Source: QC Boston Adds Four Players

A source close to the team has informed me that QC Boston-The Massacre has added four new players. Benny Nadeau, Dan Miller, Jayke Archibald and Bobby O'Neill are joining the effort to develop Boston's first community team. The Massacre, led by Team USA teammates Kedzie Teller and Zach D'Amico, are currently pursuing other players but the source told me that Nadeau, Miller, Archibald and O'Neill are the only names that will be leaked now. Each new player brings something important to QC Boston and with six players, I can start to speculate and imagine how the team will look and perform on the pitch.

Chaser Benny Nadeau will leaving ECQ to play for QC Boston. An outstanding off-the-ball chaser, Nadeau has a knack for getting open, and taking accurate, mid range shots. If the Massacre run an offense similar to Villanova's (which is what I expect), Nadeau will benefit from the quick play qnd precise passing. Complex chaser weaving, give and goes and designed screens will allow him to get more touches of the quaffle and score more frequently. Nadeau played and excelled in Emerson's  man defense and if the Massacre decides to play a zone, he will have to adjust.

Photo by Liz Fisher

Photo by Mollie Evans

Dan Miller, the former Ringling keeper and captain, will be moving to Boston and playing for the Massacre. Miller is a leader and offensive playmaker with size and length--something that will be very valuable to the Boston community team when they face off against Emerson and BU. QC Boston's first Southern addition doesn't fit the passing-minded and speedy model that they might become known for, and it will be interesting to see how he is used in the offense. Miller works terrifically with beaters, often instructing them to clear out driving lanes for him. Playing primarily at the point, he can drive and shoot well too.

Photo by Michael Mason/IQA Staff

 Jayke Archibald will also be heading up to Boston to play with the Massacre in 2013-14. Archibald starred for Hofstra at chaser, drawing the eyes of onlookers every game he played. A prolific goal scorer, Archibald's speed and agility make him a great driver and he just knows how to score. On the fast break, Archibald and Teller will be a deadly duo, pulling QCB out of snitch range in many games. He has great field vision and will be a reliable and efficient scoring weapon for the Massacre. As a defender, the Hofstra grad is not very physical, but smart. He is good at blocking off passing lanes and can strip the ball sneakily.

The first non quaffle player confirmed for QCB is Boston Riot beater Bobby O'Neill. O'Neill is incredibly smart when trying to regain bludger control and a strong defensive presence. He has the skills to become an elite beater, and on a team that will most definitely use complicated, beater-chaser strategy, I believe he will.

With these four exciting additions, anyone following QCB has to ask: who's next? The Massacre are starting to build something special through aggressive recruiting: a team with recognizable names and great talent from many different teams and regions. Without any seekers, only one beater and no female players, the Massacre are very incomplete still and will hold official tryouts. The six players confirmed for QC Boston's roster though, have set a high standard in terms of talent, athleticism, leadership and experience.

First Team All Stars

(K) James Hicks

Maryland's transformation into a top-tier quidditch program can largely be credited to Team USA keeper James Hicks. Maryland's "Diamond Shell Defense" has been a major reason for success in 2012-13 only allowing an average of 30 points a game. In the back of Maryland's D, Hicks is a formidable presence, often charging out to meet driving players and receivers. Able to knock out the quaffle with hard hits, he causes and recovers many turnovers, then quickly runs down the field. Hicks possesses surprising agility and light-footed-ness in transition and his juking is the best I've seen from a keeper of his size. Hicks heads and paces an offense terrifically, with great patience and passing. Maryland's offense is very controlled and reminds me somewhat of a basketball offense, with Hicks being the main ball handler along the perimeter. Maryland was the elite team in the Mid Atlantic in 2012-13 and disappointment at World Cup doesn't change that

Created by James Hicks

(C) Drew Wasikowski

Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff

When he is on his game, Texas A&M chaser Drew Wasikowski is the most dominant player in quidditch including players from UT and UCLA. A sub-par performance against Texas in the World Cup VI quarterfinals has overshadowed the fantastic season "Drewski" has had. Leading Texas A&M to a Collegiate Cup championship, Diamond Cup championship and topping the standings at the unofficial BTCW Tournament, the Aggies were the consensus number one team in the country for most of the year. Wasikowski does it all for A&M. He can play at the point or off the ball, always contributing to the offense. He stands out on his team and at each tournament. Your eye is drawn to him because he is the perfect chaser, holding exceptional tackling, driving, passing, shooting and defending skills.

(C) Daniel Daugherty

Photo by April Gonzales

While BGSU's Daniel Daugherty isn't the most physical chaser, I believe he is the best shooter quidditch has ever seen. Daugherty's ability to make even half of his long range shots is an amazing weapon that can befuddle the best defenses. Able to evade top point defenders with tackle-breaking and help from beaters, Daugherty only needs a second to look up and fire. Opposing keepers, who can have obscured vision and be as far as 25 feet away, need stay very aware and be able to make diving stops. Daugherty is also a fantastic passer and driver. Number 19's point play stretches the field unlike any other player and creates a harder job for the defending team's beaters. With more open space, he can weave through the defense and shoot closer to the hoops--sometimes off balance, on the run or while being tackled. On defense, Daugherty is most valuable as a keeper. Against Texas in the World Cup VI semifinals, he blocked five shots from strong, powerful Longhorn chasers with a mixture of stuffs and deflections. BGSU was a semifinalist at WCVI and a finalist at Midwest Regionals in 2012-13 and it's a shame that comprehensive statistics do not exist to show that Daugherty probably has one of the highest points per game averages in the country.

(C) Melissa White

Photo by Elizabeth Barbier

It seems quidditch was made for LSU's Melissa White. She is outstanding at breaking tackles and dodging bludgers, a skill that only a very few female chasers have (and none do it as well as White). A talented offensive point guard, her head is always up looking to pass or make a good shot. She tracks down errant shots and receives passes behind the hoops as well as assists and finds open teammates. White creates her own chances at goals doing more than simply getting open, catching and shooting. Often spinning and trucking through 2 or 3 bigger defenders on her way to the hoops, she is really hard to tackle. On defense, the Olympian dishes out hard hits and precise take downs and she will always be at the bottom of a scrum for the quaffle.

(B) Kody LaBauve and (B) Kyrie Timbrook

Photo by Elizabeth Barbier

Photo by Monica Wheeler

Kody LaBauve of LSU and Kyrie Timbrook of the Silicon Valley Skrewts are two of the most aggressive beaters in the country. With their beating partners playing more conservatively, LaBauve and Timbrook can pick up and intimidate the point player. Unafraid to make long or difficult beats, LaBauve, nicknamed "Sniper," and Timbrook, a former collegiate softball player, have amazing arms. The two beaters can cover ground quickly, rarely losing bludger control, and halt the opposition's transition game with extraordinary half pitch beats. Each assisting their offenses too, LaBauve and Timbrook are smart and strategic. Possessing every skill you could want from a beater, the pair have yet to win any big tournaments--perhaps the reason they do not receive as much attention.

(S) Steve DiCarlo and (C/K/S) August Lührs

Photo by Isabella Gong/IQA Staff

Created by James Hicks

Both playing for teams in the City of Angels, Lost Boys' seeker Steve DiCarlo and USC's August Lührs have different seeking styles. DiCarlo's consistency and number of clutch snatches is unmatched in the quidditch world. While many seekers get hot, cold, and streaky, DiCarlo has been reliable to catch the snitch all year for the Lost Boys. DiCarlo has grabbed three tournament winning grabs and countless others that propelled his team to important wins.


By now, everyone knows that USC's August Lührs can take the quaffle the length of the pitch, run through the entire defending team, and slam it through the hoops past the best keepers. With immense physical talent and ability, the Trojan and Olympian will win every loose ball and will always be moving on offense without the ball. He may be an even bigger weapon at seeker though. At World Cup VI, he overwhelmed every snitch he faced with size, aggression and tirelessness. Lührs' lower body strength makes him impossible to throw and as his grappling improves, he will become an even more dangerous seeker.

 First Team
Keeper-James Hicks
Chaser-Drew Wasikowski
Chaser-Daniel Daugherty
Chaser-Melissa White
Beater-Kody LaBauve
Beater-Kyrie Timbrook
Seeker-Steve DiCarlo
Utility-August Luhrs

Departing Players Database Part 2

I want to finish off this so I can do my predictions for the three remaining US Regions: South, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic. Teams that I am especially curious about--USF, Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Texas State, Pittsburgh...

South

Miami

Jenn Baumgartner - Beater

Todd Grimm - Chaser

Sean Pagaoda - Beater/Chaser

South Carolina
Jacqui Ahearn - Chaser

Ringling
Dan Miller - Chaser
Steven Wong - Chaser
Anthony Sherburn

Southern Miss
Tyler Edwards - chaser

Southwest

Texas A&M

Keri Callegari - Chaser

Savannah Allison - Beater

Texas
(Information obtained from a Muggle Net video pointed out to me by Ian Hoopingarner and confirmed by a source who wished to remain anonymous. If any of the following players are continuing to play for the Longhorns or the list doesn't include a player, be sure to point it out).
Simon Arends - Chaser
Chris Morris - Chaser/Keeper
Stephen Bell - Keeper/Chaser
Jacob Adlis - Beater
Lauren Carter - Beater
Hope Machala - Beater
Hank Dugie - Chaser
Kody Marshall - Chaser
Augustine Monroe - Keeper
Jake Alford - Seeker
Sarah Holub - Chaser

Sam Houston State
Brandi Cannon - Chaser
Randi Sampson - Beater
Ryan Bowers - Chaser/Keeper

Oklahoma State

Corie Jo Fegel - Chaser

Julie Glenn - Beater

Chase Thackerson - Chaser

Andy Iverson - Beater

John Whiteaker - Chaser/Beater

None: Baylor, Loyola

Mid-Atlantic

VCU

Haley Moffitt - Beater

Scott Behler - Coach (ex-beater)

Katryna Fernandez - Chaser

Sam Rosenberg - Chaser/Keeper

Nicholas Waddell - Beater

Villanova

Zach D'Amico - Chaser

Blaise Sceski - Keeper

Penn State
Michael Parada - Chaser/Keeper/Seeker
Kelly Gambocurta - Beater
Steven Hysick - Chaser
Ben Kolmer - Beater
Joe Tucker - Chaser 

Maryland

James Hicks - Keeper

Patrick Rardin - Chaser

Sarah Woosley - Beater

Jimmy Pritts - Beater

Liz Miles - Chaser

Richmond

Nick Candido - Chaser

Billy Rothert - Beater

Second Team All Stars

(K) Tony Rodriguez

Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff

No player has ever revolutionized a team as much as Tony Rodriguez. The Lost Boys were a mediocre team before the transfer of Rodriguez, picking up their only wins in games against teams that weren't competitive and getting blown out by the big boys of the West. Rodriguez was, in many ways, the missing piece to a talented lineup that featured one of the best seekers in the game and a great beater pair. Rodriguez, an imposing physical presence to spearhead the offense, plays a fundamentally sound all around game. His shooting, driving and passing are superb and playing with injury, Rodriguez helped the Lost Boys become the first community team to ever reach the Elite Eight. The Lost Boy keeper is extremely dedicated to improving and has traveled and played with the West's best at West by Southwest and at the Cinco de Mayo Cup.

(C) Bobby Roth & (C) David Demarest

Bobby Roth, of Marquette and David Demarest of USC, have all the athletic talent a player could want. Both excellent point players and feared tacklers, Demarest and Roth are the leaders of their chasing cores on their respective teams. Roth, tall and long, is a physical, hard-hitting defender. His shots and passes whiz by the defense with stunning speed and accuracy. Roth is not afraid to initiate contact when driving and his ability to run through tackles demonstrates his strength. Marquette and Roth's performance at World Cup VI was underwhelming, but the blue and yellow collected plenty of hardware in the fall, winning the Midwest Regional Championship and placing second in the Collegiate Cup.

Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff

David Demarest has lived in the shadow of August Lührs and Remy Conatser at USC, and doesn't receive the credit he deserves. Playing a much more controlled and smart game than his Trojan teammates, Demarest has a broad skills set that includes trucking, penetration and dishing out the quaffle. The Trojan chaser has the build of, and is, a fantastic power chaser. Demarest was greatly missed by USC at World Cup VI and with Demarest, USC could have easily been a Final Four team.

(C) Paul Williard

Baylor chaser Paul Williard is an amazing player on both ends of the pitch. His quickness and agility make him one of the most dangerous players off the ball in the IQA. Williard always finds ways to get open and is a master of give and goes. Streaking down the field, or making sharp cuts behind the net, his vertical allows Baylor's point players to lob him high passes over the opposing keeper for goals. On defense, Williard's strength is his vision. Normally sticking to his hoop like glue, #10 pops out suddenly to intercept passes and race down the pitch. Blocking shots and retrieving loose balls from missed shots are also strengths of the Baylor captain. Teams playing against Baylor should attempt to target the other side of the pitch more because on Williard's side, turnovers will be more common than goals.

Photo by Lauren Carter

(B) Brittany Ripperger & (B) Katrina Bossoti

Both from BUs, Baylor's Brittany Ripperger and Boston's Katrina Bossoti are some of the smartest, most strategic beaters in the sport of the quidditch. Ripperger and Bossoti can pounce of loose quaffles allowing their team to regain possession, kill drives by stopping the player in his/her tracks with a timely beat and pressure players into making bad passes. Rarely losing bludger control, neither beater seems to make bad mistakes or inaccurate beats. Ripperger is the unsung hero in Baylor's rise to prominence and her beating is vital Baylor's signature defensive strategy. With a regional championship and a World Cup final four appearance, she will undoubtedly continue to pick up trophies and tournament titles. Bossoti, coming out of the Northeast, returned for World Cup VI after winning Northeast Regionals in the fall, and despite missing a semester's worth of practice, played as Boston's MVP. Both Ripperger and Bossoti have revitalized the position of female beater.

(S) Keir Rudolph

Photo by Madeline Finn

Called the "Jeremy Lin of quidditch," (props to whoever came up with that on Facebook) Keir Rudolph, Kansas' seeker, is a freshman sensation. The hype surrounding Keir Rudoplh since his perfect performance at Missouri's Spring Breakout Tournament had been previously unheard of. Rudolph lived up to expectations at World Cup VI, snatching victory against eventual semifinalist Baylor in pool play and helping Kansas advance to the Elite Eight. Wrapping his long arms around snitches, Rudolph can only improve in the next three years and it will be exciting to see him take the position of seeker to a whole new level.

(C/B/S) Sean Pagoada

Photo by Monica Wheeler

Miami's Sean Pagoada, who earned a Team USA chaser spot, converted to beater in 2012-13 and also worked his way into the Hurricanes' seeker rotation. Truly embodying a utility player, Pagoada excels at every position he's played, bringing energy and determination every time he steps on the pitch. Pagoada is a fearsome point defender with a white headband and he is difficult to take down. Armed with a bludger, Pagoada is quick, darting across the field to make strategic beats and occasionally unleashing his cannon. Pagoada also seeked behind David Moyer in 2012-13. Although Miami has a large rotation of seekers, Moyer and Pagoada were most successful (at WCVI) due to their contrast in styles. Pagoada works tirelessly on the snitch, grappling and reaching for the snitchsock. Miami placed second at the Hollywood Bowl, first at Southern Regionals and had the third best point differential after Day One of WCVI (playing in the pool of death). Weaving in and out of a lineup, switching positions and providing anything a team needs, unselfishly, makes the perfect utility player.

Second Team
Keeper-Tony Rodriguez
Chaser-Bobby Roth
Chaser-David Demarest
Chaser-Paul Williard
Beater-Brittany Ripperger
Beater-Katrina Bossoti
Seeker-Keir Rudolph
Utility-Sean Pagoada

Third Team All Stars

(K) David Foxx

Photo by Emily Oliver

Capable of leveling players and trucking through the strongest chaser defenses, David Foxx is an outstanding keeper. Foxx is the point in Emerson's effective half court offense. Surveying the pitch for open teammates, or driving to the hoops, Foxx plays smart and has fantastic field awareness. While he doesn't have explosive speed, nothing is more terrifying than Foxx accelerating down the field on a fast break. Foxx led Emerson to second place at the NERC and a Sweet 16 appearance at World Cup.

(C) Devin Sandon & (C) Kifer Gregorie

Photo by Isabella Gong/IQA Staff

Photo by Blake Hemmerling

What the chaser pair of Rochester's Devin Sandon and Texas A&M's Kifer Gregorie lacks in size, they make up for in shooting, athleticism, quickness and playmaking ability. Each player has a very different role on his team. Sandon is Rochester's leading scorer and has the quaffle in his hands every possession. Gregorie plays for one of the top, deepest teams in the nation. Players like Drew Wasikowski or Andrew Dinwoodie tend to get more touches per possession than Gregoire. However, when Gregorie gets the ball, he makes it count with accurate shooting, great positioning and the ability to slip out of tackles. Gregorie helped Texas A&M to a near perfect pre-World Cup VI record and a championship in the Collegiate Cup.

(C) Meredith Taylor

Photo by Tim Adkins

BGSU's Meredith Taylor is one of those rare players that capitalize on every touch of the quaffle they get. Rarely taking bad shots or turning the ball over, Taylor is incredibly efficient and scores and assists almost every game. Taylor fits into BGSU's offense best when she is playing behind the hoops, scrappily recovering missed shots and receiving passes. Taylor's broad skills set could make her dangerous anywhere on the field though. Taylor's contributions continued as her team knocked off Miami, Maryland, and the Lost Boys at World Cup VI

(B) Luke Changet & (B) Sarah Kneiling

My third team's beater pair consists of Ohio State's Luke Changet and Sarah Kneiling. Changet and Kneiling are both seniors playing in their final year at their respective schools. Changet is a general on the field, commanding beater, chaser and seeker strategy all with a bludger in hand. A natural leader, Changet led Ohio State to the Sweet Sixteen at World Cup VI and has helped to build a team that should be competitive for the next few years. Kneiling, a member of Team USA, is often overshadowed by beating partner Kody LaBauve. Kneiling is a reliable, smart defender who pursues the ball carrier relentlessly. Although she is small, she is fearless in trying to regain bludger control from larger opponents.

(S) Harry Greenhouse

Photo by Tim Adkins

Maryland has the best snitch catch percentage in the IQA at 76% in official games. At the center of Maryland's seeking game is Harry Greenhouse. Greenhouse is strong and normally makes quick work of all but the best snitches. Charging onto the pitch, Greenhouse is determined and confident and has a way of boxing out the opposing seeker. Although he struggled in Maryland's biggest games in 2012-13, removing him from the list because of this is unfair. The reality is, Harry Greenhouse is one of the most valuable seekers in the IQA and when Greenhouse can grapple the snitch, he doesn't come away empty handed.

(C/K/S) Reed Marchman

Photo by Monica Wheeler

Known for his backwards broom and gold shorts just as much as his strength and physicality, Baylor chaser Reed Marchman can't be left out of this list. An aggressive point defender and good shot blocker, Marchman can defend well anywhere on the pitch and is vital to Baylor's defensive strategy. Marchman seeks for Baylor often too, easily catching less physical snitches and providing an equal match for the most physical snitches. Marchman has been part of Baylor's rise from not being known to Regional Champion and Semifinalist.


Third Team
Keeper-David Foxx
Chaser-Devin Sandon
Chaser-Kifer Gregorie
Chaser-Meredith Taylor
Beater-Luke Changet
Beater-Sarah Kneiling
Seeker-Harry Greenhouse
Utility-Reed Marchman 

Rules of my All Star Lists

My All American team (with no rule changes) is virtually identical to the Eighth Man's. When other blogs like the Golden Snitchy and Butts and Brooms began to release their teams, I knew I couldn't just "rewrite" what the Eighth Man said. For the sake of presenting something new I changed some rules...

1) My All Star lists will take into account more than just the overall skill of the player. I also examined the player's accomplishments this year and value to their team.

2) I wanted to produce teams that I thought could play well together. This was not taken heavily into account but was always in the back of my mind.

3) No players from Texas or UCLA will be featured. Many All American lists have paid due respects to the talents of the players from Texas and UCLA. I want to look at and reward the performances of players from other teams throughout the entire season. This is not an All American list. I do not intend for this to be considered an All American list.

Northeast 2013-14

Favorites
Emerson leads the way in the Northeast due to physical keepers David Foxx and Victor Viega. Foxx and Viega usually sub in and out for each other, but having both players on the field at the same time could expand Emerson's playbook and help to negate their lack of size. Around the Emerson keepers, talented, smaller chasers like Benny Nadeau and Maddie Smeaton and the speedy Pablo Calderon-Santiago give Emerson a solid half-court offense. Emerson dominates time of possession because they utilize the reset more than any team I've seen. Emerson's patience gives them more and better shot opportunities.

The return of keeper Brendan Stack will boost BU's already flourishing fastbreak attack. BU is a deceptively great defensive team (their defense isn't a big, physical "steel curtain) and their ability to force turnovers creates fastbreak opportunities. Long, fast, agile chaser Michael Powell can pressure the point terrifically and beater Katrina Bossoti can take out offensive options with great consistency. BU's fastbreak often catches teams on their heels, with no set defense. Racing down the pitch is a chaotic way to play, but it works for the Terriers. With the experienced Stack back in the middle of that fastbreak, BU should be able to cut down on sloppy, careless turnovers and rushed shots on fastbreaks that plagued them at World Cup VI.

Emerson and BU have two completely different styles of play, but matchup almost perfectly. The games between these two Boston teams seem to always come down to snatches, and with each team's go-to seeker graduating (Emerson's Ryan Barnada and BU's John Blacker), we'll be in for some unpredictable and exciting games next fall.

Contenders
Star chaser Jayke Archibald and captain/seeker Fred Varone are graduating, so Hofstra will look to redefine their identity around beaters Alex Leitch (3rd Team All-American) and Theresa Buchta. The Flying Dutchmen are losing a total of 7 players, including 5 chasers or keepers, giving them a difficult rebuilding job. Leitch and Buchta are a bright spot for the Long Islanders. An experienced beating pair can guide an inexperienced chasing core to success, so it will be interesting to see what Hofstra does in terms of recruiting.

Tufts has lots of promise behind second year players like seeker/beater Nick Ryder and keeper Steve Mullahoo. As seniors like chaser Howie Levine graduate, the torch is being passed to the younger Tufflepuffs. But having chaser Raj Reid back (injured knee) will undoubtedly affect Tufts' overall gameplay the most. Reid is lightning quick and can completely turn a game around. Reid was instrumental in leading Tufts to the World Cup IV final as a freshman, now in his senior year, Reid will look to lead his team as close back to the top as possible.

Below the four NERC semifinalists, there should be a similar hierarchy of teams. Rochester might be able to jump up the ranks in chaser Devin Sandon's senior year. The tandem of beater Harry Clarke and Sandon creates goal after goal with Clarke clearing out driving lanes and Sandon zipping through the defense. No player in the Northeast is more valuable to his/her team than Sandon. Otherwise, NYU and Macaulay are losing their fantastic captains Amanda Dallas and Alex Linde, respectively, the latter being of great importance to his team's offensive production too. In Upstate New York, RIT could build on a Round of 32 performance at World Cup VI on the back of experienced chaser Brian Herzog.

Rising Star
Emerson chaser Pablo Calderon-Santiago stands out because of his quickness and ability to get open. Calderon-Santiago has a similar skill set as Rochester's Devin Sandon except he is not Emerson's primary ball handler. Off the ball, Calderon-Santiago is virtually impossible to guard and will shred through all but the strongest zone defenses. If Emerson does not convert either Victor Viega or David Foxx to chaser, Calderon-Santiago's importance increases. In that case, he becomes Emerson's top chaser and second best scoring threat on the field at any time.

Team to Watch
QC Boston-The Massacre has a chance to become the most elite community team on the East Coast. Launching this summer, a chasing core anchored by Team USA chasers Kedzie Teller and Zach D'Amico is very exciting and promising for the Massacre. Not much else is finalized about QCB's roster which makes me even more intrigued to see them play.

Three Questions
Will the Northeast be the weakest US region? Arguably, it was in 2012-13. With Maryland and Villanova taking heavy losses, does the Northeast get out of the cellar?

How will the return of Tufts chaser Raj Reid and Boston keeper Brendan Stack affect their respective teams? 

What does the future hold for Vassar and Middlebury? Vassar could be a top team in the Northeast but is unhappy with the IQA. And the five time world champs barely try anymore, sending a pathetic team to 2012's Northeast Regionals. I hope an IQA event that please our forefathers is created in 2013-14.

Prediction
1) Emerson
2) BU
3) Rochester
4) Tufts

Captain's Poll

Captains: Vote in this awesome post-WC captains poll!
https://docs.google.com/a/internationalquidditch.org/forms/d/1paC1xzpnwNhdWuMEstvznCxR-EO5f9ZEis0UC6kwkDo/viewform

USC vs. Emerson

USC vs. Emerson

World Cup VI. Kissimmee, FL
Video

Why This Game is Important/Interesting: Two teams from opposite sides of the country faced off in a World Cup Pool Play Game. Emerson seems to have dominated the game statistically. Scoring more goals total, Emerson also held bludger control 84% of the time and shot 60% percent. USC's offense ran completely through Harrison James, August Lührs and Ryan Parsons. The three combined to record every point the USC put on the board, including the game winning snatch. Did Emerson let this game slip away? To pose a bigger question, which is more valuable: having a few stars or having an all around good, deep team?

USC 100*.....................................................Emerson 90

7.....................................Goals......................................9

16...................................Shots......................................15

44%................................Shot %................................60%

2:35................Time with Bludger Control..............13:24

16%...................% with Bludger Control..................84%

X....................................Snatch.......................................

Why USC Won: Emerson's beaters and chasers failed to neutralize James, Lührs and Parsons. Emerson's beaters were slow to react to drives and failed to account for players behind the hoops. Emerson's chaser defense had no answer for USC's bigger players when they were driving to the hoops. All in all, I could easily be writing "Why Emerson Won." USC took so many bad, low-percentage shots. Emerson's offense functioned almost perfectly. In this game, it came down to the snatch. At seeker, Lührs was very difficult to ward off. Snitch Mason Kuzmich could only delay the Olympian for three minutes before a come-from-behind snatch won the game for the Trojans.

MVP: Keeper/chaser Ryan Parsons played the smartest out of the USC's Big Three. Keeping the game under control, while notching three goals and two blocks, Parsons didn't take too many bad shots and his defense was good too. Parsons attempted many more passes than Lührs and James combined.

Starwatch: For USC, August Lührs played well, scoring 1 goal, dishing out 1 assist and recording the game-winning snitch grab. Emerson's David Foxx had two slam dunk goals but with the rest of Emerson's offense, failed to put them out of snitch range when the snitch returned to the pitch.

Stat of the Game: In the middle of the game, only three players (Lührs, James, Parsons) touched the quaffle for USC in 8 out of 9 consecutive possessions. The Big Three scored four goals in this time period and maybe passed the quaffle three or four times. The stat shows how USC didn't play as a team, but still found success. To compete for a World Cup next year, the Trojans have to learn to pay as a team.

Chasing/Keeping

Emerson

K-David Foxx.................................2 Goals, 2 Assists, 1 Block

K-Victor Viega................................2 Goals, 0 Assists, 3 Blocks

C-Pablo Calderon-Santiago.............2 Goals, 1 Assist

C-Benny Nadeau..............................1 Goal, 0 Assists

C-Griffin Conologue........................1 Goal, 0 Assists

C-Mike Rodriguez...........................1 Goal, 0 Assists

C-Jackson Maher..............................0 Goals, 2 Assists

C/K-Matt Lowe.................................0 Goals/Assists, 1 Block

USC

C/K-August Lührs..........................1 Goal, 1 Assists, 0 Blocks

C/K-Harrison James.......................3 Goals, 1 Assist, 2 Blocks

C/K-Ryan Parsons...........................3 Goals, 0 Assists, 2 Blocks

Beating

0:00-0:50 USC Nick Metzler & Sarah Sherman

0:51-6:44 Emerson CJ Junior, Erin St. Pierre & Paulina Pascaul

6:45-7:20 USC Nicky Guangorena & Sarah Sherman

7:21-14:10 Emerson Aaron Wohl, CJ Junior & Cassie Samuels

14:11-15:20 USC Nicky Guangorena & Julia Thomas

(time in the game, team with bludger control, beaters on the pitch at any point during that period of bludger control)

Seeking

Emerson

Ryan Barnada................2:40

Cam Wong....................1:50, surrendered snatch

USC

Jack Cannice................0:40

August Lührs...............2:00

Jack Cannice................0:40

August Lührs...............1:10, snatch