MQC/SNEQC Preview

The Massachusetts Quidditch Conference and the Southern New England Quidditch Conference will kick off their seasons this weekend with a 15 team invitational. Along with many of the conferences' regulars, McGill and the New York Badassilisks will be joining in. Here's a quick preview including best and worst case scenarios for each of the top teams.

Photo by Michael E. Mason/IQA Staff

All eyes will turn to QC Boston: The Massacre this weekend as the much hyped community team will make their debut. Led by Kedzie Teller, Zach D'Amico, Jayke Archibald and Ben Nadeau, the chasing core of the Massacre is sure to be quick, crisp and accurate. Expect lots of passing and movement: a nightmare for defenses. Archibald and Teller's speed will allow for lots of fast break goals and a great transition offense. Keeper Victor Viega will take on a bigger role as QCB's go to power player and will face off in pool play against former teammate David Foxx. In Kara Levis' first Northeast games, she will face off against the region's best offenses. I think QC Boston certainly has the pieces in place to win the MQC/SNEQC Invitational.

Best Case: QC Boston wins their first tournament setting the tone for a successful season. Their offense looks precise and unstoppable and the defense doesn't disappoint.

Worst Case: QC Boston loses to Emerson in pool play, but rallies to advance to the finals. In the finals, their passing game is picked apart by BU and doubt about QCB's chances this year spreads across the nation.

Photo by Monica Wheeler

Although some think Emerson was gutted by graduations and the Massacre this summer, I think Emerson will feel like a relatively similar team and have a good shot at upsetting QCB. While the losses of Jo Lam, Matt Lowe, Ben Nadeau, Victor Viega, and Griffin Conologue will be felt, I think David Foxx, the most physically dominating player in the Northeast, will be able to carry the team offensively from the point. Expect the breakout of chaser Pablo Calderon-Santiago, now a certain starter for Emerson and probably one of Foxx's most targeted receivers. With Aaron Wohl anchoring the beating corps, I think Emerson is in a very good position and I truly don't think they've fallen off much from last season.

Best Case: Emerson beats QC Boston in pool play and advanced to the finals, possibly knocking out defending Northeast champions BU in the semifinals.

Worst Case: Emerson is not ready for so many losses of key players. Foxx struggles as teams meet him at the point with multiple defending chasers and a beater every possession. Emerson is bounced in the quarterfinals.

Photo by Michael E. Mason/IQA Staff

The MQC/SNEQC Invitational will be the return of Brendan Stack to a BU team that went to the Sweet Sixteen without him. Stack, a vital part of the Terriers attack on transition, is well known among these teams although he seems to have been forgotten nationally. Stack and Michael Powell, one of a few BU chasers/keepers who thrived during Stack's absence, should be a fast, productive, duo. Also watch for BU beater Max Havlin, who's spectacular beating for Blue at Northeast Fantasy boosted them into the semifinals. Havlin's impenetrable defense frustrated his fantasy opponents. With BU's lack of physical defense and solid tackling, (the strength of BU's chaser defense is interceptions) Havlin and elite beater Katrina Bossoti will be the key to BU's success this weekend.

Best Case: BU dominates the competition making QC Boston look bad in the finals. BU rockets to the top of rankings

Worst Case: BU gets bounced in the semifinals. Stack's return is disappointing and powerhouse players like David Foxx are not stopped by Havlin and Bossoti 

McGill will travel down into the States, and for the first time since World Cup V, they will be put to the test against top US teams. As the only non-American team in the Eighth Man's top 20, McGill will look to prove that they belong there. Winners of the last Canadian Cup, McGill hasn't been seen on the big stage since, so all there is to look at is players' fantasy performances. 

Best Case: McGill surprises teams who haven't played them before, wins their pool and advances to the semifinals. 

Worst Case: McGill is easily beaten in the quarterfinals and drops out of T8M rankings.

*an incorrect earlier version of this article stated Hugh Podmore played for McGill. Podmore has graduated and now plays for York University, where he goes to graduate school.

With no elite teams, all of SNEQC teams will be looking for a chance to break out and assert themselves as contenders with a win over an MQC team. SNEQC Champions, the India Point Ashwinders have a tough road to bracket play, going against QC Boston  and Emerson in pool play. New Haven, however, will get three reasonable shots at good teams in Tufts, McGill and Harvard. I think New Haven can upset at least two of these three teams. If UNH could pull even one of those upsets off, it would be huge for the SNEQC.

Best Case: New Haven (who places second in their pool defeating McGill and Harvard) and India Point advance to bracket play. New Haven plays a tight snitch range game in the quarterfinals, but loses.

Worst Case: No SNEQC teams advance to bracket play and people remember this tournament as the MQC Invitational. 

My Prediction

Finals BU def. QC Boston

Semifinals QC Boston def. McGill, BU def. Emerson

Quarterfinals QC Boston def. New. Haven, McGill def. UMass, BU def. Badassilisks, Emerson def. Tufts