By Alex Lamoureux and Serena Cheong
On Feb. 27 and 28, Western Canadian quidditch was on full display in Abbotsford, British Columbia at Quidditch Canada’s Western Regional Championship. The tournament was filled with hard-fought games, ending with the Alberta Clippers winning their second consecutive regional championship. With a multitude of close games, including two overtime finishes, this championship was a thrilling depiction of how far Western Canadian quidditch has come since last season.
On Feb. 27 and 28, Western Canadian quidditch was on full display in Abbotsford, British Columbia at Quidditch Canada’s Western Regional Championship. The tournament was filled with hard-fought games, ending with the Alberta Clippers winning their second consecutive regional championship. With a multitude of close games, including two overtime finishes, this championship was a thrilling depiction of how far Western Canadian quidditch has come since last season.
Alberta Clippers (5-0)
AC vs. VV 90-60*
AC vs. SFU 130*^-70
AC vs. CM 110*-30
AC vs. UVic 150*-10
AC vs. SFU 60*-40 (championship)
The Alberta Clippers took home their second regional championship title in a row with a perfect record, complete with a comeback overtime win against Simon Fraser University (SFU) in their round robin game. Their strongest asset are their deep chasing lines, boasting household names such as Chris Radojewski and Michelle Ferguson, along with upstart rookie Indiana Nikel. Their excellent passing game was on full display this weekend, with many of their goals scored through sudden changes in direction or by making the perfect pass to the open chaser behind the hoops. What makes them stand out from the rest of the region is the abundance of great ball-carriers and playmakers the team boasts, whereas most teams in Western Canada usually only have one or two. The Clippers often used horizontal passing to stretch out the defence; it is something that the region is not used to, and their unparalleled success in using this style of play throughout the tournament is evidence of that. At the tournament, they used these strategies and dominated quaffle play, often keeping possession for long periods of time.
The Clippers’ beating game, on the other hand, was their weakness. Their beaters played a conservative defence close to their hoops, and rarely advanced with their chasers on offence. As a result, they tended to struggle at times against the more aggressive beating styles of the Calgary Mudbloods and SFU Quidditch, and allowed the opposing, offensive beater to enter their zone with ease. They did maintain bludger control for most of the tournament, and quickly regained it by launching attacks on offence while quaffle players drew the attention of opposing beaters. If the Clippers want to make it far at Kingston for the Canadian National Championship, they will have to take advantage of having bludger control by supporting the chasing game.
With out-of-snitch-range wins against every team except SFU, the Clippers have shown that they are the team to beat in Western Canada. As they are one of the only Western Canadian teams that will make the trek to Kingston, Ontario, Clippers’ Coach Radojewski said the team’s goal is to make the top five at the Canadian National Championship in April.
The Alberta Clippers took home their second regional championship title in a row with a perfect record, complete with a comeback overtime win against Simon Fraser University (SFU) in their round robin game. Their strongest asset are their deep chasing lines, boasting household names such as Chris Radojewski and Michelle Ferguson, along with upstart rookie Indiana Nikel. Their excellent passing game was on full display this weekend, with many of their goals scored through sudden changes in direction or by making the perfect pass to the open chaser behind the hoops. What makes them stand out from the rest of the region is the abundance of great ball-carriers and playmakers the team boasts, whereas most teams in Western Canada usually only have one or two. The Clippers often used horizontal passing to stretch out the defence; it is something that the region is not used to, and their unparalleled success in using this style of play throughout the tournament is evidence of that. At the tournament, they used these strategies and dominated quaffle play, often keeping possession for long periods of time.
The Clippers’ beating game, on the other hand, was their weakness. Their beaters played a conservative defence close to their hoops, and rarely advanced with their chasers on offence. As a result, they tended to struggle at times against the more aggressive beating styles of the Calgary Mudbloods and SFU Quidditch, and allowed the opposing, offensive beater to enter their zone with ease. They did maintain bludger control for most of the tournament, and quickly regained it by launching attacks on offence while quaffle players drew the attention of opposing beaters. If the Clippers want to make it far at Kingston for the Canadian National Championship, they will have to take advantage of having bludger control by supporting the chasing game.
With out-of-snitch-range wins against every team except SFU, the Clippers have shown that they are the team to beat in Western Canada. As they are one of the only Western Canadian teams that will make the trek to Kingston, Ontario, Clippers’ Coach Radojewski said the team’s goal is to make the top five at the Canadian National Championship in April.
Indiana Nikel playing defence against Avery Herbert | Photo Credit: Alicia Mills
Simon Fraser University Quidditch (SFU) (3-2)
SFU vs. UVic 140*-10
AC vs. SFU 130*^-70
SFU vs. VV 120-70*
SFU vs. CM 110-100* (double overtime)
AC vs. SFU 60*-40 (championship)
SFU took second place, going 3-1 in its round robin game before its snitch-catch loss to the Clippers in the championship game. The team’s distinctive playing style stands in contrast to the strategies used by the other teams in the region. SFU’s quaffle players advance cautiously until their beaters create an opening, and then use the tremendous driving power of keeper James Champion to attack the hoops. With the driving ability of Champion and rookie Avery Herbert, SFU should have used the quick transition play more to its advantage; many opportunities to capitalize on a slower defence were missed as a result. Like most teams in the region, SFU’s overreliance on a hero-balling offence is also a weakness. SFU’s struggle to maintain offensive zone pressure at times this tournament could have been minimized if the team was able to execute and complete more passes in the offensive zone to stretch the defence out. As it matures into a more experienced team, SFU should look to add a strong passing game to its arsenal, as well as involving its non-male chasers more in the offensive zone.
SFU’s beaters often dominated, with great aggression and physicality; beaters Nathan Ross and Raymond Ly are the personifications of SFU’s beating game. Champion, SFU’s coach, described the 1.5 offense as the team’s “bread and butter,” and it was on frequent display throughout the tournament; other teams seemed to struggle to handle an already aggressive beating lineup playing the 1.5. On defence, the aggressiveness of SFU’s rookie beaters seemed too focused on the offensive beater(s), and at times neglected the chasing game. Fortunately, they were able to make up for their mistakes with their accurate beating.
It is unfortunate that SFU will not be attending this year’s national championship, as it would be interesting to see how the team matches up against teams in the east. SFU has clearly shown it is one of the top teams in the west, with wins against every Western Canadian team except the two-time regional champions. Expect this team to present an even more formidable roster as injured players return and new recruits continue to flow in.
SFU took second place, going 3-1 in its round robin game before its snitch-catch loss to the Clippers in the championship game. The team’s distinctive playing style stands in contrast to the strategies used by the other teams in the region. SFU’s quaffle players advance cautiously until their beaters create an opening, and then use the tremendous driving power of keeper James Champion to attack the hoops. With the driving ability of Champion and rookie Avery Herbert, SFU should have used the quick transition play more to its advantage; many opportunities to capitalize on a slower defence were missed as a result. Like most teams in the region, SFU’s overreliance on a hero-balling offence is also a weakness. SFU’s struggle to maintain offensive zone pressure at times this tournament could have been minimized if the team was able to execute and complete more passes in the offensive zone to stretch the defence out. As it matures into a more experienced team, SFU should look to add a strong passing game to its arsenal, as well as involving its non-male chasers more in the offensive zone.
SFU’s beaters often dominated, with great aggression and physicality; beaters Nathan Ross and Raymond Ly are the personifications of SFU’s beating game. Champion, SFU’s coach, described the 1.5 offense as the team’s “bread and butter,” and it was on frequent display throughout the tournament; other teams seemed to struggle to handle an already aggressive beating lineup playing the 1.5. On defence, the aggressiveness of SFU’s rookie beaters seemed too focused on the offensive beater(s), and at times neglected the chasing game. Fortunately, they were able to make up for their mistakes with their accurate beating.
It is unfortunate that SFU will not be attending this year’s national championship, as it would be interesting to see how the team matches up against teams in the east. SFU has clearly shown it is one of the top teams in the west, with wins against every Western Canadian team except the two-time regional champions. Expect this team to present an even more formidable roster as injured players return and new recruits continue to flow in.
James Champion scores from a driving play | Photo Credit: Alicia Mills
Calgary Mudbloods (2-2)
CM vs. VV 120-60*
CM vs. UVic 90*-40
AC vs. CM 110*-30
SFU vs. CM 110-100* (double overtime)
Calgary leaves the regional championship with wins against University of Victoria Valkyries (UVic) and the Vancouver Vipertooths. The Mudbloods relied on their high-octane aggressiveness to force the other team to make mistakes, especially on defence. As a result, their offence primarily relied on fast breaks by hero-ballers. This helped mask their issues with their passing game, but it was less effective against teams with a strong beater lineup.
The Mudbloods’ beater game is usually very strong, but took a hit when both Alex Lamoureux and Behfar Lotfizadeh suffered concussions over the weekend. Their aggressive play matched that of their chasers, but inter-positional communication remained an issue throughout the tournament. Mudbloods chasers Karissa Nyman and Blythe Sola excelled at confronting opposing quaffle carriers, but the Mudbloods’ first line of defence sometimes struggled with inadequate beating support.
Calgary leaves the regional championship with wins against University of Victoria Valkyries (UVic) and the Vancouver Vipertooths. The Mudbloods relied on their high-octane aggressiveness to force the other team to make mistakes, especially on defence. As a result, their offence primarily relied on fast breaks by hero-ballers. This helped mask their issues with their passing game, but it was less effective against teams with a strong beater lineup.
The Mudbloods’ beater game is usually very strong, but took a hit when both Alex Lamoureux and Behfar Lotfizadeh suffered concussions over the weekend. Their aggressive play matched that of their chasers, but inter-positional communication remained an issue throughout the tournament. Mudbloods chasers Karissa Nyman and Blythe Sola excelled at confronting opposing quaffle carriers, but the Mudbloods’ first line of defence sometimes struggled with inadequate beating support.
Karissa Nyman shielding the quaffle | Photo Credit: Alicia Mills
Vancouver Vipertooths (1-3)
AC vs. VV 90-60*
CM vs. VV 120-60*
SFU vs. VV 120-70*
VV vs. UVic 110*-20
The Vipertooths, the poster child of the struggles of a budding community team, were once again short-staffed this tournament, and as a result, they lost every game except against the inexperienced UVic squad. The Vipertooths’ offence struggled to generate plays, even after the adoption of a more pass-focused chaser game (from hero-balling their way into the offensive zone) in the later stages of the tournament. It is evident they are missing their bigger ball carriers from earlier in the season, as they continued to play the same way, despite their size disadvantage. The failure to adapt to a different playing style to suit their current personnel was a crucial error.
The highlight of the Vipertooths’ performance this tournament was their beating, despite having very few substitutions. Anchored by veterans Dรกvid Danos and Gillian Manley, their beating game was second only to the SFU beating lineup. Another silver lining for the Vipertooths’ disappointing weekend was seeker David St-Germain, who achieved a 100 percent catch rate at this tournament, including a great kneeling catch against the Clippers.
The Vipertooths, the poster child of the struggles of a budding community team, were once again short-staffed this tournament, and as a result, they lost every game except against the inexperienced UVic squad. The Vipertooths’ offence struggled to generate plays, even after the adoption of a more pass-focused chaser game (from hero-balling their way into the offensive zone) in the later stages of the tournament. It is evident they are missing their bigger ball carriers from earlier in the season, as they continued to play the same way, despite their size disadvantage. The failure to adapt to a different playing style to suit their current personnel was a crucial error.
The highlight of the Vipertooths’ performance this tournament was their beating, despite having very few substitutions. Anchored by veterans Dรกvid Danos and Gillian Manley, their beating game was second only to the SFU beating lineup. Another silver lining for the Vipertooths’ disappointing weekend was seeker David St-Germain, who achieved a 100 percent catch rate at this tournament, including a great kneeling catch against the Clippers.
David St-Germain, moments before his snitch catch | Photo Credit: Alicia Mills
University of Victoria Valkyries (UVic) (0-4)
SFU vs. UVic 140*-10
CM vs. UVic 90*-40
VV. vs. UVic 110*-20
AC vs. UVic 150*-10
The Valkyries will still be seeking their first official win in Quidditch Canada. Despite this, UVic showed a greater amount of coordination and strategy than their previous showings. Their chasers seemed to understand and execute set plays, although they were still rather static and did not have much success in adapting their plays in game situations. Like most lower-tiered teams, they relied heavily on their ball-carriers, David Warburton and Dalvir Vandher, and their passing game struggled throughout the tournament.
UVic’s beaters remained overly passive on both offence and defence, especially for the seeker game, but that might be a result of the decision to focus on quaffle play. Because of this, UVic kept the Mudbloods game within snitch range, but made it difficult for their seekers to have any chance of getting the snitch grab. Against the stronger teams, though, the focus on quaffle play backfired as the teams racked up more quaffle points, while also catching the snitch.
The Valkyries will still be seeking their first official win in Quidditch Canada. Despite this, UVic showed a greater amount of coordination and strategy than their previous showings. Their chasers seemed to understand and execute set plays, although they were still rather static and did not have much success in adapting their plays in game situations. Like most lower-tiered teams, they relied heavily on their ball-carriers, David Warburton and Dalvir Vandher, and their passing game struggled throughout the tournament.
UVic’s beaters remained overly passive on both offence and defence, especially for the seeker game, but that might be a result of the decision to focus on quaffle play. Because of this, UVic kept the Mudbloods game within snitch range, but made it difficult for their seekers to have any chance of getting the snitch grab. Against the stronger teams, though, the focus on quaffle play backfired as the teams racked up more quaffle points, while also catching the snitch.
David Warburton | Photo Credit: Danny Ly
Thoughts for the Future of Western Canadian Quidditch
Although the Alberta Clippers are still the top team to beat, the Western Regional Championship showed that the gap is rapidly closing, with SFU losing both games against the Clippers by the smallest of margins. The physicality amongst the teams present also showed the evolution of the sport in this region; it was only last season that the Western Canadian teams played a much more passive physical game.
With the exciting events of this championship, it is unfortunate that Alberta and Calgary may be the only Western teams to attend Canadian Nationals. As such, these teams will act as the West’s only ways of measuring up against the rest of Canada. Hopefully as the sport grows across Western Canada, future national championships will give us a better idea of the skill of these teams in the broader Canadian picture.
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