tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7067799644483432352024-02-07T01:15:38.986-05:00THE QUIDDITCH POSTLindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.comBlogger806125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-53029742040822551872017-04-07T18:40:00.000-04:002017-04-07T18:40:22.646-04:00New Website: QuidditchPost.comFrom our <a href="http://quidditchpost.blogspot.com/2014/10/same-sunday-snitch-different-home.html" target="_blank">first article</a>, to our <a href="http://quidditchpost.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-world-turned-upside-down.html" target="_blank">most popular</a>, our Blogspot domain has been home for us at the Quidditch Post. A simple, usable website, Blogger supported our humble beginnings. We are now excited to be moving forward to a website that is much more our own: Two years in development, <a href="http://www.quidditchpost.com/">www.quidditchpost.com</a> is our new home!<br />
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Thanks for reading,<br />
The Quidditch Post TeamAustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12033247050720252516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-84140016748008385202017-04-05T21:08:00.002-04:002017-04-05T22:58:21.291-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Tenth Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the tenth day of Kissimmee, we have an all-college team edition with five programs that have reached great heights over the years and are fighting to make sure they don’t slip from their past dominance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Rochester Thestrals</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of Rochester Thestrals surprised many during the fall season by exploding out of the gate with a 10-5 record, not including a 3-1 record during its participation as an unofficial team at the King In The North tournament in Toledo, Ohio. As a team famous for being chronic underachievers except when it matters, the Thestrals outperformed many expectations in a series of snitch-range losses to RPI Quidditch (90*-60), Maryland Quidditch (150*-90), District of Columbia Quidditch Club (110*-100), and an unofficial loss to the Ball State Cardinals (120*-80). Fall captain Perry Wang revamped the Thestrals’ roster by shifting exclusively into the use of the double-male beater set to take advantage of its five-deep male beater line and talented non-male chasers. Emphasizing ball control on offense and scrappy defense, Rochester succeeded in going 3-0 in pool play at the Northeast Regional Championship (NERC), solidifying its ascent from last season’s 8-17 finish.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaBAKSh1HVLc3_VqbGWYb85X6dTfEU1p8z6C_E2QRHjA3dzaFbe2CbX0t3Yn9Gh5es3UjPlAlo3XHIE9puMWP5ms8q3lFVrZSPX7IVbsS9XbOLQ8H03PcdMrbF_0dqkPi2M3070J5ci2b/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-04-05+at+9.06.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaBAKSh1HVLc3_VqbGWYb85X6dTfEU1p8z6C_E2QRHjA3dzaFbe2CbX0t3Yn9Gh5es3UjPlAlo3XHIE9puMWP5ms8q3lFVrZSPX7IVbsS9XbOLQ8H03PcdMrbF_0dqkPi2M3070J5ci2b/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-04-05+at+9.06.12+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-16768890-40cc-f1e4-95b0-4cb309b27b2e"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Rochester Thestrals at the 2015 Northeast Regional Championship | Photo Credit: Sandra Glynn</span></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Thestrals lost a few players for the spring season but still boast a fair portion of their successful fall roster. Beaters Perry Wang and Steven Belitzky are likely to play a majority of the team’s minutes, opening opportunities for keeper Basem Ashkar and chaser Sean Benjamin to run a drive-and-dish style of offense. Emma Foley and Samantha Dinga will likely be Ashkar’s top passing options, and their efficient offensive play will likely keep the Thestrals in range of all of their pool play opponents except a larger and more experienced Texas State University - San Marcos. Four years ago in Kissimmee, Florida, Rochester surprised many at World Cup VI by finishing 3-1 behind several clutch snitch catches. With their experienced seeker corps gone, a repeat of that 3-1 record is unlikely, and the Thestrals’ bracket play prospects will be left in the hands of seekers Morris Shayo and Tim Kwan.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tufts University Tufflepuffs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tufts is entering US Quidditch Cup 10 with the worst record in its history at this point in the season at 10-8. The Tufflepuffs lost two of their best players to graduation last season and defensive stalwart Emily Hickmott to graduation in December. The team enters US Quidditch Cup 10 with an inconsistent 4-5 SWIM record (though the team is only 2-5 in those games). Anyone blindly looking at these facts and Tufts’ tough pool play opponents will assume that Tufts will inevitably bow out after pool play. However, anyone looking deeper at the roster and the team’s gameplay this year will see something few others realize.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tufts is actually the scariest Pod Four team in the tournament. The Tufflepuffs admittedly had some growing pains early in the season, losing three games in the season opener against Quidditch Club Boston. Since then, they have only lost one game out of range, a 140-120* loss to an elite BosNYan Bearshark squad. Quaffle players Breandan Haley, David Stack, Max Leonhardt, and Devon Ramsey are all immensely talented, with Stack and Ramsey having gained experience on the Boston Night Riders’ MLQ championship team last summer. Having depended heavily on their stars early in the season, coach Noah Schwartz and Leonhardt have done a wonderful job developing the depth behind them and emphasizing the same tradition of intelligent, unselfish play. The key for the Tufflepuffs will be in their beater depth behind Ari Panzer, a solid contributor and backup for the past three seasons. With strategic game planning and a chaser line that has rarely had issues scoring at will when healthy, Tufts only needs Panzer to hold off opposing beaters long enough to give Ramsey opportunities at seeker to score the upset. Expect all four of Tufts’ pool play games to be competitive and captivating affairs with at least one upset propelling Tufts into bracket play on Day Two.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michigan Quidditch Team</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Matt Pesch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While Michigan may not have as dominant of a team as last year, it is a force to be reckoned with. Michigan’s seven losses this year have come only from higher-ranked teams, and four of those games were in-range. The team heads to US Quidditch Cup 10 after a very successful Dobby Memorial Tournament, in which it gave Bowling Green State University its only loss of the season. After last year’s disappointingly short bracket run, Michigan will look to show the national stage that it is still among the Great Lakes’ best.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite being a Pod Three team, Michigan can play up to almost any opponent. It has a well-balanced team that doesn’t rely too heavily on any one offensive strategy, unlike the Michigan we’ve seen in previous years, which relied heavily on its keepers’ ability to drive to the hoops. Michigan has improved its snitch-on-pitch game tremendously in seeker Zach Fogel, who is rather new to the position, as well as beater Evan Hoopingarner, returning to the team better than ever after an MLQ season with the Detroit Innovators. The duo has contributed to a 7-4 record for in-range games. Expect to see the two of them leading the team into Day Two, though a deep bracket run is probably beyond this team’s capabilities.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="371" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4prUsiQ6BEa0AZW9aJUQoukhnYHvhgLNLc7RBsaRC6f1t9gBv_eHPGwXmKMHclkv0uf04VRUni60DT5oz6qgwcLPEFJ_zuoRXgCE5HAsJ76LMYk9_TBCxY9sEPRKvGm_47JfStBO" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="556" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zach Fogel attempting to catch the snitch at a Michigan Quidditch tournament | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jessicajiaminlangphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Austin Sharp</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Quidditch (UNC) has had a season of mixed results after an uncertain start due to the unexpected loss of a few of the team’s previously key players. After a rocky start, UNC pushed on to defeat Mid-Atlantic regional champion Maryland Quidditch in the fall, claimed a win at its own tournament this spring over the District of Columbia Quidditch Club (DCQC), and made a run to the semifinals at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. The team’s success comes from smart play that fights hard to stay in games through high levels of team-oriented play and moving the ball around. Captain and chaser Lee Hodge and James Hicks are lead players on the team with well-balanced play that provides an important physicality to the team. Beater Kyle Bullins is another strong player with smart and technical play, as is chaser Kayla Jensen, whose instincts and surprising force on defense helps drive the team’s success.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UNC is entering US Quidditch Cup 10 as a Pod Four team, meaning qualifying for bracket play on Day Two will come with an uphill fight. However, UNC has shown this season that it is more than comfortable taking on a challenge and should not be counted out when considering the fate of its pool. While coming out as the victors of its pool over Texas Quidditch, the Ball State Cardinals, and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is unlikely, UNC could pose a threat of an upset to UCLA, as it did to Maryland and DCQC earlier in the season, and claim a spot for Day Two. Success for UNC at US Quidditch Cup 10 will be the product of hard work and team synergy that has been cultivated to be the mentality of UNC this season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Littleton contributed reporting.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maryland Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Austin Sharp</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maryland Quidditch (UMD) is a college program that demands attention on the field, from its alumni, and its tweets. After a surprise defeat in the Round of 32 at last year’s US Quidditch Cup to the Ball State Cardinals, Maryland is returning to US Quidditch Cup with a 25-3 record and a regional title to show that it is keeping the Maryland tradition alive and that the regular season was only the beginning. The foundation of Maryland Quidditch is hard-hitting physicality backed by technical know-how of a swath of veteran players. UMD has a deep pool of chasers featuring four full lines that keep the intensity of the game going. The beater corps showcases aggressive play from Mike Madonna and Jeremy Dehn, as well as thoughtful play from Lauren Dyke and Melissa Smith.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="419" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CLSqt0dQYDQN4UWwHF__t3d7TJ1oVRGd0J9iAGdG49I_fq7WvoofF8xNWNqio0GWl1mwM_numBRf8f-A_EFTtaGn-wcM-UYCFGr6jKmcJKt2xPVDFNm9z-LjxNS_MpT_AW3HNOEN" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="559" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maryland Quidditch after winning the 2016 Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship | Photo Credit: UMD Quidditch Twitter</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maryland has experienced few close games this season, and it could easily continue its success into US Quidditch Cup 10. On Day One of the tournament, Maryland’s strongest opposition will come from RPI Quidditch, though Maryland’s ability to play both strong and smart games makes it the likely pool favorite. In the regular season, Maryland’s only out-of-range loss was to Rochester United, marking a potential red-flag for the team on Day Two. If Maryland falls short at US Quidditch Cup 10, it will come at the hands of an upper-crust community team like Rochester United who is able to match Maryland’s physicality and outplay it despite its seasoned roster. Regardless, expect to see Maryland Quidditch make a strong run in the bracket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike Madonna contributed reporting.</span>Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-13094808057752914262017-04-05T00:00:00.003-04:002017-04-05T12:42:30.345-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Ninth Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the ninth day of Kissimmee we have a community team looking to outplay its pot five status, a college team making its last hurrah before graduation, two first year community teams, and an established community team looking for a deep run.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami University (OH) Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Nick Stackhouse</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: The author is the President of Miami University Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This season was a rebuilding year for Miami University Quidditch after losing 15 players to graduation, 12 of whom attended US Quidditch Cup 9. Its struggle to fill those players’ shoes is apparent in its 11-11 season record, but its losses were important opportunities for its newest members to grow. Even so, Miami has not yet rebuilt its depth from last year, so more of its experienced players have had to shoulder the burden. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami’s biggest strength is its quaffle game. Throughout the year, the team has relied heavily on keeper Sam Rapnicki and chaser Nick Stackhouse to carry the offense, both of whom have played important minutes for Miami and have the vast majority of the team’s goals. They are supported by rookie keeper and chaser Derek Swanson, who has a knack for scoring in tricky situations; Pete Brechting, who has strong field awareness and offensive capabilities; and rookie Ashley Stahnke. Miami’s most tenured player is chaser and seeker Gabe Boris, who the team relies on in close games. There’s less depth in Miami’s beater squad, but it is led by Connor Stonecash, who always brings intensity and control to the pitch. Stonecash is joined by beater Elena McDonald, who just returned from studying abroad; she will strengthen the team’s young beater lineup, but with only four wins and nine loses to US Quidditch Cup qualifiers, the team is unlikely to advance out of pool play and may struggle to pick up a win.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="377" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Z-yDbs94plQQkrZPKPMBDBR2_L1FKlciI0zrGdH3TWhub616rp1aZErHxNJKqbcYSALJLeVvcgSFwtJdTQ0yJlWVVOrjpbpo-Q4CUjYPkkD5W_3lmM6Hik4QE2WeZ_LwtL8-QkVb" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="565" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami University with bludger control at the Great Lakes Regional Championship. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jessicajiaminlangphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RPI Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The RPI Remembralls have been a team on the ascent ever since they defeated Syracuse University in double overtime in the final qualifying game for World Cup VII in November 2013. A chaser line consisting of Mario Nasta, Sam Nielsen, Teddy Costa, and Rachel Glick led a young squad in a tiresome match to a World Cup VII berth, where they went on to achieve a 1-3 record. Since then, RPI has finished consistently better each season, finishing 3-2 at USQ World Cup 8 and earning a Sweet 16 berth on the back of a 3-1 pool play record at US Quidditch Cup 9.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Remembralls are built similarly to defending champions Quidditch Club Boston, but notably lack size and aggression. They make up for this with a methodical triangle offense and by condensing their defense and daring opponents to drive on the relentless beater pair of Nasta and Ashtyn Coyle. With Nasta long since moved to beater, Costa and Nielsen have developed into genuine stars on-pitch, with Costa playing a major role in two Boston Night Riders championship teams and Nielsen effortlessly switching between chasing and keeping depending on where he is needed. In what may be the final year of contention for RPI before its star players graduate, the team is likely to double down on its scouting to prep for a deep run at US Quidditch Cup 10, though it will likely come down to bracket play seeding whether RPI matches expectations as a Sweet 16 team or bows out to a larger community team in the Elite Eight.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Richmond Ravens</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mason Davis</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: Mason Davis is a player for the Richmond Ravens</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Richmond Ravens are a first-year community team founded by Emily Mitchell, Ted Stanton, and Scott Lebow. Ranked 95th in the nation, they secured the ninth Mid-Atlantic bid through the tertiary bracket, after entering as the 15th seed. The Ravens are a special mix. The spectrum of their players ranges from three individuals who won the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship (MARC) in 2015 with the District of Columbia Quidditch Club, to a handful of quidditch dinosaurs who can remember making capes before World Cup III, to four players who hail from three schools you most likely haven’t heard of — Christopher Newport University (CNU), University of Mary Washington (UMW), and the College of William and Mary (WM) (CNU attended World Cup V, UMW was official in 2014-15 and is currently rebuilding, and WM has never been official) — and two gifted players who had never played quidditch before this season. They Ravens are led by players who have been there and done that, and fueled by players who hunger to prove you do not have to come from a storied quidditch university to make an impact. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="403" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/AGI-gjmcxXhrLMA8Sdiatq2DSNB3Suud28LDz2Bsh1sYU0jMmtKwygytJ5xcoKpwO_kVMWXQBz9CzhkVZK6goHl6SH9Z-jaOus8roFHL_txm2wGnErmEAlxYlABY6d8OMw4lSxJO" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="551" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Richmond Ravens just barely qualified for USQ Cup 10 through the tertiary bracket. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/Flax-Photography-929069260452531" style="text-decoration: none;">Flax Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ravens could easily go 0-4 in their pool. However, it’s also possible for them to go 2-2 and make bracket play. Statistically, they’re terrible. With a record of 7-17, two out-of-range-wins, and 14 out-of-range-losses, the numbers speak volumes. Don’t get lost in all the noise. If you look more deeply at their seeker statistics, a very different narrative appears. The Ravens are 13 for 26 in snitch catches, with a SWIM record of 7-2. At MARC, the Ravens four-person seeker corps, led by Dan Waddell, each caught at least one of five snitches to win four games. Led by Alex Krall and Lydia Fisher-Lasky, both long-time players who began at Virginia Commonwealth University, their snitch beating comes second only to their seekers. If the Ravens make it to Day Two, two snitch catches will be the reason.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BosNYan Bearsharks</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A combination of recently graduated players with a sizable portion of Quidditch Club Boston’s US Quidditch Cup 9 roster, the BosNYan Bearsharks are here with the singular goal of bringing the fun back to quidditch. The capable in-game leadership of Leanne Dillmann and Kyle Jeon notwithstanding, BosNYan has spent the year bringing a more relaxed vibe to tournaments, allowing all members of its roster to play sizable minutes while also engaging in lighthearted antics off-pitch. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although formed for a more light-hearted purpose, BosNYan is still a threat on-pitch. Boasting a starting line that is arguably one of the top five in the country, beaters Jeon and Dillmann are among the best in the game. Jeon and Dillmann are masters of controlling the pace of a game from the beater position, with Jeon’s former New York University teammates Stanford Zhou, Leslie Hargett, and Dylan Meehan complementing Jeon with their ability to position themselves perfectly to throw opposing defenses off-balance. Out of Boston comes a majority of the team’s quaffle players, able to switch between finesse-passing and drive-heavy play based on the opportunities created by their beaters. Star keeper Tyler Trudeau is incredibly hard to take down offensively, and his defensive presence at the hoops heavily limits scoring opportunities for drive-heavy opponents. A chaser rotation of David Fox, Dom Bailey, Julia Baer, Carli Haggerty, Zach Gindes, and the recently unretired Jake Hines should induce matchup nightmares on their US Quidditch Cup 10 opponents. BosNYan enters US Quidditch Cup 10 having lost only to Rochester United, Quidditch Club Boston, and Boston University Quidditch. A pool play matchup with Bowling Green State University will be an indicator of whether BosNYan is ready to fully compete on the national stage, and a win will solidify the Bearsharks as a contender. The Bearsharks will likely bow out with a snitch-range loss to an eventual finalist; whether it is in the Round of 16 or semifinals is solely based on Day Two bracket placement and the momentum they are able to build during pool play.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">District of Columbia Quidditch Club (DCQC)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mason Davis</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Little introduction should be necessary for DCQC. Last year, it was the Mid-Atlantic Regional champs, and at US Quidditch Cup 9 the team made it to the Round of 16 before falling to Boise State. This year has not been quite as successful for DCQC despite returning much of that team, five of its eight new additions having played for MLQ’s Washington Admirals, and the much-talked-about addition of Team USA’s Bernardo Berges. The players of DCQC find themselves overlooked due to a lack of dominant wins against top teams and an early exit from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship due to a poor Day One performance, which resulted in it facing Maryland Quidditch in the quarterfinals and losing on a snitch catch. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="490" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ptAcRXryyqJpwLOMv_hTYxKXWS8nQXAM7sW7jjXhahQSwnX9x7LPv5wQ-nomAhG3ppRAfm9PQ6P7EiJ_PuavyiDlYJ4-CsU9dp1T8pLO25Sz6cnKtY3Wmli_iLQa8cxJslSyfG_V" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="544" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DCQC chaser Bernardo Berges at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/Flax-Photography-929069260452531" style="text-decoration: none;">Flax Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DCQC’s strength is its chasing game. Names such as Bernardo Berges, Erin Mallory, and Steve Minnich grace the team’s chaser lines. DCQC’s weakness may be its beater game, which, while filled with veterans such as Katryna Fernandez-Hicks, Diana Martin, and Robby May, generally lacks the athleticism and energy associated with elite teams; the exception is Zach Grigorian, whose hyper-aggressive beating style can be unpredictable and leave defending beaters uncoordinated. Of course, no analysis of DCQC would be complete without mention of Darren Creary. The 6’7” seeker will attend US Quidditch Cup 10 and is one of the best seekers in the on-pitch era. Last year, DCQC played five SWIM games at US Quidditch Cup 9, going 4-1, including a win over Texas Cavalry before eventually losing to Boise State in the Round of 16. With Creary on the roster, the only way to beat DCQC is by being out of range. The best way to do this is to lengthen the game. Twelve out of 35 of the team’s games have gone longer than 23 minutes, hence activating snitch handicap. Of those games, it is 8-4. However, against teams that have qualified for USQ 10, it is 1-4. Again, Creary could solve this, but if he does not due to an opponent’s dominant beater game or a tired seeker, history says DCQC is in trouble. DCQC will likely advance to bracket play and could win a game or two at that stage.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-33135783196920224642017-04-03T22:34:00.000-04:002017-04-03T22:34:16.916-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Eighth Day of Kissimmee<span id="docs-internal-guid-632b0d11-36cd-6f81-f32d-4c867b260fb6"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-632b0d11-36cd-6f81-f32d-4c867b260fb6"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baylor University</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Carrie Soukup</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a region defined by hitting hard and carrying momentum from tournament to tournament, Baylor has had a rocky start this year. Its slow start was not aided by the negation of Wolfpack as an official tournament, and overall the Baylor name has not been on the forefront of the Southwest region this year. Arguably one of the teams that benefitted the most with Texas Tech’s disqualification, it fought back at the Southwest Regional Championship to qualify for US Quidditch Cup 10 in the secondary bracket. Led by captains Mark Williard and Reed Marchman, experience is on Baylor’s side in leadership as the team heads to Kissimmee, Florida. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“[Mark] Williard and Steffi Hoffman bring a great senior presence to the team and keep our feet on the ground,” said Marchman. “It seems that every game we get carried by a different part of the team.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While Baylor still runs its zone defense – one of its signature strengths – the team’s 8-12 record accurately reflects the struggles the team has gone through. Baylor has a lot of first-year players on the team, and this can be considered a weakness; however, Marchman feels that one of Baylor’s best assets is its on-field decision-making, which can be attributed to the veterans on the squad. Despite this year’s record, it is never a good idea to underestimate Baylor, but this year is definitely not one that has been kind; the team’s battle continues at US Quidditch Cup, where a good showing would be to make it out of Day One. It is not out of the question, but it will be an uphill climb.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Long Beach Funky Quaffles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Christopher Dewing</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A community team from Southern California, the Long Beach Funky Quaffles have extensively travelled throughout the West region this year, playing in both Arizona and Northern California for different tournaments. The added experience paid off as the team’s competitiveness jumped from last season. Led by beater Andrew Burger, keeper and chaser Anthony Hawkins, and chaser Jessica Ward, the team has a deep roster to complement its strong starting lineup. The Funky Quaffles are a team with a high competitive ceiling, but struggle with consistently maintaining that level.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: '"georgia"'; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Long Beach Funky Quaffles at the 2016 West Regional Championship | Photo Credit: Chris Rothery</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With one of the biggest upsets in the West region this year – a victory over the Los Angeles Gambits at Next Best West – much was anticipated of the Funky Quaffles heading into the West Regional Championship. Here they struggled to match their level of play from earlier in the year, but did showcase streaks of their potential. A tie game before the snitch catch against eventual champions Arizona State University in the quarterfinals was the closest they came to making their core strategy work. The Funky Quaffles run a very aggressive two-male beater line led by Burger. Working in tandem, both beaters often press up into the opposition’s keeper zone when trying to open holes for driving on offense. While drives from their point players are frequent, much of the offense relies upon the steady hands of Ward. Ward positions herself near a side hoop and has both the physicality and skills to beat her defender and the keeper after receiving the ball. How much the Funky Quaffle offense can generate outside of Ward will likely be the key to its bracket play chances. Maintaining its cohesive and competitive play will be the real battle the team faces at US Quidditch Cup. If it can consistently score and control the beater game, Long Beach has upset potential even against top teams. A spot in bracket play would likely mark a successful campaign.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anteater Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Christopher Dewing</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anteater Quidditch is a college team based out of the University of California, Irvine. After the team’s first few seasons were spent struggling in the bottom of the standings, the Anteaters have turned a corner this year and snagged a surprise bid to US Quidditch Cup. The team is led by beater and chaser Joe Robles, chaser Connie Henderson, and keeper Austin Sharp. They have been able to pull off several stunning upsets this year, including victories over the Lost Boys and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Despite these victories, the team’s 10-13 record showcases an ongoing struggle to consistently stay in games. Against higher quality opposition at US Quidditch Cup, the Anteaters are unlikely to remain competitive.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: '"georgia"'; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connie Henderson and Jacob Ellis Chasing for Anteater Quidditch at the 2016 West Regional Championship | Photo Credit: Chris Rothery</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Playing a very slow and deliberate game, the Anteaters rely on aggressive physical play on defense and individual driving skill on offense. Sharp has been the top scorer this year, but fellow chaser and seeker Jacob Ellis has also been able to generate goals when the team needs them most. The team’s beaters sit back deep while on defense but have choice moments of aggressiveness that prevent opposing teams from ever settling into a half field set. With a talented, deep bench with flexible skills – highlighted by Henderson’s ability to play point on defense – the Anteaters can continue to have fresh legs deep into games. Their struggle will be to match the higher levels of talent they will face at US Quidditch Cup and not let other teams dictate play. Any victories in pool play will be treated as success, but a spot in the bracket is likely beyond the Anteaters. However, if anything has been learned from their performance this season, it is to never count them out until the final whistle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Penn State University Nittany Lions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Liz Snell</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: Liz Snell is a captain of Penn State Quidditch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Always the underdog, Penn State plans on fighting for victory this Saturday and Sunday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After losing the first bracket play game at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship (MARC) on a snitch catch, the Lions continued to fight hard throughout the day, winning two games in the consolation bracket to qualify for US Quidditch Cup. This semester, Penn State played in two tournaments: the Knights Cup IV at Rutgers University and the Second Annual Tri-River Tournament at Carnegie Mellon. While Penn State was in the running for a title at Rutgers, the team had to forfeit due to too many injuries. The team took home the first place title at the Tri-River Tournament after beating Central Michigan Quidditch Club and Michigan State Quidditch. After placing second in its pool on Day One at MARC 2016 and making it to the Round of 16 at US Quidditch Cup last year, Penn State is ready to build on last year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Captains Thomas Jaworski, Chris Humbert, and Liz Snell (a senior who plans to coach from the box due to an unfortunate ankle injury that occurred during MARC) lead a skilled team, including five powerful freshmen, all of whom have become pivotal players on the team. In addition, Penn State will also bring a group of strong beaters, including senior Jack Kulick, who can wreak havoc on the field. Josiah Hritsko and senior Michael Eccker, who play as both beaters and seekers, have caught 15 out of the 18 snitches in the official games in which the team has played. Keeper John White brings an element of physicality to the game that the team will rely on. The chemistry on this team is unmatched, with chasers, keepers, and beaters working together with finesse on offense and defense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tribe</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Carrie Soukup</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ranked at No. 86 according to USQ’s standings, Tribe has the illustrious distinction of one of the lowest-ranking teams that qualified for US Quidditch Cup 10. Don’t let this fool you; despite this, it still has a drive that can cause some teams great consternation. Tribe’s qualification surprised quite a few at Southwest Regional Championship (SWRC), but this is not Tribe’s first appearance at a national championship. The team’s first national bid was back in 2015 for USQ World Cup 8 in its first year as a team.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Led by co-founder and keeper Ian Strickland, along with captain and keeper Brent Rowland, the team has quite a bit of flexibility throughout its play with experience on the pitch. This will help Tribe throughout pool play, but its roster, featuring many new names compared to earlier in the season, may lead to issues later in the day with substitutions and lack of depth. With four of its five wins for the year occurring at SWRC, this shows that the team is able to rise to the occasion (putting away fellow Southwest qualifier Silver Phoenix 100*-60). However, with 12 losses on the season, Tribe’s less than 50 percent win percentage for the year will prove its downfall as the team is highly unlikely to make it out of pool play. Any wins for the team in Kissimmee should be considered its goal.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeper Brent Rowland brings up the quaffle against Texas Quidditch at the SWRC | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></td></tr>
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Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-5423832163342626372017-04-02T19:35:00.001-04:002017-04-02T19:35:34.151-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Seventh Day of Kissimmee<span id="docs-internal-guid-917dcc83-3103-0588-46b9-a700a47f1516"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-917dcc83-3103-0588-46b9-a700a47f1516"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the seventh day of Kissimmee we have the defending champions on a more than year long winning streak, the last team to beat them, that team’s intra-city community and collegiate rivals, and a mid-tier Southwest team looking to make a name for itself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch Club Boston</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where do you start with Quidditch Club Boston (QCB), a team that has proven time and time again to be the best in the sport? You can reasonably start with Lulu Xu, one of the best beaters in the game who was arguably the biggest snub from 2016’s Team USA squad. There’s also the 6’3” behemoth Stew Driflot, one year removed from leading the Boise State Abraxans to the quarterfinals at US Quidditch Cup 9, the unmatchable chaser defense of Kara Levis, and arguably the most underrated beater in the country in Jesse Knowlton. Those four alone with QCB’s deceptively deep supporting cast would make QCB a national title contender, and that does not even count the three players who have changed the face of quidditch in Boston forever.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">QCB catches the snitch at the Northeast Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PvtIReallyDontCare/media_set?set=a.1264915510212312.1073741858.100000816252442&type=3" style="text-decoration: none;">Chris Rothery</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">QCB is once again a favorite entering US Quidditch Cup 10, having stormed its way to a 19-0 record this fall before spending the winter regrouping for another run at the title. The triumvirate of keeper Jayke Archibald, chaser/seeker Harry Greenhouse, and beater Max Havlin, and all the superlatives that can be attached to them from their illustrious careers, double as some of the hardest working players in the sport. The tireless effort they put in day in and day out will come in handy when they inevitably face any of the half-dozen contenders looking to end their 32-game winning streak extending back to January of 2016. Until proven otherwise, QCB has the best chance of walking away with a second straight national championship, barring a major injury or suspension deriding one or more of its star players.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Boys</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Cameron VomBaur</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In their sixth season, the Lost Boys remain a powerhouse in the West region. As with past years, the number of losses entering the national tournament can be counted on one hand. This year, there are a mere three: 110*-80 to intracity rivals Los Angeles Gambits at the Tegan and Sara Invitational in January, 100*-60 to longtime basement-dweller Anteater Quidditch at Anthill Funkdown Invitational in January in a game that saw many stars playing out of position, and 160*-120 to eventual West Regional Champions Arizona State University in the West Regional Championship semifinals. Notable wins include out-of-range victories over the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Silicon Valley Skrewts, and (vengefully) Anteater Quidditch, as well as in-range victories over UCLA, the Long Beach Funky Quaffles (twice), and Utah State Quidditch Club (twice).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Boys utilize a side-to-side beating formation, with flawless chemistry between players such as Chris Seto, Amanda “Turtles” Nagy, and Ryan Smythe keeping the defense watertight against many styles of offense. Tackling is a strength among their quaffle players, with Kyle Epsteen, Dakota Bloom, and Justin Bogart among the defenders capable of making stops in the rare instance that their beating does not force a turnover. Offensively, goals are very diversely sourced, with so many skilled and intelligent chasers to spread the ball around to.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeper Kyle Epsteen makes a drive at the West Regional Championship featuring the team’s new alternate jerseys | Photo Credit: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PvtIReallyDontCare/media_set?set=a.1264915510212312.1073741858.100000816252442&type=3" style="text-decoration: none;">Chris Rothery</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While the Lost Boys’ record was enough to place them in pod one, they do not look to be quite as fearsome as they have been in past years. Teams that they could beat comfortably before are now playing them in range, and if not for the stellar seeking of Justin Fernandez, there might be more talk of a decline for the storied program. However, wins are wins, and Fernandez’s prowess coupled with undeniable talent demonstrate that their 7-3 SWIM record is far from just good luck. While they may be missing a few players from last year’s 4-0 pool record and quarterfinal run, and their résumé is less impressive, the Lost Boys will certainly advance to bracket play and may well make yet another deep Day Two run.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Los Angeles Gambits</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Cameron VomBaur</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since their inception at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, the Los Angeles Gambits have established themselves as the West region’s top dog. This season, despite falling in the West Regional Championship (WRC) final to Arizona State University(ASU), they are clearly the West’s top contender to win it all. The Gambits romped through the West, losing only to the Long Beach Funky Quaffles in November 2016 110*-80 and ASU 270*-220 in February 2017. Only one other intra-region game was even in range, a 110*-80 win over the Lost Boys. At the Threaux Me Something Mister Quidditch Expeaux, the Gambits had two in-range wins over Texas State University - San Marcos and one over Gulf Coast Gumbeaux.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Gambits have a deep rotation of diversely-skilled chasers: Justine Taylor’s defensive tenacity, Kelby Brooks’ off-ball quickness, and Tyler Ortiz’s strength in driving and tackling. However, despite the wealth of talent in their support chasers, the Gambits’ offense lives and dies with the play of star keeper Tony Rodriguez. His shooting prowess and ability to weave and power through opposing double- and triple-teams are the stuff of legend, but when he is beaten up physically or having an off game, the team lacks someone who can keep the goals coming in anything approaching a comparable manner. Coach/captain Steve DiCarlo and Team USA player Alyssa Burton lead a good corps of beaters, bolstered with the additions of Kevin Horn and Brian Vampola.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/W9DWbTbsaEsavOhXYDKzdSKUAIxxW9jlPjX4-T0rld3GEWJIoYf5C2qYuUT6h4gzdlRyFAoQyCbm-z_H5LDPLIJ6JzX_xmd7xKkUoovuI9a96GiKxC2MvFBi5BEQ2GB1Jy0dGgDj" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Star keeper Tony Rodriguez makes a play at the West Regional Championship. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PvtIReallyDontCare/media_set?set=a.1264915510212312.1073741858.100000816252442&type=3" style="text-decoration: none;">Chris Rothery</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much was made of the Gambits’ collapse in the WRC final, having led out of range for a period and making multiple gaffes in the beating game during snitch-on-pitch. While this would appear to be a trend, with similar games in years past, the Gambits have managed to close games at a respectable clip. The ASU loss was only the Gambits’ second game in which the snitch lasted until the first handicap at 23:00 (the other was a blowout 110-50* win over the Silicon Valley Vipers). With the addition of Margo Aleman and a phenomenal seeker bench consisting of Edgar Pavlovsky, Eric Dreggors, and Rodriguez, seeking is undeniably a strength, though ASU certainly exposed flaws in strategy after the seeker floor. After falling in the quarterfinals last year and the Round of 16 the year before, the Gambits will look to run through their pool and advance further than ever before in the bracket, and they are more than capable of becoming USQ champions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Texas at San Antonio</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Miguel Esparza</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note Miguel Esparza is a player for UTSA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has had a rollercoaster of a season with wins over top teams such as Texas Quidditch, Oklahoma State University, and Texas A&M Quidditch; UTSA also took second at the Lone Star Invitational. It has also laid an egg at the 4th A&M Classic, been blown out on its home field by Baylor University, and has consistently struggled to put teams away that it should easily dispatch. Despite all the ups and downs, UTSA had a strong performance at the Southwest Regional Championship. The team went 3-1 in pool play and won its first game of bracket play, qualifying for US Quidditch Cup 10. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="491A1067.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AUUJUlGj3nGQ8GM1w1-32EAF55LtMT4cL5vFJ7FKGNHdFmgMITYIJIP3rFRutt23ZI4mShvXYnb7iAr3XSh9gvu-YceW-DdhW5TxXvSntxHeOYTszAgTFY_CRTUWHenvqTpnyjJS" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chaser Daniel Williams at Alamo Cup | Photo Credit: Miguel Esparza</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If UTSA is going to make a run at US Quidditch Cup, it will most certainly be kickstarted by veteran beaters Jonathan Garcia and Doug Tran, who time and time again clear the way for the lightning fast Elias Martinez and Daniel Williams. The keeper/chaser duo have a signature ability to counterattack that few teams can match, and they are instrumental in the success of the duo’s offensive attack. Garcia and Tran effortlessly turn the dial to 11 during snitch on pitch. The pair routinely makes sensational beats, plays, and decisions during the critical period. Reigniting the fire that team captain Taylor Tracy has worked hard to cultivate and instill in the team this season, this ragtag crew has responded to this year’s adversity, peaked at the right time, and performed when it truly mattered. Depending on which UTSA shows up, it could either make a run in bracket play or crash out on Day One.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of California Los Angeles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Austin Sharp</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the results of the West Regional Championship, it is clear that the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) came into the tournament ready to show off its hard work this season. On Day One, UCLA used its cohesion to emerge 4-0 with out-of-range wins over Cal Quidditch and the Fighting Farmers of Arizona, two teams who could have reasonably won the pool. Despite the skill of its opponents, UCLA dispatched them with an efficient and synergistic game plan that utilized its roster of capable players. While captains Brett Ambrose and Javier Cervantes have trained the team to have a clean gameplan, UCLA has had trouble coming away with the win against teams who kept the quaffle game close or adapt to disrupt its strategy. Despite this, UCLA is in a good spot to make waves at US Quidditch Cup 10.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/YhIFDfMhgQKPELKa7iaL_cpTZn3uoiTo40eiT_F_c4VVr-PwuygWsFLUU18puk6C5yt5ivl1ldivJ1GTHesSUYW6Jgv_x_dW5ZLRe3ny89xk93RHug-shf0zi4nukoR5CREx-T5h" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeper Grant Rose dunks the quaffle while blindfolded by his headband at the West Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PvtIReallyDontCare/media_set?set=a.1264915510212312.1073741858.100000816252442&type=3" style="text-decoration: none;">Chris Rothery</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UCLA will enter US Quidditch Cup 10 as a pod three team, setting it up for a 2-2 pool play finish and a secured spot for Day Two, though this result is not a given. UCLA will have to operate to its strengths as a team to accomplish favorable results. To secure wins over its pod four and five opponents, UCLA’s quaffle game, centered around ball carriers such as Grant Rose, will need to rely on supporting chasers in Elizabeth Allendorf, Kevin Gallagher, and Roberto Mosqueda and quick goals to drive games out of range. For its matches against the pod one and two teams in its pool, UCLA will need its beater corps, featuring veterans Lauren Fitzgibbon and Nicole Finegan, as well as newcomers such as Jacob Metevia, to maintain control of the game and give its seekers time to catch. UCLA is a team built on a solid foundation of players who operate an efficient and powerful game plan, and its success at US Quidditch Cup 10 will depend on its ability to execute its team strategies and counteract disruption.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-44564892456855103372017-04-01T16:16:00.000-04:002017-04-02T19:55:57.410-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Sixth Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c4d52d37-2b5f-fc90-a5e7-01e25d2b9a74" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">On the sixth day of Kissimmee we have a pair of community teams looking to take the next step - be it a title or a deep bracket run and three pot five teams looking to prove that they belong among the country's best.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rochester United</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Entering this season with high expectations, Rochester United (RU) performed basically as expected throughout the season, losing two games to regional rival Quidditch Club Boston and a tight affair with Bowling Green State University while without star keeper Shane Hurlbert. Touting an experienced though often shorthanded roster, RU is a well-oiled machine of on-pitch efficiency at best and a slow, predictable opponent at worst. Even when the team falls back on its standard strategy of hero-balling behind keepers Hurlbert and Jon Jackson, the talent of its roster cannot be matched by most opponents. Defensively, a rotation of solid point defenders dictate the pace of the defense, allowing one of the deepest beater corps in the country to help limit opponents to under 100 quaffle points in all but one game this season.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A second straight year as the runners-up in the Northeast Regional Championship may have been disappointing to the team, but all of the pieces are in place for RU to make a run for the US Quidditch Cup 10 title. The team is built around Hurlbert and Jackson, who both command extra defensive attention due to their athleticism and penchant for scoring from any spot of the pitch. A non-male chaser rotation of Alyssa Giarrosso, Helen Snell, and Maria Jackson allows for the team to seamlessly switch between traditional and double-male beater sets. Though there is much to be said for the star-driven aspect of the sport, the depth of RU’s roster will end up being its greatest strength heading into US Quidditch Cup 10, and a second-straight finals appearance is very likely for this experienced and athletic squad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RIT Dark Marks</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Mike Pascutoi</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The RIT Dark Marks have admittedly had a down year. Despite losing few players from their US Quidditch Cup 9 squad, the Dark Marks were unable to improve much on their 5-10 record entering the national championship last season, winning only nine out of 22 games this season. RIT’s penchant for seeking high-quality opponents has been a partial issue, but entering US Quidditch Cup 10 without a win so far in the spring might prove detrimental to RIT’s ability to compete.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That being said, this team is not without its bright spots. At his best, keeper Brendan Jacobs is one of the hardest players to bring down in the sport, and his ability to lead an offense and provide solid defense both at the hoops and on point, is an asset RIT will need to fully utilize moving forward. Supporting chasers Mitch Brown, Dominic Arieno, and Matt Robinson are still developing as players, with flashes of brilliance amongst their consistent performance throughout the season. A lack of a standout seeker is likely to hurt RIT heading into the national championship, as it went 0-4 in SWIM situations in the spring and 3-7 over the course of the year. Expect RIT to double down on scouting its opponents and providing them with a gritty opening round performance. Amongst Pot 5 teams, RIT has a very good chance to exceed expectations, but a trip to bracket play might be a stretch. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SHSU Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Carrie Soukup</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It took until the last round and a snitch catch (90*-50 final score) at the Southwest Regional Championship for SHSU Quidditch to qualify for US Quidditch Cup 10 this year out of the tertiary bracket. The team has struggled this year; despite playing well enough to drop Oklahoma State University in the semifinals, SHSU was handed a loss in the finals of Platinum Cup by fellow USQ Cup 10 qualifiers the Silver Phoenix. The team has been able to get to the finals in previous tournaments this season, including Brooms on the Brazos, but has struggled to get to the first place podium. Historically, however, SHSU is slow to warm in the first part of the season, and this year shows it following the same path. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Players to watch include seeker and captain TJ Goaley, who keeps a steady head about him in relentless pursuit of snitches, as well as Hayley Rutledge, whose play both on offense and defense helped give SHSU the final spot from the Southwest. Katherine Hayworth at chaser is another who is unafraid of laying down the tackles on defense that the region is well known for. This team will be an outside shot to make the bracket. It is equally able to rise to the occasion or crumple under a few bad plays; however, its physicality may help it eke through.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TJ Goaley defends the snitch against Oklahoma State seeker Paige Lehrmann | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gulf Coast Gumbeaux</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Michael Duquette</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the historic Louisiana State University program started to decline after World Cup VII, it was only a matter of time before we saw another great team pop up out of southern Louisiana. That team is Gulf Coast Gumbeaux, a second-year community team based out of the New Orleans area. The team has the ability to throw some amazing beaters at you, whether it’s seasoned veterans Kody LaBauve and Sarah Kneiling or budding stars Josh Mansfield and Brittany Laurent (who will be playing as a keeper at US Quidditch Cup), and they have all developed great chemistry with one another. Gumbeaux has fit nicely in the upper-middle tier of the Southwest talent pool, being a step below the top-tier teams, such as Lone Star Quidditch Club and Texas Cavalry, but a step above many of the college teams in the region.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gumbeaux is in complete control of its own fate – it could miss bracket play just as easily as it could make a quarterfinal run. While Gumbeaux’s beaters held their own in every game at the Southwest Regional Championship and even dominated other beater corps in numerous games, there are so many question marks surrounding the team’s quaffle play. Mansfield has become a very consistent hyper-aggressive style beater, oftentimes getting bludger control, then beating out the third bludger. However, while these driving lanes are being created, the Gumbeaux chasers have not been taking full advantage of these scoring opportunities. The team has done a great job adapting its gameplay strategies depending on its opponents, but when its chasers aren’t finishing on offense, Gumbeaux will not be able to reach its full potential. If Gumbeaux has developed a reliable seeker and the chasers are able to consistently utilize the opportunities the beaters create, this team can be dangerous to face down the road.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="fullsizeoutput_2567.jpeg" height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Df5uROYugxVHu_V4r6YsPr90GxaTs_g5Bs9zVNeaEGArfTDxb-UShV5-JP3FSNIWGET1XhYYddPBKOoCTz8E68d_mXR178YZukkpsRBPHS12uZPnUWsflL1K6oWl3k_HJeFx75CO" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Josh Mansfield sets up on defense against SHSU at the Southwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Illinois State University Firebirds</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Jaxon Matheny</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: The author is a player for the Illinois State University Firebirds</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another season, another upset, and another surprise run to US Quidditch Cup 10 for the Firebirds. For three years in a row, the Illinois State University (ISU) Firebirds have played Cinderella and beaten a team ranked far higher than themselves to qualify for USQ’s championship tournament. How was it done this season? Having elite seeking doesn’t hurt. After being selected to Team USA over the summer, Jeff Siwek continued his habit of coming through in the clutch. Due to his outstanding play, as well as fantastic beating during the snitch on pitch, ISU has a chance to win every time it plays an in-range game. Unfortunately, staying in range has been a problem. ISU is still trying to find its rhythm on the offensive side of the pitch, and time is running out. However, if it does develop that chemistry, complete its passes, and finish at the hoops, this team can be dangerous.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ISU relies on a drive-and-dish style of offense to create easy chances for its off-ball quaffle players. Siwek and keeper Emerson Gagnon are both nightmares to guard one-on-one, and when playing well, they can help the Firebirds put up points quickly. They have quality passing options in MJ Siwek, Elizabeth Cerullo, and Jaxon Matheny, who all can finish in traffic. The beaters, led by captain Jeremy Hoffman and Crystal Jones, love to play a smart and aggressive game. Where this team truly shines is during snitch-on-pitch situations. Siwek is a world-class seeker, and backup Matheny is an excellent change of pace as well. While likely not a threat to make it to bracket play, don’t be surprised if the Firebirds pull off an upset and shake up the standings on Day One.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Editor's Note: A previous version of this article misspelled Paige Lehrmann's name.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="15137633_1253637794658417_9194628592743934292_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/6J37GcQ_dSadFnBqOG6rKN-grbotwj_hzOWQRtMxmEpTRYVROu-FcDUe5l_rHRbEpGwnXdmIBKC1mCZfgcocLBNpjDPII9katHxTlfNAKPEzK8yaNZ_o29pkiBRJHwnFGDNXJ3hH" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beater Jeremy Hoffman during brooms up of the Midwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/shannonbrennanquidpics/" style="text-decoration: none;">Shannon Brennan</a></span></td></tr>
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Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-15764554145241164162017-04-01T00:00:00.000-04:002017-04-01T00:00:03.196-04:00IQA to Raise Referee Payments<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The IQA has announced exclusively to the Quidditch Post that it will require all member leagues to pay increased and standardized wages to referees and snitch runners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beginning on July 1, 2017, the IQA will require all head referees to be paid the local equivalent of 50 Euros per game, with all assistant referees required to make 20 Euros per game and snitch referees and snitch runners being paid the local equivalent of 10 Euros per game. These regulations will only be enforced for NGB-run events, such as regional or national championships, however adoption will be strongly encouraged for all events.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd0Mxm5PTLjYneJIbfh9E-M31ajwyNX5SqESUutOYgjD8X04b1zbzHP6U6rBhF5BxpbK1y4AQyi9ewSOYD_sEkAKj5IRhcTvTYmUEGqzB_cI-F5jZaiJKhoz7rIXa-tTmlSRar4skH0M-/s1600/logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd0Mxm5PTLjYneJIbfh9E-M31ajwyNX5SqESUutOYgjD8X04b1zbzHP6U6rBhF5BxpbK1y4AQyi9ewSOYD_sEkAKj5IRhcTvTYmUEGqzB_cI-F5jZaiJKhoz7rIXa-tTmlSRar4skH0M-/s400/logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The International Quidditch Association Logo</td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We recognize that in order to improve the on-field product we are producing, we need to have the best possible referees and snitches,” said IQA Executive Director Rebecca Alley. “The IQA is very focused on having a uniform standard of officiating and we feel that standardizing wages across all countries is key to that effort,” she continued</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The announcement has received mixed reviews among member NGBs who will be impacted by the policy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We appreciate the IQA standardising rules worldwide, this is a very important step in ensuring that we act as one sport,” said Quidditch Nederland President Chula Bruggeling.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“USQ is deeply concerned about the IQA’s meddling in the playing of quidditch worldwide, said US Quidditch Executive Director Sarah Woolsey. “We did not spend years ignoring most of the quidditch-playing world and allow them to form their own governing bodies for them to then be able to tell us what to do.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Canada is very committed to this policy, and think it’s a great step for the organization,” said Quidditch Canada Communications Director Yara Kodershah.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As of publication, it is unclear whether NGBs will adopt the IQA’s requirements. It seems clear that USQ is prepared to split with the IQA over increased interference in its operations and an anonymous source has informed us that Quidditch Canada is considering similar. However, our source told us that Quidditch Canada is not prepared to place itself in a league solely with USQ as that might make some of its members happy.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-2249939502224866302017-03-31T18:43:00.000-04:002017-04-02T11:16:28.755-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Fifth Day of Kissimmee<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the Fifth day of Kissimmee, we have a first year Carolina team fighting to make a name for itself, a second year Austin team looking to surpass last year’s loss at the Round of 16, a three time champ looking to reclaim its throne, and a fourth and fifth time qualifier each looking to do its relatively isolated state proud. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Carolina Heat Quidditch Club</span><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kenny Stowe
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Behind numerous veterans of the Carolinas, Carolina Heat has established itself as one of the top teams in the South in just its first season. Founded by Joe Goldberg, formerly of the University of South Carolina, the Heat has had a rather successful and decorated season this year. Despite losing three out of five games at the Oktoberfest Invitational in the Northeast this past fall, the Heat has two tournament wins and one second-place finish. It has prominent wins over University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tufts University Tufflepuffs, District of Columbia Quidditch Club, University of Miami, and, unofficially, Florida’s Finest. The Heat enters the Cup as one of the most out-of-state experienced squads from the South and will look to use what it has learned over the year to develop new play styles.
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The chaser/keeper combination of Jody Louis, Steven Schwark, and Ryan Davis love to drive which, coupled with their adept shooting ability, makes them extremely dangerous in the keeper zone and beyond. Beaters Hanna Reese and Johnny Ingalls are tenacious and resolute on the attack, but if there is a glaring weakness, it is in their one-dimensional, park-the-bus defense. Bludger control is the Heat’s sword and shield, and if this team loses that ability, it will greatly pay for it. Its strength will be its seeking game. The team has several capable players such as Davis and Matt Corder who can make a quick grab. The Heat will capitalize on any toss-up game in SWIM, so camping all of the beaters beside the snitch will become crucial. This team could make Day Two and bracket play. However, the likely outcome is for the team to be one and done in brackets.
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="16722810_1859636527591144_593913863435751513_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VFlksRLsEV9pbCE9B1Wh73eBCx6DX7roY4ErghVSliZfD8EzRJiuUAiBKzEffVuOq4HzJY0zeKpp_Jk1Ov-fP76frw6uKQsSOBGRBVEowKn6cfUcsm2-sRL8bz3szZxh8umEagqX" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carolina Heat takes home second place in the South Regional Championship | Photo Credit: Emilee Jones</span></div>
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Texas Cavalry</span><b>
</b></span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">By Michael Duquette
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In just its second year of existence this Austin, Texas-based community team has already had incredible success. Texas Cavalry was founded by a few of the former Texas Quidditch members following the team’s US Quidditch World Cup 8 victory, including Augustine Monroe, Marty Bermudez, Kaci Erwin, and Freddy Salinas. This group was able to recruit and develop many raw athletes from the Southwest into solid role players on a championship-contending team. Cavalry uses a very well-polished strategy, patience, and skill combined with its elite athleticism to consistently pull ahead of teams and boast an outstanding 27-2 record this season, with countless tournament titles under its belt. While the team fell to Texas State in snitch range in the semifinals at the Southwest Regional Championship, Cavalry hopes to get back on track come April when it battles for a national championship.
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Cavalry’s balanced play time across the board will pay dividends for this team in the long run. While its depth was questioned last season, and rightfully so, the leaders have made sure to give important minutes to the team’s more inexperienced players so that they may gain the confidence needed to make crucial plays in big game situations. Cavalry’s well-run slowball offense in more competitive games, combined with its versatility, have helped put this team in great shape to compete with any team in the nation. Joshua Andrews, formerly of University of Texas San Antonio, will be a key player. This season, he has become one of the most dominant seekers in the Southwest region as well as a solid addition at the keeper position. Cavalry has been able to end games quickly when the snitch enters the pitch due to frequent bludger control by beaters Cole Travis and Monroe, who have given Andrews many opportunities alone with the snitch. With Andrews, Travis, and Monroe all focused on seeker play, look for keeper Tyrell Williams, formerly of Texas State, to play big minutes and try to put teams out of range. A national championship is certainly a possibility, but regardless of whether or not Cavalry can pull that off, it is a threat to make it deep into US Quidditch Cup.
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeper Augustine Monroe drives past Texas A&M chaser Sam Haimowitz at Diamond Cup V | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></span></div>
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Crimson Elite</span><b>
</b></span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">By Cameron VomBaur
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Following the noteworthy departures of Dakota Briggs, Kristin Jakus, Jensen Morgan, Erik Tita, and Dan Hanson, it would not have been unfair to describe Crimson as undergoing a “rebuilding year” entering this season. However, it has marched onward with the same relentless consistency that has characterized the team for the past few years, thanks to a combination of established veterans and a rookie class full of young talent.
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Duston Mazzella and Michael Vong (formerly of the Fighting Farmers of Arizona and Silicon Valley Vipers, respectively) will make their season debut with Crimson and join a cerebral rotation of beaters. Its chemistry allows Crimson to force turnovers and make defensive stops even without bludger control. Despite the loss of Jakus to Gulf Coast Gumbeaux and Abbie Simons to Lone Star Quidditch Club following the fall semester, Crimson’s chasing has remained a strength, with Gina Allyn a massive threat to score whenever she’s on the pitch. While coach and keeper George Williams may not see much of the pitch while recovering from ACL surgery in December, keepers Nate Western and Luke Steining, as well as chaser and brother Matt Williams, will keep the offense humming as ball carriers. As with last year, Crimson wins its games via low-scoring affairs, with Dan Howland (or, on occasion, Nathan Liou) securing a SWIM snitch grab. This same style did allow it to stay in range with West Regional Champions Arizona State University, but it also allowed snitch-range games in victories against non-qualifiers Northern Arizona University Narwhals, the Fighting Farmers of Arizona, Rain City Raptors, and Mile High Quidditch Club. While Howland is certainly an extraordinary seeker, overdependence on his hot hand may spell trouble. Look for Crimson to advance again to bracket play without the burden of last year’s Pool of Death, but don’t be surprised if it suffers a snitch-range upset at the hands of a lesser team.
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dan Howland pumps up the Crimson Elite at the West Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MichaelVongPhotography/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michael Vong</span></a></span></div>
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Oklahoma State University</span><b>
</b></span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">By Carrie Soukup
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Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) season started off rocky with a semifinal showing at both their own tournament (Cowboy Cup) and the secondary bracket of Diamond Cup, but OSU’s record going into the 2017 Southwest Regional Championship (SWRC) belied its ability on the pitch. OSU’s beater ability, formerly among some of the best, was lagging; however, its chasers were unafraid to venture deep into enemy territory and score, a deciding factor in snitch-range games buoyed by Hayden Applebee’s physicality and relentless driving ability. OSU’s chasers are still the driving force of the team this late in the season.
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One standout for OSU who showed her mettle with two snitch catches (vs. SHSU Quidditch and Houston Cosmos Quidditch Club) at the SWRC is Paige Lehrmann. Female seekers are rare enough in the region, and Lehrmann is equally adept on offense and defense. Lehrmann is one to look out for at US Quidditch Cup and should not be underestimated. At SWRC, Oklahoma State qualified in the primary bracket, showing that while the team was slow to start, it is gathering momentum for its US Quidditch Cup run and should not be counted out. Getting into the Round of 32 is not out of the question, especially if the team is on point for the day and willing to tackle everyone to get there.
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hayden Applebee drives against Austin Quidditch during Diamond Cup V | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alex Russell</span></a></span></div>
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Texas Quidditch</span><b>
</b></span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">By Alex Russell
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<i>Editor’s Note: Alex Russell is a player on Austin Quidditch.
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</i>After a disappointing showing during the Southwest Regional Championship (SWRC), Texas Quidditch will look to rebound at US Quidditch Cup 10. Under the leadership of coach Simon Arends and captains Rajan Makanji and Nick Marino, this year’s club is stacked with young players who have quickly become top performers, with only Makanji, Marino, and Hallie Pace left from the USQ World Cup 8 winning team two years ago. There has been a high turnover the past two seasons with several new players who have grown into some of the team’s best options. Headlining this crop is beater Eddie Molina, whose style of play is similar to ex-teammate Michael Duquette, and has grown into one of the best beaters of the Southwest. Complementing the aggressive beater play is a chaser corps built on speed and physicality. One player absent from the SWRC disappointment was Pace, whose presence as beater was sorely missed even with the success of Danielle Celaya-Alvarez and Kylie McBride.
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Despite injury problems later in the year, Texas has reason for optimism in its new seeker. Alek McCracken was often on pitch during the SWRC to face off against bigger, more powerful snitches after they were tired out from earlier seekers. McCracken made three snitch pulls during the tournament, including against Texas A&M in the second round of bracket play. Combining McCracken’s recent success with Molina’s excellent snitch presence will make for very competitive snitch-range games. Texas should make it to bracket play without question and is well suited for a deep run. Last year’s early exit – a loss to Ball State – left many of the players on this team bitter and eager for another shot at glory. Texas should reach the quarterfinals and can definitely advance further.
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beater Eddie Molina fires a bludger against Texas A&M at the Southwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></span></div>
Danielle Lehmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813780601906104458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-51607239901295476642017-03-30T22:02:00.000-04:002017-04-01T18:17:27.181-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Fourth Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the fourth day of Kissimmee, we have a community team looking to maintain last year’s strong showing, two regional champions looking to make national claims, a regional transplant fighting for pride for both its home and adopted region, and a college team with a historic pedigree making its long awaited return to the national stage.
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">The Southern Storm</span><b>
</b>By Kenny Stowe
<br /><br />The Southern Storm (SS) is a community team based in the Carolinas that began its legacy attracting players from three different schools – namely Coastal Carolina University, Western Carolina University, and Winthrop University – who wished to pursue quidditch at a competitive level. Fast forward to the present day, and no one can say SS has not accomplished its goal to qualify once more. SS entered the scene three years ago, has qualified to each of the US Quidditch Cups since, and was the South Regional Championship runner-up last year. This year, SS has emerged to the national stage with prominent wins against inTENNsity and Gainesville Siege, despite a 2017 regional championship shortcoming in the quarterfinals.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
The Griffins have evolved both physically and mentally over the last year. Their greatest strength is their incredible depth at the beating position, anchored by Darbi Harriman and Ginny Ostgaard. The Storm’s chasing game, led by Michael Linares and Jalann Little, is another story. They can produce at times but lack disciplined defense that can consistently stop a drive. SS prides itself on handling adversity in game situations by demonstrating persistence and hopefulness, which can potentially be its secret weapon. Captain Joey Galtelli highlights the importance of teamwork that SS uses to come back by encouraging a calm atmosphere on the sidelines and stressing the importance of learning from past games. If this team is to make bracket play, the crucial element to success will be its leadership’s ability to rally a squad in a national environment where every game is expected to be close. This team has what it takes to make Day Two, but won’t go much further than an initial bracket appearance, if it can make it that far.
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Lone Star Quidditch Club</span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Carrie Soukup
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Look at Lone Star’s roster and familiar names pop out: Stevie Bell, Becca DuPont, and Kody Marshall. With six veterans of Team USA and multiple national champions in its ranks, the talent of Lone Star Quidditch Club (LSQC) is undeniable. Unlike past years, however, this year’s ascendance was not always predetermined. Entering the Southwest Regional Championship with just a 10-9 record, the slow assembly of this year’s LSQC roster put its continued dominance in doubt for the first time since it was founded by veterans of Texas Quidditch’s World Cup VI triumph; by capturing a regional championship medal, it has put all of these questions to bed. That victory makes Lone Star one of the clear favorites entering US Quidditch Cup 10, where some of the team’s University of Texas at Austin alums will look to recapture the glory they once earned in Kissimmee, Florida four years ago.
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Lone Star has always been a program bursting with talent, but in previous years, most of that was concentrated in the quaffle game. While the talents of Stevie Bell, Becca DuPont, Kody Marshall, Eric Reyes, and Mathieu Gregoire are still present, this year’s Lone Star team stands out with two newcomers whose names you may recognize: Tyler Walker and Michael Duquette. More than just providing elite beating, the arrival of these two does wonders for LSQC’s snitch game. At this point in the sport, it is rare to see top-tier teams meet in a game that ends out of snitch range, and in Duquette, LSQC has arguably the best snitch-game beater in the world. Jonathan Ruland and Josh Carroll will likely be the X factors for Lone Star in Kissimmee. Both have developed over the years into top-tier seekers, and Lone Star’s success will likely turn on how many grabs they can make, along with Reyes, Bell, and the team’s numerous other seeking options. Lone Star is all but assured a deep run in the tournament, but the question is how far; a national title is a possibility, while a quarterfinal run seems all but assured.
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michael Duquette beating for Team USA | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</span></a></span></div>
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Arizona State University</span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">By David Sager
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As if being 20-0 during the regular season is not impressive enough, Arizona State University (ASU) also won USQ’s West Regional Championship, going 8-0 over both days and coming back to beat the Los Angeles Gambits 270*-220 in the championship game. This is an extremely talented team with depth in its numbers, especially with its beating corps led by Ryan McGonagle, Caleb Ragatz, and Vicky Sanford. Even without bludger control, ASU’s beaters can shut down an offense with relative ease. During important games, ASU beaters get caught up in a firestorm that has seemingly no organization; however, this works in its favor. They have great aim, sticky hands for catching, and impressive dodging skills. And while the ASU beaters duke it out, its chasers never stop. ASU relies on the physicality of keeper Dylan Bryant to roll through defenses and put up a wall on opposing offensive drives. ASU’s biggest threat, again, comes with its depth. Each of its 21 players is talented and physical, and they all work as a cohesive unit. As long as the team can keep the momentum on its side throughout the tournament, ASU could reach the finals.
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One thing that ASU struggled with at the regional championship was its seeking game. During the semifinal game against the Lost Boys and during the final against the Los Angeles Gambits, ASU seekers, most notably Jarrod Bailey, had multiple opportunities and potential snitch grabs, but they kept getting called back. The persistence and skill of its seekers led to ASU eventually catching the snitches and securing the trophy, and ASU will want to prove that this was not a fluke with a deep bracket run at US Quidditch Cup.
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Utah State Quidditch Club</span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Cameron VomBaur
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<i>Editor’s Note: The author is a captain of Utah State Quidditch Club
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</i>Utah State Quidditch Club (USQC) will be attending US Quidditch Cup 10 following a very active season that saw the team compete in 26 games at seven tournaments including the Northwest Regional Championship, despite relative geographic isolation in northern Utah. Last year’s US Quidditch Cup squad had five non-rookies, each in their sophomore season; this year’s holds a whopping seven, including three in their third year. However, USQC will again look to bring a very small roster, with many rookies unable to make the trip to Florida.
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Utah State’s strength lies primarily in its beating. Star captain Paul Davis and veteran stalwart Brandon Handy lead a rookie-laden beater corps, including Hadley Kirk, the starter of choice for a female beating rotation that has thinned out significantly since the fall semester. Having played with subpar offensive quaffle talent in the past, Davis and Handy have mastered the ability to aggressively carve out a driving lane for keepers Garrett Elmy and Cameron VomBaur to run a simple drive-and-dish offense. However, while USQC does resort to this simple offense on occasion, its quaffle players have developed a stronger passing offense that allows successful possessions without the potential to overextend its beaters and allow quickly-returned fast-break goals. After a summer playing in Major League Quidditch for the Salt Lake City Hive, VomBaur, Devon Anderson, Sierra Whipple-Padgen, and Madison Ransom have honed their chemistry and rarely commit costly turnovers when sharing the pitch. This season, Davis has emerged as a somewhat capable seeker, going 4-7 in SWIM games he played in as part of the team’s 5-9 overall SWIM record. While the numbers don’t indicate a stellar snitch-on-pitch game, it certainly paints a better picture than last year’s US Quidditch Cup 9 roster, which saw zero players that had ever caught a snitch. While USQC’s inability to close many games may make it vulnerable to an upset from a good team seeded below it, USQC’s ability to keep from being blown out (with only one out-of-range loss on the season, to the Los Angeles Gambits) and Davis’ potential for clutch grabs means that USQC may earn its first-ever opportunity at bracket play.
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Utah State Quidditch Club earn second place at Northwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Utahstatequidditch/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Utah State Quidditch Club</span></a></span></div>
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Marquette University Quidditch</span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Jaxon Matheny
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In the midst of injuries, constant player turnover, and even a curse, Marquette Quidditch has been defying the odds this season and now looks to bring its underdog attitude to US Quidditch Cup 10 and prove that the Golden Eagles are a force to be reckoned with. Amidst all the turmoil Marquette has faced this season, its leadership has glued this team into an extremely close unit. Wins against the Ball State Cardinals, Ohio State Quidditch, and Minnesota Quidditch, along with an incredible victory in an epic game against TC FROST for the final Midwest bid to Florida, shows the potential this team has when at full strength. While it has lost various players to graduation and study abroad, Marquette has baptized its new players by fire with many games against top-tier opponents this spring. This process has led to some lumps taken this semester, but the experience gained will be invaluable come April.
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Marquette’s success begins with its quaffle game. The Golden Eagles have a nice blend of size and speed when attacking the hoops. Nathan Digmann, however, is the cornerstone to the offense running smoothly. Long, fast, and extremely athletic, Digmann has an exceptional ability to know when to drive in and when to dish to an open option. He makes everyone around him better and can play every position at an elite level. With excellent supporting pieces in Brandon Kwak, Nathan Batty, Matthew Angel, and Melissa Kurtzweil, Marquette has the potential to score many points very quickly. The Eagles’ beating game tends to be conservative and defensive. Beater captains Scott Crawford and Cammy Lang lead a unit that forces other teams to work hard for both quaffle points and bludger control. While still a work in progress, Jackson Faerber and Marquette’s other seekers do have the size and athleticism to exploit mistakes and finish games. There is no doubt that Marquette has a mountain to climb in order to accomplish success at US Quidditch Cup 10. If its pool takes the team lightly, do not be surprised to see Marquette squeak into Day Two.
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</span><i>Editor's Note: A previous version of this article said that Utah State competed in the West Regional Championship and listed Marquette's Cammy Lang as a chaser.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10551860468497862113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-55450085710094270632017-03-29T20:44:00.002-04:002017-03-29T20:45:12.670-04:00Voyage to Victoria: QC National Championship 2017 Pool B Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The third iteration of Quidditch Canada’s national championship is back on the west coast in Victoria, British Columbia on April 1-2, 2017. In the second part of our coverage (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://quidditchpost.blogspot.com/2017/03/voyage-to-victoria-qc-national.html" style="text-decoration: none;">click here for our Pool A preview</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), we preview Pool B, which consists of the following teams: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon Fraser University Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Sports Club</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Victoria Valkyries</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Valhalla Quidditch</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon Fraser University Quidditch (SFU)</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kayla Ross</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After pulling through for a third-place win at the Western Regional Championship, SFU will be looking to regain dominance over other teams such as University of Victoria (UVic) Valkyries Quidditch Club and Calgary Mavericks Quidditch Club after a lackluster few months. The talented Danny Ly will lead SFU’s drive-heavy offense with support from its experienced beater lines. As its most physical player, Ly will also be essential to SFU’s defense. Alexander Boom is also a player to watch, bringing some much-needed physicality to SFU while also leading the charge for the chasers defensively. However, without a wider pool of physical chasers, SFU’s overall performance may be highly variable. Poor positioning, slow reaction times, and dropped passes will be heavily punished by high-tier teams that can exploit these weaknesses. Especially on defense, SFU’s chasers are vulnerable against organized offensive plays. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortunately, SFU has a plethora of experienced beaters that make up for the holes in its defense. The presence of veterans Alyssa Au, Raymond Ly, and Nathan Ross, on pitch can drastically change the tone of a game. SFU has historically favoured heavy-handed beater play, matching the aggression of its chasers with additional pressure on offense. However, this style of play often requires quick transitions to defense and can be very taxing on less athletic players. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="15025152_1771235129803019_5342667078530291311_o.jpg" height="556" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/nL7VPOERG6G6mgpwSSRwGspniQoMmBVOXxIDrb0-p8f7ghmSpB04a4_clz-bs3zZbe1LlvyWUk_Ukt7aS5WNzw3pR2ycP5iUGyxbV8V7r8qj90LlZNyak2aeSbH2V0sCVyVNGf3S" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nathan Ross and Danny Ly walking up the pitch | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/zendarphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Zendar Photography</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SFU’s reliance on drive-heavy offenses and aggressive beater play will be difficult to maintain at the National Championship this year. With the smallest roster of any team competing in Victoria, it is at a disadvantage against full-strength teams that can afford to run their players hard on the pitch with sufficient rest on the side. This being the case, injuries will certainly be a concern. SFU will need to be highly conscious of how hard it can push its players and adjust accordingly to control the tempo of the game. SFU may very well rely on a male-heavy chaser line subsidized by a non-male beater pair – like the option of going all-in with Au and Ross – to give it a boost in quaffle points. Seeking in particular is going to be a difficult hurdle for SFU to overcome. The absence of its main seekers, Ethan D’souza and Jayden Driver, will be sorely noted once the snitch is on pitch. Undoubtedly, there will be extra pressure on SFU’s chasers to maintain quaffle points outside of snitch range, as well as on its beaters to keep a proper balance between the snitch and the quaffle.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SFU has been able to continue its exposure to competitive play leading up to the National Championship with its participation in the Quidditch Conference of the Northwest (QCON). This consistency will be highly beneficial when facing familiar and unfamiliar teams alike. No doubt SFU will come out strong and will secure some early victories, but whether or not it can maintain that level of intensity in a two-day tournament will be what determines its overall performance. While it will not break into the top four, SFU is in a good place to finish fifth. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Valhalla Quidditch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Courtney Butler</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Valhalla has had a season filled with ups and downs, mostly due to an ever-changing roster and commitment issues that come with being a community team. Finishing this season puts it up with the top teams in the east, but it has struggled to consistently work as a team in many of its games. The individual talent on Valhalla is significant, but with players coming from different team backgrounds, the team struggles to find its own playing style. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of Valhalla’s greatest weaknesses as a team is its tendency to fall apart under pressure. If teams can frustrate Valhalla on defence by cutting off its signature behind-the-hoops passes, they will have a good chance at levelling the playing field and bringing games much closer in-range. Valhalla has a tendency to be overly aggressive when it is down, which can often lead to yellow cards accumulating. As mentioned before, Valhalla has a hard time working as a cohesive unit. Its beaters are strong players, but they are not often used effectively by the chasers; they try to find openings on their own, opting to pass around the defence rather than utilizing lanes their beaters can clear for them. If the team is able to communicate better with its beating lines, Valhalla may be able to turn things around and work together to put up points. However, if the team continues to work as individuals, it will be in trouble. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A major strength Valhalla has is its ability to analyze opposing teams’ defences and work their offensive lines to exploit weaknesses. With so many experienced and utility players on the team with different playing backgrounds, the team is able to substitute players in where they are most needed at the time of play in order to exploit certain weaknesses on the other team. Additionally, Valhalla is very good at picking up on who the most effective player on the other team is and sticking to them to shut them down. This can frustrate opposing teams greatly, but if opponents are able to use this to their advantage by drawing players and beats to them as they get a pass off, they may find success of their own. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jonathan Golla is more agile than he looks and is able to dodge beats and make solid drives in order to rack up points for his team. On defence, his arms effectively block all three hoops, making it hard to shoot from a distance. On offence, he sneaks behind the enemy’s hoops and looks for long lobs in order to turn them into dunks. His game sense, communication, and ability to order his beaters around are what helps his team put up points on the offensive, and his lank and quick reflexes counter on the defensive. Despite all of his strengths, Valhalla has not effectively used him this season, regularly placing him on the third line out. Golla is a player who, when put on the field, can strongly influence the players around him by making them play together. He will be a key player to bring his teammates together to set the tone for many of the tough games they will inevitably face at the national championship. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="15025251_1308307742512878_5395660357587726950_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/N8fAkBEgNxCF2gq9C5fc5t1AmVdL-NuQg0WNsn-SbxUhczrWYlir_-k6OWcmzglvWegkbpzj6o07gXmR8tOGtQ5Jwyg7KKHjFCeRt6P4dPPM4ORJEPujw9HZUk1pvCMVqQ5QF5aW" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "\22 georgia\22 "; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jonathan Golla defending the hoops | Photo Credit: Sarah Breedon</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As one of the only teams in the east to have fully committed to coming at the beginning of the season, Valhalla has been working all year long for this moment. If Valhalla is able to bring its best team to British Columbia in April, we should see a strong, fast, and hungry team on the pitch. If it can translate the hard work it has put in in regular practices over the winter, it can likely upset a few tougher teams in the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Sports Club and Guelph Quidditch. However, if its performance is placed more on individual play like it was at the Frosty Broom a few weeks back, it is likely to be overpowered by other teams’ playing styles. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Sports Club</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Serena Cheong</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With most of its old corps leaving the team at the end of last season, everyone expected UBC TSC to take a step back in the rankings. It certainly looked that way at Octobear, where UBC TSC was uncharacteristically human against teams it has historically dominated. But, UBC TSC put on a clinical performance at the Western Regional Championship to pry the championship away from the Edmonton Aurors (formerly the Alberta Clippers). In Victoria, it seeks to end its first season in Quidditch Canada with a national championship title.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UBC TSC’s biggest strength, specifically at this tournament, will be its roster. As one of the only teams to bring its usual roster at close to full strength, it will benefit from team cohesion and familiarity. This is a roster that has played together for most of the season, at almost every tournament UBC TSC has been in attendance. With a primarily drive-heavy offense (and the occasional handoff), it is essential for UBC TSC’s beaters to help their chasers clear a path to the hoops. UBC TSC’s level of team cohesion has allowed for offensive plays such as this to work with a high success rate. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though no slouch in the chasing department, UBC TSC’s beaters are known for their hyper-aggressive play. Leading the way is UBC TSC’s top beater pair of Janik Andreas and Emma Sherwood, both of whom can run circles around opposing beaters while halting a team’s offense. Andreas in particular is known and feared for his pinpoint accuracy; he is able to make beats from a long distance consistently, while still quickly retrieving the bludger in time to get back in the play before anyone notices he was gone. As mentioned in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://quidditchpost.blogspot.com/2017/03/voyage-to-victoria-qc-national.html" style="text-decoration: none;">our preview of UBCQC</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Joey Krahn is a huge X factor for UBC TSC. He is a powerful keeper who is freakishly athletic and tall, but has a tendency to take frequent penalties at the worst times (he received two yellow cards and was booted out of UBCQC’s bronze medal matchup again SFU at the Western Regional Championship). If he can put it together and do away with the penalties, Krahn will be a huge boost to an already strong roster.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By virtue of playing in the Pacific Northwest, UBC TSC has not played a lot of teams that could match its physicality. Though it is still a relatively physical team, UBC TSC has lost some of its physicality in its chasing game with players such as Lendl Magsipoc graduating and the transition of Cole Li to beater. In past seasons, UBC TSC has suffered losses against more physical teams, with the Boise State Abraxans coming into mind as a team with which UBC TSC frequently had troubles. This has not been an issue against the less physical western Canadian teams, but eastern Canadian teams are a lot more physical, particularly in the beating department. If UBC TSC is unable to deal with the massive increase in physicality, this could spell trouble for its national championship aspirations. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite this, UBC TSC is a strong contender for the championship. It has the luxury of bringing a team that has competed together throughout the season and players who have completely bought into its system. There is no question that UBC TSC will finish in the top half of the rankings, but where in the top four is dependent on how the other teams look in Victoria as much as it does on how well UBC TSC is able to adapt to different styles of play. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Victoria Valkyries </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Nathan Ross</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What a difference a year makes for UVic. The team began its season in Calgary with the Octobear tournament, fielding a mashup of Frankenstein proportions with only half its playing roster being actual UVic players. Fast forward to now, and under the guidance of longtime stalwarts Misha Whittingham and Cynthia Chao, it appears that the home team at the Quidditch Canada National Championships might be able to put on a pretty good show alongside the bigger names at the tournament. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="359" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/phgJXJZJx8tj6csC9OeM0-sPpxoPF75MmzKIT77ZGIWsnB6izwioXv8e2Tf_CVYs5O2rqGkVFZu-087aIORMjA-Txf4trNR9ZM7RhR2A0SPjTjQQ7YDcR6DpMj87BuBE9r3HgofK" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="541" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "\22 georgia\22 "; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Misha Whittingham and Cynthia Chao in the starting line up forUVic| Photo Credit: JYK Photography</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UVic’s biggest strength has been finding players to buy into the system that Whittingham has put in over the years. For a team that was founded by anarchists who emphasized fun first, you would barely recognize it as the team that just came in third in the QCON playoffs. Not only does UVic have a structure and set plays it can rely on, but it also has determined players who can carry them through. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though he was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://quidditchpost.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-wild-west-quidditch-canada-regional.html" style="text-decoration: none;">our player to watch for the Western Canada Regional Championships</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it bears repeating that Vince Llobrera is a big name to watch for on the Valkyries. However, if Llobrera was already on your radar then keep your eyes peeled for rookie chaser Taisha Ferguson. She has a high level of skill for a first-year player and her strength on the quaffle is one of the reasons you see UVic driving the play more instead of just hoping for the best. Also worth mentioning is keeper Teigan Miller-Gauthier, whose impressive play has bumped her up to starting games for the Valkyries. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="17390642_1878038319146690_7041281693909209501_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pm4Nlmn_W-9-6O1mF1mR0PjWMKFCipzCrRCG21WYwfC6etJsj2D7-AcO-NelbaDSFIWXcmXOZJPeIqyB4qnhXBpicW-O8Q1hXpSzW04YWl2WoWVoGpH6Q9ynF7a0gSznGTU5jeHv" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="557" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "\22 georgia\22 "; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">UVic celebrates a win at QCON Playoffs Weekend | Photo Credit: Jordan Kubichek</span></td></tr>
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</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While there are good feelings about in Victoria, this will be a good test to see if the team is really ready to go toe-to-toe with some of the bigger names in the region. While UVic has gotten its fair share of games against UBC TSC thanks to QCON, it has not played any Alberta team since November nor any team from out east for a couple of years. All that being said, it is truly encouraging to see UVic finally figure out a more aggressive beater game, which was starting to border on “too nice for their own good.” Beater (and seeker) Nicholas Planidin has become a rock for UVic, and the team is definitely trending in the right direction. With this being the last hurrah for some of its players, it wouldn’t be surprising to see UVic gut out a big last effort in front of its friends and family. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Serena Cheong</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As expected by most, both UBC TSC and Valhalla will have little trouble dealing with SFU and UVic. Both teams simply have too much talent and experience, which makes their matchup an interesting game to watch. On paper, Valhalla is the more talented team, boasting a roster filled with marquee names, but UBC TSC’s ability to work together as a team might be the reason why the western champions have a good chance of beating Valhalla. This all depends on whether Valhalla can come together as a cohesive unit, rather than a group of individual players. If UBC TSC can weather the initial storm by aggressively defending against Valhalla’s offensive rushes, it might frustrate Valhalla enough to get the team off its game.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The SFU vs. UVic matchup has historically been very tilted in SFU’s favour, but with the explosive growth of the Valkyries this season, it will be a lot closer than in previous seasons. With its starting six all in attendance, SFU wins the beater matchup, but a lack of set plays and offensive creativity evens out the playing field in the quaffle game. UVic, on the other hand, works more together as a team, particularly on offense, allowing it to be more patient and tiring the opposing defence. This will spell trouble for SFU, as it is coming to Victoria with the smallest roster of all the teams and without its starting seekers. SFU needs to win out of snitch range or risk losing, something that has burned it against UVic in the past. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cameron Cutler contributed to reporting.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-72774774796700816532017-03-29T20:09:00.003-04:002017-03-29T20:09:59.208-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Third Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the third day of Kissimmee, we have a college team with dreams of its first national title, some isolated teams that were surprise qualifiers, and a regional champion who surprised many with a deep run last year and will be looking to repeat the feat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas State University - San Marcos</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Carrie Soukup </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s note: The author is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Texas State Quidditch Organization. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If Texas State comes to your tournament, there is a fair chance it will take home silverware, as five of its six tournaments this year have ended with a first- or second-place victory. Its only elimination this year came at Diamond Cup V at the hands of Texas Cavalry, while at Alamo Cup, Texas State went 5-0, victorious on its quest for a trophy at last. At the Southwest Regional Championship, Texas State again came in second place behind Lone Star Quidditch Club, after knocking off tournament favorites Texas Cavalry.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With these results, it is easy to see why Texas State is a favorite to go into bracket play and beyond at US Quidditch Cup 10. The team’s physical play (stylistic of the Southwest region), interlaced with its highly adaptable roster, makes it a difficult team to pin down. Texas State is both deep and well-rounded, featuring players such as chasers Jenna Bollweg, and Hannah Shaw, who have an uncanny ability to both pop up where defenders aren’t, or drive through the defense to get the quaffle through the hoop. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XFYR2CDxcLo7uXeAFQThhWBpjTZrvox2TCi3wgM7WzA639FqVZ8didCXScYDXpfq7__qUzOlPsMdfFXY3hFh3AP9Jj0VAl6H2m7t-I9c-H4HvXBEedoqQIsK5J5e--l59zMKKqN3" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas State chaser Jenna Bollweg and beater Ryan Nawrocki | Photo Credit:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;"> Alex Russell</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Defensively, Texas State’s beater line, including Ryan Nawrocki and Jackson Johnson, assures that if the team has bludger control, its opponent will have a very difficult time regaining control. Johnson in particular seems to have another gear in snitch-range games. He is one of the best beaters in the Southwest in defensive as well as offensive beating. Finally, with top-shelf seekers like Austin “Springs” LaFoy, Steven Gralinski, and Craig Garrison, Texas State boasts depth in the end-game that is rivaled by few other teams.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For Texas State, making it far past the initial bracket play is expected and the finals is not out of reach. The team has put itself in a good place to do just that in Kissimmee, Florida, and at a minimum can expect to advance to the quarterfinals.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inTENNsity</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kenny Stowe</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the only community team based in Tennessee, inTENNsity comprises players from the neighboring area of Cookeville and some veterans from Tennessee Technological University. Last year – its first season – inTENNsity qualified for US Quidditch Cup 9 before being knocked out in pool play. This season, the team squeaked by with a bid by defeating College of Charleston Quidditch in the final consolation game of the South Regional Championship. Although inTENNsity may have had a very inconsistent showing this year, it enters its second US Quidditch Cup with a chance for redemption.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ld5I4uA-5HjxOWjKJJA0LYfj3rMC2BGSXtgAPYekVEqx00jKPRvnMLptPrO4lYdR65hfe04JpkvwKmebDA_x19BZVVB78t3B3P4FFHZrglD0PqMamMxLOfjk6fo5n80X2306z5o8" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">inTENNsity quidditch at USQ Cup 9 | Photo Credit: Alison Meadows</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inTENNsity’s greatest strength is its size; it boasts at least half a dozen players who probably don’t need to jump to block the middle hoop. However, it is likely inTENNsity’s largest limiting factor as the team does not tend to use its size to execute drives. inTENNsity’s offense instead plays to its height advantage by relying on shooting abilities and cross-pitch passing, which when at its best, may be inefficient. Led by standout players Joe Stephenson and Gabe Greene, inTENNsity is a very traditional team that enjoys playing the sport at a competitive level but not with a must-win attitude. Unfortunately, this may mean that the team will struggle if it is pitted against others who will do anything to grab a victory. The determining factor to this team’s success will be its commitment to the Cup and utilizing its resources. If this squad can manage to adapt to the styles of modern quidditch and understand how to employ its assets, it might be able to avenge itself and reach the play-in round of the bracket. More likely, inTENNsity will find itself eliminated on Day One.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Minnesota Quidditch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Jaxon Matheny</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a successful 2015-16 campaign filled with senior leadership and capped by a Midwest Regional title, Minnesota Quidditch was expected to take a step backward this season. The Gophers had other plans. In spite of starting the season with only five players with more than a year of experience on the roster, Minnesota has been playing as well as ever. </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“One of the biggest contributions to our success this year has been the leadership we’ve been getting out of our second-year players,” said captain and coach Paul Dvoracek. “Peter Nieman and Joe Reis really help anchor our quaffle and beater games, respectively, and the coaching and leadership they’ve provided has been phenomenal.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ofSGvVqIVEyJY1jr9Z9bjwzp6hgMhGSnqufhUHuwyPbHuhSkCH_BrIDC1V1hvJLMI1iJjlfde9IjKMnFy06r7Kw4d4gUCytZqfQ0qoY6fKBhaMsbsgyT1OwAF-KQCV1IddP2GgcC" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beater Joe Reis at the Midwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyByAliMarkus/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ali Markus</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite only having two games outside of the Midwest, the Gophers have wins over Mizzou, Lake Erie Elite, and two over TC FROST that prove this is not a team to take lightly. On pitch, Minnesota plays an intelligent brand of quidditch. Dvoracek and Cole Wensman lead a strong quaffle attack when firing on all cylinders. Minnesota loves to work the quaffle around quickly, often leading to high-percentage shots by chasers Karlee Onstad and Bridget Guillen. On defense, the Gophers have limited their use of the famous Minnesota Zone, favoring physical play and group tackling instead. Combined with the smart beating of Reis, Alexa Temme, and company, it becomes quite a challenge to score on this team. The seeking is anchored by Reis and Wensman, and is characterized by constantly pressuring the snitch runner and exploiting the mistakes they eventually make. While this is a much different Minnesota team than what US quidditch teams may be used to, do not assume the Gophers to be a weaker team for it. Minnesota could attain a bracket spot and possibly an extra bid for its region.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cal Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Chris Dewing</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cal Quidditch is a talented college team that is still growing in experience. After languishing in the cellar of the West region, Cal has experienced a renaissance over the past two years and has transformed into a solid and competitive team. Led by keeper Ryan Pfenning, last year’s captain Jake Stanton, and chaser Maddi Erdall, the team is full of consistent performers and is built to succeed over long two-day tournaments with a deep roster – though the quality of opposition at US Quidditch Cup 10 presents a steeper challenge.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_jngqNOVI7kbXFQQROdW2JRmDaJQwwwECQdsEl9iK0OeTzhyEbF-gngImbWiCdneu3pAynZwP8mUbTWc2Gfpkn8Jfu0gvodexmvqDX6YMh4SlZHoCaCxXH5prVQbIcp28iA-qrE_" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Chaser Maddi Erdall at the West Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/elizabethbarcelosphotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=237694433362416" style="text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Barcelos Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While successful against Northern California Quidditch Conference opposition, it has struggled against the wider West region over the past two years. Each time an underwhelming performance on Day One was followed up with turnaround victories on Day Two to secure a bid to US Quidditch Cup 10. Whether Cal can avoid a similar slow start in Florida will rely on the play of Pfenning. As the team’s primary offensive point and a key component on defense, when he is able to drive and successfully score, Cal can often put even quality opposition out of snitch range. To qualify for bracket play, Cal will need to get more offense out of its behind hoops play and avoid frequent trips to the penalty box that are a constant feature of its play. An inconsistent seeking game presents a separate challenge that its high-flying offense will seek to cover over. Cal is certainly a tenacious team, but qualifying for bracket would be an accomplishment and any further victories would be exceeding expectations.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boise State Abraxans</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Cameron VomBaur</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After many of the stars of Boise State’s surprising Elite Eight run at US Quidditch Cup 9 have moved on, one might assume Boise would be incapable of making similar noise at the national level this year. Without Casey Thompson, Joel Johnson, and Team USA keeper and current member of Quidditch Club Boston Stew Driflot, Boise was never going to be the same team this season as it was during the 2015-16 season. In addition, Bryan Bixler, captain and longtime veteran presence, is out with a torn patellar tendon, leaving the Abraxans with only four players who made the trip to Columbia, South Carolina last year in Matt McCracken, Jessie Gibson, Nick Vandy, and younger brother Brenden Bixler. However, these new-look Abraxans have enough potential to manage another Cinderella tournament. While they have only played against two other nationally-qualifying teams (Utah State Quidditch Club five times, going 3-2; and Crimson Elite, going 2-1), the Abraxans have not ended a game having been put out of range all season.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="385" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ab-M_ANzCAV_9D-J2jsmyY-d3hgq6u0l7erpRgRRrE14j7kIWZsbkZnvNJZ5gbl1Qj2RRF4MZ7kpwbx3MsgLDXxPbN2CZZe8iWsEBccoVPKUvKK3dXYYjtxBZBZDgAetN1HuHHhL" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeper Skeeter Thomas and Chaser Nick Vandy mount a defense at the Northwest Regional Championship| Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/elizabethbarcelosphotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=237694433362416" style="text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Barcelos Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Besides coach/captain Kevin Kelley, who captained the Abraxans’ B team (the Boise State Thestrals) last year, the rest of Boise’s modestly-sized roster is a crop of very physical rookies. It is largely the play of these rookies that has allowed Boise to impose its smashmouth style, whether through fast breaks from Skeeter Thomas, quick beating from Dylan Schilling, bruising drives from Spencer Adams, or tight defensive coverage and highly effective screen-setting from Estefani De La Rosa. The biggest key to Boise’s success, however, has been the emergence of McCracken as a four-position superstar, after a 2015-16 season that saw him only practice for one week before attending US Quidditch Cup 9 in a supplemental chasing role. While he starts every game as a beater, it is his dominance as a scorer and seeker that has been crucial to Boise’s 8-3 SWIM record; many games hinged on a McCracken burst at chaser to pull the game back in range before he caught the snitch. Like the rest of the Abraxans, his relentlessly aggressive play is prone to card; however, even without the luxury of a Pot One seeding, if Boise can manage to stay disciplined and healthy with a small roster, another impressive showing could be in store for the three-time Northwest Regional Champions.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-22008743485759808992017-03-29T00:43:00.000-04:002017-03-29T12:09:19.388-04:00Rapid Reaction: US Quidditch Cup 10 Pools<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Andy Marmer, Austin Wallace, Christopher Dewing, Alex Russell, and Carrie Soukup </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: The following is a quick analysis. While the Quidditch Post’s editors did their best to ensure the accuracy of all stats and information, due to our desire to provide quick and timely information, some errors may have arisen. We apologize for any mistakes and will do our best to correct any incorrect information that is pointed out to us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Tuesday 11 days before a major tournament means one thing: pool draws. A favorable pool can be the springboard to Day Two glory, as it allows for easy wins, high point differentials, and a top seed entering the bracket. On the other hand, a difficult pool can be a death sentence that causes tough games, lower than-expected seeding, and of course the possibility of elimination. With USQ announcing the pool draw for US Quidditch Cup 10, we break down each pool, games, and fun facts on our way to identifying the 36 teams that will advance to bracket play.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ball State Cardinals</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of California Los Angeles</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RIT Dark Marks</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Right out of the gate, we have a pool that should create a lot of excitement and drama. Texas Quidditch, a three-time champion, saw its undefeated title run ended by the beating and seeking of the Ball State Cardinals. Both teams have lost arguably their best beaters from last season in Michael Duquette (Texas) and Tyler Walker (Ball State) to Lone Star Quidditch Club. Walker and star keeper Blake Fitzgerald, key to Ball State’s semifinal run last year, have both departed, but the team still has Team USA seeker Jason Bowling, who caught the snitch that ended the Texas dynasty last year. As both Ball State and Texas know, a good seeker can make a world of difference. Neither team seems likely to be troubled by any other in this pool. The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), despite a 12-6 record, is 0-3 in SWIM range games decided by a snitch catch this season, and 5-6 against US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams. Against Texas and Ball State, two clearly superior teams, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Quidditch (UNC) squad, who will likely play them in range, this spells trouble for the Bruins. With an 18-10 record, UNC boasts an experienced squad, and with just two out of range losses has the ability to hang with any team it faces. While they may upset UCLA, the Tar Heels, only two years removed from a US Quidditch Cup quarterfinal berth, do not have the talent to hang with either Texas or Ball State. RIT, with just a 9-13 record, can be expected to go winless. Still, in the only matchup this season between teams in this pool, RIT narrowly fell to Ball State 80*-50.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="BSU - Jason Bowling (Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography).jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jzcAnC2tVd4j0eEmQ3VE4f36Qpwn80P7BhMncevJWQIRJRy0u1mG_9ZGWWJsNBQh3nDzT52cAn94feSf8C-D-ZH0vjDGq3SUmWjb-kEaxQFBt84ai74Kk6kMK29rD6zjKxUNlfdI" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ball State Cardinals keeper and seeker Jason Bowling | Photo Credit: Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is there any doubt at all? USQ couldn’t have created a more compelling game if it rigged the pool. Last year Ball State ended the Texas dynasty 90*-50 in the Round of 16. Here, the Longhorns have a chance at payback. Of course second place has to go to Texas - UCLA who last met in Kissimmee, Florida in the finals of World Cup VI. The winner went on to win two more titles; the loser hasn’t reached bracket play since a Round of 32 exit at World Cup VII.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 1 boasts five collective semifinal appearances at US Quidditch Cups, the most of any pool. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas Quidditch 4-0</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ball State Cardinals 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Quidditch 2-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of California Los Angeles 1-3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RIT Dark Marks 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bowling Green State University</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BosNYan Bearsharks</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cal Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virginia Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tribe</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With just one loss on the season, the Great Lakes Regional Champions will enter their pool as the heavy favorites. It has been much discussed, but the last time Bowling Green State University (BGSU) was in Kissimmee, it shocked many by reaching the semifinals of World Cup VI. This year, it won’t have the element of surprise. If seeker Sam Roitblat can channel sunshine in a bottle, a deep run is a possibility, but regardless, BGSU shouldn’t be too troubled by its pool. BosNYan has the best chance of toppling Bowling Green, with multiple veterans of last year’s championship Quidditch Club Boston team. The first year community team boasts a talented roster, but with only 16 games this year and only four since the end of October, the multi-city squad might lack the cohesion to threaten an experienced BGSU side. Both Bowling Green and BosNYan have had to battle weather in their frigid climates. This could be a factor early on as both adjust to the warm weather of Florida, but BGSU should top the group and neither should have much trouble advancing. The third place spot in the pool will likely come down to a battle between Cal Quidditch and Virginia Quidditch Club, two programs that, despite a rich history, have very little in the way of meaningful quidditch moments, save Virginia’s memorable surprise run to the Round of 16 at USQ World Cup 8. However, the two programs appear to be trending in different directions. Cal dominated the early part of the season, going 10-1 without leaving Northern California, but at the West Regional Championship, the team limped to qualification with a 4-3 performance, including a pair of out-of-range losses. Cal has beaten just one team that qualified for US Quidditch Cup; it seems to be a team whose seeding was boosted through weak opposition. Virginia started the season going 0-6, but turned it around for a 6-1 tear in the fall, including wins over UNC and Richmond and its lone loss by a snitch catch to pod one Maryland. Tribe surprised many by qualifying and is unlikely to be a factor in this pool.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="BGU - Sam Roitblat (Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography).jpg" height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/B-miSuyB2DUySbRwJK-4vLiVs9hoExKuPdhjdv5Chzp7NFNNAuDZzKoPcp17RPSC2SDhgFyxhryg_TCt58pUZw2YOmnko4G2oXkt0lFnI2gTGR5qd4zbaLIKGzgzYbNOh6QBnS-Y" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bowling Green State University seeker Sam Roitblat goes in for the snitch. | Photo Credit: Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cal and Virginia are two teams who seem to be perpetually on the bubble to make bracket play, and this year the two squads will very likely face off for a spot in bracket play. Given its recent momentum and questions about Cal’s resume, expect Virginia to qualify as the third placed team in Pool 2.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BosNYan Bearsharks are the highest ranked first-year team attending US Quidditch Cup.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bowling Green State University 4-0</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BosNYan Bearsharks 3-1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virginia Quidditch Club 2-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cal Quidditch 1-3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tribe 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 3</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Florida's Finest</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas A&M Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohio State Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Appalachian Apparators Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anteater Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year, Florida’s Finest shockingly failed to qualify for US Quidditch Cup 9. This year, the Flamingoes enter US Quidditch Cup without having lost a single game. Still, with just 14 games played, and with Florida’s Finest yet to take on official competition outside the South region (Finest did attend Wolf Pack Classic, which was declared unofficial after the tournament), the question is whether Florida’s Finest is significantly better than last year, or is just preying on a weak region. Texas A&M could provide a strong measuring stick of the ability of Florida’s Finest. Although 18-9, Texas A&M is just 4-5 this spring against teams that qualified for US Quidditch Cup. Although in December the team knocked off both Lone Star Quidditch Club and Texas Quidditch at the Lone Star Invitational, it has also lost twice this year to the University of Texas at San Antonio. A&M is clearly below the very top tier of the Southwest, but is nonetheless a strong program capable of a deep run and knocking off inferior competition. Ohio State, a consistently strong program, enters the tournament at 17-8 with a 5-3 record this spring. Although Ohio State is likely to advance, it is unlikely to knock off its two warm-weather foes who have played 13 and 16 games in 2017. The Appalachian Apparators and Anteater Quidditch are both unlikely to qualify for bracket play. Appalachian enters the tournament with a 12-14 record, while Anteater comes in at 10-13. The Apparators have played eight times in 2017, going 1-7 with a 0-5 record in SWIM games, so although their snitch game has let them down, they are capable of holding teams within range and could pull an upset. Anteater Quidditch likewise pulled a famous upset with its win over the Lost Boys earlier this year, but is overmatched in this pool.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="fullsizeoutput_2927.jpeg" height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/25-tblCCY7RZmeHOftEwShllMoLkeenkHXyuPNZAIYf55pjO8hBtFR0C9UMzbfgqxGBr3czT7rFo8z2kInzlhaciY29dvCz4T9wn0t6TW-9SP8lgL5JaxG_LbkA1hV1Q3bxD356I" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas A&M chaser Sam Haimowitz defends against Texas Cavalry’s Augustine Monroe at Diamond Cup V| Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Florida’s Finest match against Texas A&M is a good barometer of the status of the two regions. The South is often derided as one of the weaker regions, and if its undefeated champion cannot top a second-tier Southwest team, it will confirm that suspicion. Likewise, the Southwest is typically considered one of the top regions in quidditch and having a team outside of its top four knock off the top dog from another region will help to reinforce the Southwest’s claim.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This year, Anteater Quidditch is the only college team to qualify for its first-ever US Quidditch Cup. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas A&M Quidditch 4-0</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Florida's Finest 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohio State Quidditch 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anteater Quidditch 1-3 </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Appalachian Apparators Quidditch 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 4</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Boys</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gulf Coast Gumbeaux</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">District of Columbia Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inTENNsity</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quality beater play will be on display as some of the top community teams face off in Pool 4. Perpetual contenders the Lost Boys look favored to top the group, though these aren’t the Lost Boys your older sibling might remember. With a 17-3 record, the Lost Boys rely on defense, having surrendered more than five goals in just three matches (and going 3-3 in those contests). Gulf Coast Gumbeaux and District of Columbia Quidditch Club (DCQC) have a decent shot at knocking off the Lost Boys. Gumbeaux enters with just six losses on the season to Texas Quidditch, Lone Star Quidditch Club, Texas Cavalry, Los Angeles Gambits, and twice to Texas State University - San Marcos; these are five of the top teams in the sport (Gumbeaux has also defeated Texas State). DCQC is the third favorite to advance out of the pool, boasting a veteran squad and a 27-8 record. A formidable pod three team returning numerous players from last year’s Round of 16 squad, DCQC is a threat to both of the higher-seeded teams in this group and in the bracket. At 12-11 and 9-8, respectively, both New York Quidditch Club and inTENNsity are capable teams, but given the talent at the top of this pool, neither is likely to make much noise.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="417" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/88-kgZrlxK5qx7rq6C0KQHICwIJTGk_aST0_EDLeZn7AUt7Owm1iUO6h-4vPUygibE-C6gLu5E02j0Nl_IS_Mxkvk9m-Sa_wlW8oK8XjjVHczzMkHX-DpuQdvLb6lohQunGD1mtm" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gulf Coast Gumbeaux chaser Francis DePano | Photo Credit: Jenna Bollweg Sports Photography</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At World Cup VII, Louisiana State University (LSU) famously knocked off a highly-regarded Lost Boys squad. Many of those LSU players now play for Gumbeaux, and they will be looking to again claim victory on behalf of the Southwest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With four community teams, Pool 4 represents the most community teams in any pool.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gulf Coast Gumbeaux 4-0</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Boys 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">District of Columbia Quidditch Club 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York Quidditch Club 1-3</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inTENNsity 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 5</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Los Angeles Gambits</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Penn State University Nittany Lions</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boston University Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Central Michigan Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SHSU Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After failing to capture a coveted West Regional Championship, the Los Angeles Gambits might feel they’ve received their karmic reward with a pool that should give them ample opportunity to enter the bracket as the top seed. While the Gambits’ quaffle depth is formidable, their seeker rotation of Margo Aleman, Edgar Pavlovsky, and Eric Dreggors might be one of the best ever assembled. If the Gambits want a deep bracket run, they’ll need this group often. At 15-3, Penn State has quietly turned in a solid season, including a win last weekend over pool-mate Central Michigan Quidditch Club 120*-30. A relatively weak 3-2 record in SWIM games could be dangerous in this pool with many teams a threat to bracket play. Boston University has played just two games this spring, where it split a pair of snitch-range games with the BosNYan Bearsharks. Possessing a rich heritage, the team has the talent to reach bracket play, but is unlikely to do much damage beyond there and boasts just a 3-3 record in snitch-range games. Central Michigan comes into the tournament off of an uninspiring 5-5 spring. Although program stalwarts like Ashley Calhoun and David Wilber have returned to the fold, the team doesn’t seem likely to pull off a deep bracket run, although bracket play is certainly within its grasp. SHSU Quidditch typically improves each spring from its fall performance, but that hasn’t manifested itself so far this season. A 9-9 record this spring in the Southwest is nothing to sneeze at, but a 4-9 record against fellow qualifiers indicates that this team might not have the same talent of last year’s squad that reached bracket play. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/F5UDQlWAnTU-OsZxr6YoFSfxxEYnwIKO8ZCEErr0VIvShkCIcGE17gvhhXAySPrRMeZ3UeuTxLT1J8pPPV0LRo_TYz0D-jK72IP_h_K-pXtHi0dHgEmINJzz9MFDFgskaGD6isuP" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Los Angeles Gambits keeper attempts to score | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/monicawheelerphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Monica Wheeler Photography</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although games between the pod 1 and pod 5 teams are rarely ones to watch, the Gambits needed an overtime snitch catch to overcome SHSU last year. Although the rosters are a bit different, SHSU knows it can play with the pool favorites, and that confidence could have an impact.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just 31 ranking spots separate the pod 2 and pod 5 teams in Pool 5.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Los Angeles Gambits 4-0 </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Penn State University Nittany Lions 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SHSU Quidditch 2-2 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boston University Quidditch 1-3</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Central Michigan Quidditch Club 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 6</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rochester United</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lake Erie Elite</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oklahoma State University</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Long Beach Funky Quaffles</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marquette University Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year’s runner up has lost just three times this year, twice to defending champions QC Boston. Largely unchanged from last year, Rochester United is the clear favorite to top the group, led by star keeper Shane Hurlbert. Second place likely belongs to Lake Erie Elite, who fell to Rochester United 130*-70 two weeks ago. This year’s Great Lakes community team du jour has turned in a 12-3 record this spring and boasts stars from many of the region’s top teams of yesteryear. Although unlikely to knock off the pool favorites, Lake Erie Elite should comfortably qualify and is capable of a bracket run if the stars align. Solidly in the Southwest’s mid-tier, Oklahoma State enters the tournament with a 14-8 record, including snitch-range losses to Texas and Texas State. Still, the record is boosted by an 8-2 fall, and perhaps is a bit inflated. The team is just 2-6 this spring against US Quidditch Cup qualifiers. The Long Beach Funky Quaffles’ (LBFQ) stunning win over the Los Angeles Gambits in November put the West on notice, but LBFQ experienced a blowout loss to those same Gambits during pool play of West Regionals and only managed to score a single goal, so their consistency is definitely in question. They have spirit and a talented dual-male beating corps, but that likely won’t be enough to help them advance to bracket play. Marquette enters US Quidditch Cup with a 13-14 record and just a 2-5 record this spring. Although talented enough to trouble teams in this pool, it is unlikely to advance to bracket play. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SDvA1qp0OcWtCVZDnGxhmHX5alT49VOs4EaCIaA3xnx2nJD7geUdJHHlXHd60QJpFw30iSei3dtChWl-XE3Z8amQKp0W9bcXOyoH-livbF9e_g4np-U9TpbF4oFI2eS460-2Eedu" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Long Beach Funky Quaffles keeper protects the quaffle. | Photo Credit: Chris Rothery</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes a good old fashioned slugfest between geographically close teams can be very entertaining. Rochester United and Lake Erie Elite feature many players who have competed for two years in the Major League Quidditch North Division and at colleges not far apart in Rochester and northern Ohio or Michigan. These players know each other well, and that should produce a good game.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rochester United has lost to just four different teams in the past two years.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rochester United 4-0</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lake Erie Elite 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oklahoma State University 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Long Beach Funky Quaffles 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marquette University Quidditch 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 7</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizzou Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boise State Abraxans</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crimson Elite</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Southern Storm</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Silver Phoenix</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Led by standout beater David Becker, Mizzou Quidditch brings an impressive 22-2 record into US Quidditch Cup. However, with just four games played this spring, Mizzou might be bringing some rust into the tournament. Drawn into a pool with the Northwest Regional Champions, Mizzou will face a tough battle against last year’s quarterfinalist. The Boise State Abraxans enter US Quidditch Cup with just three losses on the season; though they have experienced a great deal of roster turnover; the team in Kissimmee will be much different from last year’s squad. However, the Bixler brothers and Matt McCracken ensure there is no lack of talent. Boise will see a familiar foe in Crimson Elite; the two have faced off three times this season, with each game being in snitch range and two wins going the way of Boise. Southern Storm and Silver Phoenix are unlikely to make much noise in Kissimmee. Storm has a 10-4 record but is just 3-4 against US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams, with each win over inTENNsity. Meanwhile, Silver Phoenix holds a 12-12 record but is just 3-9 against US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams this spring. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="476" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/R7wREExnASZal6waxVL5gHl7DX0cmfqeRQ6WlvvfCBIf-x9oIr1O63zfIb2eEG2ycAE-Rwxi4T-Yx12184zvKdZfzJ5Ocp6NAVbGjnmXgBzfDGhx_xj3aYu_w_HB6dU5q3HmFl1y" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crimson Elite chaser goes in for a tackle. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MichaelVongPhotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Michael Vong “Photography”</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only battle of regional champions guaranteed to take place, Boise State and Mizzou should be a fun contest between the champions of much maligned regions. Both teams will be their region’s best hope at a strong performance (or in the case of Boise State, the only hope for its region) and will be looking to make an early statement. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silver Phoenix is the only B-team to qualify for US Quidditch Cup</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizzou Quidditch 4-0</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boise State Abraxans 3-1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crimson Elite 2-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Southern Storm 1-3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Silver Phoenix 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arizona State University</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lone Star Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Miami</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Macaulay Honors College Marauders</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Richmond Ravens</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At their best, Western Regional Champion Arizona State Quidditch looks like the Lost Boys of last season. The team is defined by elite snitch-on-pitch beating and a skilled seeking corps, but it also has a relatively weak quaffle offense that allows average teams to stay in range. Lone Star Quidditch Club (LSQC) was a horrible draw for the undefeated college team because it has no quaffle players who can stop Lone Star’s fast-paced offense, and its beaters are not as talented as Team USA’s Michael Duquette or Tyler Walker. Although Arizona State is the pod one team, LSQC should handily top the pool. Beyond those two, the remainder of the pool is wide open. Miami, the pod three team and a team with historic success, has yet to defeat another qualifier for US Quidditch Cup. The team enters the tournament with a 9-5 record, but an 0-4 showing against fellow qualifiers. Macaulay boasts a similar accomplishment, entering the tournament with a 12-5 record, but just a 1-5 performance against qualifiers. Both teams are undefeated against non-qualifiers. When the movable object meets the irresistible force, something has to give. The Richmond Ravens surprised many by qualifying in their first season of official play; they too hold a dismal record against qualifiers at 0-12 and are just 7-5 against non-qualifiers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="fullsizeoutput_2450.jpeg" height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/bEcLY1wWWW3lfnDpni2xqxL6uSzvVmofiXNUFQTvFhl5SHAND9wVQiCdfvhY1aSkILq53t3c6Dz8mgcusi8yyeYYz2Q-71w9epFOqjA61R6TnWDC7noTbmRERhMbyxXEzB_hEEyJ" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LSQC beater Michael Duquette playing against Gulf Coast Gumbeaux at the Southwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://facebook.com/alexrussellphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arizona State vs. Lone Star Quidditch Club is the perfect litmus test for two teams whose records may bely their talent in very different ways. Arizona State remains undefeated this year, though many still question whether it belongs among the top tier. Lone Star, on the other hand, has seen its roster bolstered throughout the season and is now as formidable as it has ever been.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three teams in this pool are past regional champions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lone Star: 4-0</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arizona State University: 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Macaulay Honors College Marauders: 2-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Miami: 1-3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Richmond Ravens: 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas State University - San Marcos</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rutgers University Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Utah State Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Rochester Thestrals</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami University (OH) Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas State is a well-rounded team in every area, and MLQ veterans are found throughout the roster. It is hard to find a position where the team has a pronounced weakness; however, Rutgers has a World Cup 2016 veteran in chaser Lindsay Marella, who could prove problematic for every team in this pool. Despite multiple MLQ players on Utah State Quidditch Club (USQC) and relatively decent play, it is not up for the physicality that Texas State brings nor the cohesion that Rutgers will provide. The expensive travel to Florida will likely leave USQC shorthanded and in a tough fight for bracket qualification. The Thestrals are 11-8, but half of those losses are at one tournament alone; the record shows a dramatic improvement over last year’s 8-17 showing. Miami is currently sitting at 11-11, with many games within snitch range and an overtime win in there as well. A record of 3-9 against US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams showcases the battle it will have to remain competitive in this group. Both Rochester and Miami should not impede Texas State and Rutgers in the battle for the top spot. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Rutgers (Jenna Bollweg Sports Photography).jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yym9zBrjD1T8FKQUfMCI1UiMiackPiwe4TA2weNmoIQBE-d9iM-sHttEmZR_D1S5BT3UHIgqBakYfngtR75t-ng6b_5zegfCSGhYEfWPnv6UbYR74SxOWMmGdK-JWhYaKTWPI_Ky" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rutgers University Quidditch beater Devin Lee | Photo Credit: Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas State vs. Rutgers will be the game of the pool here. Both teams feature MLQ veterans and very few holes in their rosters for either team to exploit. Expect this game to remain in snitch range throughout.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Utah State Quidditch Club is the only team to qualify for US Quidditch Cup from a region that is not its own.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas State University - San Marcos 4-0</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rutgers University Quidditch 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Utah State Quidditch Club 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Rochester Thestrals 1-3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami University (OH) Quidditch 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 10</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maryland Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RPI Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Minnesota Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Valley Skrewts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baylor University</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Featuring five programs with rich traditions, Pool 10 will be a slugfest from top to bottom. Maryland Quidditch (UMD) enters as the pod one team after capturing the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. The team has attended just one tournament this spring, but UMD performed well; it went 4-0 with two snitch-range wins, including three victories over US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams. RPI is a team led by its MLQ veterans Teddy Costa, Mario Nasta, and Sam Nielson. Although talented, and likely to qualify for brackets, RPI seems unlikely to top Maryland and thus the pool. The battle in this pool will be for the third bracket slot. Minnesota Quidditch had a strong run at the Midwest Regional Championship to qualify, but needed two OT games to do so. Minnesota’s only tournament this spring featured out-of-range losses to Kansas twice, but did include three victories over US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams. Disadvantaged because of its northern location, Minnesota might take some time to warm up to the weather and shake off some of the rust. The Silicon Valley Skrewts are attending their sixth straight US Quidditch Cup and feature a small but talented veteran roster. However, a 2-4 record against US Quidditch Cup qualifying teams leaves questions about whether they can pull out victories over quality opposition. After a year removed from US Quidditch Cup, Baylor returns to Kissimmee where it last advanced to the semifinals at World Cup VI. Although the Baylor teams of yore relied on aggressive beaters and their patented zone defense, this Baylor squad simply lacks the talent of those older teams and will not be a threat to advance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although a bit of an antiquated reality, Minnesota and Baylor features a matchup of the two teams that pioneered the zone defense. Though the zone has spread and the two teams no longer rely as much as they used to on the defense, historians of the sport will enjoy the contest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three teams from pool 10 have advanced to semifinals, but none have reached the finals</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maryland Quidditch 4-0</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RPI Quidditch 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Minnesota Quidditch 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Valley Skrewts 1-3</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baylor University 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 11</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas Cavalry</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Warriors</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michigan Quidditch Team</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tufts University Tufflepuffs</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Illinois State Firebirds</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Led by arguably the best all-around player and leader to ever play quidditch, Augustine Monroe, Texas Cavalry enters this tournament as one of the few favorites to win it all. However, this pool does not help its chances of leaving as the top seed. Its toughest matchup is The Warriors, who have bent regional boundaries this year, from their registering in the Mid-Atlantic region to travelling to Cavalry’s home territory for Diamond Cup V. In Texas, the Warriors lost to Texas State in range, one of only two teams that Cavalry has lost to and certainly a threat to keep Cavalry in range. Michigan, as one of the best pod three teams, landed in the wrong pool. With wins against Ball State and other big-name teams on its record this season, Michigan could feel comfortable against a few pod 1 or 2 teams, but the depth and experience of both Cavalry and the Warriors ensures it will have to play at the top of its game if it hopes to secure a win against either team. Tufts University used to be a top team years ago, but the current squad is nowhere near the level of its predecessors. Its lack of play since last fall does it no favors. Despite potentially rough seeding due to an 0-5 start against tough opposition, qualifying for bracket would be a surprise given the strength of the top three teams in the pool. Illinois State Firebirds sport a 9-15 record and have recorded just one victory against a US Cup qualifying team this year. They are unlikely to be competitive.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="374" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0J6R77o6yhe0ssA319Srbv9eRGc8brJgUAgGp-X3WwECT6Jj0M-DTSk83ekekDbSTItqFOiOAXrEwAW5Mpfi-0b-BfFLjX_4UV2vJf4vwg_PkaxxEkk7IFMMs-f7CpGrSEHISLTr" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="560" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warriors beater at Diamond Cup V. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photos.by.sana/" style="text-decoration: none;">Sana Sadiq Photography</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last season, the Warriors knocked Michigan out of US Quidditch Cup, and the former Great Lakes champions will be looking for revenge.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the only pool to feature two sets of teams that were in the same region. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas Cavalry: 4-0 </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Warriors: 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michigan Quidditch Team: 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tufts University Tufflepuffs: 1-3</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Illinois State Firebirds: 0-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool 12</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch Club Boston</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kansas Quidditch</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carolina Heat Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Texas at San Antonio</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indiana University Quidditch Club</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch Club Boston (QCB) enters US Quidditch Cup having lost just once in the past two years, a 70*-50 loss in January 2016 to the Lost Boys. Despite crucial defections from its title-winning team, it has to be considered the favorite until defeated. Kansas Quidditch has seemingly, finally, lost its place atop the Midwest, finishing as runner up at the Midwest Regional Championship. Community team Carolina Heat Quidditch Club, in its first season, enters with a 9-1 record this spring, with its lone defeat coming to Florida’s Finest at the South Regional Championship. Boasting players from some of the Carolinas’ top programs, Heat has emerged as a strong team in the host region and has gained ample out-of-region experience. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) enters with a 16-10 record on the season, though just a 4-5 record against US Quidditch Cup-qualifying teams this spring. Boasting an experienced squad, vetted in the Southwest, it has a strong chance of knocking off Carolina Heat for a bracket spot. Indiana University Quidditch Club comes in with a 10-10 record this season and recently lost to its pool-mate Kansas, 110*-10 at World Cup II: Electric Boogaloo. It has three wins against US Quidditch Cup qualifiers this year, but Indiana is likely to finish at the bottom of the pool.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="370" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wSC-fKoGHneU8Zqe68cc7TUfMKI-xWdhpZMKbv-2FHJcnZ8L8i6x4HdO_Tbk2CORQyCl-7t7fa5BTB0bDVe_Uwpd_pkbLJ3ilngiw-0oEnfsNIajxpoSxEFMU5W_ZwCEQ8U4lc2v" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="554" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A UTSA keeper bringing up the quaffle at Diamond Cup V. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photos.by.sana/" style="text-decoration: none;">Sana Sadiq Photography</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game to Watch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carolina Heat and UTSA will very likely find themselves battling for a spot in the bracket. Both teams seem likely to beat Indiana, but neither is likely to knock off QCB or Kansas.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fun Fact</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch Club Boston is currently on the longest winning streak in the sport since Middlebury was defeated at World Cup V in 2011.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prediction</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch Club Boston 4-0</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kansas Quidditch 3-1</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carolina Heat Quidditch Club 2-2</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Texas at San Antonio 1-3</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indiana University Quidditch Club 0-4</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Continue checking the Quidditch Post in the build up to US Quidditch Cup for more on each team.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Editor's note: A previous version of this article said the Michigan Quidditch Team beat Rochester United, Illinois State Firebirds was winless against qualifying teams, Florida's Finest did not play any out of region games, and Indiana University Quidditch Club had one win against qualifying teams. These have been corrected. </i></span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-42921864811340718752017-03-28T22:28:00.002-04:002017-03-28T22:55:00.848-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The Second Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the second day of Kissimmee, we have a pair of college programs that once dominated their regions, but have since taken a backseat to local rivals, one of the world’s most established community teams, the lone B-team competing, and one regional champion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Silver Phoenix </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Alex Stewart </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: The author is a treasurer of Texas A&M Quidditch Organization.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a slow start to the season, the Silver Phoenix appears to have peaked at the right time. Snagging the last of the Southwest’s 12 bids to US Quidditch Cup, Silver solidified Texas A&M Quidditch as the only school in the country to be sending two teams to Kissimmee, Florida this year. Teams should refrain from writing off Silver as a B team; it has played many of the top teams in the Southwest region in games where it was in range when the snitch arrived on pitch. If Silver can work out some of the kinks of its beater game when the snitch comes on pitch, it will be a dangerous opponent. Silver has a plethora of seekers capable of catching the snitch quickly, so any teams that play it in range should be worried to say the least. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With new faces showing up at just about every tournament this year, Silver has no shortage of talent to choose from, and based on the results it has produced in recent tournaments, it appears that Silver has figured out the right beater pairs and chaser combinations to maximize the team’s potential. Senior chaser Juan Acevedo is a real threat for Silver around the hoops, as is the slippery Genaro Cantú. What sets Silver apart, though, is its beater depth. Senior beaters Patrick Ryan Bobbitt and Steven “Billy” Williamson have a tendency to very quietly take over the game, while junior Synclaire Truesdale can beat with the best. No doubt Silver will win several of its games in pool play, and if it plays to its potential, there’s a chance we’ll see it in bracket play as well. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="fullsizeoutput_2924.jpeg" height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wMnhMg4mMKO3r3K-Yu-7PIrURmt1DS9iwWkdgjGKXq4HfMFfLVOZoR8qLfbr3tymz2xnZYiGXtzsaRKRabZJlTnrHgJ6XKXKA1Z2iejw8z917tnoKfarvEXdLd-q9XVGMygpVm21" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6f32a341-17e3-1087-c599-ac716853fcfa"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Juan Acevedo plays against the Warriors at Diamond Cup V | Photo Credit:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;"> Alex Russell</a></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of Miami</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kenny Stowe</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The University of Miami (UM) Hurricanes are unquestionably the most successful program in the South, with five regional championship titles and qualification to every national tournament. They had an early outing at the Wolfpack Classic last fall, and although they improved in the spring by being the only team to stay within range against Florida’s Finest at the regional championship, they have also fallen to the Gainesville Siege and Carolina Heat, both in out-of-range games. If Miami’s tendency for continuous growth is no more than a late blooming, UM will be positioned to peak once again at the conclusion of another year; but if they stall out, the Hurricanes will be no more than a tropical disturbance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UM has had a bit of a rebuilding year, but the consistency and leadership of veterans, including beater Daniel Cantrelle and keepers Jacob Baldwin and Tony Zhu, are the success factors for this team. If there’s any advantage that the Hurricanes can be proud of this year, it is their versatility in adapting to their opposition. UM’s roster is comprised mostly of role players who support their veterans. The key to surviving this storm will be to limit its offensive possessions, play physical, and load the keeper zone with bodies to prevent clear shooting lanes. Snitch-on-pitch with a game in range is the strongest scenario for UM, and if the team continues to find ways to surprise, it may be able to reach bracket once more. More likely, UM will be eliminated on the first day of the tournament. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="12916303_436344623230205_5297310843691230885_o.jpg" height="489" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3tWTh51IKMVI2bsF9_xe4jMiEzIToZY1S4XK8EMtI48wDrzBU5X8MqFivomCJN1JFo7nwi8eDiGysokLrPBS93qzWvvduaSzWUfD3fVjjGbx8inO73ccfeWyqsmFUNjrflK5tDZJ" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daniel Cantrelle pulls the snitch during the 2016 What is Winter? Invitational | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thebangphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Deanna Yates</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kansas Quidditch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Jaxon Matheny</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kansas is having yet another solid season leading up to US Quidditch Cup 10. In a Midwest region far deeper than the past couple of seasons, Kansas’ only losses in-region have come at the hands of Mizzou (twice, both in snitch range) and TC FROST. It looks like Kansas has answered the questions that had plagued the program from the beginning of this year and further. Could it overcome the departure of an excellent senior class? Yes. Can it avoid bad losses? So far, check. Can it make a Sweet 16 run, or go even further? That is the final hurdle for the Midwest’s most established program to clear.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We have to be strong fundamentally,” said co-captain Rachel Heald. “There’s nothing Kansas Quidditch loves more than a huge play that gets the bench hyped. However, there will be games when it’s not there. That’s when we have to fall back on what we have practiced all year long: fundamentals.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The key to the Jayhawks’ success has been a high-octane quaffle attack. Heald, along with brother Adam Heald and fellow captain Gabe Dorsey, has led a deep and explosive offense to over 135 quaffle points per game. This has been important because the team is still trying to find a consistent seeker after losing the talented Keir Rudolph to graduation. Kansas has had to use the “seeker by committee” approach, which has included Bryan Weary, Ryley Andrews, team utility Austin Pitts, and even freshman Matti Stowe for defensive seeking purposes. The Jayhawks’ beating game will not overwhelm good teams, but they don’t make many mistakes either. Rachel England can partner with anyone on the roster and hold down the fort. Overall, Kansas will be a true wildcard in Kissimmee, Florida. Everything from a Day One bow out to a quarterfinal run is within the realm of possibility for this team. One question remains: Can the Jayhawks play consistently well enough to make the latter a possibility? Only time will tell.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bowling Green State University </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(BGSU)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Nat Davis</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The king of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University, is a well-rounded juggernaut of a team. Be it on offense, a long beat, a snitch grab, or a reset, Bowling Green is quick, controlled, and forceful. Though there are standout players – such as Max McAdoo, Julia Thatcher, and Samuel Roitblat – the key to this team’s success is its synergy; watch out for no-look passing from chasers and a beater line that will ensure the score is right for former Team USA seeker Roitblat to go for the snitch. Last time BGSU was in Kissimmee, Roitblat propelled the team to the semifinals and the squad will be looking to recapture that magic.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its seasoned players will be key for BGSU since it has only made one outing in 2017. The Falcons competed at Grindy Slam Winter Jam and won the tournament, their finals match against Lake Erie Elite was too close for comfort: 120*-90. At the 4th Annual Dobby Memorial, Bowling Green suffer its first lost of the season, 130*-90 to Michigan Quidditch Team. One question Bowling Green will have to answer is its physicality. Bowling Green is considerably more physical than many Great Lakes teams, but that merely brings it up to par when competing on a national scale. Playing against more physical teams, BGSU could begin to falter if it cannot keep its contact clean.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="15128820_1879741598981053_6486089577141726408_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BYk5vha-eB44_8yTAkUIjf-m1nWKO5P5irTLN5L_jdhAAJmF4f6-CBo0XjF8IbUsiQ-WqWdoyt052UM_LaAOu898fFaQU1aiIidFqd1WIlWSUWB8Nkakbd-Y70pRxhhPvHeysVhj" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BGSU seeker Samuel Roitblat grabs the snitch against Ohio State University in the Great Lakes Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jessicajiaminlangphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Jessica Jiamin Lang Photography</a>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Valley Skrewts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Chris Dewing </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Attending their sixth consecutive US Quidditch Cup, the Silicon Valley Skrewts are the oldest community team in the Bay Area. Playing many of their season’s games in the Northern California Quidditch Conference, the Skrewts are undefeated against the rest of the conference this year, including an overtime victory over fellow US Quidditch Cup qualifier Cal Quidditch. At tournaments that have drawn a wider range of teams this year, the Skrewts have so far been unable to break through against elite teams. They are driven by a small core of experienced players including beater Willis Miles IV, keeper Andrew Covel, and chaser Sam Harris.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the West Regional Championship this year, the Skrewts’ strengths were on display as they comfortably qualified with consistent play. Their defense is stout and relies on physical play to prevent the opposition from ever getting into a half court set comfortably. The offense flows through Miles and the openings he is able to create, but also features a steady diet of long passes behind the hoops. The Skrewts play to their strengths and don’t feature overly complicated moves. A comparatively weaker seeker game prevents them from either troubling top teams or consistently beating teams of comparative skill. All but one of their losses before the regional championship came from in-range games, and this weakness could come back to bite at US Quidditch Cup where other teams will be able to better match the experience of the Skrewts. They are a team that will be competitive on Day One, and not qualifying for bracket play would likely be a disappointment for the team. However, they are unlikely to make an impact on Day Two or trouble serious contenders for the title, with any further victories on the second day being icing on the cake.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-33240101898836746072017-03-27T23:41:00.000-04:002017-03-28T14:26:00.284-04:00US Quidditch Cup 10 Preview: The First Day of Kissimmee<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With US Quidditch Cup 10 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post kicks off the 12 Days of Kissimmee with a pair of regional champions, a former juggernaut that fell on hard times, but is now on the rebound, a strong college squad looking to make its way deep into the bracket, and an oft-overlooked college team trying to leave a mark on the national scene.</span></span></div>
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Mizzou Quidditch</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jaxon Matheny </span></div>
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Quite possibly the surprise of the fall, Mizzou </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has a very real chance to make some noise </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this April.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Tigers have </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">won all four of their tournaments thus far this season</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">including the program’s first regional title.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Perhaps most impressive is in how and where Mizzou has won. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victories at Ball Brothers Brawl </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.0</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kansas Cup</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Cowboy Cup </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">VI</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gave </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">three major tournament championships in three separate regions. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Furthermore, the Tigers</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> two losses, both in range to Southwest runner-up Texas State </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University - San Marcos</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at Cowboy Cup and Minnesota </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> after Mizzou had already secured a Kansas Cup championship,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were later avenged with out-of-range victories. </span></div>
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Mizzou’s biggest strength is </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lack of weaknesses. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quaffle game, led by coach and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">captain Jacob Parker</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chaser Vincent Woolsey</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fast, physical, and smart. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> passing causes defenses to become extremely disoriented</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> defense forces teams to earn every goal they score. The Tigers’ beater captain, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Becker</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is elite in every sense of the word. He is extremely accurate, can catch most anything, is a true workhorse, and rarely makes mistakes. Perhaps, though, the reason for Mizzou’s drastic jump this season is the emergence of a talented seeker in freshman </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dom</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inic</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Stelzer</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Big, strong, and athletic, Stelzer has been a nightmare for snitch runners all season long. Simply put, there is nothing in the Tigers’ game that can be exploited. Mizzou Quidditch is the most talented </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midwest team</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> since the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">split with </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Great Lakes </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">region</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and it will be difficult for any team to put </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">away at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">US Quidditch </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cup </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Texas A&M Quidditch </span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alex Stewart
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<i>Editor’s Note:</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> The author is a treasurer of Texas A&M Quidditch Organization and plays for Texas A&M.
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</i>A team known for </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> athleticism, Texas A&M has spent the past few years working to return to </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s former glory. Now, with the majority of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> players having a couple years of experience under their belts, the beginning of this season showed a great deal of promise. However, plagued by illness and injuries</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A&M</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has struggled to bring a full roster to any tournament this year. That</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> paired with a number of leadership issues and lack of motivation</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has led to this team way undershooting any expectations </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">had coming into the season. If A&M is able to break its pattern of near misses and have some of the more tenured players step into leadership positions on the pitch, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it is</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> without a doubt a team that has the potential to beat any opposition that lines up across from </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.
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Veteran beaters </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daniel Sobarzo </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alexis Wien </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">set the tone for the high pressure beater play that A&M tends to gravitate toward. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A&M</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> force</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> opponents to rush their plays</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> resulting in low percentage shots and bad passes. Should the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">opposition</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be lucky enough to get an open lane, they are met by A&M’s chaser defense. Not ones to shy away from physicality</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> senior chasers </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachel Nicoletti </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sam Haimowitz</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are very effective in stopping drives. Whether they strip the ball or make a tackle</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> they make it very clear that no opportunities will go uncontested. Texas A&M will make it into bracket play at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">US Quidditch Cup </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">;</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> how far </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">go</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">es</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from there is entirely up to the team.
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="fullsizeoutput_2541.jpeg" height="368" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/YTzcaQtybSFBGzDrUaADmbPLSKLOTkEdNZXalhgLx8NXnfsxomI13y9Wtzt5pJKsCLFtNe-jwfY6DOWBOnnTXdHTSRqC0JUGDvzilZ6L9jtab-bsCEcbzVCzGT8VAOwFb2HjqE3U" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: currentColor; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="552" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas A&M chaser Sam Haimowitz drives through defenders at the Southwest Regional Championship | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alex Russell</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Florida’s Finest</span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kenny Stowe
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<i>Editor’s Note: The author is a player for Florida’s Finest
</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>
</i>With a second Southern Regional title under </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> belt,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Florida’s Finest </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">turns its attention to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> US </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cup 10. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After failing to qualify for the tournament </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">last year</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and with previous years’ dreams dashed </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">n Day One, the Flamingos are more ready than ever to welcome the nation’s elite to their backyard.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a 1</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-0 record and home-field </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">advantage, Flo</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rida’s Finest is in its best position yet to make a national impression.
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Former Team USA player </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">coach</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sean Pagoada</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">leads</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a beater squad that will have opposing teams gasping for air with incessant involvement on both sides of the ball, while the chaser corps ― </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">featuring</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quincy Hildreth</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dre Clements</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tyrell Byrd</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachel Ayella-Silver</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ― leave no gaps for drive-heavy offenses. The defensive unit presented by the Flamingos has proven that it can become highly adaptable to many offensive schemes and prides itself on its ability </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wear </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">down its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">opponents</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finest</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> employs veterans with diverse playing styles</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but the innate chemistry found </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">among</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> teammates enables this squad to play together as if </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it has</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> been practicing for seasons. The key to success will be purely psychological</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as this team possesses all the tools it will need to compete at the highest level. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Realistically, Finest can e</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">xpect to make the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Round of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">16, and if the dice roll</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s its </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">way with seeking, a berth to the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quarterfinals</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> may be more than just a fantasy.
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="16252155_1846699402218190_2410861010624249704_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8TuTmjyre4Rjt2dNTGLGOmZkA3PWcrstR58L3ysfv9niW0ktWvPc33u_kKBNN6YF-KpNN_i8BtB1mYAfqsH5xk-b37BRvYUkCRZGaR4vJv55zm1Z_lL_NIIBUgd4ZmWje_grtfg6" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: currentColor; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Florida’s Finest chaser Quincy Hildreth takes the quaffle past Florida State keeper Shaun Gabrielli at the Horns Up for Harambe Memorial Championship | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinerophotography/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andrew Salinero</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Rutgers</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"> University Quidditch</span><b>
</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anonymous
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The </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scarlet Knights </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Rutgers University </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">known for experimenting with their squad at tournaments leading up </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to the regional championship</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to determine the best team to bring. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This season, Rutgers has </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pulled off numerous wins against mid-tier teams from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">regions</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but with few exceptions have struggled</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> against</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or not played</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the best teams in its </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">own </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">region. The highlights of its season include</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wins</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">over </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">District of Columbia Quidditch Club</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mid-Atlantic R</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">egional </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hampionship </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(MARC) </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and a tournament championship at Keystone Cup III. Ultimately</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the team was knocked off by the eventual runner-up</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the Warriors</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MARC</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 80-70* in double overtime in a match where two of the team’s overtime snitch grabs were called off.
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Rutgers is </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">led by </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ajor League Quidditch</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> veteran and Team USA 2016 chaser Lindsay Marella</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">captain Isaac Serna-Diez</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> offense</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> driven by the agile chaser </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dan Gavrushenko</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and powerhouse keeper </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shawn Hazlett</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is a threatening one for opponents</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Combining this offense with the beating power of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phil</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">l</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cain</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Devin Lee</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gives the team numerous weapons.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This leaves few holes in the Rutgers squad</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which will prove beneficial at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">US Quidditch </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cup </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ha</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the speed, the players</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the depth to clear </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> pool on </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">D</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ay </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This year</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the Knights have proven themselves to be </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">near</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the top of the Mid-Atlantic</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. A</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> win in bracket play would be an attainable goal for Rutgers</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Indiana University Quidditch Club</span><b>
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nat Davis
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
After </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">failing to qualify for US </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quidditch Cup 9,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Indiana University Quidditch Club (IU) is back for US Quidditch Cup 10 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by way the consolation bracket at the Great Lakes Regional Championship</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. IU seemed like a team to be reckoned with </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this fall</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; however, IU </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has faltered slightly in the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pring leg of this 2016-17 season</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though losing </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">two-thirds</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of its 2017 games</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> looks bad on paper, IU’s </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">70*-50 loss to Ball State </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cardinals</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at Phoenix Cup VI</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> demonstrates improvement. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ball State was the team that knocked Indiana out at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the regional championship</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 130*-40</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Improvement has been IU’s buzzword this season. With special attention to the beater line, IU has been stepping up and reaping the rewards of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">efforts – so far, that is.
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IU has </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">struggled</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to field a full roster this season, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">largest turnout at Ball Brothers Brawl 3.0 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">where it brought </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">18 players.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Indiana will not have a full 21 players at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">US Quidditch Cup</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Though </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indiana has</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> improved </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> beater game, it is still comparatively weak</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, instead relying </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on its chasers and keepers. However, opponents </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can outgun IU’s beaters </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can shutdown </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the aforementioned quaffle carriers quickly. This weakness in the beater line has </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">also</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> cost </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IU </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">numerous catches. With snitch on pitch, IU struggles to give its seekers a sustained go at the snitch. Given these weaknesses, it is unlikely that </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IU</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will see bracket play. However, one would be foolish to underestimate th</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is team</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on Day One. IU </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has a chance</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to snipe a couple teams in </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> run </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kissimmee</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Florida</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <br /><br /><em>Editor's Note: A previous version of this article referred to IU as ISU in one instance. This has been corrected.</em></span>Danielle Lehmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813780601906104458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-83789991688682618032017-03-27T23:37:00.001-04:002017-03-29T19:02:58.256-04:00Voyage to Victoria: QC National Championship 2017 Pool A Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The third iteration of Quidditch Canada’s national championship is back on the west coast in Victoria, British Columbia on April 1-2, 2017. To kick off our coverage, we preview Pool A, which consists of the following teams:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calgary Mavericks Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edmonton Aurors Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guelph Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of British Columbia Quidditch Club (UBCQC)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calgary Mavericks Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kayla Ross</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: Kayla Ross is a player for the Calgary Mavericks.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently rebranded, the Calgary Mavericks have consistently performed well in competition this season. Despite having a severely depleted roster at the 2016 Quidditch Canada National Championship, the Mavericks (at the time known as the Calgary Mudbloods) ranked at No. 11 after Day One, propelling them to bracket play. They have since been pushing themselves to catch up with their Albertan counterparts. The Mavericks have a strong corps of experienced players, including Rachel Malone, speaking captain for Team Canada at the IQA World Cup 2016. Their beater lines are also heavy on veterans, such as Allan Chan and Alex Lamoureux, who bolster the Mavericks’ defense and tip the odds in their favour with consistent retention of bludger control.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Mavericks have had some growing pains as a young team in their second season, notably with player recruitment and fielding a full roster. The loss of several experienced players going into the 2016-17 season put them at a disadvantage that they have struggled to shake off. While they will fortunately bring a full roster to the national championship this year, only slightly less than half of those players are new to the team or are rookies, so it will be a challenge for the Mavericks to get everyone working cohesively. As far as gameplay is concerned, the Mavericks struggle against teams with a strong defense, dragging their offense down when they are unable to compensate with focused chaser positioning and beater support. They also encounter difficulty in maintaining quaffle points once the seekers are released, tending to lose coordination between their beater and chaser corps as the game becomes more hectic.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="415" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yPJF98uoyvzJhimdogOSaxblY-XtCLZ-mz4CfD6_EjtwXcn0Fs3mt-BTYUqWv7fsDdnjDiD-OO54cinfGqU88x4jc40j3Acs2t4z2sBm6gLjzyYeU2NZ4rqIIIIB3ZmDeruGHRGQ" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachel Malone blocking a pass to a University of Victoria Valkyries chaser| Photo Credit: JYK Photography</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It will be interesting to see how the Mavericks fare with a full roster. Much depends on head coach Christopher Day’s ability to build up and coordinate the new players within the existing team. The Mavericks that step out onto the pitch at the National Championship in Victoria, British Columbia will be a different team from what we have seen before, with high hopes to prove themselves against familiar rivals and new challengers alike.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wei Shen Tan will play a key role in that. Playing in his second season with the Mavericks, Tan has proven himself to be a key chaser and scorer. Fast, maneuverable, and tenacious, he can often be seen barreling through the opponent’s defense, circumventing attempts to stop his drives. He carries this energy through on his defensive positioning as well, never hesitating to engage physically with an opponent. His skills have only continued to improve this season, and you can be sure to see some impressive plays when Tan is on the field.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Mavericks have a host of strong, competitive teams to fight through if they wish to win a medal this season. With two unfamiliar Eastern teams to potentially face, the question remains whether the Mavericks can step up their game to make it past the quarterfinals.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edmonton Aurors Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kayla Ross</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Edmonton Aurors’ main strength lies in their strong chaser lines, buoyed by Team Canada players Michelle Ferguson and Christopher Radojewski, as well as patented “freak athlete” Indiana Nikel. Joining them from London, Ontario is Matthew Bourassa, who also starred on Team Canada this past summer. With a wide breadth of dynamic, maneuverable chasers and keepers, the Aurors’ versatility allows them to adapt and exploit opportunities to their advantage. With the addition of Bourassa, we can also look forward to some more drive-heavy plays as well, unless he puts on a black headband to cause havoc as a beater. Watching the Aurors, it is clear that they have focused on using the entire field to spread out their opponents’ defense and create weak points. Their preference for rapid movement, accurate passing, and high-velocity drives can be overwhelming against teams unable to curb their brisk pace.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Typically, the Aurors are not a heavy-hitting team, and rely instead on their beaters to stop drives on defense. This can leave them vulnerable on defense when their beaters deteriorate, especially if their players are slow to adapt to a more aggressive game. While Bourassa may add some more bite to their offense, it may be difficult to incorporate his style of play with the rest of the team. The Aurors also run into some difficulty when facing teams capable of halting their favoured fast breaks. While their reactivity and strong reflexes allow them to thrive in fast-paced scenarios, their positioning has a tendency to break down when the tempo of the game decreases.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="488" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/uElMpBsfuxrhzvRAbndHv45iDzzaIYs8qJmVz2UCS8s-BCy2bBHKLeyQfd3ybqVaFwsUmElqHP4-Bv6EOAjFoFMUOC1-ZOdw4cNrbHa45IGMXv78x-VEOW_y-jn-gsHQ3NGb3v9L" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="583" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christopher Radojewski out-running SFU Quidditch | Photo Credit: Zendar Photography</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until the recent entrance of the UBC Thunderbirds Quidditch Sports Club (UBC TSC), the Aurors were a dominant force in the Western region and further demonstrated an ability to be competitive against unfamiliar Eastern teams at last year’s national championship. Following the Aurors’ recent upset in losing the Western Regional Championship to UBC TSC, the Aurors will no doubt be hungry to prove themselves at the upcoming national championship. If the Aurors are able to establish a good lead in quaffle points and keep up with UBC TSC’s intensive beating style, they could very well prevail against their current rivals early on to battle it out to the championship match.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the Aurors perform well at the national championship, they will certainly have to give credit to Cayley Mendoza for her tireless efforts. Though by no means new to quidditch, Mendoza has made her debut as a beater this season. While the transition to playing a new position can often be difficult, she makes it look easy. Now with a few tournaments under her belt, she is one of the Aurors’ more aggressive beaters on the pitch. Mendoza’s past experience as a chaser certainly allows her to easily integrate her beater play to support the Aurors on offense. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ranked No. 4 in Canada, the Edmonton Aurors will likely be a strong competitor at the national championship. While it remains to be seen how well they fare against the Eastern teams making the trek to Victoria, it would be an exciting development to see a Western team take home the championship. The Aurors are arguably fielding their strongest team this year and have collected a good number of promising rookies who have developed into valuable players; Adam Beaulac, Talia Angell, and Danielle Cattani come to mind. It is not unforeseeable that they will win a medal at the National Championship this year, with high potential to upset an Eastern team and push for gold.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guelph Quidditch</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Courtney Butler</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, Guelph will not be at full strength for this year’s National Championship, and with the addition of some Royal City players into its lines, many would expect this to be the team’s main weakness. Though it will definitely weaken Guelph, with Royal City improving immensely this season in its strategy and physicality due to the constant practicing with Guelph’s A team, the team is still expected to be a strong force. With ample time to practice together before the National Championship, the new Royal City additions should integrate well into Guelph. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This team uses its size and physicality to its advantage, and will be one of, if not the most, physical team to attend this National Championship. The chasers and keepers on Guelph are always looking to use their size for a classic drive to the hoops. They also have the ability to work together using their beaters to break through enemy lines and work their passes around the opposing teams’ beaters, making quick goals at the corners of the hoops. This season, Guelph has also made great use of its female chasers on offence, as many teams often choose to leave them unmarked. By using their vision and quick strong passes, they are able to take advantage and put up points. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether Guelph rides the line of success and failure at this tournament will fall on its beating. With three of four beater pairs coming from Royal City, a lot will ride on these players’ shoulders as to whether they can step up to the challenge. Over the past couple years, Guelph has been improving its beating strategies by adopting more aggressive and offensive styles, but it can be hasty with its bludgers and needs to find the line between being too conservative and over zealous. The Royal City players specifically will need to step up into a more physical style if they are to be successful against other aggressively beating teams. If it sits back with its bludgers, Guelph’s offence will have a hard time putting up points.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One factor that separates Guelph from many other teams is that it does not rely on star players, but rather have a team of solid players with few weak links. With that being said, Denver Staines stands out as a strong veteran for Guelph. With enough force to push through an entire defence, Denver is a force to be reckoned with on the offensive. He has great vision on the field and uses his beaters effectively, allowing them to do work before he see the opportunity for a pass by the hoops or a charge through the defence. He is able to use his body mass to take on players and rip them to the ground, or alternatively blowing through them for a drive to the hoops. His communication and direction are strong, and will be a key factor for Guelph’s performance as a team. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The only hesitation leaving Guelph out of the position for first is the question of whether the Royal City players will be able to fill the roles of their Guelph A counterparts. With 11 Royal City players and 10 Guelph A players filling the roster, the outcome will be based on how well these players can integrate into the Guelph A playing style. There are good fights against UBC and Valhalla on the horizon, and Guelph will be looking to overturn them and take the title, but it will not be an easy road.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">University of British Columbia Quidditch Club (UBCQC)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Nathan Ross</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UBCQC has had an incredibly up and down year, mostly due to roster size issues. Look no further than the Quidditch Conference of the Northwest (QCON) Championships, where they had to forfeit due to a lack of players. This is a team that should easily be considered one of the better teams of the west because it trains in a successful program and has enough talented people who have played for it over the past year to be a strong dark horse candidate in Victoria. Alas, it comes down to a numbers game, something that has become an unfortunately recurring trend in the area lately. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="QC Western Regionals 2016 D2-070.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DJ19zn7QWvsKHI8sy0LqeTznBbd3U_ekx-_dSgsYvu4kit2R5tjOCA0ME0RdNlfAg3DIWw8HFezvTipTNxukan4-4fxrIWPcPSjBOv90LSKrjwYgQh1TXM0NKzoO_QQzGnz30puP" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">UBCQC beater Ardy Ferguson faces off against Mavericks chaser Zaw Aung in an attempt to regain the quaffle | Photo Credit: JYK Photography</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The team is led by Ardy Ferguson and Damir Ninković, but one of the biggest weapons it has been able to utilize this past year might be one of its biggest threats come this National Championship. Joey Krahn transferred to the Thunderbirds and will face off against his former club in Victoria. Should he be able to stay out of the penalty box, that is a big loss for UBCQC. With Krahn out, look for both Travis Gritter and Gillian Savage to step in and bring some stability to UBCQC’s seeking game. Other than that, Brandon Rivas seems to have recovered from his injuries throughout the year and is a force for UBCQC on the back end. Look for him and Ferguson to try to bring some stability to allow their chaser game to flourish. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a roster similar to the one it had at the Western Regional Championship (with notable absences in Louis Leung and the aforementioned Krahn), this could be the same team that was one upset away from being in the finals for the Western Regional Championships. UBCQC is likely playing with a chip on its shoulder and could be one of the bigger surprises in Victoria. Unfortunately, that is a big if, should we look at results from QCON between their games in the Regional Championship and where we are now. Besides the aforementioned forfeit in the QCON playoff weekend, the team only won two out of its nine games. It wasn’t so long ago that the University of Victoria Valkyries were celebrating getting their first win in a very long time, taking advantage of a depleted UBCQC roster. That was at the beginning of the season, and the team went on to have more disqualifications due to roster issues than they did wins, only able to secure two victories overall in the nine games it played for QCON. It is difficult to predict a finishing spot for a team that has had so many question marks this year, as this is a team that could finish anywhere from fifth to eighth place. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool Analysis</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Serena Cheong, with additional analysis by Cameron Cutler</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The final rankings for this pool will be more difficult to predict than Pool B simply because all the teams but Edmonton are huge question marks. It has been many months since we have seen both Calgary and UBCQC play with a decent-sized roster in a big tournament, and Guelph’s roster has more Royal City players than its own players. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this in mind, the Guelph-Edmonton game will be close but dependent on who wins the beater battle. Guelph’s reliance on its physicality, and its difficulty in scoring without beater supremacy, means that it will fall on Edmonton’s beaters to step up their aggressiveness to help out their chasers. The addition of Matt Bourassa will certainly help Edmonton, but it remains to be seen if he will make up for its shortcomings against a very aggressive Guelph team.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="QC Western Regionals 2016 D1-564.jpg" height="309" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Hv6cVnoU9fgzI1UPsvB4wZNs2yR0ohdkGrDm6_PenTWx8B0YHxpCwLJ_-zBgt05D3spjNOnEbz_bvAWzbtW_C0ZSl763x9n6XQbg4BvoBKahYRMd9Z96Uy08Xu2VF5wI8RPKnHy3" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cayley Mendoza trying to regain bludger control | Photo Credit: JYK Photography</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To beat UBCQC, the Mavericks will have to get past the beater wall of Rivas and Ferguson, and then also best the blocking skills of Ninković. With their track record against stronger defences, the Mavericks may need to play the matchup game and get their stronger scorers away from these players to rack up the quaffle points and stay out of SWIM range. If UBCQC leads, whether within or out of SWIM-range, chances are that Gritter will help his team seal the deal and get the win. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pool B previews will be coming soon. </span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-39876974004204001652017-03-26T14:35:00.000-04:002017-03-28T11:03:31.342-04:00Antwerp A Drive European Competition Extinct - Capture EQC 2017 Title<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Andy Marmer</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-7b33b224-0be4-9fef-e8ec-a7b84b2dac1b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp A are the champions of Europe and it could not have happened in more dramatic fashion, as last year’s runners up vanquished the METU Unicorns 120*-110 on a snitch catch by Laurent Venckeleer. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I feel amazing,” said Antwerp A Captain Seppe de Wit. “So tired. Wow. It feels like redemption for last year, absolutely. Finally. After four years. Finally.”</span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="17493213_1483352015017500_767935231652186482_o.jpg" height="468" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/y6BIkxg0vl1WPgg3TARO6WqDW31RwhwA5prOuhvlxqflbO_PMfQ9Ypi2TTt5RprhZ4W9xRnIicisXxnbiXRTMMQHzW3BRuMfOqdOPzvD4BE_WkfIrPZqnTBDUCEHPA3aQdpdC_dg" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div dir="ltr" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp after winning the 2017 European Quidditch Cup | Photo courtesy of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AntwerpQuidditch/" style="text-decoration: none;">Antwerp Quidditch Club</a></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Unicorns looked to be in control of the match, never trailing by more than 10 and twice having out-of-range leads with the snitch on pitch. Yet, beautiful passing play and an open game in snitch-on-pitch allowed the Belgian side to narrowly find their way back into snitch range, setting up Veckeleer’s heroics.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I think it was amazing of course,” said Unicorns captain Fatih Aykurt. “All of my players did what they could. It’s been an amazing journey for Turkish quidditch since 2015. We have respect for the other teams, well done to them.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp returned to the finals with just one in-range victory, 120*-60 over Paris Frog in the quarterfinals. In the Round of 16, they overcame German squad Darmstadt Athenas and in the semifinals grabbed a 110*-30 victory over the Werewolves of London on a snitch catch by Venckeleer, his first of the tournament.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">METU Unicorns advanced to their first EQC finals in a convincing fashion, winning in the Round of 16 over Durhamstrang 190*-80, in the quarterfinals over Warwick QC 140*-50, and in the semifinals 190*-110 over NTNUI Rumpledunk in a game that was tied at 80 when the snitch came on pitch before the Turkish side overcame their Norwegian foes in snitch-on-pitch play.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps as interesting as the teams that reached the final are those that did not. Many expected to see one or both of two-time defending champions Titans Paris and recently coronated British super-team Velociraptors QC; however, both were shockingly knocked out on snitch catches in the quarterfinals, the former by NTNUI and the latter by British rivals Werewolves. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NTNUI played evenly with the defending champions for much of the early game, and eventually took a 50-30 lead; however, four straight Titans goals threatened to take the Norwegian team out of range. However, a quick goal and then a catch from captain Jørgen Helgeland Stenløkk sealed the upset and NTNUI’s spot in the quarterfinals.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It feels very good – it’s a bit unreal at the moment,” said Stenløkk immediately after his team’s victory.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Raptors, on the other hand, were in control of their game with Werewolves early; however, the London side refused to allow themselves to be taken out of range. Trailing 60-30 moments after the Titans loss, Werewolves replicated the Norwegian’s feat with a goal and catch by Aaron Veale to seal their own semifinal bid, 70*-60. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Our beaters getting control and using it was key,” said Veale after the game. “That’s when we knew we could do it.”</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Titans and Raptors ultimately met, in a game many expected to be the final, vying for fifth place after the Titans disposed of Warwick and the Raptors dissected the Paris Frog, each in lopsided games, with the Titans securing a closely-fought 90*-60 win.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The lower bracket was tightly fought, but ultimately went the way of OSI Vikings who took the final 70*-40. OSI advanced to the finals of the lower bracket with a come-from-behind victory over ODTÜ Hippogriffs in the quarterfinals, 90*-80, and another victory over Rheinos Bonn, 120*-110.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We had a very disappointing Day One,” said former OSI captain Kai Haugen Shaw, who was out with an injury. “We feel we should have won against Lumos [Compostela]. We made some bad moves and lost our heads a bit. So it’s good to say we could come back today and win the lower bracket.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Barcelona Eagles advanced to the lower bracket final with a 130*-110 quarterfinal win over the Vienna Vanguards and a 190*-160 win over the IT<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Ü</span> Honeybees.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group play proceeded largely as expected, with six of the eight top seeds capturing their groups, all eight top seeds advancing to bracket play, and 11 out of 16 seeded teams qualifying for the bracket. With the move to a random assignment format, margins of victory were ultimately irrelevant as teams fought for victory and little else.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Group A, top-seeded Warwick Quidditch Club handled their business with two out-of-range wins in addition to a comfortable in-range win over second-place and second-seeded GreenTauros Quidditch Torino 140*-80, while GreenTauros secured their bracket spot by virtue of a 120*-60 victory over third-placed Brussels Qwaffles. Newcomers Dublin Draíochta Dragons performed as expected, failing to hold any of their opponents in snitch range, but ultimately came away with a meaningful experience for development in the country by virtue of facing the three more experienced sides. All other games were out of range.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group B provided upset drama, but perhaps in name only as the second-seeded NTNUI side topped the group over top-seed Virtute Romana, which, while defying the seeds, largely conformed to expectations. The Norwegian squad’s offense was on full display as they put up 170, 300, and 250 points in each their three matches, with their lowest margin of victory a 170*-70 win over Virtute Romana. Virtute Romana edged into bracket play with a 130*-90 victory over the IT<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Ü</span> Honeybees. All three teams comfortably handled the lone Dutch team, the Dom Tower Dementors, who, despite catching two out of three snitches, posted the tournaments worst goal differential in group play at -440.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group C produced the surprise of the day as despite a -40 goal differential, Spanish champions Lumos Compostela qualified for bracket play over the heavily-favored OSI Vikings. In the first round of pool games, the pool favorites METU Unicorns narrowly topped the Vikings 160*-90, while Lumos comfortably handled the Milano Meneghins 200*-60. The second round saw the Unicorns blow out Lumos 170*-30 and OSI comfortably defeat Milano 210*-10, and while many would have expected METU and OSI to continue their winning ways and advance to bracket play, it was Lumos who advanced instead, coming from behind with a pair of snitch catches to become the first Spanish team to reach the upper bracket with a 100^*-80 win over the Norwegians. METU won the group comfortably, while the Meneghins, with a -430 goal differential, narrowly avoided being bottom of the whole tournament.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group D supplied a return to normalcy as the Velociraptors comfortably topped the group with three out of range wins, their closest game a 130*-50 victory over Rheinos Bonn. The Bizkaia Boggarts also followed expectations, finishing last with three out-of-range losses, most narrowly losing 120*-40 to Crookshanks Lyon. Although the German side gave the pool victors their biggest challenge and the French side gave the cellar dwellers their greatest opportunity, it was actually the Crookshanks Lyon that made the upper bracket with a 140*-70 win over Rheinos Bonn.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pegged as the Pool of Death entering the tournament, Group E lived up to expectations. It came as little surprise that the eventual champions topped the group. The day started with a pair of closer-than-expected 130*-60 wins for Antwerp over Paris Frog and Bristol Brizzlebears over the Warsaw Mermaids, scores which perhaps indicated that the group might be even more tightly fought than expected. With the next round seeing Antwerp shutout the Brizzlebears 90*-0 and Paris comfortably handle Warsaw 150*-60, the stage was set for the Frog vs. Brizzlebears rematch with a spot in the upper bracket again on the line. Frog jumped out to an early lead, briefly exiting snitch range with a 60-20 margin; however, the Bears fought back into snitch range, narrowing the margin to 80-60. After a Dominic Ayre snitch catch was ruled no good for Bristol, Frog caught to win 110*-60 and avenge their early round exit from last year’s EQC.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Much like Group C, Group F saw a favorite top the group, a clear last-place team, and a second-place team that might not have been the second-best team in its group. The Werewolves of London won the group, but their victory over the ODTÜ Hippogriffs, a close 90*-80, was not what one might expect from the eventual semifinalists. While the Werewolves would win their other two games out of range, it was Darmstadt Athenas who topped ODTÜ 100*-80 to advance to the upper bracket with a -10 goal differential. The Aemona Argonauts lost each of their games out of range to finish last.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group G featured four teams with ambitions of a deep bracket run. Titans Paris comfortably topped the group, winning each of their games by a margin of at least 90 points and catching all three snitches in the process. Three Rivers Dragon Passau advanced to the upper bracket with a pair of comfortable wins over the Barcelona Eagles and Tornadoes Quidditch Club, while the Eagles took third with a 130*-110 win over Tornadoes, who must be disappointed in their team’s performance this weekend.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group H provided one of the most tightly-contested battles as it was the Liege Leviathans, perhaps boosted by playing in their home nation, who surprised many by topping the group. After unconvincingly defeating Prague Pegasus 130*-30, Liege edged the Vienna Vanguards 70*-30 and Durhamstrang 170*-100 to finish first. Durham’s 120*-40 win over Vienna earlier in the day saw them through as the second-place team, while Prague lost each of their contests solidly out of snitch range to finish last.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a whole, the play among nations shows that the level of European quidditch is rapidly rising and despite the British and French historically showing strongly in international play, neither had a side rise beyond the semifinals. European Games 2017 should be wide open for the taking.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jack Lennard and Lena Mandahus contributed to reporting.</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><em>Editor's Note: The portion on the Barcelona Eagles path to the lower bracket final was clarified. Additional typos were also fixed.</em></span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Records by Nation </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: This represents our best approximation of the tournament results based on information available at the time of publication. We apologize for any errors or incomplete information. Records do not include forfeits or games that were not played, though those are reflected in the standings.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belgium</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 3 teams - Winning Percentage: .706 Record: Overall: 12-5 Group Play: 7-2, Upper Bracket: 4-2, Lower Bracket 1-1; Results: Antwerp A (1), Liege Leviathans (13-16), Brussels Qwaffles (21-24)</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Norway</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 2 teams - Winning Percentage: .714 Record: Overall 10-4, Group Play: 4-2, Upper Bracket: 2-2, Lower Bracket: 4-0; Results: NTNUI Rumpledunk (4), OSI Vikings (17)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">France</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 3 teams - Winning Percentage: .666; Record: Overall: 12-6, Group Play: 7-2, Upper Bracket: 5-4, Lower Bracket N/A; Results: Paris Titans (5), Paris Frog (7), Crookshanks Lyon (9-13)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turkey</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 3 teams - Winning Percentage: .611; Record: Overall 10-7, Group Play: 5-4, Upper Bracket: 3-1, Lower Bracket: 3-2; Results METU Unicorns (2), IT<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Ü</span> Honeybees (19-20)ODTÜ Hippogriffs (21-24), </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UK </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- 6 teams - Winning Percentage: .571; Record: Overall: 20-15, Group Play 12-6, Upper Bracket: 6-7, Lower Bracket 2-2; Results: Werewolves of London (3), Velociraptors QC (6), Warwick QC (8), Durhamstrang (13-16), Brizzlebears (21-24), Tornadoes QC (25-28)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Germany</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 3 teams - Winning Percentage; .563; Record: Overall 9-7, Group Play: 5-4, Upper Bracket: 2-2, Lower Bracket: 2-1; Results: Three Rivers Dragon Passau (9-13), Darmstadt Athenas (9-13), Rheinos Bonn (19-20)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Italy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 3 teams - Winning Percentage: .333; Record: Overall: 5-10, Group Play: 4-5, Upper Bracket: 1-3, Lower Bracket 0-2; Results: Virtute Romana (9-13), GreenTauros Torino (13-16), , Milano Meneghins (29-32)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spain </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- 2 teams - Winning Percentage: .300; Record: Overall: 3-7, Group Play: 2-4, Upper Bracket: 0-2, Lower Bracket: 1-1; Results: Lumos Compostela (13-16), Bizkaia Bogarts (25-28)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Catalonia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 1 team - Winning Percentage .571; Record: Overall: 4-3; Group Play: 1-2, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket 3-1; Results: Barcelona Eagles (18)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Austria</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 1 team - Winning Percentage; .400; Record: Overall 2-3, Group Play 1-2, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket 1-1; Results: Vienna Vanguards (21-24)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ireland - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 team - Winning Percentage: .200; Record: Overall 1-4, Group Play: 0-3, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket: 1-1; Results: Dublin Drachiota Dragons (25-28)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poland</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 1 team - Winning Percentage: .200; Record: Overall: 1-4,, Group Play 0-3, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket: 1-1; Results: Warsaw Mermaids (25-28)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Czech Republic</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 1 team - Winning Percentage: .000; Record: Overall 0-5, Group Play: 0-3, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket: 0-2; Results: Prague Pegasus (29-32)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slovenia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 1 team - Winning Percentage: .000; Record: Overall 0-5, Group Play: 0-3, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket: 0-2; Results: Aemona Argonauts (29-32)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netherlands</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - 1 team - Winning Percentage: .000; Record: Overall 0-5, Group Play: 0-3, Upper Bracket: N/A, Lower Bracket: 0-2; Results: DomTower Dementors (29-32)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03823251644627283978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-2854906358547129312017-03-24T00:45:00.000-04:002017-03-24T00:51:53.497-04:00EQC 2017 Group H Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group H</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Durhamstrang</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Hannah Dignum</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite the departure of key graduates and others, Durham has performed surprisingly well this season at both Northern Cup and British Quidditch Cup (BQC). However, this Durham squad struggles with physicality and aggression.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Durham are bringing a strong squad to EQC, but in order to succeed in such a tournament, the standard of the players must remain at a fairly elite level, something with which Durham may struggle. Their chaser line in particular has taken a bit of a hit with the loss of both Robbie Gawne and Max Gill, which means that they lack physicality in the chaser game to counter fast breaks and put in the tackles to end strong drives. Rebecca Lowe is one of the strongest quaffle carriers that Durham possess, and they may over-rely on her due to her experience on the international stage. This is not to say, however, that Durham completely lack the chasers to compete against the other teams in their group, as Vincent Poon and Emma Sands will undoubtedly step up their game to meet the challenge from more aggressive teams. Whilst topping their group at BQC was a feat for the team, they failed to top their group at Northern, which points to an inconsistency in Durham’s performance. It is possible that they will be able to put in a solid performance if they are able to nail the consistency issues, but there is a chance for an upset if Durham fail to pull their play together on the day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="401" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/EIh5jRVw0lLu-IYssnltV6GfyHl0M9xHpxAlXY949v1brZ7Yhmr2BEEzplP1Y50kUs7FJ52wzqnQOEJIf-Oe9I5wMq82qPs4Ls86UIzBO2FN-bVUMZEUqcmlH9mWIqmyqIWfn2PE" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebecca Lowe keeping for Durhamstrang at Hateful 8 | Photo Credit: Rica Biasi (</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EnricaBiasi/" style="text-decoration: none;">More Quidditch Photos</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liège Leviathans</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Louis Lermytte</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liège defeating the Brussels Qwaffles in the semifinal of Belgian Cup was one of the biggest stories of the tournament. Liège, only playing in their second season, have shown massive improvements and are looking for a spot in the upper bracket this year. With Durhamstrang, Vienna Vanguards, and Prague Pegasus joining their group, they are expected to finish second.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a large amount of drop-outs, Liège competed at EQC 2016. Their eighth-place finish at Belgian Cup 2015 and a fifth-place finish in the 2015 Belgian Quidditch League meant that a winless EQC tournament did not come as a surprise to many. However, joining the Belgian Quidditch League and playing at EQC has been beneficial to them. While it is still visible, especially in the beater game, that they are a relatively new team, Liège have improved drastically in their offensive efficiency. They have learned how to choose better moments to attack and better understand how to work together with their beaters. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Standouts on the team include Audrey Linssen and Arnaud Liepin, who were awarded with spots on the Belgian National Team and competed at the IQA World Cup last summer. Late last season, Sylvain Hochede also joined Liège. Hochede was a member of the French National Team, a quarterfinalist team at the last World Cup that only lost in snitch range to Australia. In their last league game, the weaknesses of Liège were exposed by Antwerp A, where their beater game was completely dominated by Antwerp, and their female beaters were shown to be vulnerable under pressure. Liège also felt the absence of playmaker Hochede, only scoring once in each game (130*-10 and 180*-10). Whilst relying on talents like Hochede might work against teams such as Vienna or Prague, it remains a big question if they could pull off an upset against Durhamstrang.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="IMG_0843_JPG.JPG" height="401" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/75eiPSAqqDZt-a-qhR_mTzQ9EM9qEYtBKOEKDBJ0XQhek7ksep7W_edIKRuUQxTyuwFCyTI6uZ1ppBgr5bn9xTSYQFCZv-T476LWegGRP_X65eadUUcxjAgHwNK1HyX3SDqTwmI8" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Audrey Linssen grapples for a quaffle at the IQA Quidditch World Cup 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prague Pegasus</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Martin Hofbauer</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prague Pegasus are a new team from the Czech Republic who secured their EQC spot as one of three teams from emerging areas. Pegasus was founded in the summer of 2016 and have been practicing regularly since then, mostly led by Team Germany captain Nadine Cyrannek, who was studying in Prague for a semester. The team gained some experience when they played against the United Unicorns Prague with one of the greatest snitch runners in Europe, Denis Plog, acting as snitch runner for that game (a 120*-50 Pegasus win).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prague Pegasus will come to Mechelen with 12 players on their squad, with the most experienced player being Team Slovakia beater Peter Švihra. He will most likely be leading the team, as he also experienced other playing styles when he played for Wisconsin Quidditch, an official team in the United States. Prague’s roster is also boosted by two experienced mercenary players: former NTNUI Rumpeldunk chaser Ondřej Hujňák and Team Slovakia chaser Martin Mudrík. These three players will be crucial to Pegasus’ play, as none of the other players have played against teams other than the United Unicorns. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="401" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6ZzcX2mD8riN3BCBA9uUhluW57grPqPpfZSZo5mThWvWupC69kIIIMpDRhBJrg6MrJJdRLt_AKd6OJl157Yz0Mdcu1OcuR_oY0G4AWWxlXFMHTRPug3KGiOk0FlMtgqkkM5SRsaw" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prague Pegasus | Photo Credit: Ondřej Nedvěd, via </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PragueQuidditchPegasus/" style="text-decoration: none;">Prague Pegasus - Quidditch Team</a>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prague Pegasus is coming to EQC with one thing on their mind: to gain as much experience as possible. They are not expected to win any of their games, but they will come back stronger and more experienced, which will help to spread quidditch across the Czech Republic.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vienna Vanguards</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emina Botic</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: Emina Botic plays for the Vienna Vanguards.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In October 2016, the Vienna Vanguards kicked off this season with a victory at Danube Cup, after defeating long time friends and the German Winter Games silver medal winners, the Three River Dragons Passau, in a tense overtime finale. Later in January 2017, they earned their EQC spot at the Austrian qualifier, after winning against the other local team, the Danube Direwolves. This will be the third time that the Vanguards are attending EQC.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a plethora of veterans from the Austrian national team, the Vanguards are bringing lots of experience and synergy to the tournament. With the exception of a few new additions to the team, such as agile keeper Daniel Mitterauer, physical chaser Anita Prem, and former Cassovia Crows captain Martin Curnek, the Vanguards’ core lineup has not changed much over the last few seasons. The team still relies on physical point chaser Matthias Gruber, powerful driver Andrea Wöger, and Chris Gassner, and are led by the authoritative command of keeper Dominik Hiesl. This formation will be a great complement to the experienced beating of Max Liebetreu, Lena Mandahus, and Markus Tünte. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="IMG_7581_JPG.JPG" height="401" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fGR5CD_LS09VR9xObdthyIaPwVo67Rl1HC8n1srjMknqc_9q4Z8RUp8a6FbRV9QtMbHrxLsCzCd5pEC6HuZ0JBqMkJ8gTIWIJHS3msJmYnpL4XS25T0g8mlVAbNSmn3yv087IGVC" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chris Gassner catches to defeat Warsaw Mermaids at EQC 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite gaining many new members in the past few months, the Vanguards will not be able to bring a full roster to Mechelen. The squad is missing some key players in Simon Heher, national team beater Nicoletta Sagl, and Karina Auer, with the latter attending the tournament with the Werewolves of London. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coached and captained by power couple Anna Koivu and Dominik Hiesl, the Vanguards are well-prepared to handle international pressure and are hoping to qualify for the upper bracket.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Durhamstrang is a near lock to advance to top the group and advance to bracket play. Nevertheless, if they struggle with inconsistency again, Liège or Vienna could potentially topple the favorites. This, however, would not be easy. Liège and their physical play certainly pose the biggest threat to Durham and are probably the favorites to finish second in the group. Liège’s contest with the Vienna Vanguards, however, looks to be the most interesting out of all the games in this group. Both teams are looking to make it into the upper bracket, and Vienna will certainly want to prove that they can succeed. It would be an upset to see the Vanguards make the upper bracket, but they possess the talent for a strong lower bracket showing and could potentially upset Liège. Prague are expected to come in last, but since this will be their first EQC, their biggest priority is to gain experience, which they certainly will. </span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-50718614234093936172017-03-24T00:44:00.002-04:002017-03-24T00:44:59.997-04:00EQC 2017 Group G Preview<span id="docs-internal-guid-1155747f-fe9e-f59e-9766-367b1b2d959c"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-1155747f-fe9e-f59e-9766-367b1b2d959c"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group G</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Titans Paris</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Hugues Ribayrol and Fraser Posford</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the two-time defending champions of Europe, the Titans Paris enter as the favorites to capture their third championship. The Parisians started the season by winning their first Barcelona Moustaches title, denying the Mighty and Amazing Quercs a historic threepeat in the process. They then went on to win their second consecutive French Cup, which serves as France’s EQC qualifier, with relative ease, beating local rivals Paris Frog 200*-100 in the final. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite more than capable seekers led by Boris Martin and Boris “Tarzan” Mourad, the Titans’ strategy has never relied much on the snitch. Instead, they rely on a very good quaffle game, allowing them to score enough points to be past snitch range early in the match. Valentin Farese, Shadé Jaiyeola, and coach Albert Brégeault are key figures in their quaffle play and will be joined by a pair of Australian transfers, Lachlan Ward and Miki Stancic, whose fast playing style and excellent receiving abilities will fit well into the Titans’ style. Etienne Pogu and Charles Rigoudy lead a talented beater lineup, including fellow French international Flo Ruccia and newcomer Thomas Bourgoin. The Titans are on a winning streak that has lasted over nearly two seasons, and they are an almost impenetrable force. The stamina of key players like Farese and Pogu allows them to maintain a high standard and intensity of play for longer than most teams. However, as Australia showed when they beat a Titan-majority French team in last year’s IQA World Cup quarterfinal, the Titans can be beaten if a team can outpower them physically while coping with their fast-paced play. For the Titans, anything less than a title would be a disappointment, and they will need to remain focused throughout the tournament in order to continue their European domination.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Australian transfer Lachlan Ward chasing for the University of Sydney Unspeakables | Photo Credit: Courtney Buckley, via </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tornadoes Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Bex McLaughlin and Claudio Svaluto</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: Both Bex McLaughlin and Claudio Svaluto play for the Tornadoes </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tornadoes QC (TQC, formally Taxes Quidditch) qualified for EQC via the third place playoff at Northern Cup 2016. European qualification is an improvement from the lower bracket at BQC 2016 in their inaugural season, where nerves and overconfidence got the better of this veteran squad. TQC’s model of monthly training weekends has finally paid off, giving the Tornadoes consistent physicality and fluid passing. The TQC squad is comprised of alumni from over 10 different university clubs; gelling conflicting playing styles was initially a hurdle for the team’s competitive gameplay, but a little over a year together with few changes to their roster has resulted in a tactically coherent squad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the main aspects that sets the Tornadoes apart from other squads is their gender diversity and utilisation of non-male players. TQC regularly fields male minority squads under the guidance of TeamUK head coach Emily Oughtibridge. Chasers Abbi Harris, Nicole Stone, and El Zukowicz, along with beater Becky Thomson, combine experience, tenacity, and strong ball handling to anchor the team. Most Tornadoes bring a high-level of versatility to their game, allowing for any gaps due to injury or fatigue to be filled with no drop off in talent. Most notably, their seeking line of Stone, Tom Jones, TeamUK seeker David Goswell, and Lee Baughan, to name just a few, means TQC are well-prepared to face most snitching styles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While this is the club’s first foray into the European arena, in TeamUK’s Goswell, chaser-turned-beater Jonathon Cookes, Team Italy’s Claudio Svaluto, Team Mexico’s Guillermo Somuano Ballesteros, Team Ireland’s Eamonn Harrison, and Catalonia’s Bex McLaughlin, the squad has plenty of international experience, which will prove invaluable in Belgium.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bex McLaughlin keeping for Tornadoes | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cpquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Claire Purslow Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barcelona Eagles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bex McLaughlin</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of just a handful of teams to be attending their fourth consecutive EQC, the champions of Catalonia are well-known throughout Europe. The Eagles remain unbeaten by any Iberian team, and narrowly missed the upper bracket at EQC 2016 with SWIM losses to NTNUI Rumpeldunk and Darmstadt Athenas. The Eagles also dominated Spanish champions Lumos Compostela at Mangamore Kopa in October 2016, winning 130*-20 and 80-40* in pool play and the final, respectively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While a core of Eagles remain ― most notably captain beater and keeper Marc “Big Markus” Garganté, former Team Catalonia coach Chema Hidalgo López, team founder Alba Arrieta, and team coach Pau “Silver” Pérez Casas ― the task of making the upper bracket will be a challenge with a squad of only 13, particularly during seeker play with a lack of non-male players. However, Faby Echeverria, on study abroad from Florida International University with years of USQ experience, and seasoned basketball players Eric Armengol and Abraham Giménez, are welcome additions to the squad this season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As ever, the Eagles suffer at the hands of Spanish geography with a lack of challenging opponents to play between events like EQC and European Games. They soundly dominated their main Catalan rival, Nightmare Grims, at the Catalan Cup III in November 2016, and with their exception of their own Barcelona Moustaches Time tournament, rarely get opportunities to perform competitively.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marc “Big Markus” Garganté keeping for Catalonia at the IQA Quidditch World Cup 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rumours that much of the Eagle ‘old guard’ will be retiring or moving elsewhere after this summer’s European Games, coupled with the impressive growth of new local competition the UAB Ashwinders, could spell the end of the Barcelona side’s EQC run. To finally see the Eagles make a divisive show into the upper bracket that has been so tantalisingly close before would be a dream ending for a team in its last iteration of its current form.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three River Dragons Passau</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lena Mandahus</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Three River Dragons Passau narrowly missed out on last year’s EQC spot, but after coming in second place in an exciting final at the German Winter Games (DQWS), they seemed to have an easy time securing their spot for this year’s tournament.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Passau took part in EQC 2015, and since then they have improved significantly. With their quick and agile quaffle players, such as Heiner Elser, Ida Meyenberg, and Marco Ziegaus, they are a force to be reckoned with, and have become one of Germany’s most physical teams. Their beaters are also well-coordinated as Felix Linsmeier, Sarah Fuchs, and Chris Häuser have played together for many years, which shows in their on-pitch chemistry. Passau were also lucky enough to recruit former Aemona Argonauts players Borut Bezgovsek, who was voted MVP at River Cup 2016, and Verena Deutsch, who was voted team world seeker at Word Cup 2016. The two of them bring even more experience into the already stacked team.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Borut Bezgovsek keeping for Slovenia at IQA World Cup 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to these seasoned players, there is one newcomer to watch out for: Sami Fekkak, a French exchange student who has already shown great promise with his excellent positioning and fast drives at Danube Cup 2016 as well as at DQWS in January 2017. In the final of the latter, Fekkak also showed his strength as a brilliant seeker.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With their great teamplay, a roster full of strong, experienced players, and capable new additions to their team, Passau have the potential for a strong showing at EQC.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no doubt that Paris Titans will dominate their group. The second day of the tournament will be a lot more interesting for the Titans, especially with teams such as Velociraptors Quidditch Club and Antwerp A looking to defeat the two-time champions. Tornadoes QC are expected to make it to the upper bracket due to their experience; however, the Three River Dragons Passau will give their all to create an upset, with their stacked roster this season they stand a chance to win against the British team. The Tornadoes vs. Passau game will certainly be interesting to watch. The Barcelona Eagles will most likely come last in their group, as their small number of female players will cause difficulty for the team.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-30963344424165835962017-03-23T09:39:00.000-04:002017-03-23T09:39:16.004-04:00EQC 2017 Group F Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group F</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Werewolves of London</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Hannah Dignum</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the recent third-place finishers at British Quidditch Cup, the Werewolves of London find themselves with a group they can comfortably top. However, a surprisingly lacklustre passing game and lack of true cohesion between their better players was exposed against Velociraptors QC in Rugeley, and there will be plenty of European teams equally capable of exploiting it. It is possible that under the watchful eye of Simon Bidwell, the Werewolves will have ironed out these creases and should therefore demonstrate a greater ability to come together as a team rather than a group of talented individuals. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Werewolves will undoubtedly dominate in the beater game with a strong lineup of beaters including TeamUK’s Jan Mikolajczak and TeamUK development squad’s Chris Thomas. Despite possessing a range of capable individuals, they may struggle only slightly in the beater game as Mikolajczak does not have his usual substitute, Luke Twist, to rely on, having suffered an injury that is likely to take him out of the tournament. The Werewolves do, however, have the chasers to maintain a slick performance in the quaffle game, particularly with a lineup featuring Jemma Thripp, Aaron Veale, and Tom Norton. Despite drawing a group that they should top comfortably, they must maintain confidence rather than complacency. If they do not nail the synergy needed to succeed, they may struggle to make it past the quarterfinals.</span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="401" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DvxIqU70Ann1bQJ8FyABhgwcpTabtevLOYPopuCxs01CCIma0YQOc7fLLm_rWQSmLidKk3MMz-UjjKXCxbV9AwHKjyot1HA8jvUrG2YPYYAPWxWHnI8vupKQ3QF-vyVMaThdo9On" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="602" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Werewolves chaser Tom Norton | Photo Credit: Rica Biasi (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EnricaBiasi/" style="text-decoration: none;">More Quidditch Photos</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ODTÜ Hippogriffs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kaan Bolat</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ODTÜ Hippogriffs are Turkey’s second-best team this year, with a 6-1 record in the second half of Turkish Quidditch League 2016 and an appearance in the Turkish Quidditch Cup 2016 finals. Turkey’s first official quidditch team has been in the national arena since day one; since they are at the same university as three-time Turkish champions METU Unicorns, they have been competing and contributing to each other’s improvement since the beginning of Turkish quidditch. However, despite having competed in the European arena by attending Barcelona Moustaches Time two times in a row, the Hippogriffs were not at EQC for the past three years. The squad is stronger than ever this year and is hoping to make a strong presence at the tournament. With four matches going in snitch range during the second half of the Turkish Quidditch League, their 3-1 record shows how dangerous a team the Hippogriffs can be in a SWIM situation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hippogriffs are bringing their aggressive beater line, including smart player Olgun Oktar, rising star Nilsu Yerlikaya, and veteran beaters Ekin Berkyürek and Anıl Aydın. This line will be supporting the big quaffle player Gökay Bilici, who may currently be one of the best overall chasers in Turkish quidditch, and rookie keeper and captain Rojcan Azbay. These players, along with the newest transfer, Team Turkey seeker coach İbrahim Cüneyt Aydın, make this a competitive squad that should not be underestimated by other teams. Any team making the mistake of seeing them as easy competition might fall into their hands.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="401" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SRecn6ZjngT2IV25UKamfeIJRxRH5B5-0qGRRBzsUTqvK8NrK-gxMoHF7I7w0pQlb8UVunPAp2HEPUIkAnWUAXFV7-t--x1B4CTGIdbchXSmalNfbdNA0PBTSE0SSMsScrhWwMVw" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="602" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hippogryffs play Minicorns in the Turkish Quidditch League | Photo Credit: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/unicornsquidditchphotography/?ref=nf" style="text-decoration: none;">Unicorns Quidditch Photography</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aemona Argonauts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Vid Rotvejn Pajič</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite qualifying as an emerging area team, the Aemona Argonauts are far from inexperienced rookies. They are in their second year of existence and have been sharpening their claws in various international tournaments, from EQC 2016 to the 2016 River Cup. Most of the team also competed at World Cup 2016, where Slovenia claimed 15th place, beating the Netherlands, Ireland, and Brazil in the process. At Danube Cup 2016, they finished in third place but managed to defeat the subsequent winners, Vienna Vanguards, and narrowly lost to the Three River Dragons in the semifinal. With those achievements, they can aspire to qualify for Division I, although their lack of players may prove fatal for their hopes as only 12 Argonauts are embarking on the journey to Belgium. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Argonauts also come short in the physicality department, with keeper Timotej Soklič as their only physical presence. However, they compensate by having a plethora of fast, agile chasers like Jernej Valič, Miha Breznik, Erik Leban, and Katarina Šeme. A recent arrival, Ebrar Yıldız</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from the METU Minicorns, is also proving to be beneficial, especially in combination with Sabina Dolar and Ana Blaž, who are renowned for their troll-in-the-dungeon escapades. Despite losing their star beater Borut Bezgovšek to the Three River Dragons, the team can rely on veteran beaters Vid Rotvejn Pajič, Tomas “Bombadil” Pleško, and Pia Marinček, who are up to the challenge. The Argonauts’ main asset is chemistry between players, combined with speed and seasoned accurate beating. However, the team does not have many players on their bench, so they have to watch out for stamina and injuries.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="IMG_5908.JPG" height="401" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/KfX11e9xLxec8zh2Nn-xF3sJbhKqqmIJKmZKhkdbFZ2KFXTdYoyvqDexl7734bRptcQfoDj1nrJJOYubUXGos9yLlYMC0P9S4BcSZs-zFJZeg36Zjsr-vTIjDS5colIrHaPYl4-x" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="602" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aemona Argonauts at EQC 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darmstadt Athenas</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Nadine Cyrannek</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s note: Nadine Cyrannek plays for Darmstadt Athenas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The well-known Darmstadt Athenas squad is suffering from many losses and injuries this season. Fortunately, they recruited a lot of new players in October to help fill the gap. With a roster filled with many newcomers and some veterans, Darmstadt played at the German Winter Games (the EQC qualifier) and managed to overcome their losses quite well. The only game they lost was in the semifinals against their archrival, the Rheinos Bonn. With a win in the third place play-off game, they nabbed the last of the three German EQC spots, where their new roster will have to prove they can endure on an international level as well. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Newcomer Tim van der Sande clearly and efficiently copies the playing style of the already well-known Simon Burgis. This year, Darmstadt will participate at EQC for the third year in a row, the only German team to do so. In the past few years, Darmstadt had problems with the amount of female players on their roster. This year, for the first time, they have almost the same amount of male and female players registered for EQC. This is not due solely to their good recruiting prior to the Winter Games. Madline Fischer and Sonja Lenhardt both profited from their matches at Winter Games and learned much during all of the friendly matches the Darmstadt Athenas organised against several other German teams, such as Rheinos Bonn, Frankfurt Mainticores, Hamburg Werewolves, Heidelberg HellHounds, and Three River Dragons Passau. Additionally, they gained some experience on an international level against Brussels Qwaffles and Titans Paris.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="401" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/msABDjG_b4xUpSY5yTvNfGXWiGxUy65k82Nnz5Acf5MemtVCrx-RGm-nKg4z4wqPAPbd53o6-kKctGTNJFiY6jcQJyVf_1ACH-0GGxB9pbJKilFrkB1F_bpNFOW1Hwi6TT0kGFE5" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darmstadt Athenas at German Winter Games | Photo Credit: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanKlaverenQP/" style="text-decoration: none;">Van Klaveren Quidditch Photography</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The London squad is the heavy favourite to top this group, fresh off a third place finish at BQC. The team seems poised for a quarterfinal run and with some bracket luck or exceptionally strong performances, could realistically make the semifinals. Turkey’s national runners up similarly seem poised for a bracket run and should finish second here. A quarterfinal berth is not out of the realm of possibility with a favorable draw, but more likely the team will be one and done in the bracket. The German and Slovenian squads will battle for third, and the Athenas seem the heavy favourite to earn that distinction. They are capable of a lower bracket run, but they are likely to come away with more experience and growth. The Argonauts will likely finish at the bottom of the group and are unlikely to challenge any of the squads in this group.</span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-70613613875469053662017-03-23T00:14:00.000-04:002017-03-23T00:14:19.142-04:00EQC 2017 Group E Preview<span id="docs-internal-guid-708c4647-f95b-4740-d7b4-a60d08e766e4"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-708c4647-f95b-4740-d7b4-a60d08e766e4"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group E</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp A</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Nick de Leu</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since reaching the final in last year’s EQC with a roster of only 14 players, Antwerp A (formerly known as Deurne Dodos) have managed to not only keep the band together, but they have also added a whole new section. In Mechelen, Belgium, close to their hometown Antwerp, Belgium, they will bring a full roster of 21. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp beaters Faust Eeckhout and Elisabeth Reyniers, playing for the Belgian Gryffins, take on Hannah Monty at the IQA World Cup 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New recruits like chasers Noa Sangulin and Jonas Versmissen are different types to Antwerp’s core players and expand their tactical options. Beater Jan Dubois, promoted from the B squad, impressed in this year’s Valentine’s Cup final. And in chaser Nathan Wilputte, formerly of the Brussels Qwaffles, Antwerp bagged one of their rival’s star players. They reinforce an already impressive unit built around chaser Seppe De Wit, Team World captain/utility player Louis Lermytte, and the excellent beater pairing of Elisabeth Reyniers and Faust Eeckhout. That newfound squad depth has allowed them to remain unchallenged in Belgium. Even international encounters proved no match; they had comfortable victories over Rheinos Bonn and Ruhr Phoenix Bochum in February, and they steamrolled over a host of British teams (including a 180*-10 victory against fellow group team Brizzlebears) at October’s Battle Royale. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, Antwerp is not flawless. Several key players have sustained injuries, hampering their EQC preparations. It remains to be seen how seamlessly Eeckhout slots back into the lineup after half a year abroad. And at Battle Royale, the newly formed Velociraptors managed a group win and an overtime defeat against Antwerp, who had been playing together for far longer. Antwerp depend heavily on tactical awareness and fluid passing to cope with intensely physical games. The team will hope to rely on its chemistry and hometown advantage to rise even higher than last year’s second place finish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brizzlebears </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Ajantha Abey</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Brizzlebears come into a group that is nearly identical to their 2016 group, but as a very differently placed team. Unseeded last year, and with no hopes or dreams of possibly taking on the then-Dodos and Frog, this year, the Bears come in as second seeds, fresh off the back of their impressive BQC finals showing. Since their narrow victory over Frog, catching up from behind, and narrow overtime loss to the Dodos last year, the Bears have gone from strength to strength. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: '"georgia"'; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brizzlepuffs Quidditch Club huddle before the BQC 2017 final | Photo Credit: Helen Freeman </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under the coaching of Josh Blannin, the Bears have started playing a compact hoop zone defence, a tactic that suits them well, given the shot blocking skills of Tom Ower, Dominic Ayre, and Viral Patel, as well as the Bears’ strength in tight defensive beatings with players like Jodie Mee and Emma Isle. Aaron Brett-Miller, joining the ranks of Matthew Nugent and Alistair Goodwin, also presents a huge beating threat that the team has become much more adept at utilising. The team’s tackling has also improved across the board, especially with the addition of Abby Whiteley. She, as well as other new Bears such as Samantha Frohlich, Florian Messemer, and George Whiting, more than fill the gaps left by departing players. While some may claim that the Bears are not a real threat since they do not have any TeamUK players, the Brizzlebears make up for it with a team cohesion and spirit others can only dream of, coupled with an incredible depth and consistency of talent. They’ll have their work cut out for them, but topping the group is not out of the question for the team that has repeatedly shown us that anything is possible if you bury your hopes and dreams, and get to work. The Bears will be keen to prove that last year was no fluke and that they are truly a top-tier team in Europe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paris Frog</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Fraser Posford</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While they remain the No. 2 team in France, Paris Frog’s stock in Europe as a whole has fallen considerably. Frog were once one of the major forces in Europe thanks to a highly physical quaffle game that allowed them to outmuscle most opponents, including Titans Paris in the Coupe de France 2014 final. However, the likes of utility player Harry-Olivier Cabo and Antoine Luppi have since moved on, and as shown by Frog’s performance at last year’s EQC, many teams have caught up with and overtaken them. Facing Antwerp and the Brizzlebears once more in group play, the Parisians find themselves as underdogs for an upper bracket berth for Day Two. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cédric Chillan faces off against Antwerp’s Seppe de Wit at EQC 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nevertheless, this Frog side is still a competitive one and shouldn’t be underestimated by their group rivals. Keeper Cédric Chillan remains a major driving force behind the team and is one that is difficult to stop. French international chaser Lenny Vincent is also a major attacking threat with a mixture of speed and strength in his game, while Julia Portocarrero uses great pitch awareness and support play to her advantage. Belferroum siblings Abderahim and Amel will be key to the Frog beater lineup, their great tactical awareness allowing them to create problems for many of Europe’s elite. Besides a lack of depth in their roster, Paris Frog are likely to struggle in the seeker department with no proven option in the yellow headband. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warsaw Mermaids</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After last year’s surprising defeat at Polish Cup, the Warsaw Mermaids, the current Polish champions, came back to the top this January. They breezed through almost all of their matches in the Polish EQC-qualifier, only slightly inconvenienced by the Kraków Dragons, in a 230*-100 victory, showing off both praise-worthy physicality and major improvement in tactical play. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mermaids play against the Vienna Vanguards at EQC 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The team relies on quick breaks to the wings in quaffle play and reliable bludger players who know very well what their chasers need to score hoops. Aleksander Gęściak gave a stellar performance in the Polish Cup with his fantastic quick runs to the opponents’ hoops. However, the whole team deserves commendation, as the key to the team’s performance is how well they know and work with each other, thanks to their solid training. The team is bringing a strong roster of 20 people, consisting mostly of experienced players who played at EQC last year and a few who represented Team Poland in World Cup 2016 and European Games 2015. Marian Dziubiak and Kiril Kravchuk will also coach Team Poland in preparation for European Games this year. One of the drawbacks that needs to be pointed out is how male-heavy their roster is; the team should pay attention to giving their female players the pitch time and recognition they have truly earned. Ultimately, the prognosis is not good for the Mermaids, as they will assuredly be outmatched by the formidable teams in their group. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After last year’s triumph and this year’s BQC run, any funeral that the Bears might be planning would be premature. Although topping title contenders Antwerp A is a long shot, the Bears are solidly favored to advance to the upper bracket, with a second-place showing likely. Antwerp will strive to top last year’s runners-up performance, but with a difficult group yet again and the formation of a new British super-team in the Velociraptors QC, a semifinal berth seems more likely. Still, the Belgian side must and should consider themselves one of a handful of true title contenders, and with some lucky breaks in the bracket, could find themselves back in the finals. The Paris Frog are doomed for a tough draw and although they will be looking for revenge after failing to qualify for the upper bracket last year, they find themselves facing improved Belgian and English squads who knocked them off last year. A tough-luck third-place pool finish and a deep lower bracket run seems to be in their future. Sympathy is due to the lone Polish squad in attendance as despite being a veteran squad, the Warsaw Mermaids have no chance to win a game within their pool. If they could manage such a feat it would likely go down as the greatest upset in the history of the sport. </span></div>
</span>Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-21445534720813235982017-03-22T09:46:00.002-04:002017-03-26T23:20:47.274-04:00EQC 2017 Group D Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Velociraptors Quidditch Club</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Fraser Posford</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fresh from their domination of British Quidditch Cup (BQC), the Velociraptors turn their eyes toward European glory. Earlier this month, Tom Heynes’ team convincingly won all of their matches on their way to their first BQC title, including a 180*-40 rout of rivals Werewolves of London in the semifinal, before an even bigger 260*-60 victory over the Bristol Brizzlebears in the final. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "\22 georgia\22 "; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Velociraptors Quidditch Club | Photo Credit: Jen Macallum</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Raptors were impressive in many aspects at BQC, but the ability of their quaffle players to tackle and prevent goals in one-on-one situations, as well as their shot-blocking particularly stood out. Back from a long injury layoff, Jackie Woodburn showed no drop in the level of her performance while Andrew Hull somehow continues to get better and better; the TeamUK keeper dominated in the BQC final. Now with a 19-game unbeaten run leading to three tournament wins this season, the Raptors are in indestructible form and should progress to the semifinals of EQC. The Raptors are by no means without their weaknesses, though, and it is at this stage of the tournament where we are likely to see them really be tested. During a manic few minutes in the BQC final, the Brizzlebears managed to bring the game within snitch range when they upped the tempo of their attack and used some clinical passing play to break through the Raptors’ defence. The likes of Antwerp Quidditch Club and Titans Paris Quidditch have an even better passing game than the Bears and will most definitely use this to their advantage should they face the Raptors. Apart from a brief period during their quarterfinal win over Warwick Quidditch Club, the Raptors have not faced a match in snitch range for quite a while, and the inability of their seekers to make quick snitch grabs to end games could come back to bite them in the tournament’s later stages. Nevertheless, Velociraptors QC are in excellent form and are certainly one of the teams capable of denying reigning champions Titans Paris of a third consecutive EQC title.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rheinos Bonn</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Led by German national team coach Christian Zimpelmann, Rheinos Bonn had a successful start to the year, winning this year’s German Winter Games, narrowly beating the Three River Dragons Passau in the final to qualify for the team’s second EQC bid. In the lead-up to EQC, Rheinos Bonn have played friendly matches against Antwerp and had a training weekend together with Passau and Darmstadt Athenas Quidditch to prepare themselves as much as possible for the big event. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/nl7FdYY0yBm4pXjqng4fdbjqGNdlkBlj9jlw881qWXsT5XfjhbAY-CtJOA0ws-Tg5to96SKfQF95j7qt8hF2l6U8yDaAcdYG1o7e5jDED7HQmIRevMF8yoDrg6B9KtC0myrvbdNl" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rheinos Bonn playing at German Winter Games 2016 | Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanKlaverenQP/" target="_blank">Van Klaveren Quidditch Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With an incredible squad depth – most of the players have played together at EQC 2016 and the German Cup 2016 – Rheinos Bonn will use their agility and strength to try to reach the upper bracket this year. Fast and physical quaffle players such as Hannah Große, Leander Troll, and German national team chaser Ewelina Wolska will show a strong and quick game, supported by an aggressive beater game from Sebastian Elster, Leon Bürgers, and Momo Matern. In their seeker department, Zimpelmann, who made the team’s winning snitch catch at the Winter Games in January, as well as Till Wagner, who showed his seeking skills in the German NRW League 2016, are the team’s stars. The team’s best advantage is their great synergy, which could potentially give them an edge over another team in a tight match.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crookshanks Lyon Quidditch</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Grégoire Bourget</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crookshanks Lyon qualified for EQC as one of the top three teams in France. With a roster of just 12, they ended 19th at the last EQC, without being able to play their semifinal and potential final in the lower bracket. They will come in greater number this year with 16 players, and stronger from last year’s experience. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-547a7b72-f644-d38c-f52f-90c69e960f4e"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-547a7b72-f644-d38c-f52f-90c69e960f4e"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="IMG_9833.JPG" height="401" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NJ6rUvS1oVGHyc61yhwuC2CBgNmnZpvUG41why3WopZMratOpcyCk1soANCz4bFuvU972ORmBxLDoA3PJCjUFPbgwoEoAFEFe0qyttqh79YbXbjsxzGxiiXcjIF9jkt2s-3J8V0h" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: currentColor; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></span></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-547a7b72-f644-d38c-f52f-90c69e960f4e">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mikel Poisse keeping for Team France at the IQA Quidditch World Cup 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Their gameplay is considered typically French, relying on precision passes, lightning counter-attack, and aggressive beater actions, which they displayed during the last Coupe de France (French National Cup). With only experienced players in their ranks, they are able to adapt quickly, making them a tough opponent. They are also used to international competition. Chaser/keeper Mikel Poisse and chaser Jeanne Heeren played for Team France at World Cup 2016, and Renaud ‘Run’ Mortier – considered one of the best French beaters – will obviously be the spine of this team. However, other players should not be neglected, with the strong presence of American recruit Austin Dickson from Texas. Their goal this year is to do better than last year’s EQC with fewer injuries, an achievable goal considering their larger roster, and recruits bringing fresh but experienced blood.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bizkaia Boggarts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Fraser Posford</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bizkaia Boggarts will be attending their first-ever EQC, after qualifying last year but being unable to attend due to financial reasons. The team qualified by the narrowest of margins, beating Madrid Wolves 50*-40 in the semifinal of the Copa de España, before being defeated by Lumos Compostela in the tournament final. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="15304572_1656284341337270_5513927010593015788_o.jpg" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2l5IGLb5GMPXNmFb1c20wZ52bAVKI-hloEou3-sy3lJsP7EjtGdIW0U1ECQfyXK0OjJPQA4Wg7PQl8MN-MkWQpoNhActCa23_oQEydmBIZhEx26mTZ9O9u6zhO_veQKetveKn2OP" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bizkaia Boggarts Quidditch team | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BizkaiaBoggarts/" style="text-decoration: none;">Bizkaia Boggarts</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Boggarts have their fair share of talent in their roster, five of whom are in the current Spanish national training squad, including Spanish selector and coach Miguel Vázquez. A chaser/keeper who has also proven himself as a beater, Vázquez will be the driving force behind this team; Vázquez along with keeper Andoni Aranguren are likely to be their biggest threats in a strong driving game. Irene Velasco is a chaser whom teams would be ill-advised to underestimate, due to her great confidence when ball-handling and tenacious defence. Spanish international Ander Carbón has regularly shown himself to be a high-quality beater and the Basque side’s best option in the black headband. With great versatility and stamina, his performance will be crucial to the Boggarts’ progress at EQC. The Boggarts’ greatest weakness is their squad depth, with only 15 players on their roster. This puts a lot of strain on their key players to play for long spells, and an injury to any of their players could prove to be very costly. Like just about any other Spanish team, the Boggarts are capable of being an effective attacking unit but they tend to struggle a lot more defensively, especially in contact situations. Although they have a capable seeker in Sandor-Aritz Augusto, staying in snitch range could be difficult for the Boggarts at such a high-level tournament. So far, Spanish sides have collectively managed just two wins at EQC (Malaka Vikings and Madrid Wolves each defeated Polish teams at EQC 2016) and adding at least another victory to this tally will be the most important goal for both Boggarts and Lumos at this year’s tournament.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For Velociraptors QC, the question is not whether they will top this group, but rather how far they can go. No team looks to have a better chance of defeating the twice-defending champion Titans Paris than the barely-blemished champions of Great Britain. The two teams look set for the latest clash in the UK-France quidditch rivalry that so far has been exclusively dominated by the continental side. The match between Lyon and Bonn could be an interesting and close one. Bonn is probably narrowly favored, but both teams love to run and get out on the break and that could make for an exciting match with an upper bracket spot likely on the line. Bizkaia Boggarts lack the experience to pose any real danger in the group and will look to compete well and grow from their experience. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Correction: A previous version of this article omitted the Madrid Wolves win at EQC</span></em></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-87349904977864350062017-03-21T23:13:00.002-04:002017-03-26T23:08:00.115-04:00EQC 2017 Group C Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: '"georgia"'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: '"georgia"'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group C </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">METU Unicorns</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Can Kaytaz</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: Can Kaytaz is a player and former captain of the METU Unicorns.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the third consecutive EQC appearance for METU Unicorns, who impressed by finishing joint third last year with the Nottingham Nightmares. The Unicorns won both the Turkish Quidditch Cup and Turkish Quidditch League in 2016, with a record of 18-2 in the two competitions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Unicorns have kept their core of players, but have also made some crucial additions. Ruşen Sarı transferred from the METU Minicorns to further improve the already impressive bludger game of the METU Unicorns. Ege Berk Tuna and Ata Sarçın are two other Minicorns who were promoted. Tuna is a talented keeper with an accurate shot and incredible agility, while Sarçın is a strong point chaser who can tackle whoever comes his way. Ali Deniz Uçar made a very successful transition to beater, and chasers Cansu Bozkurt and Yaren Uçar have improved dramatically, adding to the scoring threats of the Unicorns.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="17015679_289787128105752_8560639220133965954_o.jpg" height="401" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2KQ252fM8FT9M3ZueeMyYbWuUMc5Nui8qTYxoNnwmY0zlvE5TNR8l36bljpzpUIKHcravnN2KnDH--lhuW9b3SV0pvjV2_X3W5gRZEr1Yoq_8b96PuED46k4mL1hQoS2JZVkIEP6" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">METU Unicorns defeat ODTÜ Hippogriffs to win the TQL Final in February. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/unicornsquidditchphotography" style="text-decoration: none;">Unicorns Quidditch Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Unicorns have all kinds of offensive threats and a solid zonal defence, and they’re ready for EQC. In addition to their usual strong drives and a decisive passing game to open up tight defences, they’ve also improved substantially at mid-range shots and also have some flashy moves up their sleeve. The Unicorns are stronger than ever and will try for gold this year; with a formidable beater line and a strong set of quaffle players, they actually have a real chance.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OSI Vikings</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kai Shaw</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: The author is a co-founder and former captain of the OSI Vikings.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With former captain and co-founder Kai Haugen Shaw out with a shoulder injury, the mantle therefore has been passed to the new, redheaded captain, Mette Sundal. Sundal has long been regarded as one of the best beaters in Norway, but after winning Valentine’s Cup in February, she has truly established herself as a game-changing beater who can wreak havoc against any team. Joined by Team Norway veterans Stein Elgethun and Heidi Åmot, the Vikings’ beater squad is looking stronger than ever.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OSI’s chaser game is also looking strong, with Elisabeth Annie Helle hungry to establish herself as one of Europe’s top chasers and Jakob Lenz at the peak of his career after continuously breaking through NTNUI Rumpeldunk’s defence in the Norwegian Quidditch League in February. The Vikings won the first two of three games, making them the first and only Norwegian Quidditch League champions. The games, however, left OSI’s keeper Martin Beyer with an arm injury, causing him to join fellow keeper Shaw on the sidelines for EQC and leaving OSI with John Andree Seem as the only primary keeper, meaning they will have to take away from their chaser lineup. They will look to Team Germany’s Alexander Heinrich, or the Japanese wonder Natsuki Maruyama, who has established himself as an integral part of the team after he started playing last fall.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lumos Compostela</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Yeray Espinosa Cuevas and Fraser Posford</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lumos Compostela is the team with perhaps the most significant growth in the last year in Spain. After coming in last at the first Copa de España in February 2016, they won the second edition last November, defeating the Bizkaia Boggarts in the final.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A speedy and technical team, they will be playing at the European Quidditch Cup for the first time. The Galician team may be raw, but they possess some star quality in their ranks. Beater duo Jorge Rodríguez and Pablo Rey are a nightmare to deal with due to their speed and chaotic beating style, and they are very adept at forcing quaffle turnovers. Captain and former handball player Pedro Muiños is the team’s main attacking threat. As keeper, he is capable of spraying pinpoint-accurate passes around the pitch to receivers such as the tall Manu Lago, and he can also score bullet longshots if given the opportunity. Chasers Raqui Martenis Gonzalus and Ali Muiños are also excellent attacking options who can punish teams around the hoops with their poaching abilities. However, with no players having ever played an international game, Lumos will likely struggle with the pace of European play. Besides their inexperience and relatively small roster, Lumos’ main weakness is a lack of a recognised seeking option who can secure wins for them. Lumos should stand a chance of competing well with group rivals Milano Meneghins and OSI Vikings up until the seeker floor, but this is where it could all unravel for the Spanish champions.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lumos Compostela Quidditch Team. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lumoscompostela/" style="text-decoration: none;">Lumos Compostela Quidditch Team</a>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milano Meneghins</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Dina Caruso</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milano Meneghins Quidditch are Italy’s oldest team, and under the strong captaincy of Michele Clabassi, finished third at their national tournament last year. The Milano Meneghins recently took part in the regional tournament “Girone Verde,” finishing in third place, but more importantly, this tournament provided the Milano Meneghins with the competitive environment to practice in before EQC.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The team is bringing a roster of 12 players – which, out of their five times playing at EQC, is the second-biggest roster they’ve brought. Their squad is a mix of both experienced and new players. Whilst the past couple of months have been, on the whole, more active than usual for the team with several new players joining, they have struggled to keep enough active players, and many of their players are unable to travel to the event. That said, Francesco Ermini’s athleticism and positioning on pitch makes him a strong keeper who is supported by chasers Noemi Sgarlata and Valeria Baroni. As the team has matured, they have moved away from a style of play focused on driving, they also do not have one main quaffle carrier. Gianluca Tenzone has demonstrated both agility and a strong tactical understanding of the game, which will be useful for the team’s chaser lineup. His agility also makes him a valuable seeker option for the team. Aggressive beating usually revolves around long-time player Nicola Beverari. Clabassi has proven himself to be a strong utility player and is able to fill any role when needed. Milano Meneghins are one of Europe’s oldest standing quidditch teams, but with a roster of 12 players, they may struggle to advance to the upper bracket if faced with any injuries.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meneghins’ captain Michele Clabassi at EQC 2016 | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is little mystery in how this pool will play out. The METU Unicorns will top the group and the OSI Vikings will finish second. The more experienced group from Milan are likely to edge the Spanish champions, but it is possible that Lumos Compostela could take third if they adjust well to European play. The bigger question is how far the teams from this group go. The Vikings seem likely to fall in their first bracket game. METU is coming off of a season where they reached the semifinals of EQC2016, and there is little reason to think they will regress coming off an impressive 18-2 season with more experience and talented players under their belts. While a certain amount of their success will depend on the draw, they have the ability to compete with the best in Europe and are one of a handful of teams that has realistic championship ambitions. Still, with strong teams like Titans Paris, Velociraptors QC, and Antwerp A in the mix, a quarterfinal appearance is the most likely outcome, with a second trip to the semifinals being a result they should be very pleased with. The competition in Belgium will be fiercer than in Italy with English squads bringing stronger rosters than last year, and the Unicorns will have to overcome very talented teams to repeat last year’s feats.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Editor's Note: A previous version of this article misstated the name of OSI's Jakob Lenz and the role of Kai Haugen Shaw with the team</span></em></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-82491453082114184202017-03-21T00:14:00.001-04:002017-03-21T09:52:05.779-04:00EQC 2017 Group B Preview<span id="docs-internal-guid-14754690-ef10-5b9b-d1bd-b406370667a7"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-14754690-ef10-5b9b-d1bd-b406370667a7"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With European Quidditch Cup (EQC) 2017 rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group B </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virtute Romana</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Dina Caruso</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virtute Romana Quidditch, the current Italian national champions and champions of their regional “Girone Rosso,” are Italy’s strongest team. Under the captaincy of Giorgia Quinti, Virtute Romana Quidditch were able to steal the national title from Green Tauros at the “Torneo Nazionale” last May.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virtute Romana win the Torneo Nazionale 2016. | Photo Credit: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/gabriele.spano.73" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gabriele Spanò</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The team boasts a variety of players with their own different playing techniques, which provides Virtute Romana Quidditch with the adaptability to change their style of play depending on their opponent; they can quickly respond based upon the needs of each game they play. Whilst Quinti primarily plays as a beater, she is able to effortlessly change to chasing when needed. The depth of the team’s roster is impressive; Marco Bianchi’s physicality and skilled control of the quaffle makes Bianchi one of the team’s many quaffle players who demonstrates a strong sense of awareness on pitch, and the aggressive beating of Edoardo Rubino complements the team’s chasing. Equally, seeker Sandra Kreit has proven a reliable seeker option for Virtute Romana. Many of the team’s more experienced players have previously participated in international tournaments, both playing and training alongside Italy’s national team, and have worked hard to relay their knowledge to their less experienced teammates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NTNUI Rumpeldunk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kai Shaw</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After losing the deciding game of the Norwegian Quidditch League last month against OSI Vikings, and failing to make the upper bracket last year at EQC, the players from Trondheim will be more motivated than ever on their long journey down to Belgium. With a roster consisting of many new players, some of whom started playing this year, NTNUI focused on development for EQC and Norwegian Championships in their league games. They should therefore be expected to play far better in Belgium, where they will want to be the top-ranked Norwegian team after failing to take that title last year.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lisa Tietze beating for Germany at IQA World Cup 2016. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajanthaabeyquidditchphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NTNUI boasts the return of Team Germany (and Team World) beater Lisa Tietze and is further augmented with Team Norway beaters Silver Chacòn and Amund Storruste, who have both proved themselves to be elite players by holding their own against the best beaters in Europe in countless games. Superior beating has been a key strategy for the team, which in defence relies heavily on keeping bludger control close to the hoops for easy beats as offenders get close to a goal. This, combined with a well-placed zone defence of tackle-happy chasers, makes it hard for players of the opposing team to get in shooting range of the hoops. This is not to say that their defence crumbles at the loss of bludger control, as the cohesive beaters have trained carefully to limit the disruptive effects of offensive beaters as their bludgerless beaters exhibit some of the most powerful tackles in Europe. NTNUI can realistically hope to top their group and make a run in the upper bracket; at the same time, there is a chance they could miss out on bracket play completely in a wide open group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dom Tower Dementors</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Rein Anspach</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dom Tower Dementors are the only team competing from the Netherlands and are attending EQC for the first time as a team, though several of their members have ample international experience. The team is a mix of newcomers and veterans, with four players in their first season and multiple players with experience dating back to quidditch’s debut in the country in 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nick van Klaveren, assistant coach of the Dutch national team, serves as both coach and captain. Primarily a keeper, van Klaveren is an excellent leader on the pitch, with a good eye for where the quaffle should go and the ability to run through a defense by himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dementors’ usual beater lineup is supplemented with experienced secondary players Jerona van der Gevel and Linda Hooijschuur, who will not just improve the team’s subbing options but also bring in some more defensive prowess, as van der Gevel is very good at holding onto her bludger no matter what, and Hooijschuur is great at positioning.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dementors rely on a quite standard tactic of beating out the defensive beaters and then running through the defensive quaffle players in order to score. This usually works out quite well for them, since they are the most physical team in the Netherlands. However, if the opponent’s beaters stay in play, the Dementors often have trouble getting past the defense, running into bludgers because of impatience and a too solitary playing style at points. A special asset for them is seeker Finn den Boeft, whose agility has surprised more than a single snitch. All in all, even though they are the best team in the Netherlands, the Dementors don’t stand much of a chance making it out of group play because of a sheer lack in skill level and physical ability.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dom Tower Dementors at Dutch EQC Qualifications 2017. | Photo Credit: Bruggeling Quidditch Photography</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ITÜ Honeybees</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Kamil Urgun</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ITÜ Honeybees are one of the oldest and most-accomplished teams in Turkey. After finishing in 13th place at EQC 2016, they improved a lot and this year and finished third at both the Turkish Quidditch Cup and in the Turkish Quidditch League, with a 15-5 record. Nearly half of their 20 games have been in SWIM range and the Honeybees have mustered an impressive 7-2 showing in those contests.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Their gameplay heavily depends on the fast-paced passing game of their experienced chasers Berk Akyüz, Olgaç Can Öztürk, Fuat Cemiloğlu, and Arif Gülbiter, who are mostly supported offensively by İdil Ulusoy near the hoops. Honeybees’ seekers Öztürk and Gülbiter have made huge contributions to their run this season with their impressive SWIM performance. However, their star seeker and keeper, Gülbiter, broke his thumb at Team Turkey training this February and underwent surgery, so his health for the tournament is still unclear. Still, after an EQC performance last year that saw them qualify for the Round of 16, the Honeybees will be looking to improve on last season and advance to the quarterfinals. This is a goal that is attainable if they continue their fluid gameplay and Gülbiter is at or near full-strength.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ITÜ Honeybees vs. Warwick at EQC 2016. | Photo Credit: Ajantha Abey Quidditch Photography</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group B features three national champions in Virtute Romana, NTNUI Rumpeldunk, and the Dom Tower Dementors. Yet it might be the fourth team, the ITÜ Honeybees, who are favoured to top the group. Last year both Virtute Romana and the Honeybees advanced to the upper bracket, losing in the Round of 16, and while neither is a threat to win the tournament, both can realistically aspire to top their group. NTNUI Rumpeldunk turned in a disappointing 1-3 performance in pool play last year and will be hoping to turn their fortunes around this tournament. All three teams have realistic ambitions of topping the group, yet each is likely to get knocked out shortly in bracket play as none possess the skill to make a deep run in the tournament. The Honeybees’ clutch seeking performance makes them the slight favorite to top the group, with NTNUI’s excellent beating making it the most likely team to finish as runner-up. Given the relative isolation of Italian quidditch, little is known about Virtute Romana, and realistically they could finish anywhere from first to third in the group. The Dementors are the team most locked into their place and will very likely finish at the bottom without a win in pool play.</span></div>
</span><br />Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-91247040602296238272017-03-20T23:25:00.000-04:002017-03-21T00:11:30.366-04:00EQC 2017 Group A Preview<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">European Quidditch Cup (</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">EQC</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2017</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rapidly approaching, the Quidditch Post takes a look at each of the teams competing in this year’s tournament.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Group A</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warwick Q</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uidditch </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lub</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dina Caruso</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hannah Dignum </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">both Dina Caruso and Hannah Dignum are affiliated with the team</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After their </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">early exit at the 2017 British Quidditch Cup</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Warwick Quidditch Club will be entering the tournament with </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a renewed vigour</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warwick are bringing a full </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">roster of 21</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the tournament and amongst them lies some of the most talented players in the UK. In his role as </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">keeper</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seb Waters </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is supported by fellow </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TeamUK</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> chasers Katy Lawrence</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Luke Trevett</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ben Malpass</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who will provide a </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talented</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quaffle lineup; their chemistry on pitch is exhibited in their skilled passing game and their ability to finish around the hoops. Last season</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the team was criticised for their lack of depth, but this season Warwick stepped up their recruitment at the start of this season and have massively improved on this. In the past, an injury to </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Burnett</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would have left a noticeable gap in the team’s offensive beater rotation, but the recent addition of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tayyeb Ali</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ― who exhibits a natural understanding of the game after only six months of playing ― should not leave the team in such a critical condition. This recruitment, along with regular coaching, means that </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jacopo Sartori </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hannah Dignum</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are able to take reliable beater substitutes for a tournament that is going to demand a lot of intense beater play. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TeamUK</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> seeker Jonathan Purvis</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has a suitable substitute in Malpass, allowing the team to adapt their seeker option depending on the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">type of</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> snitch. Should the situation demand it, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belinda Hammond </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is more than capable of stepping up and providing the team with a strong defensive seeker, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which is </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">something that</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Warwick</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ha</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ve</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> often failed to produce in the past.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GreenTauros Quidditch Torino</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">by </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dina Caruso </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GreenTauros Quidditch Torino have been amongst the top tier of Italian </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">q</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uidditch teams since the sport made its way over to Italy; </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they are the current champions of their regional tournament Girone Verde</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2015 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">n</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ational </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hampions of the Torneo Nazionale</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Whilst the team’s </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">speaking captain is Aleandro Bulcari</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they also </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rely on</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">their </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on-pitch captain, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Walid Benfadel</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who directs the team’s style of play </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">whilst playing</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> both chaser and keeper. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Benfadel’s quaffle play will receive strong support from chasers</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> David</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">e</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Maniscalco</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clara Vitello</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, alongside the aggressive </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beating of Michele Genovese.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his will be the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">third European Quidditch Cup for some of the team’s most experienced players</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the team has recently recruited new members whose ability should not be underestimated; chasers </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elia Zamiri</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giulia Solia </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">only </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">been playing for a short while and have already demonstrated a natural grasp of the game and strong on pitch awareness. The team </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bringing a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">squad of 17</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to EQC</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the timing of the regional </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">championship,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Girone Verde</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> couldn’t have been better;</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it took </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">place </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in early </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">March,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> allowed the team to give their new players a taste </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a competitive quidditch tournament. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Their group game against Warwick Quidditch Club is not to be missed, with </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">both teams coming first in their respective regional tournaments</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This game </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will serve to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the top tiers of Italian and UK </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">q</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uidditch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brussels Qwaffles</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Louis Lermytte</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After making the upper bracket in the last t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hree</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> editions of EQC, the Brussels Qwaffles find themselves in a very difficult position this year. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The loss to Li</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">è</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ge Leviathans in the Belgium Cup semifinal</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will taste extra bitter as th</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cost them a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">P</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">od 2 spot. As an unseeded team, Brussels will find themselves in a group with Warwick QC, Torino</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Dublin. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brussels </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">didn’t lose</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> any of their Belgian League </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(BQL)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> games</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they weren’t very convincing in their wins. In their last BQL game</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brussels struggled to win comfortably </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">against </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp B</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">omething you would expect from a team that is hoping to make upper bracket.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Qwaffles kept most of their key players </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from last season, including </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beater duo</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanghi Burlion</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Florian Dion</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chayenne Van Meel,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jorge Diaz</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Lana Naudts</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all part of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belgium’s 2016 World Cup </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">squad</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, will also play for the Qwaffles again. The</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> team</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> los</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nathan Wilputte</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who was arguably their best quaffle player last season, to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antwerp A</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but the Qwaffles </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">replaced </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">him </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a member of the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2016 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Norwegian national team:</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leandro Salemi</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. New chasers like </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kevin Pirsoul</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Savinien Massin</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hato Busson </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have given the Qwaffles </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">extra athletic players that</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> they</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> needed. Busson</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Massin</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s potential has even been </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spotted by the Gryffins</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> scouts, earning them a spot in the training squad.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belgium’s new players show inexperience at times, and aside from Burlion they have not established a reliable seeking option. In addition, a limited rotation could lead to fatigue concerns.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dublin Draíochta Dragons </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stefan Scheurer </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">& Anonymous player for </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Queen’s University Belfast Quidditch Club</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stefan Scheurer is a player for the Dublin Draíochta Dragons</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Making their European debut this year are the Dublin Draíochta Dragons (DDD)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The Dragons are a relatively new team</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> having been set up in</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> August 2016 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">following the recent wave of quidditch expansion across Ireland. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based in Ireland’s capital city</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">community team </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is comprised of immigrated graduates as well as students from Dublin’s many universities. Dublin are currently top dogs in Ireland after having </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beaten local rivals Queen’s University Belfast in their first set of competitive matches in November</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The two teams were</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> however</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> able to put rivalry aside to compete alongside each other at </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manchester’s Cottonopolis Cup in February where they finished </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in fifth</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> place</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dragons have a distinctly international flavour with 11 nationalities amongst their</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> roster of 19 players</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The team bo</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sts </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">players with</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> previous quidditch experience in Austria, Australia, Italy, the UK</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the US </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as well as</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> experience in other team sports </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">such as jugger,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> soccer, American football, lacrosse</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and of course Gaelic </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">f</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ootball and rugby. Particular mention should be made of their strong quaffle players, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jake Gomrick</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bl</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">á</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">thnaid Cluskey</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who excel in their positioning, as well as beaters like </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Martina Brazdova</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eamon O’Keeffe</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who feature good chemistry and shine in one-on-one beater battles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="339" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wNX7diAz_TW0lBx9g3M-RI0I4UcFV9EsWuVLp1EKUFYSIqw4MkkYbAVTA-ST34esGgpnXCkCCJdDo-7xVWU7LG_83-QMVm5LpojYVs7ec67Kn5pJHX6f-A_FvNKlqmNxMF510tXd" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="602" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beater </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Martina Brazdova</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> previously played with the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">London Unspeakables</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> | Photo Credit: Sophie Chrtn, courtesy of the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnspeakablesLDN/" style="background-color: white; text-decoration: none;">London Unspeakables</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he Dragons suffer from being on an island with little immediate competition</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ma</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">d</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">e up for </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this isolation</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by travelling to one of the many UK tournaments</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Cottonopolis III,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s well as having lots of tactical input from their players with previous quidditch experience. Dublin are looking to use EQC as a springboard to improve their squad’s experience for next season and for the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">forthcoming Team Ireland trials</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which will see their players compete against others for the hallowed green jersey and the pride of representing Ireland at the European Games.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">disappointing showing at B</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ritish </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Q</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uidditch </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">up</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Warwick is still favored to top this group. The </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UK Southern champions</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> feature depth in all facets of the game and are a talented unit capable of a deep tournament run. A semifinal berth would be a strong accomplishment for the English side</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and a quarterfinal is a very realistic outcome. GreenTauros is the strong favorite to finish second. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Walid Benfadel </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">might be the most talented player in this group and is a European player who continues to be underrated despite strong play for club and country. Meanwhile, the Qwaffles possess talented beater depth that should allow them to stay in range of most teams, but they have featured an inconsistent seeking game and are likely to place third. The edge probably rests with the Qwaffles based on the relative home-field record and a beating squad that will keep many games in range, but Torino advancing would hardly be a shock. For Dublin, the chances of a win in pool play are minimal, but they should show well as the</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> first Irish squad competing at an EQC </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and could potentially take a game or two in the lower bracket. </span></span></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-706779964448343235.post-83301191814044706922017-03-20T20:58:00.000-04:002017-03-22T18:23:22.465-04:00Consolation Cup Provides Alternative to US Quidditch Cup<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Danielle Lehmann </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For many teams who did not earn a bid for US Quidditch Cup 10, competing against out-of-region teams is no longer a possibility. Last year, however, Texas State Quidditch changed that prospect for many who just missed out on national-level play. Texas State returns with Consolation Cup II this weekend, when 22 teams (</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Editor’s Note: One team has dropped from Consolation Cup II, but as of press time the identity of this team has not been confirmed)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> make their way across the United States to compete in the intense tournament. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first Consolation Cup was the brainchild of Beth Peavler, who wanted a tournament that did not have the restrictions of US Quidditch Cup or the long-winded ceremonies and other entertainment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I wanted to host a tournament that cut out excess and focused on the actual game play,” said Peavler. “I also saw an opportunity for the many teams with fall USQ regional [championships]. In the Southwest, our regional weekend is always late February, which seems like a reasonable timeline (in relation to US Quidditch Cup), but what do you do in the north when you don’t qualify for the national [championship] in November? Hosting a ‘D-2’-type national tournament gives teams an alternative option to plan the rest of their season.”</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beth Peavler, tournament director of the initial Consolation Cup, playing for the San Marcos Sharknados against Austin Quidditch at the Southwest Regional Championship. Both teams will return to Consolation Cup this year. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alexrussellphotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Alex Russell</a>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peavler did much of the organizing, recruiting, and scheduling on her own, partnering with Texas State Quidditch to help with managing day-of events and fundraising. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I was very proactive about planning ahead, having contingency plans, and making sure that if I claimed to be able to run a quality national tournament, that I better live up to it,” said Peavler. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even with Peavler’s extensive planning, a month before the tournament she was told that a men’s lacrosse game was going to prevent her from using the fields she reserved. This would drastically cut the number of pitches and amenities and stop her from accomplishing the tournament she promised. Peavler was not about to give up. She worked with the lacrosse club president and they eventually moved their game ― a quiet victory known only to a few only weeks before the tournament. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Last year, I was a big fan of how well the tournament was run, top to bottom,” said Cody Narveson, who played for Minnesota Nice QC last year. “It may have been the most organized tournament I’ve ever been to, World Cups included.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two weeks before US Quidditch Cup 9, 27 teams converged in Texas. Of those 27, eight earned bids for US Quidditch Cup 10 this year: Tribe, Macaulay Honors College Marauders, Indiana University Quidditch Club, Marquette University Quidditch, the Silver Phoenix, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Baylor University, and the Long Beach Funky Quaffles. Of those eight, four were in the semifinals of Consolation Cup I: Baylor University, the Long Beach Funky Quaffles, Marquette University Quidditch, and UTSA. Nine teams are returning for Consolation Cup II this weekend: Hofstra University Flying Dutchmen, Harvard Horntails, TC FROST, Philadelphia Honey Badgers, San Marcos Sharknados, Austin Quidditch, SFA Lumberjacks, Death Row Quidditch Team, and Louisiana State University. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For Consolation Cup II, four players are working together to help the tournament live up to its expectations from last year: Leif Montgomery has taken over as tournament director; Tess Acosta as assistant tournament director; Jenna Bollweg as public relations, marketing, and fundraising manager; and Carrie Soukup as tournament volunteer coordinator. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="16251735_1846699465551517_2194082877557492421_o.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m17uCGEZpYLA5EjcMCMvHp1LTpqbLX-LMyOtECbzriadUv47iWCDnBBVhvxMsztIJAMJ7tFMyMhi2a0igxXKl33rUzcL-rrfkDYUXsGzic7glz1O9CTM78uCGQy1zb1YgEGgS2Jg" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gainesville Siege playing at the Horns Up for Harambe Memorial Championship. Siege will look for redemption after its disqualification from the South Regional Championship. | Photo Credit: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinerophotography/" style="text-decoration: none;">Andrew Salinero Photography</a></span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Last year was really successful, and we’re always up for a challenge, so we decided to go for round two,” said Montgomery. “There are a lot of teams that deserve an opportunity to play at a national level that don’t get a shot otherwise. We want to provide these teams with the opportunity they deserve, without policies we disagree with, such as stay and play.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many attending players are looking forward to this opportunity to play teams from other regions, including Narveson, who is returning to Consolation Cup this year as a captain of TC FROST.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The teams in attendance at Consolation Cup are on the cusp of moving up to the next level within their respective regions, and I love competing against players who use that as fuel and play like they truly want that recognition,” said Narveson. “It’s an incredible dynamic and not all games throughout the quidditch season are like that.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly to US Quidditch Cup, however, many teams still struggle to collect the funds for the long trip. Narveson said that his team’s travel costs are mainly funded out of pocket. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We have been able to offset a percentage of our expenses throughout the season by selling some merchandise and hosting a fundraiser earlier in the winter, but it hasn’t been nearly enough to cover the bulk of our fees,” said Narveson.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Travel time and cost are often the primary hindrances for teams when deciding whether or not to attend a tournament, and Consolation Cup is no exception. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Consolation Cup logos.png" height="292" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ojq2cFNAfROXm-aRjFqqJqEUiFo4kTV7LSTvwzkwJyu86wKnBXP32o-AjoX6t0PNLqnkzTkjkJem9_CRpR8SjoyC0wJtugv7QXYmw_i2UnzBj6_mpBdNlfk3rX_NzdtB0yV0Y-Xc" style="border: currentColor; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Logos from the first and second Consolation Cups, courtesy of Texas State Quidditch</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“There were a lot of teams that couldn’t come because it requires them to travel from the other side of the US,” said Montgomery. “Because of this, we’re not going to have as many teams as we would’ve liked, but we understand.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even so, in both years, seven out of eight regions have had at least one representative at the tournament, giving lower-tier teams the inter-regional competition they need to grow and prepare for next season. While it’s too early to see the full impact that Consolation Cup has on a team’s upcoming season, experience gained in San Marcos can be a major stepping point for subsequent success.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Editor's Note: A caption previously stated that Siege was in the Southwest Region</span></em></div>
Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00315310393051200220noreply@blogger.com0