Northeast Regional Highlights

by Kerri Donnelly | February 13, 2013

Leading up to the World Cup, the IQA will be taking a weekly look back at the highlights from the various regionals. This week, the Northeast. Photo Courtesy of Michael E. Mason Photography With the resolve of trained gladiators entering the Coliseum, 24 quidditch teams gathered at Fort Adams for an unprecedented display of athleticism and whimsy at the Northeast Regional Tournament in Newport, Rhode Island. Windswept and ocean-sprayed, the competitors on the island included, in alphabetical order: Boston Riot Boston University Brandeis University CAMPS Emerson College Green Mountain College Harvard University Hofstra University Macaulay Honors College Middlebury College New York Badassilisks New York University Rochester Institute of Technology Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Stony Brook University SUNY Geneseo Syracuse University Tufts University University of Massachusetts University of New Haven University of Rhode Island University of Rochester University of Vermont Vassar College With pool play as merciless as the New England weather, many were surprised when five-time World Cup champions Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT) couldn't survive their “Pool of Death” and found themselves eliminated early in the tournament. The day one pool play also knocked out Green Mountain College (Poultney, VT), University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI), Brandeis University (Waltham, MA), and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY). To no one's surprise, Emerson College (Boston, MA) and Boston University (Boston MA) zipped past pool play, the round of 16, and the quarter-finals without difficulty. The two schools are often considered some of toughest competitors in the Northeast, and their rosters are stacked with bulked-up behemoths bred for victory. There must be something in that “dirty water” of Boston. Emerson finally found some competition at the semi-finals. The agility and strategic skill of Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) proved a good match against the Emerson Lions. Although the New York natives eventually lost on a snitch-grab, Hofstra kept the score low and close in an intense match that ended 50*, 20, Emerson. Before BU and Emerson duked it out for the championship crown, the best players of the tournament—voted on by their competitors—came together for an all-star match that was hijacked by some rogue snitches. The snitches stole quaffles, beaters, and even the title of all-star champions. For the first time in quidditch history, the snitches won a match with a score of 130*-40-100. It is still undetermined who caught which snitch to end the game. What is clear, however, is the match administered a healthy dose of whimsy, putting to bed rumors that the Northeast lacks the camaraderie and good-spirit of other regions. The spirit of friendly competition was also apparent at the finals, where eliminated athletes huddled together with cups of IHOP hot chocolate to watch Boston University and Emerson College go head-to-head. The game did not disappoint. The chasers challenged each other with physicality, flawless passing, and panache expected of the top two teams, while the beaters played a ruthless game of bludger roulette. Both sets of hoops saw a lot of action, but ultimately Boston University caught the snitch to end the game at 150*-80. A full list of Northeast WCVI qualified teams: ·    Boston Riot (Boston, MA) ·    Boston University (Boston, MA) ·    Emerson College (Boston, MA) ·    Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) ·    Macaulay Honors College (New York, NY) ·    New York University (New York, NY) ·    Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY) ·    SUNY Geneseo (Geneseo, NY) ·    Tufts University (Boston, MA) ·    University of Massachusetts (Amherst, MA) ·    University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)