2020 City Cup - Quarterfinals

Today's third day of City Cup action features the quarterfinals round. We begin with...

Midland Predators v. Archtown Arrows. The silver cue starts the day here. Midland's Kitty delivered a one-shot win in 7-ball, sinking the 6 and 7 to the bottom side on the break to keep Archtown's Hoppy from seeing the table. Midland leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Americus hopped out to an early lead in 8-ball, although the Arrows' Greg pushed back on a five-ball run. Americus was good enough at the end for the win, making it a 2-0 series lead for the Predators. Midland's Shawn checked in with a win in 9-ball, picking off some late shots to counter Sally's strong early play for Archtown. Shawn's win put Midland up 3-0 in the series. Sally finally stopped the bleeding for the Arrows with a productive finish in 10-ball. Sally made six of the last seven balls over two turns to beat the Predators' Americus, who then saw her team's lead shrink to 3-1. Americus had a great start in 12-ball, but that disappeared when Hoppy pulled off a four-ball run. Hoppy fouled making her last ball the first time, but Americus was too slow to steal the win, and Hoppy sank the 12 at the top right legally to pull the Arrows within a game in the 3-2 series. Kitty got the Predators back on track with a dominant 13-ball showing versus Greg, who sank just one ball while Kitty executed a three-ball run-out for the win. Kitty has her team up 4-2 in the series. Shawn got to the edge of victory in Rotation, but the Midland captain choked from there, allowing Archtown's Greg to slowly make a comeback. Greg won 8-7, cutting the series deficit to 4-3. The Predators' Shawn also had a chance to wrap it up in 15-ball, but scratched as he converted the 10-15 combination to the top right. This gifted the win to the Arrows' Hoppy and tied the series at 4. Midland's Kitty fell behind early in Accuracy, but worked positioning well late to drag Sally all the way down. Kitty emerged with a 2-3 win and 5-4 series win for the Predators. They're the first team to earn a place in tomorrow's City Cup Semifinals. 

Tysini Hummingbirds v. Lighton Prestige. The red cue checks in for this series between powerful Southwestern rivals. Tysini's Sarah had an acceptable start in 7-ball, but Lighton's Citrus rattled off a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sugar had a solid three-ball run to start 8-ball, but the Prestige's Spirit picked up the pace after that. Spirit was much stronger at the end for the win, giving her team a 2-0 series lead. Sarah tried to keep pace for Tysini in 9-ball, but the end of the game provided her problems. Lighton's Angelica was a little cleaner by making the final pair for the win and 3-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit kept them rolling in 10-ball, countering the Hummingbirds' Charli by sinking a four-ball run-out at the end. The Prestige hold a 4-0 series lead. Sugar led for nearly all of 12-ball, but her play to sink the 5 at the top side wasn't good enough to set up her last shot. Angelica was able to pick up a pair, finishing a late surge by sealing the series at 5-0 for Lighton. Citrus started a little slow in 13-ball, but the Prestige star was able to overcome as the Hummingbirds' Sugar faltered late with bad positioning. The Prestige now lead 6-0 in the series. Tysini's Charli had a late three-ball run in Rotation, but she missed on the 13 at the bottom side. Citrus converted, and Lighton's lead extended again to 7-0. The Hummingbirds got on the board in a close 15-ball battle, as Sarah provided a three-ball run-out in response to Angelica's late three-ball run. The Prestige maintain a 7-1 series lead. In Accuracy, Charli and Spirit played to a scoreless draw and elected to leave it at that with the series already well decided. Lighton won the series 7-1-1 to earn their place in the Semifinals. 

Golden Pilots v. Everton Eagles. The Pilots play as hosts with the green cue in Chevrolet Center, home of the Eagles. Dusty made Golden feel at home by putting the 7 in the bottom side off the break in 7-ball, giving them a 1-0 series lead over Cleo and Everton. The Eagles' Puff III did well to get them back on track in 8-ball, completing a close battle with the Pilots' Dusty on a three-ball run-out. Puff III's win tied the series at 1. Frustration reigned early in 9-ball, causing Dusty to hammer her shots harder after Cleo missed multiple good looks on 1-9 combinations. Dusty won at the end when Cleo missed the 9 outright at the bottom right, and that put Golden in the lead again 2-1 over Everton. Sparkles made the 10 on the break in 10-ball, but that wouldn't haunt her later. Near the end, the Eagles' Puff III scratched as she made the 9, and Sparkles got the win from ball-in-hand to give the Pilots a 3-1 series lead. Max tried to start hot, but Puff III had much better positioning in 12-ball. At the end, Puff III broke Max's defense to help Everton shrink Golden's series lead down to 3-2. The Eagles' Cleo couldn't quite find the right plays in 13-ball, struggling to compete with the Pilots' Max. In the end, it was Max with a couple of crafty cuts to get the win for a 4-2 series lead for the Pilots. Vincent never stood a chance in Rotation, as the Everton man was completely outclassed by Sparkles, who finished on a double-pot for a 9-1 victory. This allowed Golden to secure the series at 5-2. Sparkles kept up the offense with a five-ball run in 15-ball. Vincent had more chances late in the game, but Sparkles kicked the 15 to the top left for the win and 6-2 Pilots lead in the series. Max added one more for Golden at the end, a dominant 1-5 win over Vincent in Accuracy to complete a 7-2 series win for the Pilots. They'll meet the Lighton Prestige in the Semifinals. 

Victoria Spurs v. Todavía Stills. The last quarterfinals series has the top seed against a cohesive dark horse, using the blue cue. Victoria's Sage had a strong game 1 with a ball on the break and some offense at the end to earn the win over Todavía's Easter. Victoria leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Sage stepped back in for 8-ball but struggled after an initial push. The Stills' Pedey was much more consistent, overcoming a late scratch for the win to tie the series at 1. Strawberry got the nod in 9-ball for Victoria, and she wasn't good enough. Todavía went ahead 2-1 in the series as Easter scraped together enough late offense for the win. Strawberry again fell short on shot quality for the Spurs in 10-ball. Ruby was the beneficiary this time, collecting a lot of stray shots for the win that put the Stills up 3-1 in the series. Spice checked in for Victoria and narrowly avoided disaster, capitalizing on Pedey botching his positioning. Spice then made a final pair of shots for the win to cut the deficit to 3-2. Sage handled 13-ball for the Spurs, making a late move to get onto the 8 that didn't draw a response from the Stills' Pedey. Sage later sank the 8 without trouble to tie the series at 3. In Rotation, Spice did well to establish herself, earning a second win in as many tries to help Victoria pull ahead 4-3 in the series on a 8-2 win over Todavía's Easter. Spice continued to lead by example for the Spurs, smashing the 8 off three rails to a combination with the 15 at the top left for a quick win. Ruby wasn't able to save the Stills' season despite keeping things mostly competitive. The Spurs clinched the series at 5-3. Strawberry trailed late into Accuracy, but managed to turn it around for a 2-3 win over Ruby to give the Spurs a 6-3 series win. They'll next face the Midland Predators in tomorrow's Semifinals. 

The main event of Tournament X comes to a close tomorrow with the City Cup Semifinals and Finals, three series to crown the champion playoff team.

2020 City Cup - Day 2

We've got another four first-round series in City Cup play on tap. Leading off today...

Central Warriors v. Archtown Arrows. A bitter Northeastern rivalry takes center stage with the silver cue. Central's Dustin struggled with precision plays in 7-ball, and that allowed Archtown's Hoppy to give her team a 1-0 series lead as she played clean-up. The Warriors' Twilight had a hot start to 8-ball, but a late scratch turned the tide. The Arrows' Greg was steady in his finish, making a three-ball run-out for the win to put the Arrows up 2-0. Central's Noelle seemed to have a lot of offense, but it didn't lead to anything good in 9-ball. Archtown's Sally was able to make the final pair of shots for the win and 3-0 series lead. Dustin again struggled for the Warriors in 10-ball, and his late mistakes allowed the Arrows' Sally to snipe a three-ball run-out, stretching her team's series lead to 4-0. Central's Noelle looked to have a good chance in 12-ball, but this didn't work either as her early lead evaporated under a four-ball run-out from Archtown's Hoppy. That was the final nail in the coffin as Archtown sealed the series at 5-0. The Warriors' Twilight couldn't salvage 13-ball even with a late rally, as the Arrows' Greg poked down the final two balls for the win to move ahead 6-0. Dustin finally salvaged something for Central in Rotation, trailing Archtown's Greg for much of the game. Dustin then executed a four-ball run-out for a comeback 8-7 win, getting Central on the board as they trail 6-1 in the series. Noelle and Hoppy kept things pretty close in their 15-ball battle, but Noelle let it slip when she missed on the 15 at the end. Hoppy sank it to the top left for the win, moving the Arrows to a 7-1 series lead. Twilight led Accuracy for much of the game before slipping behind at the very end as Sally produced a 2-3 win for the Arrows' 8-1 series win. A huge upset sees the Arrows set to play the visiting role versus the Midland Predators tomorrow. 

Tysini Hummingbirds v. Infinity Torpedoes. Another regional rivalry from the Southwest goes with the purple cue. Tysini's Sarah needed just two shots to win 7-ball, making the 3 on the break before banking the 1-7 combination to the top right for a 1-0 series lead over Fuchsia and Infinity. The Hummingbirds' survived a five-ball run by the Torpedoes' Blaze early in 8-ball. Sugar rallied back and sank the 8 to the bottom left at the end for the win, giving her side a 2-0 lead. In 9-ball, Sarah again controlled the pace, but her lack of ability to shut out Fuchsia would be crucial. Fuchsia made the 9 on a bank to the top side, getting Infinity on the board as they trail 2-1 in the series. Fluffina had very little success for the Torpedoes in 10-ball, and her late scratch allowed the Hummingbirds' Charli to complete the win with six balls over the last two turns. Charli restored her team's lead to 3-1. Fluffina had the lead for most of 12-ball, but her positioning on her last ball wasn't good. Sugar was patient and eventually worked a three-ball run-out to put Tysini ahead 4-1 over Infinity. Sugar and Fluffina dueled again in 13-ball, with Fluffina taking another quick lead before positioning failed her. Sugar took her time at the end but got the win, sealing the series at 5-1 for the Hummingbirds. Blaze came out hot in Rotation, but quickly lost all control near the end. Charli had to be patient with her attack before rallying to win 8-3, pushing Tysini's series lead to 6-1. The Hummingbirds took a step back in 15-ball as Sarah's frustration led to too many missed shots. Fuchsia finished with a 7-15 combination to claw a game back for the Torpedoes in the series they trail 6-2. Charli was virtually untouchable after making a ball on the break in Accuracy, and the Tysini star paced herself to a 1-3 win over Infinity's Blaze. The Hummingbirds won the series 7-2 to earn their place in the quarterfinals versus the Lighton Prestige in another Southwestern battle. 

Golden Pilots v. Boston Swifts. Today's regional rivalry trilogy ends with these storied Southeastern foes playing with the blue cue. Golden's Dusty took her time in 7-ball, then made the final pair after Boston's Ice Cream failed to extend her run with a miss on the 6. Golden leads the series 1-0. The Pilots' Dusty and the Swifts' Gradley exchanged four-ball runs early in 8-ball, but Gradley fired off his later offense faster. Dusty couldn't keep up and the series became tied at 1. Dusty again faltered in 9-ball, causing Golden to fall behind as Gradley made five of the last six balls to get the win and a 2-1 series lead for Boston. Sparkles had four of the last five balls over her last two turns, but she sent the 10 wide of the top side. The Swifts' Gradley cut it to the top right to give his team a 3-1 lead over the Pilots. Golden's Max got into a fairly good position late in 12-ball, but it was just a turn too late. Boston's Ice Cream converted her last two balls for the win and 4-1 series lead. Ice Cream looked to work her way to victory in 13-ball, but after a long grind, she sank the 8 in an uncalled pocket. This gifted a lifeline and a win to Max and the Pilots, who trail 4-2. Sparkles ran away with the win in Rotation, an 8-1 result over Sweetheart helped drag Golden to within a game as Boston's lead in the series shrunk to 4-3. Sparkles turned up the heat against Sweetheart at the end of 15-ball. Sparkles made a six-ball run, then baited Sweetheart into a foul before taking the final pair of shots. Sparkles' win tied the series at 4. Sweetheart committed a scratch early in Accuracy, and that tiny edge was all Max needed to lift Golden in a 0-2 win over Boston by a 5-4 series score. Golden's thin margins were just enough to send them to the quarterfinals versus the host team, the Everton Eagles. 

Victoria Spurs v. Whitewater Shores. The final series of the first round plays with the green cue. Victoria's Sage gave them an instant 1-0 series lead after 7-ball by sinking the 7 to the bottom side on the break, denying Whitewater's Shaggy a shot. The Spurs' Sage had to put in more work in 8-ball, but the Shores' Katharine plateaued her offense a little too early. Sage then made the final pair of shots to extend the series lead to 2-0. Strawberry and Marsell took over for 9-ball, and it wasn't a pretty battle for both teams' third players. Strawberry eventually prevailed by tapping in the 9 at the top right to stretch Victoria's lead to 3-0 over Whitewater. The Shores' Katharine had a four-ball run late in 10-ball, but wasted two big chances at the end. The Spurs' Strawberry gladly cashed in a tap-in at the bottom left to keep perfect with a 4-0 series lead. Victoria's winning streak ended as Spice got absolutely run over by Whitewater's Marsell in 12-ball. Marsell was on point in the win, getting his team on the board in a 4-1 series. Marsell stayed on for the Shores in 13-ball, but he wasn't able to recapture his previous magic. The Spurs' Sage did what was necessary to lock down a win, securing the series at 5-1 in the process. Victoria's Spice competed well initially in Rotation, but Whitewater's Shaggy got loose on a four-ball run-out at the end for an 8-4 win. Victoria remains ahead 5-2 in the series. Spice faltered again in 15-ball, missing on a bank of the 15 toward the bottom left. It caromed nicely for Shaggy, who banked it to the top side to tack on another win for Whitewater, cutting Victoria's lead to 5-3. Neither player could be bothered to make a good effort in Accuracy, with the Spurs' Strawberry grabbing a 5-8 win over the Shores' Katharine in an ugly finale. The Spurs won the series 6-3 and will face the Todavía Stills tomorrow. 

Tomorrow, we play the City Cup Quarterfinals to determine which four teams will battle for the trophy on Saturday.

2020 City Cup - Day 1

The City Cup will be spread over four days this year as the league looks to award its last major trophy. Teams of three will battle in an all-around series in each of the four rounds in a single-elimination style. Today, we begin in Chevrolet Center in Everton with...

Todavía Stills v. Diamond Gems. A bit of a grudge match opens the day with the purple cue. Todavía's Easter picked off a ball early and added a four-ball run-out to take 7-ball over Diamond's Autumn. Todavía leads 1-0 in the series. The Stills' Pedey built up a solid lead in 8-ball against his former team. The Gems' Leonardo made a push at the end but couldn't quite catch up, and Pedey was able to finish on the 8 to give the Stills a 2-0 series lead. Easter and Autumn were back in battle for 9-ball, and it looked good for Easter initially. She had most of the early offense, but Autumn bounced back with a weird deflection off the 6 to push the 9 into the top left. Diamond's on the board but trails 2-1 in the series. The Stills' Ruby had all the offense in 10-ball, but her play on the 10 went wide of the bottom left to end a three-ball run. Debby stepped up and sank it for a fairly cheap win, helping the Gems tie the series at 2. Diamond continued to be opportunistic in 12-ball, picking up a wild-card ball late. Leonardo nearly won it, but he was too slow at the end, and Pedey made a pair to give Todavía a win that restored their series lead at 3-2. Pedey had a hot start to 13-ball, but also gave away a pair of freebies to Leonardo. In the end, with positioning harsh on both sides, Leonardo got the job done on a pair of shots. That helped Diamond once more tie the series, this time at 3 games apiece. Easter picked up the attack for the Stills in Rotation, and she served up offense early. Debby tried to hold her ground, but Easter's 8-3 win gave her team the 4-3 edge in the series. Debby stayed in action for Diamond in 15-ball, and she had a brief moment of joy when she double-potted the 5 and 15 to the top left. It soured as the cue fell in the bottom side, gifting the win and the series to Ruby and Todavía, who lead by a 5-3 margin. Autumn salvaged a result for the Gems in Accuracy with a 1-2 win over Ruby, but it was Ruby's Stills who took the series 5-4 to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals. 

Everton Eagles v. North Modernistic Nighthawks. The green cue will get playing rights for this first-round series. Everton's Cleo started hot in 7-ball, then faltered badly near the end. North Modernistic's Cheddar was no good at corralling the 7, allowing Cleo to grab the lead for a shaky 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Lionel executed a good five-ball run in 8-ball, but he left the 8 short at the bottom side. The Eagles' Puff III roared back on a five-ball run-out for the win, giving her team a 2-0 series lead. In 9-ball, North Modernistic's Cheddar came up big with a 3-9 bank combination to the top left out of seemingly nowhere to stun Everton's Cleo. The win put the Nighthawks on the board while trailing 2-1 in the series. The Eagles got back on track with Puff III unleashing an early six-ball run in 10-ball. The Nighthawks' Gal got some back, but Puff III made the 10 at the bottom left for the win and 3-1 series lead. Puff III kept up her offense in 12-ball, and she received a wild-card ball from Lionel to help things along. Puff III had no trouble earning her third win of the series to put Everton up 4-1 against North Modernistic. Cleo began 13-ball on a five-ball run and had fairly good positioning to close things out, but she scratched as she made the 8. That meant the Eagles would have to wait to clinch, as the Nighthawks' Lionel took the gifted win to cut the series to 4-2. Everton returned to glory as Vincent made four balls over his last two turns to top North Modernistic's Gal 8-5 in Rotation. Everton has clinched the series at 5-2. Vincent rolled on in 15-ball, smashing a 12-15 combination to the top right after solid offense earlier in the game. He beat Gal again to stretch the Eagles' lead to 6-2. Vincent faltered with a scratch on the break in Accuracy for the Eagles. He was better late, but the Nighthawks' Cheddar held him off to win 2-3. Everton won the series 6-3 and earned a place in the quarterfinals. 

Pronger Tridents v. Lighton Prestige. The silver cue is set to play here in the third series of the day. Pronger's Precious did enough at both ends of the 7-ball game to fend off Lighton's Citrus. Precious helped her team stake out a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Spot had a seven-ball run in 8-ball, but missed on the 8 multiple times. The Prestige's Spirit followed up her early five-ball run with a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Frustration got the better of Lighton's Angelica in 9-ball as she couldn't get many shots to fall in sequence. Pronger's Potter took full advantage of it to grab the win with a late pair, restoring his team's series lead at 2-1. Potter tried to replicate his solid offense in 10-ball, but the Tridents' veteran would fall to savvy play from the Prestige's Spirit, who struck for a pair at the end. The series is tied again at 2. Pronger put Spot back to the table in 12-ball, and he claimed solids. Angelica played well for Lighton but lacked positioning at the end, and a foul allowed Spot to convert his last pair from ball-in-hand. Spot put Pronger ahead 3-2 in the series. Spot took on Citrus in 13-ball, and this worked out fine for Spot, who was faster at the start. Citrus put on a four-ball run but couldn't save it, as the Spot made a pair at the end to extend the Tridents' lead to 4-2. Citrus got a win in her final appearance of the series, as the Lighton veteran took down Pronger's Precious 8-3 in Rotation to cut the deficit in the series to 4-3. Potter wasn't able to secure the series in 15-ball either, missing a bad shot on the 14 at the bottom side. Angelica made a pair for the Prestige to get her lone win of the series, tying it at 4 games apiece. Spirit stepped up big for Lighton in Accuracy, playing perfectly in a 0-2 win over Pronger's Precious. The Prestige completed a comeback for a 5-4 series win to move them into the quarterfinals. 

Midland Predators v. Royal Crowns. Southeastern foes employ the red cue for this battle. Midland's Kitty did her job in 7-ball, double-potting the 3 and 7 to the top right on the break for the 1-0 series lead over Sunshine and Royal. The Predators' Americus tried to keep the hot start going, but faded out at the end of 8-ball with a missed contact. The Crowns' Brownie bounced back on a four-ball run-out, tying the series at 1. Midland's Shawn had a four-ball run and a pair in 9-ball, but that wasn't enough. Royal's Jake potted the 9 at the end, stealing away the win for a 2-1 series lead. The Predators fought back in 10-ball, as Americus weathered a four-ball run from the Crowns' Jake before sinking the last two balls. Americus' win retied the series at 2. Americus scratched on the break in 12-ball, but she got lucky as Brownie gave away a wild-card ball while trying to make a play late. Americus went on a three-ball run-out for the win, giving Midland a 3-2 series lead over Royal. Kitty ripped a four-ball run from the start of 13-ball, but Brownie stayed close with a 13-ball run in response. Kitty then replied on a three-ball run-out for the win, giving the Predators a 4-2 edge in the series. Shawn had a reasonably good start to Rotation, but the Midland captain couldn't stave off Royal rookie Sunshine, who cruised to an 8-4 win in the end. Royal still trails 4-3 in the series. Shawn did better at controlling the offense in 15-ball, and while Sunshine improved late, he couldn't keep the Crowns' season going. Shawn made the final pair to help the Predators seal the series at 5-3. Kitty faltered in accuracy for the Predators, dropping a 3-4 result to Jake, who picked up a win for the road for the Crowns. Midland won 5-4 in the series and will play again in the quarterfinals. 

Close results between similar teams defined day 1. Tomorrow will see more lopsided matchups arise, although that increases the upset potential.

2020 Clan Cup

The club teams have packed into Cisco Arena in Tysini for their one-day battle for the Clan Cup. All series are one sequence of All-Around play (one game of each event). We begin the day's session with...

Humanity Junior v. Humanity Senior. The old class rivalry is in full effect for today's first series, with the purple cue in hand. Junior's Marissa had a good start to 7-ball with a pair on the break, but struggled after that. Senior's Niki made a decent effort, then missed on the 7, and Marissa sank it to put Junior up 1-0. In 8-ball, Senior's Yekaterina claimed stripes on her first shot and illegally potted the 8 on the next shot, gifting the win to Junior's Briana, which gave Junior the 2-0 series lead. Junior's Andrew struck quickly in 9-ball, deflecting a shot off the 2 to push the 9 into the top left on his second turn. Senior's Kirstin could do nothing about it as Andrew established a 3-0 lead for Junior. Marissa worked a four-ball run for Junior in 10-ball, then baited Senior's Steven into scratching on the 9. Marissa took ball-in-hand for the 10 and converted at the top side, with the Junior lead growing to 4-0. Junior's Briana made an early mistake in 12-ball by yielding a wild-card ball to Senior's Dani, but the older player couldn't position herself well. Briana then executed a comeback with a four-ball run-out at the end to clinch the series at 5-0. Junior's Jane had a respectable effort in 13-ball with a three-ball run early and late. Senior's Dani was just a little better, grabbing the win on her own three-ball run-out to get her side on the board in a 5-1 series. Andrew couldn't get his offense going in Rotation, causing another slip for Junior. Senior's Steven put in a stronger effort and scraped together an 8-3 to cut the series deficit to 5-2. Junior's Vladimir controlled most of the early parts of 15-ball, but Senior's Niki battled back late with stronger offense. Niki won with a bank of the 15 to the bottom side to grab another win, while Junior continues to lead 5-3 in the series. Jane put in a great performance in Accuracy, but one miss was all Yekaterina needed to punish her in a 0-1 result. Junior's early dominance gave them the series, but Senior rallied to make it a narrow 5-4 final, with Junior maybe injured for confidence heading into the semifinals. 

Prime v. Enterprise. The most esteemed veterans take on one of their heritage lines as the green cue makes its postseason debut. Prime's Goatee did fine early on, but twice missed on the 6 near the end of 7-ball. Enterprise didn't hesitate, as Kiwi made the final pair of balls for the win and 1-0 series lead. Enterprise's Kiwi stayed in action for 8-ball, but didn't have as strong a performance this time. Prime's Oreo was able to beat her Terrace City Knights teammate with a four-ball run-out at the end to tie the series at 1. Prime's Goatee was back in action for 9-ball, but ended up with the same result as her first appearance. This time, Enterprise's Maison struck a four-ball run-out at the end for the win to put his club back ahead 2-1 in the series. Prime's Ms. Kitty had a good possession after an uncalled shot by Enterprise's Twinkie III early in 10-ball. Twinkie III would bounce back on her next two turns, ending with a bank of the 10 to the top left for the win and Enterprise's 3-1 series lead. Enterprise's Neopolitan smashed a five-ball run early in 12-ball, putting Delila into an urgent position quickly. The Prime veteran was unable to catch up, and Neopolitan finished at the top right to put Enterprise ahead 4-1. Prime's Diddley and Enterprise's Whiskers played a close game of 13-ball, as neither Maplewood Lumberjack wanted to be caught out of position. Diddley got the edge at the end for the win, keeping Prime alive but trailing 4-2 in the series. Ms. Kitty put up a good fight for Prime in Rotation, but Maison was a little faster on offense as he grabbed an 8-4 win. Maison's second victory gave Enterprise the series at 5-2. Prime's Oreo wasn't able to hang on at the end of a tight 15-ball battle, as Enterprise's Twinkie III tacked on another win with a three-ball run-out. Enterprise leads 6-2 in the series. Delila couldn't get a token of revenge against Neopolitan in Accuracy, as Neopolitan held on for a 1-2 win to give Enterprise a massive 7-2 series win en route to the semifinals. 

Reality v. Outcast. One of the decorated clubs takes on a perennial underdog with the green cue. Reality's Twinkie I made a late pair in 7-ball, but Outcast's Prism would add the 7 to his previous four-ball run to give Outcast a 1-0 series lead. Reality kept Twinkie I on the shot in 8-ball, but she came up short multiple times. Outcast's Salmo wasn't exactly sharp, but he was good enough to win and give his team a 2-0 series lead. Missy made a ball on the break in 9-ball, but that was it for her steady offense. Violetta was able to make enough late for the win, pushing Outcast ahead 3-0 over Reality. Boots wasn't able to get Reality on track in a choppy 10-ball battle. Prism stood her ground and snagged a pair at the end, helping Outcast move ahead 4-0 in the series. Reality's Stinky yielded a wild-card ball on a good break in 12-ball, but that was all the bonus Outcast's Nibbles needed. Nibbles made five balls over two turns to claim the win, clinching the series at 5-0. Reality got on the board when Stinky redeemed himself on 13-ball, making a kick on the 4 before sinking the 8 to the top side. Summer kept it close, but she wasn't able to protect the perfect series, as Outcast's lead is now 5-1. Buddy kept up the heat for Reality in Rotation, pummeling an early run and adding on later to lock in an 8-4 win over Outcast's Nibbles. Missy wrapped up an eight-ball run in 15-ball, but she let the 15 slip away at the top right. Violetta was there to tap it in, poaching a win for a 6-2 series lead. Accuracy saw Buddy put in a good effort, only to be denied as Summer grabbed a 2-3 win with a little luck. Outcast prevailed 7-2 over Reality to earn a semifinals spot versus Enterprise. 

Youth Movement v. Solid Core. The kids are alright, but can they back up their President's Cup win in the quarterfinals versus their elders from Solid Core? The purple cue has the series. Youth Movement's Valencia made three balls on the break in 7-ball and added the 7 later after Solid Core's Sprinkles couldn't shut things down. Youth Movement holds a 1-0 series lead. Youth Movement kept it up with a big run off the break from Bianca in 8-ball. Solid Core's Leonette wasn't able to recover, and Bianca banked the 8 to the bottom side to give her side a 2-0 series lead. Youth Movement looked set to dominate 9-ball as well, but Dusky faltered at the end, and Sleepy B. was there to poach a victory for Solid Core. Youth Movement's lead is down to 2-1. Dusky remained in for 10-ball, and she rewarded Youth Movement with a tight win this time, fending off Solid Core's Crystal just at the end after both players made runs. Youth Movement's lead is now at 3-1. Solid Core's Leonette kept things close in 12-ball, but Youth Movement's Celestia had a little extra quality to her play that was enough to grab the win for a 4-1 lead in the series. Bianca and Sprinkles stepped in for 13-ball, and it led to quite the defensive battle at the top right. It could have gone either way, but Sprinkles was judged for illegal contact, and Bianca made a pair at the end for the win to secure the series at 5-1 for Youth Movement. Celestia didn't have the easiest time in Rotation, building a large lead before watching Solid Core's Misty rally back. Celestia then closed out for an 8-6 win to push Youth Movement's series lead to 6-1. Misty got her redemption, winning a back-and-forth 15-ball battle against Youth Movement's Isabella. Misty's win gave Solid Core their second win as they trail 6-2 in the series. Valencia had the lead for Youth Movement in Accuracy but let it slip away under the pressure of Solid Core's Sleepy B., who managed to set a 3-5 win. Youth Movement entered the semifinals with a 6-3 series win. 

Enterprise v. Outcast. The first semifinal will feature the green cue between these two competitive squads. Outcast's Prism had her chances in 7-ball, but Enterprise's Kiwi was faster at the end to get the win and 1-0 series lead. Enterprise's Kiwi didn't fare as well in 8-ball, as Outcast's Salmo stepped up with a nice run and locked in a win to tie the series at 1. Enterprise's Maison had a tough time in 9-ball versus Outcast's Violetta, as the visiting player was able to wrap up a four-ball run-out for the win. Violetta's surge gave Outcast a series lead at 2-1. Prism was unable to keep the momentum going for Outcast in a close 10-ball game. In the end, Enterprise's Twinkie III made a pair of shots to grab the win, retying the series at 2. Enterprise's Neopolitan started off well in 12-ball, but persistent offense from Nibbles led to him getting the win and 3-2 series lead for Outcast. Summer put in a solid performance in 13-ball, working a late three-ball run to make pressure, but her last ball was evasive. Enterprise retied the series again at 3 as Whiskers made a four-ball run-out for the win. Maison and Nibbles kept it close at the beginning of the Rotation game, but Maison effectively pulled away and won 8-3 for Enterprise to grab a 4-3 series lead over Outcast. Twinkie III had to weather a lot of offense from Violetta in 15-ball, but it was Outcast's Violetta who missed contact on the 15. Twinkie III buried it from ball-in-hand to seal the series at 5-3. Neopolitan made three balls on the break in Accuracy but faltered after that, preventing a stronger finish from Enterprise. Outcast's Summer won 1-3 to make it just a 5-4 series loss for her team. Enterprise will be the designated road team in the Clan Cup Finals. 

Youth Movement v. Humanity Junior. The other semifinal sees two teams built on youth battling with the purple cue. Youth Movement's Valencia struggled early in game 1, while Junior's Marissa was efficient and won on a bank of the 7 to the top right. Junior leads 1-0. Youth Movement's slide wasn't long, as Bianca started 8-ball with an impressive run. Junior's Briana had virtually no answer for it, and Bianca helped Youth Movement tie the series at 1. Youth Movement's Dusky handled most of the offense in 9-ball, but she let the victory slip away as Junior's Andrew potted the final pair of balls. Junior regained the series lead at 2-1. Dusky didn't have the best of times in 10-ball either, but her miss on the 10 allowed Junior's Marissa a second chance. Marissa sent it to the top right for the win and 3-1 lead over Youth Movement. Celestia made one of each on the break in 12-ball, and that would be a brutal thing for Youth Movement. Briana fired back and used her wild-card ball efficiently in the win to put Junior ahead 4-1 in the series. Bianca had a decent start in 13-ball, but Jane battled back quite well. Jane was able to make a pair at the end to lift Junior to the win, clinching the series at 5-1 over Youth Movement. A contested start turned into a runaway romp for Youth Movement's Celestia, who used a six-ball run-out in the end for the 8-2 win over Junior's Andrew. Junior remains ahead 5-2 in the series. Youth Movement salvaged another one by winning 15-ball with Isabella's three-ball run-out. The play came after Vladimir struggled for Junior near the end, allowing their series lead to shrink to 5-3. Valencia grabbed one more win for Youth Movement with a 3-4 result in Accuracy over Junior's Jane. Junior still won the series 5-4 and will host in the Clan Cup Finals. 

Humanity Junior v. Enterprise. It's the #4 versus the #6 clubs in the Clan Cup Finals, which will use the silver cue. Junior's Marissa wasn't quite as effective as usual in game 1, allowing Enterprise's Kiwi to pick off the 7 late in 7-ball for the win and 1-0 series lead. Junior's Briana had the edge in 8-ball for most of the game, until Enterprise's Kiwi made a three-ball run-out capped by kicking the 8 to the bottom side for the win. Enterprise is up 2-0 in the series. Junior's Andrew had 9-ball in his hands, but a critical miss on the 9 at the bottom right instead allowed Enterprise to win as Maison made the tap-in. The pivotal play put Enterprise ahead 3-0. Enterprise moved a win away from the title in 10-ball, as Junior's Marissa twice missed the 8 after a four-ball run. Twinkie III cut in with the final pair for Enterprise to take the 4-0 series lead. If a comeback is to be made for Junior, Briana sparked it in 12-ball. She had the lead for most of the game despite yielding a wild-card ball, and Briana did just enough to hold off Enterprise's Neopolitan to cut the series to 4-1. Jane got behind despite a good start to 13-ball, and that late deficit was too much for the Junior rookie to overcome. Whiskers won the Clan Cup on a long shot on the 8 to the top right at the end, clinching the series at 5-1. Andrew looked set to cruise to the victory in Rotation, but Enterprise's Maison rallied back at the end for an 8-6 comeback win. Enterprise now leads the series 6-1. Vladimir had the tough task of facing Twinkie III in 15-ball, and it didn't go so well for the Junior lad. Twinkie III wasn't dominant, but she picked up a three-ball run-out at the end to give Enterprise another win and 7-1 series lead. Twinkie III was undefeated in her games and named the Clan Cup MVP. Jane salvaged Accuracy for Junior, playing perfectly in a 0-2 win over Enterprise's Neopolitan. Enterprise won the series 7-2 and took the Clan Cup title. 

Enterprise has their first Clan Cup under this banner, although it's the third for the franchise that originated as Delila Enterprises back in 2011. That history is shared with Prime, who have yet to capture glory. After a one-day break (not two, as listed in the postseason rosters update), we'll begin a four-day run through the City Cup.

2020 Tournament of Champions

We're back in action today after the administrative break to begin a roughly week-long postseason. First up, as per tradition, is the Tournament of Champions. For the first time ever, we begin with a wild-card series. All series are seven games and all matches are in Ford Forum in Pronger.

Jake (9-ball) v. Juno (10-ball): On the coin flip, it'll be Juno's 10-ball as the event with Jake's preferred blue cue. Royal's Jake had a good control on game 1 and picked up a three-ball run-out at the end to beat Stonebridge's Juno. Jake leads the series 1-0. The Wolves' Juno put in a better effort in game 2, but she didn't have anything to finish it off, and the Crowns' Jake delivered a pair of shots at the end. Jake now leads 2-0 in the series. Jake began with a three-ball run in game 3. Juno had a little offense in the middle, but Jake executed a 7-10 combination to the top left for the win, stretching his series lead to 3-0. Jake had a five-ball run end with an uncalled shot, which allowed Juno to take possession on the 9. She made a shot to the top side but couldn't sink the 10, and Jake potted it at the top right for the win to seal the series at 4-0. Jake finally faltered late in game 5, making four of the last five balls before letting the 10 slip away to Juno. Jake retains a 4-1 series lead. Juno flexed a bit more offense in game 6, ripping a seven-ball run-out at the end as her control finally came into focus. Jake's series lead shrunk again to 4-2. Jake got back on track at the end of game 7, weathering a storm from Juno to snatch the 10. Jake's win gave him a 5-2 series win and a meeting with the Tysini Hummingbirds' Sugar in the quarterfinals. 

Celestia (12-ball) v. Sweetheart (Rotation): Sweetheart won the coin flip to play Rotation, meaning Celestia's preferred blue cue will be in action. Boston's Sweetheart didn't have a fast start in game 1, but she controlled the middle of the game. Oceanside's Celestia couldn't find any late offense as Sweetheart won 8-2 for the 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia put in a stronger effort in game 2, but her mid-game surge wasn't enough. The Swifts' Sweetheart made four balls over two turns at the end to win 8-6 and pull ahead to a 2-0 series lead. Celestia again played well in game 3, keeping things close initially, but it failed to be enough. Sweetheart held on at the end and converted on the 15 for an 8-7 win to move up to a 3-0 series lead. Celestia did just enough to hang on in game 4, battling tightly with Sweetheart right to the finish. Celestia emerged with an 8-6 win to cut the series to 3-1. That was all the wake-up call Sweetheart needed. She chunked her way through game 5, building a big lead and closing on an 8-3 win over Celestia to secure the series at 4-1 in Sweetheart's favor. Celestia stormed back on a seven-ball run early in game 6. Sweetheart only got two shots and went empty on both as Celestia picked up an 8-0 win to cut the series to 4-2. Sweetheart faltered again in game 7 as Celestia pushed a four-ball run early and won by an 8-2 score. Sweetheart still won the series 4-3 and will play in the semifinals. 

Sugar (13-ball) v. Jake (9-ball): The next quarterfinal features Sugar's 13-ball event preference with Jake's blue cue. Tysini's Sugar started slow but kept control later on in game 1. Royal's Jake had a three-ball run but missed on the 8, and Sugar made the last pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sugar started slower in game 2, while the Crowns' Jake quickly got down to his last ball. Jake then failed to strike at the bottom side, and Sugar worked her way back for a win on a three-ball run-out. Sugar leads the series 2-0. Sugar was unable to strike late in a close game 3 battle. Jake had the better positioning and won with a bank on the 8 to the top right, giving him a lifeline in the 2-1 series. Jake had the edge again in game 4, keeping better positioning for late in the game as Sugar tried to put up an early fight. Jake converted on his late chances for the win, tying the series at 2. Sugar got back on track with a five-ball run early in game 5, countering a three-ball run by Jake. Sugar closed it out on the second turn with kicks on the 3 to the top side and the 8 to the bottom left to regain the series lead at 3-2. Sugar had all the control early on, then faltered late with a scratch and many misses on the 8. Jake cleaned it up to the bottom right for the win, tying the series again at 3. Jake made a pair of solids on the break, and Sugar added two more on collateral damage plays. Without Sugar's generosity, Jake would have worked a lot harder in the game 7 win that gave him the series 4-3. Jake will continue his designated road run versus Sweetheart in the semifinals. 

Kitty (7-ball) v. Precious (Accuracy): Precious won the coin flip to play Accuracy, while the series will use Kitty's preferred red cue. Midland's Kitty had a respectable start in game 1 before completely falling off the pace. Pronger's Precious locked in late for a 2-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Kitty made a great improvement in game 2, playing perfectly while the Tridents' Precious struggled. Kitty's great effort resulted in a 0-3 win to tie the series at 1. Kitty was nearly perfect again in game 3, scratching only on her final shot to spoil things. Precious was nowhere close to Kitty in the 1-5 game, which gave Kitty a 2-1 series lead. Kitty had an early lead in game 4, but couldn't make it stand. She also missed a chance to avoid overtime, and then went empty on the overtime break before Precious won 4-5 to retie the series at 2. Kitty found her groove again in game 5, denied perfection for a second time in the series with a late miss. She still easily beat Precious 1-4 to reclaim the series lead at 3-2. Peak performance struck in game 6, as neither player missed until Kitty couldn't make the final ball. Precious took a tough angle to sink it at the top side for a 0-1 win to even the series once more at 3-3. Kitty and Precious battled closely early on, but Precious' experience helped her finish off a 2-4 win to take the series 4-3 in the end. Precious awaits the winner of the next series in the semifinals. 

Gradley (8-ball) v. Sarah (15-ball): Sarah won the toss to make it a series of 15-ball, while Gradley gets to activate the red cue again. Boston's Gradley had most of the offense in game 1, but wasn't able to get out of his own way at the end. Tysini's Sarah poached the win with a shot on the 15 to the bottom right, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley backed off on offense while the Hummingbirds' Sarah gladly picked up the slack in game 2. This led to a role reversal, which saw Sarah slip up enough at the end for Gradley to grab the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 could have gone either way, but neither player really had much control. In the end, Sarah was able to pick up the final pair for the win, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Frustration began to raise tempers in game 4 of the slow series. Gradley channeled that anger well enough to make a three-ball run-out at the end, tying the series versus Sarah at 2. Gradley had a four-ball run that lined him up for a 6-15 combination at the top side in game 5. He missed that, but Sarah couldn't recover, and Gradley made the play on his next attempt to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Gradley had some decent offense initially, but Sarah was there with a five-ball run-out in the end, pulling even once more in a 3-3 series. Game 7 saw the 15 parked near the bottom left for quite some time. Gradley eventually made a pair of shots at the end to beat Sarah for the 4-3 series win. Gradley takes on the Pronger Tridents' Precious in the second semifinal series. 

Sweetheart (Rotation) v. Jake (9-ball). The semifinals begin with Rotation as Sweetheart won the coin flip. Jake will again get to wield his preferred blue cue. Boston's Sweetheart couldn't get anything going after Royal's Jake unleashed a five-ball run. Jake ended up winning 8-1 for the 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake had a productive comeback attempt with a four-ball run in game 2, but he missed on the 15. The Swifts' Sweetheart was able to make her five-ball run stand for something in an 8-7 win to tie the series at 1. Sweetheart struggled from the start of game 3, allowing Jake to establish and hold a lead nearly throughout the whole game. Jake finished with an 8-5 win to retake the series lead at 2-1. Jake took control again in game 4 with a five-ball run, which Sweetheart wasn't able to answer. Jake locked in with an 8-2 win to pull ahead 3-1 in the series. Jake couldn't fend off Sweetheart's four-ball run-out in game 5, as Sweetheart started hitting with authority in an 8-4 win. She's cut Jake's series lead to 3-2. Sweetheart refused to go quietly, making waves in a back-and-forth game 6. Jake played too cautiously on a 12-14 combination attempt, leaving things tied. Sweetheart then made a pair of shots for the 8-6 win to even the series at 3 games apiece. Jake held on at the end in game 7, picking up an 8-3 win with an 11-14 combination to the bottom left after Sweetheart failed to rally. Jake took the series 4-3 and will appear in the Tournament of Champions Finals after starting in the wild-card series. 

Gradley (8-ball) v. Precious (Accuracy): Gradley won the coin toss this time, which will bring about 8-ball, but it will come with Precious' preferred silver cue. Pronger's Precious didn't have a great time in game 1, starting well but watching Boston's Gradley catch up on a six-ball run. Gradley then added another pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley immediately doubled the lead with a clean 8 on the break at the top side to give him a 2-0 series lead in perhaps the biggest instant-win moment in league history. Gradley clobbered a five-ball run off the break in game 3, quickly building a lead. The Tridents' Precious couldn't get anything going, and Gradley finished it off with a pair for a 3-0 series lead. Gradley was behind for virtually all of game 4, but caught up at the end, only to scratch as he sank the 8. He had a mistake to spare, but that put Precious on the board while Gradley leads the series 3-1. Gradley held the lead for most of game 5 but couldn't make it stand this time. Precious was strong with a comeback and sliced in the 8 to the bottom side on her second try for the win, bringing her to just a 3-2 deficit in the series. Gradley finally sealed the deal in game 6, although Precious again kept things close before falling short on her last stripe. Gradley clinched the series at 4-2. Precious was strong in game 7, taking one for the road as she was fast enough to beat Gradley. In the end, a 4-3 series win sends Gradley to the host position in the Tournament of Champions Finals versus the Royal Crowns Jake. 

Gradley (8-ball) v. Jake (9-ball): It all comes down to seven games of 9-ball, as Jake won his first coin flip in four tries. Gradley's preferred red cue will be used. Royal's Jake looked good to start game 1 with a four-ball run, but Boston's Gradley shut it down on a three-ball run-out for the win. Gradley leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Jake had a chance to finish off game 2 at the bottom right but hit it too softly. The Swifts' Gradley stepped in and made it to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Gradley had a steady offense again in game 3, but Jake was able to grab a three-ball run-out capped by a 6-9 combination to the top left for the win. Gradley's series lead dips to 2-1. Game 4 saw a decline in overall shot quality on both sides. Neither player was sharp, but Gradley looked a little better until Jake potted the 9 at the end. This tied the series at 2. The slower pace of play continued to favor Jake, who capitalized with a pair of shots after Gradley had illegal contact late in game 5. Jake's win this time put him ahead 3-2 in the series. Gradley couldn't keep control after starting strong in game 6. Jake took over near the end and executed a four-ball run-out for the win to seal the Tournament of Champions Finals at 4-2. Gradley made sure to spoil Jake's victory lap, banking the 9 to the top right to snag one more win. Jake is Tournament X's Champion of Champions after this 4-3 series win. 

That's it for individual play in this Tournament, but the Clan Cup playoffs for clubs goes tomorrow in Tysini.

Tournament X - Postseason Rosters

Over the weekend, the clubs and teams participating in the Clan Cup and City Cup named their playoff rosters. Here are the players who will play, and which events they will cover. 

Clan Cup
Youth Movement: Celestia (12/R), Bianca (8/13), Valencia (7/A), Dusky (9/10), Isabella (15)
Reaility: Missy (9/15), Twinkie I (7/8), Buddy (R/A), Stinky (12/13), Boots (10)
Prime: Oreo (8/15), Ms. Kitty (10/R), Goatee (7/9), Delila (12/A), Diddley (13)
Humanity Junior: Andrew (9/R), Jane (13/A), Vladimir (15), Marissa (7/10), Briana (8/12)
Humanity Senior: Niki (7/15), Dani (12/13), Yekaterina (8/A), Steven (10/R), Kirstin (9)
Enterprise: Maison (9/R), Neopolitan (12/A), Twinkie III (10/15), Kiwi (7/8), Whiskers (13)
Outcast: Nibbles (12/R), Summer (13/A), Violetta (9/15), Prism (7/10), Salmo (8)
Solid Core: Sprinkles (7/13), Leonette (8/12), Misty (R/15), Sleepy B. (9/A), Crystal (10)

City Cup
Victoria Spurs: Sage (7/8/13), Spice (12/R/15), Strawbery (9/10/A)
Golden Pilots: Max (12/13/A), Dusty (7/8/9), Sparkles (10/R/15)
Tysini Hummingbirds: Sugar (8/12/13), Charli (10/R/A), Sarah (7/9/15)
Central Warriors: Twilight (8/13/A), Noelle (9/12/15), Dustin (7/10/R)
Midland Predators: Kitty (7/13/A), Shawn (9/R/15), Americus (8/10/12)
Pronger Tridents: Spot (8/12/13), Precious (7/R/A), Potter (9/10/15)
Everton Eagles: Vincent (R/15/A), Puff III (8/10/12), Cleo (7/9/13)
Todavía Stills: Pedey (8/12/13), Easter (7/9/R), Ruby (10/15/A)
Diamond Gems: Leonardo (8/12/13), Autumn (7/9/A), Debby (10/R/15)
North Modernistic Nighthawks: Cheddar (7/9/A), Gal (10/R/15), Lionel (8/12/13)
Lighton Prestige: Spirit (8/10/A), Angelica (9/12/15), Citrus (7/13/R)
Royal Crowns: Brownie (8/12/13), Jake (9/10/A), Sunshine (7/R/15)
Archtown Arrows: Hoppy (7/12/15), Greg (8/13/R), Sally (9/10/A)
Infinity Torpedoes: Fuchsia (7/9/15), Fluffina (10/12/13), Blaze (8/R/A)
Boston Swifts: Gradley (8/9/10), Sweetheart (R/15/A), Ice Cream (7/12/13)
Whitewater Shores: Shaggy (7/R/15), Katharine (8/10/A), Marsell (9/12/13)

The Clan Cup is currently scheduled for October 5, while the City Cup is expected to be played from October 8-11.

Tournament X - Finals Phase D

The Championship series are here, where nine (or possibly eight) winners will punch their tickets to Tournament of Champions. Leading off...

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia (B) v. Jack (P). The first champion of the day will be in 12-ball. Web City's Jack yielded a wild-card ball in game 1, and that gave Oceanside's Celestia just enough flexibility to hang on for the win. Celestia has a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia had a solid break in game 2, but couldn't generate much after that. The Spiders' Jack ripped a five-ball run and then ended on the next turn at the bottom left to tie the series at 1. Jack kept his offense strong in game 3, starting off with solids and working around the table. A scratch slowed Celestia, and she just missed a chance at a late run. Jack finished with a pair at the right corners to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Jack yielded a wild-card ball at the start of game 4, and Celestia punished that at the end. She blocked Jack's play at the top side, then turned in a three-ball run-out for the win to retie the series at 2. Celestia produced a lot of offense on the game 5 break, and Jack wasn't able to get anything going. Celestia finished with a three-ball run-out again to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Celestia didn't make things easy on herself with a scratch in game 6, but Jack was too far back to challenge. Celestia had time to make her last pair of shots without trouble, securing the series at 4-2. Celestia didn't need to do anything special in game 7, and she wasn't able to find much offense. Jack salvaged a result with a three-ball run-out, leaving Celestia as the 12-ball champion on a 4-3 series win. Jack is 164th player out, and Celestia has four kills. The Spiders are the 23rd team depleted of bids.

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sugar (R) v. Twilight (P). We'll crown the 13-ball champion next. There was nothing pretty about game 1 for either player, but Central's Twilight will regret an overfill at the top side. Tysini's Sugar mostly took over after that and earned a slow win to take the 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight did a little better early in game 2, but the Hummingbirds' Sugar answered on a four-ball run. Two turns later, Sugar made the final pair for the win to extend her series lead to 2-0. A somewhat slow start in game 3 turned into Sugar ripping a five-ball run in the middle. Twilight couldn't match that pace, and Sugar emerged with a win and 3-0 series lead. Sugar was a little slower after a scratch at the start of game 4, but Twilight couldn't break Sugar's defense at the end. Sugar worked a four-ball run-out for the win, clinching the series at 4-0. Twilight worked a three-ball run in game 5, but positioning at the end held her back. Sugar was patient and found a four-ball run-out late for the comeback to stretch her series lead to 5-0. Sugar had struggles with positioning in game 6, but she still kept things close until she missed on the 8. Twilight made the final pair to avoid the sweep, cutting Sugar's series lead to 5-1. Sugar again faltered late in game 7, missing multiple chances to push for the victory. Twilight wasn't sharp either, but good enough to get another win. Sugar won the series 5-2 as the 13-ball champion. Twilight is the 165th eliminated player, while Sugar has two kills. The Warriors are the 24th team done.

Apple Center, Todavía: Easter (G) v. Sweetheart (P). Next up is Rotation between Prime club-mates. Boston's Sweetheart took the early lead in game 1, then faded a bit before recovering late to get an 8-6 win over Todavía's Easter. Sweetheart leads the series 1-0. The Swifts' Sweetheart again grabbed the lead in game 2, but the Stills' Easter pushed on a three-ball run to tie it late. Sweetheart then put the 15 in the bottom right for an 8-7 win that gave her a 2-0 series lead. Easter got back into things as Sweetheart scratched on the break in game 3. Easter led wire-to-wire with an 8-5 win cutting Sweetheart's series lead to 2-1. Easter didn't follow up so well in game 4, allowing Sweetheart to dictate play again. Sweetheart pulled away at the end for an 8-4 win, pushing her series lead to 3-1. Sweetheart held the lead after a three-ball run in game 5, but she wasn't able to finish it off. Easter played dangerously and barely escaped with an 8-7 win to pull back to a 3-2 deficit. Easter made three balls on the break in game 6, but that was all she could muster. Sweetheart won with an eight-ball run-out on her first turn for the 8-3 win to create a 4-2 series lead. Sweetheart took it easy in game 7, and Easter was able to march her way to an 8-2 win. Sweetheart is the Rotation champion by a 4-3 series score, and Easter is the 166th player out this year. Sweetheart has four kills.

Sony Center, Queens: Mario (G) v. Kitty (R). Southeastern rivals battle for the 7-ball title. Queens' Mario had trouble early on and then scratched after an unlikely cut on the 7 to the bottom left. Midland's Kitty took the gift to reward her previous four-ball run, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Mario had another late foul in game 2, this time missing contact on the 6. The Predators' Kitty stepped in to make the final pair from ball-in-hand for a 2-0 series lead with the win. Kitty brought an early finish in game 3, converting her second trick attempt on the 7 with a deflection off the 3 to drive it to the bottom side. Kitty leads Mario 3-0 in the series. Mario had a three-ball run in game 4, but that was all he could offer. Kitty picked up the pace at the end to get another win, sealing the series in her favor at 4-0. Mario got on the board in game 5 with a pair of three-ball runs to finally shake off his disappointment from game 1. Mario's win helped him avoid the sweep as Kitty now leads 4-1. Kitty got back on track in game 6, converting a pair of shots at the end after Mario was unable to secure the 6. Kitty stretched her lead to 5-1. Mario got another game back in game 7, working a five-ball run-out with some sharp cuts to leave Kitty on a 5-2 series win. Kitty is the 7-ball champion and now has five kills while Mario is the 167th ousted player. Celebrity is the 5th club to run out of bids, while the Flames are the 25th team to exit.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno (S) v. Spirit (B). The visitor's first of two title bids is here in 10-ball. Stonebridge's Juno made quick work of game 1, finishing on a four-ball run-out with a 7-10 double-pot combination to the bottom side to earn the 1-0 series lead over Lighton's Spirit. The Prestige's Spirit had an awkward play on the 5 in game 2, and that led to a 5-10 combination lining up at the bottom right. The Wolves' Juno converted that shot for the win, going up 2-0 in the series. Juno blew a contact play on the 5 in game 3, finally giving Spirit something to work with. Spirit submitted a four-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 2-1. Juno had a three-ball run in the middle of game 4, but she left herself no position on the 8. A missed contact foul allowed Spirit to work a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand for the win to tie the series at 2. Juno had a pair of three-ball runs in game 5, but she suffered a critical failure with her miss on the 10 at the bottom right. Spirit cleaned it up at the top side for a win to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Juno enjoyed a majority of the offense again in game 6, and this time she was able to cash in as Spirit faltered on her shots. Juno has retied the series at 3. Juno stepped up at the end of game 7 to strike down a pair of shots for the win, leaving Spirit with the loss. Juno won the series 4-3, assuring their will be nine champions this year as she represents 10-ball in the Tournament of Champions.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit (G) v. Precious (S). The host completes her doubleheader in a marquee series of Accuracy. Pronger's Precious didn't budge from perfection in game 1, while Lighton's Spirit missed her last two shots. Precious won 0-2 for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit wrangled control away from the Tridents' Precious early in game 2, and that helped Spirit dictate the pace of play. Spirit was able to nab a 1-4 win this time, tying the series at 1. Precious got a little too tense in game 3, failing to make the simple plays. Spirit took advantage of it and then held on amid a late fade to get the 3-4 win for the 2-1 series lead. Precious thought she had Spirit done with in game 4, but Spirit's savvy positioning play forced Precious to fall behind on the last ball. Spirit converted for a 2-3 win and leads the series 3-1. Spirit used a double-pot to gain the last-shot advantage in game 5, but Precious scratched while making a shot to take it back. At the end, Spirit missed late, and Precious won 1-2 to pull back in the 3-2 series. Spirit made an absolute mess of game 6, but still almost got away with it as Precious was only marginally better. Precious didn't trail, but escaped with a 5-6 win to tie the series at 3. Precious was on the ropes late in game 7 as Spirit just needed to convert the last ball to win. She failed, and Precious forced overtime, where Spirit went with a soft break and got nothing. Precious then slammed into the cluster to get the winning point for a 3-4 win and 4-3 series win as the Accuracy champion. Spirit is the 168th player out, and Precious has three kills. The Prestige are the 26th team out.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy (P) v. Jake (B). The first of the premier titles is in 9-ball. Capital City's Missy found a three-ball run in the middle of game 1, but couldn't finish it off. Royal's Jake picked up the 9 instead for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake fired off a five-ball run to start game 2, followed by the Sharpshooters' Missy making a pair before a scratch. Jake then added the final pair for the win, going ahead 2-0 in the series. Jake made quick work of game 3, potting a pair on the break before delivering a 1-9 kick combination to the bottom side on the next shot. Jake's series lead over Missy is at a dominant 3-0. Missy wasn't able to find any momentum in game 4, fouling almost as often as she converted a shot. Jake was able to run away with another win on a four-ball run-out, clinching the series at 4-0. Jake added on again in game 5, as Missy scratched while attempting a kick on the 5. Jake took the ball-in-hand on the 5 and added a 6-9 combination to the top left to go ahead 5-0 in the series. Jake wasn't able to keep the sweep opportunity going, as Missy stood up for a three-ball run-out capped by a 6-9 combination to the top left in game 6. Jake remains ahead 5-1 in the series. Missy got another for the road in game 7, making a four-ball run and adding the 9 on the next turn. Jake won the series 5-2 anyway and will be the 9-ball champion this year. Missy is the 169th eliminated player, and Jake has four kills. The Sharpshooters are also the 27th eliminated team.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Vincent (B) v. Sarah (R). Club-mates tangle in 15-ball. Everton's Vincent made a couple too many errors in game 1, and Tysini's Sarah eventually decided to pot the 8-15 combination to the top right on ball-in-hand. Sarah leads her former teammate 1-0 in the series. The Hummingbirds' Sarah was unlucky to get called for illegal contact when both players bizarrely ignored the 1 at the top side. The Eagles' Vincent settled in well and made a four-ball run-out at the end to tie the series at 1. Vincent tried to work out some tricks after his offense dried up in game 3. He attempted a 12-15 bank combination to the top side from a bad angle, but it failed, and Sarah made the 15 to the same spot on a deflection for the win. Sarah leads the series 2-1. Vincent had a brutal blunder on illegal contact, which set the 15 in motion to carom all the way into the top right on a slow roll. This gifted Sarah another win, giving her a 3-1 series lead. Sarah had most of the offense in game 5, working a four-ball run and a five-ball run before a poorly-timed scratch. Vincent then made the 13 and 15 on separate turns to steal the win, pulling back to a 3-2 series. Vincent kept himself in it again in game 6, as Sarah wasn't sharp enough in the middle to break up Vincent's momentum. At the end, Vincent won on a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 3. It could have gone either way in game 7, but it was Vincent's positioning play that became a scratch as he sank the 14. Sarah took the 15 for free, winning the game and the 4-3 series to advance as the 15-ball champion. Sarah will lead the league with nine kills this year, making Vincent the 170th ousted player. The Eagles are the 28th team done.

Apple Center, Todavía: Pedey (G) v. Gradley (R). The final series of the regular season is for the 8-ball championship. Todavía's Pedey kept the pace up in game 1, although Boston's Gradley pushed him hard. Gradley was a little short on his last shot, and Pedey made a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley took over game 2 on a four-ball run, but had nothing left on the 8. He missed a few times, then scratched when he made it to gift the win and 2-0 series lead to the Stills' Pedey. In game 3, Pedey took stripes on the break but lost three shots later as his cluster-buster caught the 8 into the top left. Gradley didn't take a shot as he got on the board in a 2-1 series. Pedey got himself back on track with a five-ball run in game 4. Gradley had some chances to make noise, but Pedey shut him down in his win to produce a 3-1 series lead. An early battle saw both players come away on nearly level terms before Pedey took a scratch. Gradley fired off a three-ball run-out after that for the win, staying alive but trailing 3-2 in the series. Another even start saw Gradley pull away a little quicker this time, and Pedey was unable to catch up with him. Gradley buried the 8 in the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 3. Gradley grabbed the early lead in game 7, putting Pedey under immense pressure. Pedey rallied and got down to his last ball, but he took out the 8 illegally at the end, gifting the 4-3 series win to Gradley. Pedey is the 171st and final player to exit in the regular season portion of the Tournament, while Gradley picked up his sixth kill and also team-killed the Stills as the 29th and final team out of bids. 

That's it for the regular season. For now, the league will take a break after an unprecedented push to complete the Tournament. The playoffs are loosely expected to begin on October 4.