The Waves will replace the retired Jason V. with the rookie Rocky, who has committed to Youth Movement at the club level. Rocky has some of the highest expectations among rookies this season, an all-around strong player who is yet to develop strongly in any one area. He joins club-mate Celestia on a fairly inexperienced Waves team.
The Victoria Spurs possess the fourth overall pick, a compensatory first-round pick. The Spurs will go with experience, taking former Whitewater Shore Rosalina to replace the retired Mitchell. Rosalina joins her third team in four years in the league. The heady veteran has a lot of experience and will look to combine with Yekaterina as a crafty player on the skilled Spurs.
The Freedom Cascades are on the clock with a compensatory first-round selection. To replace longtime captain Jasmine, the Cascades select sophomore Andrew, formerly of the Central Warriors. Andrew had about as awful a rookie season as he could, leaving the Warriors no choice but to send him back into the draft pool. The Humanity Junior player has a powerful shot but will need to refine his skill for a Cascades team now entering its second chapter under Stinky's leadership.
The Maplewood Lumberjacks use the first of two compensatory picks to select Vladimir, formerly of the Stonebridge Wolves. The third-year Humanity Junior man fell out of favor in Juno's tight-run organization, and he'll get a second chance on a Lumberjacks team that needs to replace both Bryant and Gabe (retirement). Vladimir is a strong-and-silent type player that should fit well with the hard-working Lumberjacks, who are led by captain Diddley.
The Southridge Defenders have the seventh overall pick, a first-round compensatory pick. The Defenders took former North Modernistic Nighthawk Luigi, drawing boos from the home crowd. Luigi, a fourth-year Celebrity player, was never a popular Nighthawk, but stayed with the team at Peach's orders. Luigi will look for a fresh start alongside another familiar face -- the Defenders turned Wario into a top-20 player last season. He'll look to fill the gap left behind by Caitlin's retirement.
The Queens Flames are on the clock for a compensatory first-round pick. They'll fill out their roster with Pauline, formerly of the Capital City Sharpshooters. Pauline spent two years in Capital City, mostly with unimpressive results. Pauline will look to replace Hannah on the roster. The Celebrity player should get along well with teammate Mario, providing some chemistry outside of the Flames' big three star players.
The Atlantic Pirates have the ninth pick, a first-round compensatory selection. They'll fill the void left by Jason N.'s retirement with Reality rookie Buddy. The rookie is known to be a free-spirited type, which could make acclimating to Delila's strong leadership tough. Buddy won't have a lot of pressure on a defending City Cup champion squad, which should allow the rookie time to adjust to UPCL play.
The Pronger Tridents look to replace four-year star Zach with the 10th overall pick, a compensatory first-round selection. They tabbed former Web City Spider Avril with the task. Avril, a Celebrity player, has yet to find her groove in UPCL action, joining her third team in as many years. Avril has displayed potential at times, but she'll need to perform immediately with smart shot-selection under captain Precious.
The Archtown Arrows will fill out their roster with a compensatory first-round selection. The Arrows spent their pick on rookie Greg, a Humanity Junior signee. Greg will look to fill the gap left by A. Charlton, who retired after the 2019 season. Greg brings endless energy and humor to the Sally-led Arrows. Greg joins Klaus as the newcomers to the squad that finished middle of the pack.
The Lighton Prestige have a compensatory first-round pick to fill out their 2020 roster. The Prestige spent the 12th overall pick on Angelica, an Enterprise rookie. Angelica brings poise and calm to the team, mirroring the likes of long-term captain Acorn and star Spirit. The Prestige once again demonstrate their talent for finding players that fit their system, doing so this time to replace the retired Nicole.
Ending the first round, the Harrison Specters own a compensatory first-round pick. They'll look to replace the retired Lexi with the former Oceanside Wave Dewey with the 13th overall pick. Dewey was inconsistent over his three-year Waves tenure, with a poor 2019 being the final straw. Dewey has upside, and he'll serve in a supporting role on Twinkie II's Specters squad.
The Lumberjacks are back with the 14th overall pick, one of three second-round selections in the league this year. The Lumberjacks will replace the retired Gabe with Humanity Junior rookie Marissa. A fiery player with a flair for the dramatic, Marissa represents the total opposite of Vladimir, the Lumberjacks' earlier pick today. Marissa may need to reign in the creativity to fit in with her teammates, but the rookie should be a strong addition.
The Royal Crowns use their second-round compensatory pick to select rookie Sunshine with the 15th overall selection. Sunshine, an Enterprise commit, is a leader among the rookie class for his aggressive yet thoughtful playing style. He could be a future captain for the squad, but for now, Sunshine will look to help the Crowns offset the loss of the retired Cassie.
The Eastside Sharks are now on the clock for two picks. With the 16th overall pick, a compensatory selection acquired from the Pearl Surfers, the Sharks select rookie Lily. This is the second rookie the Sharks have taken to fill out what looks to be a young roster this year. Lily, like fellow draftee Toki, is a softer and more creative player. Lily will likely be more of a depth player than a young leader for the Sharks. The Sharks also selected Lily's brother, Maison, with the 17th overall pick. Maison, a third rookie, profiles as a tactically gifted player with a slightly strong propensity to lead. The Sharks will have three rookies and a sophomore under new captain Nightfur as they complete a wholesale change to their lineup.
The Southridge Defenders are on the clock for the 18th overall pick, acquired via trade from the Diamond Gems. The Defenders took former Pronger Trident Lize with the selection they gained by trading away Debby. Lize had an injury-plagued rookie year, but didn't show enough as a sophomore to be kept by the Tridents. She'll look for a fresh start with the Defenders, who have typically succeeded with young talent. Lize tends to play softer than expected due to her injury history.
The Web City Spiders open the fourth round by selecting Cubby with the 19th overall pick. Cubby, a journeyman from Forest SC, will join up with club-mate and new captain Jack on the squad. Cubby spent the last couple of years with the Eastside Sharks in a depth role, but will hope for a successful fresh start a bit farther north.
The Central Warriors will fill out their roster with the 20th overall pick. The Warriors picked up former Infinity Torpedo Mr. Snowman with the selection. Mr. Snowman will provide a veteran presence to the team, joining Graham as newcomers. Mr. Snowman likely has the least tough playing style on the team, but he's no pushover either. After a disappointing 2019, the Warriors will expect a lot of all players, new and old.
The Royal Crowns acquired the 21st overall pick in a trade with the Eastside Sharks. They'll use that pick to add Katelynn, a longtime league veteran most recently with the Diamond Gems. Katelynn was part of last year's three-team blockbuster, but she didn't stick on a rebuilding Gems squad. She'll add veteran depth and leadership that should provide a little creativity under Kayla's business-like captaincy.
The Stonebridge Wolves' have their natural fourth-round pick, selecting rookie Jane. The Humanity Junior commit will essentially replace club-mate Vladimir on the roster here. Jane projects as a supporting player with a knack for simple play, which fits right into Juno's vision for her team. Jane will look to have a good qualifying session, as the Wolves take pride in starting the year well.
The Diamond Gems get the 23rd pick to begin their rebuilding effort in earnest. They selected a journeyman, Salmo, with the pick. Salmo, mostly recently of the Southern Monarchs, didn't catch the train as his team shot to the top of the regular-season standings without him. The Gems will be his fourth team in as many years, and captain Shadow will not tolerate a lack of performance.
The Tysini Hummingbirds look to rebuild on the fly with the 24th overall pick, used on Outcast journeyman Hughbert, most recently of the Infinity Torpedoes. Hughbert has failed to make an impact at any of his stops in his career so far. He'll join a Hummingbirds team captained by Leandra, an intense player who has yet to truly unite a team. Hughbert projects as a direct replacement for the outgoing Paps.
The Infinity Torpedoes end the fourth round with the 25th pick. They selected rookie Blaze, a Youth Movement recruit. As the name suggests, Blaze brings a fiery attack to the Torpedoes. Blaze has a similar playing style to captain Smudge and star Fluffina, which makes him a good addition to the team attempting to push for the playoffs after 2019's narrow miss.
The Web City Spiders begin the fifth round with the 26th overall pick, selecting former Viewpoint Sound Meteors leader Nibbles. This addresses the lack of leadership around first-time captain Jack, as Nibbles is the leader of his Outcast club. The Spiders hope he's more than just good in that regard, as the inexperienced and largely unsuccessful squad tries to work back into competitiveness.
Another Northeastern team, the Everton Eagles, are next. They select Vincent, formerly of the Tysini Hummingbirds, to fill out their roster. An enigmatic pool player, Vincent can provide a challenge to the status quo of Goldy's leadership, which has come into question after the team missed the 2019 playoffs. Vincent, a third-year player on his third team, will hope he can get it right in the Northeast.
The Oceanside Waves look to fill out a fairly young roster with a second rookie, taking Humanity Junior recruit Megan with the 28th overall pick. Megan, like her cousin Sarah, provides energy and skill all in one. The Waves' rookie crop of Rocky and Megan should give the Waves a youthful feel as the Snuggle-led squad attempts to get back into contention.
The Stonebridge Wolves fill out their roster with the 29th overall pick, selecting former Everton Eagle Kirstin. A fifth-year veteran Kirstin brings a bit more spark to the roster than rookie fourth-round pick Jane. Kirstin may butt heads with captain Juno at times, but many will remember Kirstin was a fringe cut for the Eagles, who could be in line for a Ringer Award at the end of 2020.
The Todavía Stills look to add to a talenting but under-performing squad with the 30th pick. The Stills selected former Diamond Gems Pedey. This is a bargain pick for the Stills, as it was clear the veteran's time with the Gems was done by the end of the season. Pedey was never a bad player, but sometimes missed his potential. Even a good year could leave him as the Stills' fifth-best option, which could mean great things lie ahead for the Coastal powerhouse.
The Swordpoint Blades use their fifth-round pick to acquire Enterprise rookie Esmeralda. The most intriguing player in this year's rookie crop, Esmeralda also represents a bit of a risk for Snowball and co., any of whom could be in next year's draft if they have a down season. Esmeralda hasn't shown a knack for anything. She could end up being solid in all aspects or a disappointment. The Blades will hope for the former, as they've been treading water for years.
The Diamond Gems will fill out their roster with the 32nd overall pick. They'll turn to rookie Autumn for the task, electing to officially move on from former captain Smokey in the process. Autumn has the potential to be the most energetic player on a roster that also features Debby and Leonardo. The Humanity Junior rookie is going to be a big x-factor for the Gems, who really need to have a good year.
The Capital City Sharpshooters selected Paps with the 33rd overall pick. The former Hummingbird won't get back to his former team, as the Sharpshooters take a flier on the well-traveled veteran to fill out their roster. Paps has rarely been anything better than a No. 5 on his teams, and that seems to be the case again here as the Sharpshooters elected for a middle-of-the-road veteran.
The Tysini Hummingbirds complete their draft with the 34th overall pick. They'll pick up Sugar, the former Swordpoint Blade, in what's recently become a Southwestern shuffle. Sugar has played on many teams during her time; the Hummingbirds will be her fifth UPCL stop. The Hummingbirds elected to play it safe with Sugar and Hughbert as their draft additions, making the best of having just two late picks. Perhaps the team will show chemistry.
The Infinity Torpedoes conclude the Southwestern portion of the draft with the 35th overall pick, adding former Midland Predator Fuchsia to the fold. Fuchsia's three-year stay with the Predators started well and ended horribly, and she was a victim of the need to shake things up. Fuchsia has put in good efforts before and shouldn't be overlooked, as she'll likely compose the veteran depth with Shelley on the roster.
The Whitewater Shores are on the clock with the 36th overall pick. Their pick will strike the deepest, a huge bargain in adding former Diamond Gems captain Smokey. Under Smokey, the Gems and Shores engaged in some of the fiercest battles in the Bloodbath Derby. He'll now get to taste the rivalry from the other side, replacing Rosalina, who also made the switch between the two teams two years ago. Smokey's addition makes the Shores a team to watch in 2020.
It's been a long wait, but the home fans finally get to see the North Modernistic Nighthawks make their draft pick. At 37th overall, they selected former Eastside Shark Gizmo. This will be the Reality veteran's third team in his career. The Nighthawks can tout the reclamation effort on Lionel from last year as their ability to get more out of players. Gizmo replaces Luigi on the roster.
The Midland Predators fill out their roster with the 38th selection. They added former Web City Spider Chicky Phil to the squad. Chicky Phil has often found himself on the fringe of staying with team, but he was caught up in the Spiders' rebuild in 2019. He's a similar player to Fuchsia, who he replaced on the Predators roster, in that both don't typically separate themselves from the field.
The Viewpoint Sound Meteors look to add depth to their roster with the 39th overall pick. They selected former Stonebridge Wolf Cobalt to achieve that goal. Cobalt spent three years with the Wolves, often acting as Juno's second-in-command in the tightly-run organization. Life with the Meteors will be a bit more relaxed for Cobalt, who will look to improve on what club-mate Nibbles brought last year before his exit.
The Pronger Tridents' second pick of the day is the 40th overall, and the last true choice. The Tridents chose to go with a veteran, selecting former Todavía Still Prism here. Prism is on her third team in four years, as the Outcast veteran has struggled to perform consistently. The Tridents now have three Outcast players on their roster, as well as captain Precious and first-round selection Avril heading into 2020 with some question marks.
The Southern Monarchs ended up with rookie Molly with the 41st and final pick of the Tournament X draft. Molly, the sixth and final Enterprise rookie to be taken, will have a chip on her shoulder for being the last pick. Molly brings energy and excitement that may need to be refined into solid play, but a veteran Monarchs team will give her room to grow as she can only be a pleasant surprise based on her draft position.
For all live-action #UPCL needs, check out the official Twitter feed @UnitedPCL. The upcoming schedule is mostly non-website related. We'll be working on administrative/behind-the-scenes stuff in the next few days to prepare for the start of Qualifiers, likely on Monday.
Tournament X Pre-draft Trades
Prior to the start of the UPCL 2020 Draft, there were a number of trades completed. Here they are, by team.
The Eastside Sharks were the busiest team on trading day, flipping long-time captain Graham to the Central Warriors in exchange for Wings. The Sharks didn't keep Wings for long, sending him to the Pearl Surfers for a second-round pick (16th overall). The Sharks then sent their fourth-round pick (21st overall) to the Royal Crowns in exchange for Nightfur, who will be the Sharks' new captain. Nightfur spent five years with the Crowns, posting records of 174-177 in games and 45-40 in series. She accumulated three medals for her performance during her stint.
The Central Warriors acquired Graham from the Eastside Sharks in exchange for Wings. Graham spent six years with the Sharks, serving as captain in most of them. The veteran went 222-202 in games and 50-49 in series, and he earned one medal as a Shark. His performance had declined over the last three years, resulting in wholesale changes. He now joins good friend Dustin to force a dangerous trio leading the Warriors.
The Pearl Surfers acquired Wings from the Eastside Sharks as part of a three-team trade. This is Wings' second stint with the Surfers after an unsuccessful two-year run as a Warrior. Wings previously spent five years with the Surfers -- his first three were the best of his UPCL career, and he'll hope to recapture that magic with a strong squad that also features his brother, Bright.
The Royal Crowns acquired the 21st overall pick from the Eastside Sharks for Nightfur. The Crowns now have two drafts picks in the first four rounds as they look to rebuild around their new captain, Kayla.
The Diamond Gems acquired former Southridge Defenders captain Debby in exchange for a third-round pick. Debby spent her first five seasons with the Defenders, serving as captain of a young, draft-built squad that also parted ways with the retiring Caitlin in the offseason. Debby will now play a supporting role on a Gems team that sees its rebuild stretch into a second year. Debby went 139-146 in games and 36-41 in series with the Defenders. The Gems have two remaining picks to fill out their roster behind Shadow and Leonardo for the upcoming season.
The Southridge Defenders acquired a third-round pick (18th overall) in exchange for longtime captain Debby. The Defenders will go in a new direction with Caitlin and Debby's departures, with Stephanie named the new captain. With two picks in the first three rounds, the draft-proven side will hope to make this a rebuild on the fly.
The Archtown Arrows acquired Klaus from the Atlantic Pirates in exchange for Dusky. The fourth-year Outcast veteran spent his first three years as a Pirate, posting a 80-84 record in games and a 23-25 record in series. Klaus' 2019 was particularly bad, leading to the swap between the A-Line rivals featuring struggling players. The Arrows hope Klaus can return to the form he showed in his first two years. The Arrows also have a first-round pick to fill out their roster.
The Atlantic Pirates acquired Dusky from the Archtown Arrows in exchange for Klaus. Dusky spent six years with the Arrows after a debut with the Harrison Specters in 2012. During her Archtown career, the Youth Movement veteran went 189-192 in games and 47-48 in series with just one top-flight medal in 2017. Dusky finished under .400 in consecutive seasons, but the Pirates are willing to take a chance on her in hopes that she just needs a change of scenery. The Pirates will add a first-round pick on draft day to complete their 2020 lineup.
That's all for UPCL trades in 2020. The Draft is live from North Modernistic in one hour.
The Eastside Sharks were the busiest team on trading day, flipping long-time captain Graham to the Central Warriors in exchange for Wings. The Sharks didn't keep Wings for long, sending him to the Pearl Surfers for a second-round pick (16th overall). The Sharks then sent their fourth-round pick (21st overall) to the Royal Crowns in exchange for Nightfur, who will be the Sharks' new captain. Nightfur spent five years with the Crowns, posting records of 174-177 in games and 45-40 in series. She accumulated three medals for her performance during her stint.
The Central Warriors acquired Graham from the Eastside Sharks in exchange for Wings. Graham spent six years with the Sharks, serving as captain in most of them. The veteran went 222-202 in games and 50-49 in series, and he earned one medal as a Shark. His performance had declined over the last three years, resulting in wholesale changes. He now joins good friend Dustin to force a dangerous trio leading the Warriors.
The Pearl Surfers acquired Wings from the Eastside Sharks as part of a three-team trade. This is Wings' second stint with the Surfers after an unsuccessful two-year run as a Warrior. Wings previously spent five years with the Surfers -- his first three were the best of his UPCL career, and he'll hope to recapture that magic with a strong squad that also features his brother, Bright.
The Royal Crowns acquired the 21st overall pick from the Eastside Sharks for Nightfur. The Crowns now have two drafts picks in the first four rounds as they look to rebuild around their new captain, Kayla.
The Diamond Gems acquired former Southridge Defenders captain Debby in exchange for a third-round pick. Debby spent her first five seasons with the Defenders, serving as captain of a young, draft-built squad that also parted ways with the retiring Caitlin in the offseason. Debby will now play a supporting role on a Gems team that sees its rebuild stretch into a second year. Debby went 139-146 in games and 36-41 in series with the Defenders. The Gems have two remaining picks to fill out their roster behind Shadow and Leonardo for the upcoming season.
The Southridge Defenders acquired a third-round pick (18th overall) in exchange for longtime captain Debby. The Defenders will go in a new direction with Caitlin and Debby's departures, with Stephanie named the new captain. With two picks in the first three rounds, the draft-proven side will hope to make this a rebuild on the fly.
The Archtown Arrows acquired Klaus from the Atlantic Pirates in exchange for Dusky. The fourth-year Outcast veteran spent his first three years as a Pirate, posting a 80-84 record in games and a 23-25 record in series. Klaus' 2019 was particularly bad, leading to the swap between the A-Line rivals featuring struggling players. The Arrows hope Klaus can return to the form he showed in his first two years. The Arrows also have a first-round pick to fill out their roster.
The Atlantic Pirates acquired Dusky from the Archtown Arrows in exchange for Klaus. Dusky spent six years with the Arrows after a debut with the Harrison Specters in 2012. During her Archtown career, the Youth Movement veteran went 189-192 in games and 47-48 in series with just one top-flight medal in 2017. Dusky finished under .400 in consecutive seasons, but the Pirates are willing to take a chance on her in hopes that she just needs a change of scenery. The Pirates will add a first-round pick on draft day to complete their 2020 lineup.
That's all for UPCL trades in 2020. The Draft is live from North Modernistic in one hour.
Monday, February 3, 2020
UPCL Bowl Series - Day 7
Today, we put the finishing touches on the Bowl Series. First up...
Intel Center, Diamond: Sage v. Prism. Prime and Outcast foes battle with the red cue in the first of today's mostly secondary-level bowls. Victoria's Sage found her groove with a five-ball run-out in 7-ball, setting the tone to pull ahead 1-0 over Todavía's Prism. The Stills' Prism had more success in 8-ball, working a five-ball run. The Spurs' Sage couldn't make a response, and Prism took the win to tie the series at 1. Sage floundered a bit in 9-ball, with her miss on the 4 setting up Prism for the 4-9 combination to the top right. Prism went ahead 2-1 in the series with the win. Sage got back on track in 10-ball, bouncing a shot off the 9 to push the 10 to the top right after Prism's offense bottomed out. The series is tied at 2. Sage had positioning in 12-ball, but Prism removed some defense near the end. Sage couldn't finish the attack, and Prism surged forward for the win and 3-2 series lead. Sage had all the offense in 13-ball, showing clear lines and easy shots. Prism didn't have the right positioning and elected to keep her defense late, but Sage easily won anyway to retie the series at 3. Prism and Sage kept it close at the start of Rotation, but Prism had pulled away at the end for an 8-4 win to take a 4-3 series lead. The ending of 15-ball was not a particularly clean one as both players struggled to focus. Sage ended up getting this win, tying the series at 4. Sage held on for as long as she could in Accuracy, but Prism walked away with a 2-4 win for the 5-4 Diamond Bowl win.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Whiskers v. Midnight. Enterprise and Brute Force send representatives to play with the blue cue. Maplewood's Whiskers didn't play very well in 7-ball, slipping around and missing contact. Westside's Midnight carried the offense for a win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers found her form in 8-ball, this time looking like the much stronger player in a takedown of the Rockers' Midnight. Whiskers tied the series at 1. Midnight didn't make contact on the 8 after a close battle to that point in 9-ball. Whiskers made the final pair from ball-in-hand for the win, pulling ahead 2-1 in the series. Whiskers notched a five-ball run over the middle of 10-ball, but it took Midnight completely collapsing at the end for Whiskers to get her chance on the 10 for the win. Whiskers now leads the series 3-1. Whiskers gave away a wild-card ball early in 12-ball, allowing Midnight to have a little flexibility. Midnight took advantage with a three-ball run-out for the win to cut the deficit to 3-2. Whiskers again had a good start in 13-ball, but it gave way to a slow finish. Midnight surged with all seven balls over three turns for the win to tie the series at 3. Midnight kept an edge on Whiskers for most of Rotation, but it was a slow-moving game at best. Midnight's finish saw her convert the 13-14 combination to the top right with a deflection to pot the 15 at the bottom right for the 8-6 win and 4-3 series lead. Another slow battle saw Midnight find a three-ball run-out at the end of 15-ball to finish off Whiskers. Midnight clinched the Central Bowl by a 5-3 margin. Whiskers got one back at the very end as Midnight sportingly missed the last ball. Whiskers won Accuracy 2-3, but Midnight won the bowl 5-4.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Taylor S. v. Stinky. The silver cue administers today's highlighted bowl between Celebrity and Reality. Commerce's Taylor S. had a three-ball run on both of her turns in 7-ball, overwhelming Freedom's Stinky to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. stayed solid in 8-ball, but it was the Cascades' Stinky streaking on a five-ball run-out to get the win. This tied the series at 1 game each. Taylor S. had a decent attack early in 9-ball, but dropped off from there. Stinky found a 5-8-9 combination to the top right for the win that put him ahead 2-1 in the series. Stinky had an illegal pot on the 10 at the top right early on. Taylor S. then bounced back with a run at the end to get the win that retied the series at 2. Stinky was down to his last ball with the help of a wild-card ball in 12-ball, but he scratched twice and completely fell apart. Taylor S. slowly worked her way back to take the win for a 3-2 series lead. Taylor S. had a much more convincing effort in 13-ball, taking one of each early and pushing solids to her liking on a deep run. Taylor S. easily won for the 4-2 series lead. Taylor S. built up a nice lead in Rotation, only for Stinky to threaten late with a three-ball run. Taylor S. weathered the attack and won 8-6, clinching the Archtown Bowl at 5-2. Stinky got one back in 15-ball, taking the back-and-forth battle that Taylor S. couldn't quite get a grip on. Taylor S. remains ahead 5-3 in the series. Taylor S. took it easy in Accuracy as well, unraveling near the end to allow Stinky a 2-4 win. Taylor S. settled for a 5-4 series win as Celebrity proved their worth over Reality this year.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Ice Cream v. Kodiak. Enterprise and Outcast each see their second bowls of the day, using the purple cue. Boston's Ice Cream seemed to have more of the possession in 7-ball, but a miss on the 7 allowed Modernistic's Kodiak to earn the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream wouldn't go down in 8-ball, taking a four-ball run early on. The Union's Kodiak answered on a six-ball run but couldn't finish his effort, and Ice Cream did instead for the win to tie the series at 1. Ice Cream didn't have as much success in 9-ball, posting only moderate offense. Kodiak had a three-ball run-out for the win, with a little on his side to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Ice Cream made the 10 illegally early in 10-ball, and she wouldn't get another good look at it. Kodiak once again controlled the end with a four-ball run-out for the win to push his advantage to 3-1. Ice Cream and Kodiak each scratched early in 12-ball. Ice Cream had the earlier surge in offense, but she never got it under control, and Kodiak ended up with the win to go up 4-1 in the series. Kodiak had an early attack in 13-ball, but his positioning from there was poor. Ice Cream would rally late on a three-ball run-out for the win to pull back to a 4-2 series deficit. Ice Cream blasted a big run early in Rotation, and she held off Kodiak's late counterattack for the 8-5 win. Kodiak's lead has shrunk to 4-3 in the series. Kodiak finally finished off the Whitewater Bowl with a win in 15-ball, holding off a spirited effort from Ice Cream. Kodiak's series lead is 5-3 with a game to go. The two players were perfect deep into Accuracy until Kodiak missed his bank on the last ball. Ice Cream made it on a bank to the bottom right for the 0-1 win. Kodiak won the series 5-4.
Apple Center, Todavía: Isabella v. Roxy. Two Eastern Hills foes from Youth Movement and Forest SC square up in the finale with the green cue. Freedom's Roxy posted a four-ball run in 7-ball, but Atlantic's Isabella brought it home with a three-ball run-out for the win. The Pirates' Isabella seemed pretty strong in 8-ball, but the Cascades' Roxy surged late and found enough offense for the win to tie the series at 1. Isabella did okay in 9-ball, but Roxy capitalized after Isabella scratched. Roxy converted a 4-9 combination to the top right for the win and 2-1 series lead. Isabella opened with a five-ball run in 10-ball, but her supporting offense lacked and Roxy ultimately snagged the win in the end for a 3-1 series lead. Isabella started out just fine in 12-ball, but Roxy's first turn was a six-ball run-out for the win to push her advantage to a staggering 4-1 lead. Roxy played a long-game strategy in 13-ball, trying to align everything before attacking. A late scratch doomed her as Isabella gained the win to cut the series to 4-2. Isabella held the early lead in Rotation, but she completely fell apart by the end, and Roxy stepped in for an 8-5 win to clinch the Todavía Bowl at 5-2. Isabella picked up a tight win in 15-ball after Roxy couldn't do anything with a poorly-positioned 15. Isabella's victory cut the series to 5-3. Isabella picked up a 2-3 win in Accuracy to make the series look a little bit better, but Roxy still won it 5-4.
That's it for 2019 (34 days late, but who's counting?). We'll be finalizing any potential trades tomorrow, and then the Tournament X draft is Wednesday. Following the draft will be numerous administrative duties to prepare for the upcoming competition. This includes printing new jerseys, updating the career document, preparing and finalizing the new Tournament document, and the hallowed cue allocation, now featuring five sticks. I anticipate to be ready to begin the next Tournament process with Qualifiers beginning on Monday.
Intel Center, Diamond: Sage v. Prism. Prime and Outcast foes battle with the red cue in the first of today's mostly secondary-level bowls. Victoria's Sage found her groove with a five-ball run-out in 7-ball, setting the tone to pull ahead 1-0 over Todavía's Prism. The Stills' Prism had more success in 8-ball, working a five-ball run. The Spurs' Sage couldn't make a response, and Prism took the win to tie the series at 1. Sage floundered a bit in 9-ball, with her miss on the 4 setting up Prism for the 4-9 combination to the top right. Prism went ahead 2-1 in the series with the win. Sage got back on track in 10-ball, bouncing a shot off the 9 to push the 10 to the top right after Prism's offense bottomed out. The series is tied at 2. Sage had positioning in 12-ball, but Prism removed some defense near the end. Sage couldn't finish the attack, and Prism surged forward for the win and 3-2 series lead. Sage had all the offense in 13-ball, showing clear lines and easy shots. Prism didn't have the right positioning and elected to keep her defense late, but Sage easily won anyway to retie the series at 3. Prism and Sage kept it close at the start of Rotation, but Prism had pulled away at the end for an 8-4 win to take a 4-3 series lead. The ending of 15-ball was not a particularly clean one as both players struggled to focus. Sage ended up getting this win, tying the series at 4. Sage held on for as long as she could in Accuracy, but Prism walked away with a 2-4 win for the 5-4 Diamond Bowl win.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Whiskers v. Midnight. Enterprise and Brute Force send representatives to play with the blue cue. Maplewood's Whiskers didn't play very well in 7-ball, slipping around and missing contact. Westside's Midnight carried the offense for a win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers found her form in 8-ball, this time looking like the much stronger player in a takedown of the Rockers' Midnight. Whiskers tied the series at 1. Midnight didn't make contact on the 8 after a close battle to that point in 9-ball. Whiskers made the final pair from ball-in-hand for the win, pulling ahead 2-1 in the series. Whiskers notched a five-ball run over the middle of 10-ball, but it took Midnight completely collapsing at the end for Whiskers to get her chance on the 10 for the win. Whiskers now leads the series 3-1. Whiskers gave away a wild-card ball early in 12-ball, allowing Midnight to have a little flexibility. Midnight took advantage with a three-ball run-out for the win to cut the deficit to 3-2. Whiskers again had a good start in 13-ball, but it gave way to a slow finish. Midnight surged with all seven balls over three turns for the win to tie the series at 3. Midnight kept an edge on Whiskers for most of Rotation, but it was a slow-moving game at best. Midnight's finish saw her convert the 13-14 combination to the top right with a deflection to pot the 15 at the bottom right for the 8-6 win and 4-3 series lead. Another slow battle saw Midnight find a three-ball run-out at the end of 15-ball to finish off Whiskers. Midnight clinched the Central Bowl by a 5-3 margin. Whiskers got one back at the very end as Midnight sportingly missed the last ball. Whiskers won Accuracy 2-3, but Midnight won the bowl 5-4.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Taylor S. v. Stinky. The silver cue administers today's highlighted bowl between Celebrity and Reality. Commerce's Taylor S. had a three-ball run on both of her turns in 7-ball, overwhelming Freedom's Stinky to grab the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. stayed solid in 8-ball, but it was the Cascades' Stinky streaking on a five-ball run-out to get the win. This tied the series at 1 game each. Taylor S. had a decent attack early in 9-ball, but dropped off from there. Stinky found a 5-8-9 combination to the top right for the win that put him ahead 2-1 in the series. Stinky had an illegal pot on the 10 at the top right early on. Taylor S. then bounced back with a run at the end to get the win that retied the series at 2. Stinky was down to his last ball with the help of a wild-card ball in 12-ball, but he scratched twice and completely fell apart. Taylor S. slowly worked her way back to take the win for a 3-2 series lead. Taylor S. had a much more convincing effort in 13-ball, taking one of each early and pushing solids to her liking on a deep run. Taylor S. easily won for the 4-2 series lead. Taylor S. built up a nice lead in Rotation, only for Stinky to threaten late with a three-ball run. Taylor S. weathered the attack and won 8-6, clinching the Archtown Bowl at 5-2. Stinky got one back in 15-ball, taking the back-and-forth battle that Taylor S. couldn't quite get a grip on. Taylor S. remains ahead 5-3 in the series. Taylor S. took it easy in Accuracy as well, unraveling near the end to allow Stinky a 2-4 win. Taylor S. settled for a 5-4 series win as Celebrity proved their worth over Reality this year.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Ice Cream v. Kodiak. Enterprise and Outcast each see their second bowls of the day, using the purple cue. Boston's Ice Cream seemed to have more of the possession in 7-ball, but a miss on the 7 allowed Modernistic's Kodiak to earn the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Ice Cream wouldn't go down in 8-ball, taking a four-ball run early on. The Union's Kodiak answered on a six-ball run but couldn't finish his effort, and Ice Cream did instead for the win to tie the series at 1. Ice Cream didn't have as much success in 9-ball, posting only moderate offense. Kodiak had a three-ball run-out for the win, with a little on his side to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Ice Cream made the 10 illegally early in 10-ball, and she wouldn't get another good look at it. Kodiak once again controlled the end with a four-ball run-out for the win to push his advantage to 3-1. Ice Cream and Kodiak each scratched early in 12-ball. Ice Cream had the earlier surge in offense, but she never got it under control, and Kodiak ended up with the win to go up 4-1 in the series. Kodiak had an early attack in 13-ball, but his positioning from there was poor. Ice Cream would rally late on a three-ball run-out for the win to pull back to a 4-2 series deficit. Ice Cream blasted a big run early in Rotation, and she held off Kodiak's late counterattack for the 8-5 win. Kodiak's lead has shrunk to 4-3 in the series. Kodiak finally finished off the Whitewater Bowl with a win in 15-ball, holding off a spirited effort from Ice Cream. Kodiak's series lead is 5-3 with a game to go. The two players were perfect deep into Accuracy until Kodiak missed his bank on the last ball. Ice Cream made it on a bank to the bottom right for the 0-1 win. Kodiak won the series 5-4.
Apple Center, Todavía: Isabella v. Roxy. Two Eastern Hills foes from Youth Movement and Forest SC square up in the finale with the green cue. Freedom's Roxy posted a four-ball run in 7-ball, but Atlantic's Isabella brought it home with a three-ball run-out for the win. The Pirates' Isabella seemed pretty strong in 8-ball, but the Cascades' Roxy surged late and found enough offense for the win to tie the series at 1. Isabella did okay in 9-ball, but Roxy capitalized after Isabella scratched. Roxy converted a 4-9 combination to the top right for the win and 2-1 series lead. Isabella opened with a five-ball run in 10-ball, but her supporting offense lacked and Roxy ultimately snagged the win in the end for a 3-1 series lead. Isabella started out just fine in 12-ball, but Roxy's first turn was a six-ball run-out for the win to push her advantage to a staggering 4-1 lead. Roxy played a long-game strategy in 13-ball, trying to align everything before attacking. A late scratch doomed her as Isabella gained the win to cut the series to 4-2. Isabella held the early lead in Rotation, but she completely fell apart by the end, and Roxy stepped in for an 8-5 win to clinch the Todavía Bowl at 5-2. Isabella picked up a tight win in 15-ball after Roxy couldn't do anything with a poorly-positioned 15. Isabella's victory cut the series to 5-3. Isabella picked up a 2-3 win in Accuracy to make the series look a little bit better, but Roxy still won it 5-4.
That's it for 2019 (34 days late, but who's counting?). We'll be finalizing any potential trades tomorrow, and then the Tournament X draft is Wednesday. Following the draft will be numerous administrative duties to prepare for the upcoming competition. This includes printing new jerseys, updating the career document, preparing and finalizing the new Tournament document, and the hallowed cue allocation, now featuring five sticks. I anticipate to be ready to begin the next Tournament process with Qualifiers beginning on Monday.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
UPCL Bowl Series - Day 6
We'll do six bowls today, the second-to-last day of the 2019 Tournament cycle. First up...
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Bianca v. Mams. The red cue battles between Youth Movement and Oriental United forces. Southridge's Bianca didn't get much going aside from making a ball on the break. Southern's Mams potted a six-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Mams had a six-ball run in 8-ball as well, but she couldn't add a smaller attack at the end, and the Defenders' Bianca ended up picking up the win to tie the series at 1. Bianca came out with fire on a four-ball run to start 9-ball. Mams shot back a bit, but she couldn't corral the 9, and Bianca won at the bottom left to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Mams didn't let a few bad turns discourage her, as she worked a three-ball run-out in 10-ball for the win over Bianca. This retied the series at 2. Bianca had some struggles with scratches in 12-ball, but good positioning on her part prevailed over Mams, who was a little too soft on her last attempt. Bianca restored her series lead at 3-2 with this win. Bianca outright dominated 13-ball, with a four-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out on the second turn to propel her to a 4-2 series lead over Mams. Bianca looked good again in Rotation, but Mams battled just as hard to get the win by an 8-6 margin, staying alive in a 4-3 series. Bianca brought fire in her 15-ball performance, ending with a deflection off the 7 to confidently push the 15 to the top left. Mams was good, but well off the pace. Bianca clinched the series at 5-3. Mams held a lead for most of Accuracy, but faltered into a 2-2 tie at the end. Bianca tried to give the game away but accidentally made the last ball, and the players agreed to leave it as a tie. Bianca took the series 5-3-1 to win the Web City Bowl.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Shawn v. Mitchell. The blue cue's turn today is the second Senior v. Junior battle. Victoria's Mitchell found success with a three-ball run-out after Midland's Shawn rattled the 4 out of the bottom left. Mitchell leads the series 1-0. Shawn had a late surge, but the Predators captain ended up sinking the 8 illegally, gifting the win away to the Spurs' Mitchell, who now leads the series 2-0. Mitchell didn't do as well in 9-ball, missing a few shots on later turns as Shawn ultimately won with a three-ball run-out to cut the series to 2-1. Shawn stepped up again in 10-ball, rattling off an impressive seven-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 2 as Mitchell could only watch. Shawn started well in 12-ball, but it came down to positioning, and Mitchell excelled with a three-ball run-out in that regard. Mitchell regained the series lead at 3-2. Shawn came close in 13-ball, getting down to a single ball, but he couldn't finish the job. Mitchell worked a three-ball run-out for the win, pulling ahead 4-2 in the series. Shawn couldn't keep pace after a close start in Rotation. Mitchell jumped out to a lead and finished the win at 8-3 to clinch the Capital City Bowl at 5-2. Shawn brought an early finish to 15-ball, potting a 3-15 combination to the bottom right after Mitchell fouled. This cut the series to 5-3. Shawn started alright in Accuracy despite a bad break, but Mitchell steadied later and won 2-4 to take this series 6-3.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Cheddar v. Diddley. The silver cue goes with Youth Movement against Prime. North Modernistic's Cheddar didn't start so well in 7-ball, allowing Maplewood's Diddley to dictate the pace with a majority of the possession. The Nighthawks' Cheddar had more fun in 8-ball, pulling off an impressive attack early on and finishing with a win to tie the series at 1 against the Lumberjacks' Diddley. Cheddar stepped up again in 9-ball, somehow running the table in nine shots to keep Diddley on the sidelines. Cheddar holds a 2-1 series lead now. In 10-ball, Cheddar saw her offense decrease. Diddley had a three-ball run, but he scratched, and Cheddar whipped in a 7-10 combination to the top right to move ahead 3-1 in the series. Cheddar seemed to be cruising early in 12-ball, but a missed contact later allowed Diddley to rattle off a four-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 3-2. Cheddar couldn't avoid late scratches in 13-ball, but Diddley still had to convert a kick on the 8 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 3. Diddley's comeback push saw him take the lead in Rotation, winning the game 8-6 to pull ahead 4-3 in the series over a struggling Cheddar. Diddley seemed to have all the offense in 15-ball, but a trick attempt near the top left didn't work. Cheddar then made a 5-15 combination there for the win to tie the series again at 4. Cheddar couldn't hang on in Accuracy, dropping a 2-4 result to Diddley, who went on to win the series 5-4 to take the Commerce Bowl.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Strut v. Leonardo. The last premium bowl in the series is with the purple cue and played between Prime and Solid Core. Pearl's Strut picked up the 7-ball win because Diamond's Leonardo was a little too casual on the 7 in a close game. Strut tapped it to the top left for a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Leonardo had trouble with scratches in 8-ball, but he capitalized on the Pilots' Strut suffering a bad miss late in the game on the 8. Leonardo knocked it in at the bottom right for the win to tie the series at 1. Strut left the 9 by the top right on the 9-ball break, and it ended up being his demise on his next turn. Strut missed contact on the 1, and the cue bumped the 9 down illegally to gift the game and 2-1 series lead away to Leonardo. Things got worse for Strut in 10-ball, as his offense cratered and Leonardo dominated the pace. Leonardo's series lead moved to 3-1 after he won on a five-ball run-out. Strut started with a three-ball run from the break, but he was once again blocked out at the end as Leonardo made a three-ball run-out with great execution. Leonardo continues to roll at a 4-1 series lead. Strut overfilled the top right on the break in 13-ball, and he never saw another opportunity to catch up. Leonardo's merciless offense ripped through the game for another win to clinch the Pearl Bowl at 5-1. Strut never found traction in Rotation either as Leonardo pummeled attacks early and late in an 8-2 win. Leonardo's series lead stretched to 6-1 in a lopsided series. Strut and Leonardo devolved into simple shooting exchanges in 15-ball, until Leonardo jammed a shot on the 7 that bumped the 15 to the bottom right for the win and 7-1 lead. Strut finally got one back with a 2-4 win in Accuracy, leaving Leonardo to settle for a 7-2 series win.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Valencia v. Salmo. A potentially lopsided bowl between Youth Movement and Outcast features the green cue. Golden's Valencia couldn't finish off 7-ball, allowing Southern's Salmo to take the 7 at the bottom right for a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia lost her edge in 8-ball, failing to attack much in the latter part of the game. The Monarchs' Salmo ripped a five-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead. Salmo's good fortune ran out in 9-ball, as Valencia rattled off a three-ball run early and a five-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Salmo had too many scratches in 10-ball, which combined with a general lack of offense to make it very easy for Valencia to get the win that tied the series at 2. Valencia yielded a wild-card ball on the 12-ball break, and Salmo made easy work of the rack from there, needing just three turns to restore his series lead at 3-2. Valencia didn't find much success in 13-ball either, as Salmo picked up a three-ball run and then the 8 on consecutive turns for the win to move ahead 4-2. Salmo didn't finish the job in Rotation, falling apart early as Valencia made a pair on the break and rode her way to an 8-3 win to pull back to a 4-3 series. Valencia again didn't blink in the face of defeat, while Salmo buckled by scratching to set Valencia up for her three-ball run-out. The series is tied at 4. Salmo and Valencia combined for a close Accuracy battle, decided in overtime after Salmo scratched on the break. Valencia won a 2-3 game and took the series 5-4 for the Modernistic Bowl.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Hoppy v. Jack. Tonight's last bowl, a special sixth series, pits Outcast against Forest SC with the purple cue. Archtown's Hoppy had a four-ball run at the start, but Web City's Jack dug in and found the win in the end to go ahead 1-0 in the series between Northeastern rivals. The Arrows' Hoppy dug her own grave in 8-ball, making enough mistakes to let the Spiders' Jack get ahead. Hoppy then sank the 8-ball prematurely, gifting Jack the win for a 2-0 series lead. Jack finally slipped up in 9-ball, with a couple of turns ending in bad misses. Hoppy ran the possession this time and got the win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Hoppy made quick work of 10-ball, draining a pair on the break and adding the 1-10 combination to the top right on the next shot to tie the series at 2 as Jack watched. Hoppy made a stripe on the break in 12-ball, but Jack found more success on solids to get the win, which restored his series lead at 3-2. Hoppy trailed for most of 13-ball, but Jack faded late and didn't recover in time. Hoppy poached the win on a comeback, retying the series at 3. Hoppy took a large lead early on and coasted to an 8-6 win as Jack pressured but came up short. Hoppy has the lead for the first time in the series at 4-3. Jack didn't let the drama linger in 15-ball, converting a 3-15 kick combination smoothly to the top right for the win, which tied the series once more at 4. Hoppy ultimately prevailed in an exciting Accuracy game, which saw her scratch on the break, but also saw Jack struggle at the end. Hoppy won 2-4 and took the Infinity Bowl 5-4.
Tomorrow, it's all officially over for the 2019 cycle. We'll play five more bowls to wrap it up.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Bianca v. Mams. The red cue battles between Youth Movement and Oriental United forces. Southridge's Bianca didn't get much going aside from making a ball on the break. Southern's Mams potted a six-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Mams had a six-ball run in 8-ball as well, but she couldn't add a smaller attack at the end, and the Defenders' Bianca ended up picking up the win to tie the series at 1. Bianca came out with fire on a four-ball run to start 9-ball. Mams shot back a bit, but she couldn't corral the 9, and Bianca won at the bottom left to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Mams didn't let a few bad turns discourage her, as she worked a three-ball run-out in 10-ball for the win over Bianca. This retied the series at 2. Bianca had some struggles with scratches in 12-ball, but good positioning on her part prevailed over Mams, who was a little too soft on her last attempt. Bianca restored her series lead at 3-2 with this win. Bianca outright dominated 13-ball, with a four-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out on the second turn to propel her to a 4-2 series lead over Mams. Bianca looked good again in Rotation, but Mams battled just as hard to get the win by an 8-6 margin, staying alive in a 4-3 series. Bianca brought fire in her 15-ball performance, ending with a deflection off the 7 to confidently push the 15 to the top left. Mams was good, but well off the pace. Bianca clinched the series at 5-3. Mams held a lead for most of Accuracy, but faltered into a 2-2 tie at the end. Bianca tried to give the game away but accidentally made the last ball, and the players agreed to leave it as a tie. Bianca took the series 5-3-1 to win the Web City Bowl.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Shawn v. Mitchell. The blue cue's turn today is the second Senior v. Junior battle. Victoria's Mitchell found success with a three-ball run-out after Midland's Shawn rattled the 4 out of the bottom left. Mitchell leads the series 1-0. Shawn had a late surge, but the Predators captain ended up sinking the 8 illegally, gifting the win away to the Spurs' Mitchell, who now leads the series 2-0. Mitchell didn't do as well in 9-ball, missing a few shots on later turns as Shawn ultimately won with a three-ball run-out to cut the series to 2-1. Shawn stepped up again in 10-ball, rattling off an impressive seven-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 2 as Mitchell could only watch. Shawn started well in 12-ball, but it came down to positioning, and Mitchell excelled with a three-ball run-out in that regard. Mitchell regained the series lead at 3-2. Shawn came close in 13-ball, getting down to a single ball, but he couldn't finish the job. Mitchell worked a three-ball run-out for the win, pulling ahead 4-2 in the series. Shawn couldn't keep pace after a close start in Rotation. Mitchell jumped out to a lead and finished the win at 8-3 to clinch the Capital City Bowl at 5-2. Shawn brought an early finish to 15-ball, potting a 3-15 combination to the bottom right after Mitchell fouled. This cut the series to 5-3. Shawn started alright in Accuracy despite a bad break, but Mitchell steadied later and won 2-4 to take this series 6-3.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Cheddar v. Diddley. The silver cue goes with Youth Movement against Prime. North Modernistic's Cheddar didn't start so well in 7-ball, allowing Maplewood's Diddley to dictate the pace with a majority of the possession. The Nighthawks' Cheddar had more fun in 8-ball, pulling off an impressive attack early on and finishing with a win to tie the series at 1 against the Lumberjacks' Diddley. Cheddar stepped up again in 9-ball, somehow running the table in nine shots to keep Diddley on the sidelines. Cheddar holds a 2-1 series lead now. In 10-ball, Cheddar saw her offense decrease. Diddley had a three-ball run, but he scratched, and Cheddar whipped in a 7-10 combination to the top right to move ahead 3-1 in the series. Cheddar seemed to be cruising early in 12-ball, but a missed contact later allowed Diddley to rattle off a four-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 3-2. Cheddar couldn't avoid late scratches in 13-ball, but Diddley still had to convert a kick on the 8 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 3. Diddley's comeback push saw him take the lead in Rotation, winning the game 8-6 to pull ahead 4-3 in the series over a struggling Cheddar. Diddley seemed to have all the offense in 15-ball, but a trick attempt near the top left didn't work. Cheddar then made a 5-15 combination there for the win to tie the series again at 4. Cheddar couldn't hang on in Accuracy, dropping a 2-4 result to Diddley, who went on to win the series 5-4 to take the Commerce Bowl.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Strut v. Leonardo. The last premium bowl in the series is with the purple cue and played between Prime and Solid Core. Pearl's Strut picked up the 7-ball win because Diamond's Leonardo was a little too casual on the 7 in a close game. Strut tapped it to the top left for a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Leonardo had trouble with scratches in 8-ball, but he capitalized on the Pilots' Strut suffering a bad miss late in the game on the 8. Leonardo knocked it in at the bottom right for the win to tie the series at 1. Strut left the 9 by the top right on the 9-ball break, and it ended up being his demise on his next turn. Strut missed contact on the 1, and the cue bumped the 9 down illegally to gift the game and 2-1 series lead away to Leonardo. Things got worse for Strut in 10-ball, as his offense cratered and Leonardo dominated the pace. Leonardo's series lead moved to 3-1 after he won on a five-ball run-out. Strut started with a three-ball run from the break, but he was once again blocked out at the end as Leonardo made a three-ball run-out with great execution. Leonardo continues to roll at a 4-1 series lead. Strut overfilled the top right on the break in 13-ball, and he never saw another opportunity to catch up. Leonardo's merciless offense ripped through the game for another win to clinch the Pearl Bowl at 5-1. Strut never found traction in Rotation either as Leonardo pummeled attacks early and late in an 8-2 win. Leonardo's series lead stretched to 6-1 in a lopsided series. Strut and Leonardo devolved into simple shooting exchanges in 15-ball, until Leonardo jammed a shot on the 7 that bumped the 15 to the bottom right for the win and 7-1 lead. Strut finally got one back with a 2-4 win in Accuracy, leaving Leonardo to settle for a 7-2 series win.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Valencia v. Salmo. A potentially lopsided bowl between Youth Movement and Outcast features the green cue. Golden's Valencia couldn't finish off 7-ball, allowing Southern's Salmo to take the 7 at the bottom right for a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia lost her edge in 8-ball, failing to attack much in the latter part of the game. The Monarchs' Salmo ripped a five-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead. Salmo's good fortune ran out in 9-ball, as Valencia rattled off a three-ball run early and a five-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Salmo had too many scratches in 10-ball, which combined with a general lack of offense to make it very easy for Valencia to get the win that tied the series at 2. Valencia yielded a wild-card ball on the 12-ball break, and Salmo made easy work of the rack from there, needing just three turns to restore his series lead at 3-2. Valencia didn't find much success in 13-ball either, as Salmo picked up a three-ball run and then the 8 on consecutive turns for the win to move ahead 4-2. Salmo didn't finish the job in Rotation, falling apart early as Valencia made a pair on the break and rode her way to an 8-3 win to pull back to a 4-3 series. Valencia again didn't blink in the face of defeat, while Salmo buckled by scratching to set Valencia up for her three-ball run-out. The series is tied at 4. Salmo and Valencia combined for a close Accuracy battle, decided in overtime after Salmo scratched on the break. Valencia won a 2-3 game and took the series 5-4 for the Modernistic Bowl.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Hoppy v. Jack. Tonight's last bowl, a special sixth series, pits Outcast against Forest SC with the purple cue. Archtown's Hoppy had a four-ball run at the start, but Web City's Jack dug in and found the win in the end to go ahead 1-0 in the series between Northeastern rivals. The Arrows' Hoppy dug her own grave in 8-ball, making enough mistakes to let the Spiders' Jack get ahead. Hoppy then sank the 8-ball prematurely, gifting Jack the win for a 2-0 series lead. Jack finally slipped up in 9-ball, with a couple of turns ending in bad misses. Hoppy ran the possession this time and got the win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1. Hoppy made quick work of 10-ball, draining a pair on the break and adding the 1-10 combination to the top right on the next shot to tie the series at 2 as Jack watched. Hoppy made a stripe on the break in 12-ball, but Jack found more success on solids to get the win, which restored his series lead at 3-2. Hoppy trailed for most of 13-ball, but Jack faded late and didn't recover in time. Hoppy poached the win on a comeback, retying the series at 3. Hoppy took a large lead early on and coasted to an 8-6 win as Jack pressured but came up short. Hoppy has the lead for the first time in the series at 4-3. Jack didn't let the drama linger in 15-ball, converting a 3-15 kick combination smoothly to the top right for the win, which tied the series once more at 4. Hoppy ultimately prevailed in an exciting Accuracy game, which saw her scratch on the break, but also saw Jack struggle at the end. Hoppy won 2-4 and took the Infinity Bowl 5-4.
Tomorrow, it's all officially over for the 2019 cycle. We'll play five more bowls to wrap it up.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
UPCL Bowl Series - Day 5
We're back with more bowl action today. First up...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Smudge v. Nikolai. Solid Core meets Forest SC with the red cue in today's opener. Infinity's Smudge opened 7-ball on a four-ball run, but Freedom's Nikolai struck back on his turn with a 4-7 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge had nothing going for her in 8-ball either, as the Cascades' Nikolai opened with an aggressive four-ball run. Smudge tried to catch up but ended up sinking the 8 illegally to gift Nikolai the win and 2-0 series lead. Smudge finally got on the board with a two-shot win in 9-ball, making a ball on the break and adding the 1-9 combination immediately after. Nikolai remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Smudge had a majority of the possession after starting on a four-ball run and adding a late pair, but she missed on the 10. Nikolai made it to the top right for the win and 3-1 lead in the series. Nikolai surged with a five-ball run early in 12-ball, but a scratch and a lack of positioning slowed him down. Smudge was patient until she had everything lined up to take a six-ball run-out for the win, cutting the series to 3-2. Smudge had a bold attack after making one of each on the 13-ball break. Nikolai rallied late with a three-ball run, but he couldn't kick the 8 to the bottom right. Smudge then made a pair for the win to tie the series at 3 games apiece. Smudge kept the rally going in Rotation, battling for possession with Nikolai early on before pulling away at the end. Smudge won the game 8-5 and took a 4-3 series lead in the process. Smudge was outright dominant at times in 15-ball, easily potting a six-ball run and a four-ball run-out to earn the win that clinched the series at 5-3 over Nikolai. Smudge couldn't finish strong in Accuracy, which went to Nikolai by a 2-4 score in the end. Smudge did take the series 5-4 to win the Everton Bowl.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Hoot v. Sleepy B. Oriental United gets a crack at a Solid Core foe with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot made a pair at the start and the end of 7-ball to overwhelm a three-ball run by Archtown's Sleepy B. Hoot's win gave him the early 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot tried to keep his advantage in 8-ball, but he got sloppy at the end. The Arrows' Sleepy B. finished the comeback with a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Hoot and Sleepy B. kept it close to start in 9-ball, but Hoot surged at the end for a five-ball run-out. His win here restored his series lead at 2-1. Hoot finally made his move late in 10-ball after a slower battle saw Sleepy B. struggle on offense. Hoot's late push got him to a 3-1 lead in the series. Hoot and Sleepy B. both worked on the sides, then the left and finally the right in 12-ball. This oddly patterned race style ended with Hoot striking the 4 to the top right for the win to move ahead 4-1 in the series. In 13-ball, Hoot didn't have an out-and-out attack, but he worked solidly and cashed in on mistakes by Sleepy B., of which there were plenty. Hoot eventually won to clinch the Terrace City Bowl at 5-1. Hoot held the lead for a lot of Rotation, but he scratched late, leading Sleepy B. to make a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win. This cut Hoot's series lead to 5-2. Hoot restored his advantage with a convincing finish to 15-ball, getting the win over Sleepy B. for a 6-2 series lead. Hoot surrendered Accuracy pretty quickly as Sleepy B. took the finale by a 1-6 margin. Hoot settled for a 6-3 series win in the bowl, making Oriental United proud.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Fluffina v. Delila. One of the most anticipated series sees an Enterprise daughter take on her Prime mother with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila picked up a close win in 7-ball to take the 1-0 series lead over Infinity's Fluffina after a fairly normal game. The Pirates' Delila had a step on her daughter throughout 8-ball, with only a small push late to account for the Torpedoes' Fluffina's offense. Delila's dominant effort put her ahead 2-0 in the series. Fluffina had all of the offense early in 9-ball, but she missed on the 5 and Delila took over for a four-ball run-out and the win. Delila is cruising with a 3-0 series lead now. Fluffina opened with a four-ball run in 10-ball, which Delila quickly answered before stalling on the 9. Both players struggled for a second, then Delila made a pair of shots to push her advantage up to 4-0. Fluffina had a hot start in 12-ball, but a critical scratch and failure to push through it allowed Delila to take a twisting route to victory. This gave Delila a 5-0 series lead, clinching the Royal Bowl at the earliest possible moment. Delila had a good start to 13-ball as well, but a well-orchestrated five-ball run put Fluffina ahead, and she won on the next turn. Delila's lead slipped to 5-1. Fluffina had all the early offense in Rotation, but couldn't finish it off. Delila responded with a five-ball run-out, including a double-pot of the 13 to the top right and 14 to the bottom side, to rally for an 8-7 win. Delila stretched her lead to 6-1 in the series. Fluffina finally held her ground throughout a game, picking up the win late in 15-ball to fend off Delila this time. Fluffina's victory cut the deficit to 6-2. Fluffina kept it even with Delila in Accuracy but ceded the win at the end by a 3-4 margin as Delila wrapped up a 7-2 bowl win for Prime.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Chimpy v. Cowzart. The visitor plays in his home venue as Oriental United clashes with Brute Force using the purple cue. Pacific's Cowzart picked off a win with a four-ball run-out after Westside's Chimpy struggled initially in 7-ball. Cowzart has a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy started with a four-ball run in 8-ball, but his offense faded quickly after that. The Volcanoes' Cowzart rallied slow at first, and then struck a five-ball run-out for the win to push his advantage to 2-0. Chimpy had two balls and a scratch on the break in 9-ball. After that, it was a slow game which saw Cowzart find the win at the very end with a pair of shots. Cowzart's victory made it a 3-0 series lead in his favor. Cowzart struggled in 10-ball, potting the wrong ball on a trick play. Chimpy took possession and won three shots later with a 4-10 combination to the bottom right to cut the series to 3-1. Chimpy had another good start in 12-ball, and he made it stand under pressure from Cowzart near the end. Chimpy beat Cowzart to the top left for the win, pulling closer in the 3-2 series. Cowzart got back on track in 13-ball, battling throughout with Chimpy, who lacked positioning on his last two shots. Cowzart's win put him on the edge of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Chimpy stayed alive with a spirited five-ball run in Rotation. His back-and-forth performance ended in an 8-7 win over Cowzart, cutting Chimpy's deficit to 4-3 in the series. Chimpy blasted a creative six-ball run at the start. It looked to be too soon, as Cowzart made a four-ball run-out but scratched on the 15 to gift the win away to Chimpy. This tied the series at 4. Chimpy played perfectly until late in Accuracy, where he missed once but held on for the 1-3 win to complete the series comeback over Cowzart at 5-4. Chimpy took the Pacific Bowl by a slim margin.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Pounce v. Brownie. Today's green cue series is the top-level bowl between Solid Core and Youth Movement, both with Empyre ties. A back-and-forth 7-ball game went to Royal's Brownie after Southern's Pounce missed on the 7. Brownie carries an early 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce made up for his late failures last game with a clutch performance at the end of 8-ball, narrowly beating the Crowns' Brownie to tie the series at 1. Pounce did all the work until he missed on the 9 in 9-ball, but it worked out alright for him because Brownie scratched as she made it. Pounce pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Pounce was unsteady on offense in 10-ball, and Brownie capitalized on that quite well to pick up the win with a clean finish this time. The series is tied at 2. Pounce yielded a wild-card ball in 12-ball, and while he came close to overcoming the disadvantage, he missed on his last shot. Brownie put together a solid finish for the win to retake the series lead at 3-2. Pounce kept himself in the series with a critical 13-ball win, taking it slow as neither he nor Brownie could convert a run. Pounce just grabbed the win to even the series at 3. Brownie pulled off a successful attack to come all the way back from a deep deficit, winning Rotation 8-7 and leading Pounce 4-3 in the series. Brownie made a late push on a three-ball run in 15-ball, but she missed the 15 and it fell to the bottom right by Pounce's hand for the win to retie the series once more at 4. Brownie capped off the series with a 3-6 win in Accuracy, beating Pounce for the Viewpoint Sound Bowl.
We'll play six bowls tomorrow to counter that other bowl. Then we'll put 2019 in a box on Monday with the final five.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Smudge v. Nikolai. Solid Core meets Forest SC with the red cue in today's opener. Infinity's Smudge opened 7-ball on a four-ball run, but Freedom's Nikolai struck back on his turn with a 4-7 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge had nothing going for her in 8-ball either, as the Cascades' Nikolai opened with an aggressive four-ball run. Smudge tried to catch up but ended up sinking the 8 illegally to gift Nikolai the win and 2-0 series lead. Smudge finally got on the board with a two-shot win in 9-ball, making a ball on the break and adding the 1-9 combination immediately after. Nikolai remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Smudge had a majority of the possession after starting on a four-ball run and adding a late pair, but she missed on the 10. Nikolai made it to the top right for the win and 3-1 lead in the series. Nikolai surged with a five-ball run early in 12-ball, but a scratch and a lack of positioning slowed him down. Smudge was patient until she had everything lined up to take a six-ball run-out for the win, cutting the series to 3-2. Smudge had a bold attack after making one of each on the 13-ball break. Nikolai rallied late with a three-ball run, but he couldn't kick the 8 to the bottom right. Smudge then made a pair for the win to tie the series at 3 games apiece. Smudge kept the rally going in Rotation, battling for possession with Nikolai early on before pulling away at the end. Smudge won the game 8-5 and took a 4-3 series lead in the process. Smudge was outright dominant at times in 15-ball, easily potting a six-ball run and a four-ball run-out to earn the win that clinched the series at 5-3 over Nikolai. Smudge couldn't finish strong in Accuracy, which went to Nikolai by a 2-4 score in the end. Smudge did take the series 5-4 to win the Everton Bowl.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Hoot v. Sleepy B. Oriental United gets a crack at a Solid Core foe with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot made a pair at the start and the end of 7-ball to overwhelm a three-ball run by Archtown's Sleepy B. Hoot's win gave him the early 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot tried to keep his advantage in 8-ball, but he got sloppy at the end. The Arrows' Sleepy B. finished the comeback with a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Hoot and Sleepy B. kept it close to start in 9-ball, but Hoot surged at the end for a five-ball run-out. His win here restored his series lead at 2-1. Hoot finally made his move late in 10-ball after a slower battle saw Sleepy B. struggle on offense. Hoot's late push got him to a 3-1 lead in the series. Hoot and Sleepy B. both worked on the sides, then the left and finally the right in 12-ball. This oddly patterned race style ended with Hoot striking the 4 to the top right for the win to move ahead 4-1 in the series. In 13-ball, Hoot didn't have an out-and-out attack, but he worked solidly and cashed in on mistakes by Sleepy B., of which there were plenty. Hoot eventually won to clinch the Terrace City Bowl at 5-1. Hoot held the lead for a lot of Rotation, but he scratched late, leading Sleepy B. to make a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win. This cut Hoot's series lead to 5-2. Hoot restored his advantage with a convincing finish to 15-ball, getting the win over Sleepy B. for a 6-2 series lead. Hoot surrendered Accuracy pretty quickly as Sleepy B. took the finale by a 1-6 margin. Hoot settled for a 6-3 series win in the bowl, making Oriental United proud.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Fluffina v. Delila. One of the most anticipated series sees an Enterprise daughter take on her Prime mother with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila picked up a close win in 7-ball to take the 1-0 series lead over Infinity's Fluffina after a fairly normal game. The Pirates' Delila had a step on her daughter throughout 8-ball, with only a small push late to account for the Torpedoes' Fluffina's offense. Delila's dominant effort put her ahead 2-0 in the series. Fluffina had all of the offense early in 9-ball, but she missed on the 5 and Delila took over for a four-ball run-out and the win. Delila is cruising with a 3-0 series lead now. Fluffina opened with a four-ball run in 10-ball, which Delila quickly answered before stalling on the 9. Both players struggled for a second, then Delila made a pair of shots to push her advantage up to 4-0. Fluffina had a hot start in 12-ball, but a critical scratch and failure to push through it allowed Delila to take a twisting route to victory. This gave Delila a 5-0 series lead, clinching the Royal Bowl at the earliest possible moment. Delila had a good start to 13-ball as well, but a well-orchestrated five-ball run put Fluffina ahead, and she won on the next turn. Delila's lead slipped to 5-1. Fluffina had all the early offense in Rotation, but couldn't finish it off. Delila responded with a five-ball run-out, including a double-pot of the 13 to the top right and 14 to the bottom side, to rally for an 8-7 win. Delila stretched her lead to 6-1 in the series. Fluffina finally held her ground throughout a game, picking up the win late in 15-ball to fend off Delila this time. Fluffina's victory cut the deficit to 6-2. Fluffina kept it even with Delila in Accuracy but ceded the win at the end by a 3-4 margin as Delila wrapped up a 7-2 bowl win for Prime.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Chimpy v. Cowzart. The visitor plays in his home venue as Oriental United clashes with Brute Force using the purple cue. Pacific's Cowzart picked off a win with a four-ball run-out after Westside's Chimpy struggled initially in 7-ball. Cowzart has a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy started with a four-ball run in 8-ball, but his offense faded quickly after that. The Volcanoes' Cowzart rallied slow at first, and then struck a five-ball run-out for the win to push his advantage to 2-0. Chimpy had two balls and a scratch on the break in 9-ball. After that, it was a slow game which saw Cowzart find the win at the very end with a pair of shots. Cowzart's victory made it a 3-0 series lead in his favor. Cowzart struggled in 10-ball, potting the wrong ball on a trick play. Chimpy took possession and won three shots later with a 4-10 combination to the bottom right to cut the series to 3-1. Chimpy had another good start in 12-ball, and he made it stand under pressure from Cowzart near the end. Chimpy beat Cowzart to the top left for the win, pulling closer in the 3-2 series. Cowzart got back on track in 13-ball, battling throughout with Chimpy, who lacked positioning on his last two shots. Cowzart's win put him on the edge of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Chimpy stayed alive with a spirited five-ball run in Rotation. His back-and-forth performance ended in an 8-7 win over Cowzart, cutting Chimpy's deficit to 4-3 in the series. Chimpy blasted a creative six-ball run at the start. It looked to be too soon, as Cowzart made a four-ball run-out but scratched on the 15 to gift the win away to Chimpy. This tied the series at 4. Chimpy played perfectly until late in Accuracy, where he missed once but held on for the 1-3 win to complete the series comeback over Cowzart at 5-4. Chimpy took the Pacific Bowl by a slim margin.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Pounce v. Brownie. Today's green cue series is the top-level bowl between Solid Core and Youth Movement, both with Empyre ties. A back-and-forth 7-ball game went to Royal's Brownie after Southern's Pounce missed on the 7. Brownie carries an early 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce made up for his late failures last game with a clutch performance at the end of 8-ball, narrowly beating the Crowns' Brownie to tie the series at 1. Pounce did all the work until he missed on the 9 in 9-ball, but it worked out alright for him because Brownie scratched as she made it. Pounce pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Pounce was unsteady on offense in 10-ball, and Brownie capitalized on that quite well to pick up the win with a clean finish this time. The series is tied at 2. Pounce yielded a wild-card ball in 12-ball, and while he came close to overcoming the disadvantage, he missed on his last shot. Brownie put together a solid finish for the win to retake the series lead at 3-2. Pounce kept himself in the series with a critical 13-ball win, taking it slow as neither he nor Brownie could convert a run. Pounce just grabbed the win to even the series at 3. Brownie pulled off a successful attack to come all the way back from a deep deficit, winning Rotation 8-7 and leading Pounce 4-3 in the series. Brownie made a late push on a three-ball run in 15-ball, but she missed the 15 and it fell to the bottom right by Pounce's hand for the win to retie the series once more at 4. Brownie capped off the series with a 3-6 win in Accuracy, beating Pounce for the Viewpoint Sound Bowl.
We'll play six bowls tomorrow to counter that other bowl. Then we'll put 2019 in a box on Monday with the final five.
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