The Monday Snitch--February 11

by Andy Marmer | February 11, 2013

Only a few quidditch matches occurred this weekend ahead of regional tournaments that will that will determine what teams will compete in Kissimmee for the World Cup. Instead of the usual tournaments, conferences were held up and down the East Coast.   South Recap: Six teams from the Sunshine State descended upon Titusville, Florida, where Brevard Community College (Titusville, FL) hosted 2013's first Florida Quidditch Conference. Although it was the Northeast getting battered by a winter storm this weekend, those in Florida could be forgiven for thinking a hurricane was pounding their state, as the No. 9 squad from the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL) decimated all challengers. The University of Miami team left no doubt that they will be a team to be reckoned with in three weeks at the South Regionals. Their defense was nearly perfect, stymieing their opponents' quaffle play for the first three games. The team overcame cross-town rivals Florida International University (Miami, FL) 160*-0, the host Brevard Community College 130*-0, and defending runner-up University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) 100-30* without allowing their opponents to score a goal in any of the three matches. Miami won against No. 29 University of South Florida (Tampa, FL) 130*-60. With a 3-1 record on the day, University of South Florida earned the title of second-best team in the state, dominating University of Florida 130*-60 and Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) 100*-30. UF lost to Miami and USF but squeaked out a tight 100*-70 victory over Florida State; Florida's performance on the day indicates they might not be a contender when the World Cup rolls around, and may even struggle to qualify. Although the state of Florida will host the World Cup, it's tough to think that any team outside of Miami has a chance to keep the trophy from leaving the state. Winners: Miami, USF Losers: Florida Mid-Atlantic Recap: Outside of Florida, the Mid-Atlantic featured several matchups over this past weekend with Virginia Quidditch League play, Carolina Quidditch Conference games, and a mini-tournament hosted by Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA) all taking place. In Blacksburg, World Cup qualifier Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) went 3-1, beating the hosts twice (90*-30 and 90*-50), and splitting two matches with fellow World Cup qualifier Quidditch Club Carolinas (North and South Carolina, USA) 80*-70 and 10-70*. Virginia Tech overcame QCC in the only game the two played, 80*-10. Ultimately, not much appeared to separate the three teams, with VCU seemingly turning in the best day of the three squads; though this is unsurprising as the three squads finished within five places of one another at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals in the fall. VCU took sixth at that tournament with QCC earning the final World Cup slot with an eighth place finish, while Virginia Tech took tenth. QCC edged out Virginia Tech for the final slot. In Carolina Quidditch Conference play, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC) maintained a perfect record with two wins over Duke University (Durham, NC) and two victories over Raleigh Charter High School (Raleigh, NC). Last weekend the squad from Chapel Hill defeated Furman University (Greenville, SC) and UNC Greensboro (Greensboro, NC). In last weekend's Mid-Atlantic play, the University of Virginia  (Charlottesville, VA) continued an old rivalry with the University of Richmond (Richmond, VA). At the Mid-Atlantic Regionals, the two met in a best-of-three with a World Cup spot on the line, with Richmond winning two of the three matches. This time, the group from UVA won the best-of-three: 30-80*, 90*-30, 60*-10. Winners: UVA (exacted a modicum of revenge), UNC Losers: Richmond (lost twice to a non-World Cup qualifying team), QCC (upset by Virginia Tech)