Canada Day Fantasy Preview
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Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Photo Editor
Schedule
The schedule for Canada Day Fantasy has been released. The tournament will begin with a round robin, and after all the teams have faced off, the top two teams will receive a by to the semi-finals. The other four teams will then face off again to see who gains the last two spots in the semi-finals. The finals will begin at 5:40 p.m. and the tournament will conclude by 6:30 p.m.Team Breakdown
The Wall - Pink
(GM) Samy Mousa, Chaser, Crimson Warhawks Alex Linde, Chaser/Beater, Macaulay Honors College Dan Shapiro, Keeper/Beater, University of Missouri Daniel Daughetry, Chaser, Bowling Green State University, Emily Crouch, Beater, New York Badassilisks Erin McCrady, Beater, University of Ottawa Jeff Sherman, Keeper, Rochester Institute of Technology Lucille Alexander, Chaser, University of Pennsylvania Lukas Louwerse, Beater/Chaser, University of Toronto Marc Jan, Keeper, University of Ottawa Marilyn Tourangeau, Chaser, University of Ottawa Marisa Sauret, Beater, University of Ottawa Matt Bourassa, Chaser, Free Agent Matt Panico, Chaser/Keeper, Steel City Quidditch Club Michael Pascutoi, Chaser, University of Rochester Ryan Savage, Chaser, Free Agent Shenuque Tissera Seeker, Macaulay Honors College Todd Mitchell, Beater, Boston Riot Tom Skudlarek, Chaser/Keeper, Rochester Institute of Technology Vinoj Suthakaren, Beater, University of Toronto St. George Nifflers The Wall's offense is fast and versatile. They use a combination of drives and cycles to keep their opponents guessing. Defensively they have strong players who play the body and control the physical aspect of the game. They also have a strong beating unit that works offensively to force the play and that is aggressive in their rebound control. The Wall's weakness lies in their seeking. There is one experienced seeker on the team, Shenuque Tissera, but one seeker is not enough for a tournament with a minimum of six games. Any team that is able to capitalize on The Wall's lack of seeker substitutions can gain a major advantage in tight games. There are many skilled players on The Wall, but two players to watch out for are Daniel Daugherty and Marisa Sauret. Daugherty is both a playmaker and a scorer. He is able to read the opponent's defense and make split-second decisions. He is dangerous from almost anywhere on the pitch, and is known for his skilled long shots, quick drives, and perfect passes. Sauret is one of the most excitable quidditch players out there. She has a can-do attitude that drives her to be an exceptional beater. She not afraid to be aggressive to control the bludgers and is known to wrestle players to remain in control.Team Casey - Red
(GM) Casey Inniss, Beater, Algonquin College Alexandra Bassa, Beater, University of Ottawa Andrew Harness, Chaser, Algonquin College Bill Whyte, Keeper, Carleton University Caleb Smith, Any, Free Agent Carleigh Wensink, Chaser, Carleton University Darren Cheng, Chaser/Keeper University of Toronto Frank Gao, Chaser/Beater, Boston Riot Joel Bandy, Chaser, Carleton University Julien Baliozian, Chaser/Keeper, McGill College Kera Lanouette, Seeker/Chaser, University of Ottawa Kevin Da Ponte, Keeper/Beater, University of Ottawa Kyle Leslie, Beater/Chaser, Rochester Institute of Technology Mahalah King-Slutzky, Chaser, New York Badassalisks Matt Korda, Chaser, University of Toronto Stephanie Jonker, Chaser, Carleton University Tessa Cabana, Beater, Université de Montréal Tim Robillard, Keeper, Algonquin College Tom Corlett, Beater, University of Ottawa Team Casey's strength will be their defense. They have aggressive defensive chasers and keepers that will shut down the play early. If their opponent manages to slip past their chasers, their beaters, known for their aggressive style and skill at keeping bludger superiority (BS, also known as bludger control), will be ready to stop them. Team Casey unfortunately has a few flaws that may cause them some trouble. Although their aggressive defensive style is generally effective, some of their players have a habit of over-committing, which causes gaps in their defense. They also lack in the seeker department. Although Kera Lanouette is experienced, she is their only seeker, and she will get worn out if she has no substitutes. The players to watch on Team Casey are Tim Robillard and Alexandra Bassa. Robillard comes from a rugby and hockey background and is a driving force on his team. He leads his team from the keeper zone with hard hits and drives; he puts his team on the board and keeps the other team off. Bassa is a strong beater. Known for her ability to catch any throw and regain bludger superiority, she can ensure her team will have a solid defensive line.Team Devin - Green
Devin Dutt, Chaser, Carleton University Alexander Bourassa, Beater/Chaser, Carleton University Alyssa Giarrosso, Chaser, Rochester Institute of Technology Andonio Mourdoukoutas, Chaser, Macaulay Honors College Brian Herzog, Chaser/Keeper/Seeker, Rochester Institute of Technology Cedric Leimkuehler, Chaser, Crimson Warhawks Chris Radojewski, Chaser, University of Ottawa Cory Smithson, Any, Fleming College Ian Little, Chaser, Queen's University Jared Rohrer, Chaser/Keeper, New York Badassilisks Jordan Crampton, Chaser, Free Agent Lauren Wexler, Beater, University of Arizona Mars Nienhuis, Beater, Carleton University Martin Pyne, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts Matt Stone, Keeper, Carleton University Patricky Sheehy, Chaser, Emerson College Perrine Leblan, Beater, Université de Montréal Sammy Cheung, Chaser/Seeker, University of Ottawa Sharon Mandair, Beater, University of Toronto Team Devin is built around a deadly offense. Their chasers are incredibly fast and dangerous on quick drives and turnovers. They combine their speed with years of experience; the chaser line includes three coaches from the top four teams in Canada and will no doubt be very organized and strategic. The beaters on this team form the last line of defense. They are not particularly aggressive, but remain in control of their bludgers and are difficult to break through. Unfortunately for Team Devin, they lack in the seeker department. The team does have some players with seeking experience, but none of their players' primary position is seeker. They may be able to overcome this weakness by keeping the score outside of snitch range, but if their offense is shut down, they will be in trouble. Players to watch from Team Devin are Mars Nienhuis and Chris Radojewski. Nienhuis may be sweet on the outside, but on the inside she is precise and calculating beater. She has incredible bludger control and is a fantastic shutdown beater. Radojewski is known for his explosive speed and ball handling. His track and field background gives him the edge from the start, and his control allows him to be precise and make big plays under pressure.Team Broduce - Blue
(GM) Jamie Lafrance, Keeper, University of Ottawa Aaron Pinzer, Keeper, Rochester Institute of Technology Ahmed Al-Slaq, Beater/Seeker, University of Ottawa Andrew Baggett, Any, University of Ottawa Cynthia Loutfi, Beater, Université de Montréal Daniel Stojanovic, Beater/Chaser, University of Ottawa David Danos, Beater, University of British Columbia Devin Sandon, Chaser, University of Rochester Ethan Sturm, Chaser/Beater, Tufts University Harry Clarke, Beater, University of Rochester Hugh Podmore, Chaser, McGill University Indiana Kuffer, Macaulay Honors College J. Daniel Gagne, Seeker, Rochester Institute of Technology Jon Braun, Beater, University of British Columbia Kristy Wright, Chaser, Carleton University Michelle Ferguson, Chaser, University of Ottawa Patrick Callanan, Keeper/Chaser/Beater, University of Rochester Rachael Palmer, Any, Free Agent Robert Palmer, Any, Free Agent Team Broduce's quaffle play combines size and speed. They have a combination of large, aggressive keepers and quick, smaller chasers that form a versatile attacking unit. Furthermore, the team has an aggressive beater line-up that is skilled at pressuring opposing players and forcing the play. The team's line up also includes multiple experienced seekers. The seekers are fast, have a long reach, and are strong; they will have a distinct advantage against small snitches and opposing seekers. One area in which Team Broduce needs to be careful is their level of aggression. When this team becomes too aggressive and gets frustrated, their play style becomes repetitive and ineffective. When this happens the chasers/keepers resort to long passes and the beaters over-commit to their beats. This creates easy turnovers and holes in their defense that their opponents can exploit. Two players from Team Broduce that you should keep an eye on are Michelle Ferguson and Jon Braun. Ferguson is one of the smallest and fastest players you will ever meet. Her expert use of the back of the hoops and her ability to avoid the defensive coverage enables her to be an incredible asset to her team. Braun has fantastic bludger control, both offensively and defensively. He is excellent at recovering BS, shutting down opposing players, and remaining in control of his bludger.Beesley's Boggarts - Purple
(GM) Chris Beesley, Chaser, University of Notre Dame Adam Palmer, Keeper, York University Adam Robillard, Chaser/Seeker, University of Ottawa Alessandra Di Simone, Beater, York University Arlene Rosenberg, Beater, Tufts University Ben Cohen, Chaser, McGill University Clare Hutchinson, Beater, University of Ottawa Daniel Lewis, Chaser, University of Missouri Luke Espina, Chaser/Beater, Macaulay Honors College Matt Zeltzer, Chaser/Seeker, Vassar College Meredith Taylor, Chaser, Bowling Green State University Michael Sanders, Beater, Tufts University Reilly Ragot, Chaser, University of Ottawa Rithy Min, Université de Montréal Rob Clifford, Keeper, Rochester Institute of Technology Ryan Smythe, Chaser, Boston Riot Sam Harris, Chaser/Seeker, Skidmore College Samuel Ravelo Jr., Chaser/Seeker/Beater, Loyola University Sarah Basciano, Beater, University of Toronto Beesley's Boggarts' offense primarily consists of a lineup of large, fast chasers and keepers that rely on hard drives and quick goals. Smaller, speedy chasers balance the lineup by finding holes in the opponent's defense and creating options. The team's beaters are mainly defensive - they prefer to sit tight in their end and form a barrier to keep out the opposing players. They also have a very strong seeking lineup. They have four trained seekers that are large, fast and have tournament experience. One aspect of Beesley's Boggarts that may come back to bite them is their gender distribution. They have a poor distribution of genders in each position, which may cause some players to be forced to play new positions. This can cause a breakdown in communication and cause the team to lose out on the potential of some of their team members. The Boggarts to watch are Rithy Min and Meredith Taylor. Min comes from a football background, which is reflected in his play through his use of size and speed. On offense, he is excellent at reading the other team and making smart plays, and on defense he is skilled at tracking and forcing the play. Taylor is quick and precise. She finds and exploits the holes in the opponent's defense and is always ready to make the play. She has excellent aim and ball control and is definitely not a player to be underestimated.Team Andrew - Gray
Alexander Graham, Seeker, University of Toronto St. George Nifflers Andrew Nguyen, Beater, Ryerson University Ben Holland, Keeper/Beater, Free Agent Candace Blake, Chaser, University of Ottawa Christian Barnes, Beater/Seeker, Macaulay Marauders Colin Wallace, Beater, Carleton University Connor Rhodes, Seeker, Fleming College Courtney Quinn, Beater, McGill University Dominique Rae-Parent, Chaser, University of Ottawa Ian Carey, Chaser, University of Ottawa Jennifer Magel, Chaser, Carleton University Josh Kramer, Beater, RIT Dark Marks Lomeharshan Lall, Chaser/Beater, University of Toronto-Scarborough Matthew McVeigh, Beater, University of Ottawa Mo Waja, Beater, Free Agent Parissa Bayat, Chaser, University of Ottawa Ryan Willis, Beater, University of Toronto Steven Kimball, Chaser, University of Ottawa Suraj Singh, Chaser, Ryerson University This team is built around speed and precision. They do not have large offensive players, but they make up for it by being fast and not hesitating. Their chasers will fight for every loose ball and rebound and can make a team pay for being lazy. Their beaters are precise and aggressive. They have a male-heavy beater line, which is skilled at holding onto BS and using it in aggressive and effective ways. They have a solid seeker lineup, which features skilled, experienced seekers who are fast and aggressive. Their seekers are known to use a mixture of tried-and-true techniques and new, more unorthodox methods that will keep snitches on their toes. Team Andrew does not have a single player with keeping experience. This will hurt them because the keeper acts as the leader on the pitch and calls the plays and sets up the defense. Without someone with this experience, it will be harder for Team Andrew to work cohesively as a unit and build momentum. Jennifer Magel and Connor Rhodes are two players from Team Andrew to keep an eye on. Magel is a smart and fast player. She finds ways to undermine the opponent's defense and strike quickly before they can react. She is not the most noticeable player on her team but will make you pay if you are not careful. Rhodes is a versatile player from a wrestling background. He uses speed and precision to give him the edge while seeking and is also able to have a strong field presence when chasing and beating.Predicted Outcome
In general, the teams in the Canada Day Fantasy Tournament are fairly well-matched. All the teams have a solid offense and defense, which should create exciting, evenly matched games. The area that is going to have the largest effect on the outcome is the seeking game. Half of the teams lack seeking experience and will not be able sustain quality seeker play throughout the entire tournament. Therefore the teams who can match the play on the field and provide consistently good seekers will gain the edge. These factors point to a Team Broduce vs. Beesley's Boggarts final. Both teams have very strong and forceful offenses that find the balance between size and speed with their male chasers, and that have quick, small female chasers that exploit the holes in the defense and make smart plays. However, their beating styles differ: Team Broduce is aggressive and forceful, whereas Beesley's Boggarts are defensive and patient. Team Broduce may be able to get the edge in the beating department if they use their aggression to lock down bludger superiority and not allow the Boggarts' beaters to get into a good defensive groove. Both teams have experienced seekers, however the Boggarts will likely have the seeking edge because of their large number of quality, versatile seekers.