Carolina To Host 2nd Mid-Atlantic Fantasy Tournament

by Steve Minnich | July 20, 2013

The Mid-Atlantic will host its second fantasy tournament of the summer season on Saturday, July 20.  While the earlier fantasy tournament took place in the northern part of the region, hosted in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, this tournament will better cater the southern end of the region.  Co-hosted by the Carolinas Quidditch Conference, the Mid-Atlantic's CQC Summer Fantasy Tournament will be played at Brookshire Park in Boone, North Carolina.  The tournament will feature 10 teams selected by an auction-style draft.  Brooms up will be at 10 a.m., with the championship match scheduled to begin by 7 p.m..   Photo by Deanna Edmunds. Overview Mid-Atlantic Regional Director: Alex Krall Carolinas Quidditch Conference Representative: Jeffrey Lusk Tournament Director: Nathan Love (Full Disclsoure: Nathan Love is an IQA Assistant Editor) This tournament looks to be something of a wild card.  While hosted by the Mid-Atlantic region, the player pool boasts a relatively equal mix of players affiliated with teams from the Mid-Atlantic and South regions, as well as an equally strong showing of players unaffiliated with official member teams last season.  It is clear that the state of North Carolina still has ties to the South; it is also clear that there are many teams still developing in this area, and it will be interesting to see if many of them decide to officially join the IQA as members next year.  Particular teams to keep an eye on in this regard are UNC Chapel Hill and Appalachian State University, who combined to create the core of surprise World Cup qualifiers Quidditch Club Carolinas. Because of the remarkable mix of regions and players unaffiliated with official teams in this tournament, it is hard to get a good read on how it will play out.  While most of the teams could be classified as either “Mid-Atlantic” or “South” teams, it will be interesting to see which region's play rules out on the pitch, and which region's general managers were able to comprise a more solid roster.  While neither region performed very well at World Cup VI last season, both will certainly be vying for bragging rights here. Perhaps the biggest wild card, though, is the performance of the unaffiliated players.  There are a few I have my eye on, but generally speaking most of these players have less experience and thus I have had less opportunity to see their skill.  It will also be of interest to see if any of the teams greatly benefitted from the influx of players who were late additions; with the low count of players for each team at the end of the draft, the tournament's organizers decided to allow players to register with confirmed attendance once the draft had been completed, randomly distributing those players among the teams.  Of course, every one of these additions changes the dynamic of the team, and so it will be interesting to see if any of the teams take advantage of these added players.   Jeffrey Lusk's Red Team, the John Hammonds Roster (beginning with GM, then in chronological order of acquisition) :

• (GM) Jeffrey Lusk, keeper/chaser, UNC Greensboro
• James Hicks, keeper/chaser, University of Maryland
• Jess Smith, chaser/beater, University of Virginia Whomping Wahoos
• Foley Akinyemi, beater, Penn State University
• Ali Fishman, beater/chaser, University of Miami
• Billy Hoyle, chaser/keeper, QC Carolinas
• Wyatt Minton, chaser, Winthrop University
• Hilary Barker, chaser/beater, Tennessee Tech University
• Jose Velasco, beater/seeker, UNC Greensboro
• Matt Taylor, chaser/beater, unaffiliated
• Chris Champitto, seeker/chaser, QC Carolinas
• Ann Kucharski, chaser, unaffiliated
• Austin Lillis, chaser, Tennessee Tech University
• Maria Barrell, chaser/beater, unaffiliated
• Ben Kolman, position unknown, unaffiliated

Matchups :

• Never Nudes
• Pink Pygmy Puffs
• Tye Fighters
• Whitest Quidkids U'Know

With a roster light on male beaters, it wouldn't surprise me to see Lusk attempt a pair of female beaters grouped with an all-male quaffle lineup for the John Hammonds, possibly trying to capitalize on size.  Really, the scope of this team will depend on fitness: if Lusk is willing to play both himself and Hicks at the same time, leaving them vulnerable to a keeper with tired legs, the John Hammonds can put together a physically intimidating defense with the ability to pound through to the hoops on offense.  The real question I have for this team is how they will balance their lineup; will the John Hammonds push to intimidate with size and punish teams early, or will they try to balance the roster a bit more and keep fresher legs?  Particularly in the opening matchup against the Never Nudes, it will be interesting to see if the John Hammonds try to stuff the ample scoring threats with size or by featuring the speedy Akinyemi to take care of beating away the passing options.  Whether they focus on size or balanced beating, Champitto is potentially one of the best seekers in this tournament, and this team will likely push their chips into playing tight games and relying on his skill to pull a few victories.   Nathan Love's Blue Team, the Never Nudes Roster :

• (GM) Nathan Love, utility, QC Carolinas
• Darren Creary, keeper/chaser/seeker, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Amit Katyayan, chaser/beater, unaffiliated
• Max Miceli, chaser/keeper, QC Carolinas
• Tommy McPhail, chaser/seeker/keeper, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Alex Drose, beater, unaffiliated
• Ian Mitchell, chaser, University of Richmond
• Tabitha Yousko, chaser/beater, Florida State University
• Tilde Groslier, chaser, NY Badassalisks
• CJ Yunger, utility, Virginia Tech
• Sam Thompson, chaser/beater. UNC Greensboro
• Katryna Fernandez, chaser, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Tyler Pope, chaser/keeper, QC Carolinas
• Nikki Curtis, beater, Virginia Commonwealth University

Matchups :

• John Hammonds
• Iron Nitrogen Xenon
• Aloha Snitches
• Monstars

Love's roster is clearly built to score with the quaffle – his game plan will likely be to score quickly and score a lot.  Without a real seeking threat on the team, it seems likely that Love expects to rarely be in danger of losing by snitch grab; with the firepower he has in quaffle play, he might be right.  The Never Nudes can score through either size, with Creary, McPhail, and Mitchell, or through speed, with Miceli, Katyayan, Fernandez, and Yunger.  If Yunger can shake off the rust early, he might also provide insurance as a seeker in case games do get a little close for comfort.  The shifty Miceli and Katyayan could make a great offensive pair if used correctly, as they led their unofficial affiliate UNC Chapel Hill to a clear victory in the CQC Championship tournament in the Spring.  I expect, given the scoring ability and depth of the male chasers on this roster, that Love will feature as a beater, where he enjoys playing but has yet to show he can excel.  If he can prove that he can be more than just serviceable in the position, partnering him with a female beater should allow the chaser-heavy roster to go wild on the offensive end.  As it is, I'm seeing this as the team to beat at the tournament.   Brendon Frisella's Black Team, the Heisenburgs Roster :

• (GM) Brendon Frisella, seeker/beater/chaser, University of Southern Mississippi
• Robert Padan, beater, University of South Florida
• Austin Nuckols, chaser/seeker, University of Richmond
• Heather Burg, beater, University of Southern Mississippi
• Anna Hotard, beater, University of Southern Mississippi
• Harrison Prince, utility, UNC Greensboro
• Tom Nash, seeker/beater, College of Charleston
• Steven Schwark, keeper/chaser, College of Charleston
• Sam Martenstyn, chaser, QC Carolinas
• Andrea Brys, beater, Tennessee Tech University
• Jack Mckee, chaser, College of Charleston
• Steve Nettles, chaser, unaffiliated
• Michael McDermott, chaser/keeper, Winthrop University
• Kevin Edelmann, seeker, University of Virginia Whomping Wahoos

Matchups :

• Green Team Dream Team
• Monstars
• Whitest Quidkids U'Know
• Iron Nitrogen Xenon

Frisella clearly has confidence in the beating skills of his USM teammates, Burg and Hotard, as this team seems to revolve around the two of them.  If these two beaters can effectively rotate to provide a good pairing with Padan, their use and effectiveness for the Heisenburgs will be key in holding opponents' offenses to allow for some glory-filled, game-winning snitch grabs from any of a number of capable seekers on this team.  Look for Padan to lead this team with grit and physicality from the defensive end, and provide one of the few consistent beating options of the tournament.   While one player to watch here is Austin Nuckols: he was serviceable in the first Mid-Atlantic fantasy tournament as a positioning chaser, but had trouble using his positioning to demand passes; his nagging defense, however, helps to keep him on the field.  Still, I'd look for Austin Nuckols to better take advantage of his size and positioning here.  He could end up being a lead scorer for the Heisenburgs if his teammates can utilize his height advantage, assuming that he begins to translate his potential into solid play as he gains chasing experience during these summer months.   Kyle Carpenter's Green Team, the Green Team Dream Team Roster :

• (GM) Kyle Carpenter, beater/keeper, University of Southern Mississippi
• Tyler Walker, chaser/keeper, Ball State University
• Landon Smith, keeper, Tennessee Tech University
• Duncan Ferguson, seeker, Louisiana State University
• Tad Walters, chaser/seeker, Loyola of New Orleans
• Katie Rothert, beater, University of Richmond
• Maxine Todd, chaser, University of South Carolina
• Josh Hayes, keeper/seeker, UNC Greensboro
• Shane Wade, chaser, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Rebecca McLaughlin, utility, University of Southern Mississippi
• Gabe Greene, chaser, Tennessee Tech University
• Elizabeth Ray, beater/keeper, Winthrop University
• Randall Tallent, chaser/keeper, unaffiliated
• Dean Hoff, chaser, NY Badassalisks

Matchups :

• Heisenburgs
• Whitest Quidkids U'Know
• Monstars
• Tye Fighters

Carpenter was evidently looking to build around an imposing physical presence, adding Walker and Smith's size to his own for an intimidating beater, chaser, and keeper combo.  If they can hold a strong defense and effectively distribute the quaffle to Walters and the feisty Wade, one more chaser stepping up offensively could be huge for this team.  With Ferguson capable of giving other seekers here a fight, the Green Team Dream Team could emerge as a challenger in this tournament.  They will need strong beating, though, and this is an opportunity for Rothert to use her experience and pair with Carpenter to prove she can be more decisive and effective than she showed at the first Mid-Atlantic fantasy tournament. Daniel Brys's Purple Team, the Monstars Roster :

• (GM) Daniel Brys, keeper/chaser, Tennessee Tech University
• Joseph T Stephenson, beater, Tennessee Tech University
• Michael Ferowich, chaser/seeker, Tennessee Tech University
• Jacob May, chaser, Tennessee Tech University
• Alvin Arnold, chaser, unaffiliated
• Chris Bell, beater, Winthrop University
• Michael Dong, chaser/keeper, University of Virginia Whomping Wahoos
• Michael King, chaser, Brevard Community College
• Ashleigh Glass, chaser/beater/keeper, unaffiliated
• Danielle Butts, chaser/seeker, unaffiliated
• Calypso Montoya, beater, Philadelphia Honey Badgers
• McKenzie Rickman, beater/chaser, unaffiliated
• Mark Gundle, beater, unaffiliated

Matchups :

• Whitest Quidkids U'Know
• Heisenburgs
• Green Team Dream Team
• Never Nudes

Daniel Brys was eager to secure a few key members of his Tennessee Tech team in drafting for the Monstars.  After purchasing his three teammates, though, I wonder how active he was in building his roster as it seems to be a pretty random distribution after that.  It will be interesting to see if that core – Brys, Stephenson, Ferowich, May – can rekindle a bit of the defensive fire and determined grit that saw the TTU team take the South Regional Championships brackets by surprise in their run to the championship finals match, especially as they will be surrounded by a ragtag and unfamiliar group.  For the Monstars to be successful, Brys must be able to determine early what he needs from each additional piece to add to his TTU core, and utilize those filled needs throughout the tournament.   Joshua Beckman's White Team, the Whitest Quidkids U'Know Roster :

• (GM) Joshua Beckman, seeker/chaser, College of Charleston
• Tyler Goss, chaser/keeper, University of South Florida
• Natalie Hoeting, chaser, unaffiliated
• Kaylee Hooppaw, beater, QC Carolinas
• Jason Thibodaux, chaser/seeker, Louisiana State University
• Clay Gardner, chaser, College of Charleston
• Blain Falone, chaser/keeper/seeker, University of South Florida
• Joshua Lawrence, keeper, University of Richmond
• Joe Suthers, beater/chaser, College of Charleston
• Jody Louis, chaser/keeper/seeker, University of South Florida
• Dylan Meyer, beater, unaffiliated
• Rose Mormino, chaser/beater, UNC Greensboro
• Alex Amodol, beater, Philadelphia Honey Badgers

Matchups :

• Monstars
• Green Team Dream Team
• Heisenburgs
• John Hammonds

While most teams in this tournament will likely struggle to keep pace with the sheer firepower and depth of the Never Nudes' quaffle play, Beckman may have put a well-rounded quaffle lineup together for the Whitest Quidkids U'Know that could compete.  I wouldn't be surprised if Lawrence steps up as a primary keeping option here, as both his physical defense and his quaffle-handling ability improved dramatically towards the end of the season.  If he emerges as the keeper here, that would create depth with rotating chasers of Goss, Thibodaux, Falone, and others.  If they can keep their legs fresh with a smart rotation, the Whitest Quidkids U'Know could prove to be one of those rare offensive-oriented fantasy teams.  The chemistry between the experienced South Florida chasers here should help.  If beaters don't get stuck in bludger battles and can provide support on the quaffle, look for this team to put up big numbers a couple times.   Nick Battelini's Hawaiian Team, the Aloha Snitches Roster :

• (GM) Nick Battelini, chaser/beater/seeker, University of South Carolina
• Nick Murray, keeper/chaser, unaffiliated
• Seth Brys, chaser, Tennessee Tech University
• Sarah Goad, beater, College of Charleston
• Erik Morlock, utility, University of Virginia Whomping Wahoos
• Ginny Ostgaard, beater, QC Carolinas
• James McBrayer, seeker/chaser/beater, Winthrop
• Abby Fleming, chaser/beater, College of Charleston
• Amanda Wilson, chaser, UNC Greensboro
• Matt Tenenbaum, chaser/keeper, University of South Carolina
• Derek Roetzel, beater, University of Richmond
• Collin Leese-Thompson, seeker/chaser, Penn State University
• Dylon Eckerson, chaser, unaffiliated
• Quintin Musanto, keeper/chaser/beater, Winthrop
• Jash Kolman, position unknown, unaffiliated

Matchups :

• Iron Nitrogen Xenon
• Tye Fighters
• Never Nudes
• Pink Pygmy Puffs

Battelini seems to have put together a pretty evenly distributed roster for his Hawaiian-shirt-wearing Aloha Snitches, nabbing a few players with size, a few with speed, some that can catch and some that can distribute.  An interesting note is the high value that Nick Murray seems to carry in this region, as he was Battelini's first targeted player – an impressive feat for a player from the Northeast region without a regular team.  While I noted his inflated price in the first Mid-Atlantic tournament, Murray has another opportunity in this CQC tournament to show his worth.  If he can use his size a bit better than I saw 3 weeks ago in Pennsylvania, he might impress.  Throughout the rest of the roster, one thing that the Aloha Snitches certainly do not lack is tenacity; it's hard to find a player on here that would shy away from contact.  If they can use this grit to force some close games, Leese-Thompson will have another chance to prove to be a successful addition, as he did in Pennsylvania.   Michael Malakoff's Orange Team, the Iron Nitrogen Xenon Roster :

• (GM) Michael Malakoff, keeper/seeker, University of South Florida
• Sean Pagoada, beater/chaser, University of Miami
• Deanna Yates, beater, University of South Florida
• Cody Inghram, beater/seeker, Brevard Community College
• Sean Snipes, keeper, University of South Florida
• Melannie Williams, beater/chaser, University of South Florida
• Brian Nackasha, beater/chaser, Brevard Community College
• Muhammad Haroun Azizi, chaser, UNC Greensboro
• Jacob Barrett, chaser, unaffiliated
• Dustin Jones, chaser, UNC Greensboro
• Kyle Patterson, keeper/chaser/beater, Furman University
• Keegan Smith, keeper/chaser/beater, College of Charleston
• Paige DeKiel, chaser/beater, Florida Atlantic University
• Samuel Ravelo Jr, chaser/seeker, Loyola
• Mary Payzant, chaser/beater, Brevard Community College

Matchups :

• Aloha Snitches
• Never Nudes
• Pink Pygmy Puffs
• Heisenburgs

Malakoff was eager to pick up what was possibly the prize of this draft in University of Miami and Team USA beater Sean Pagoada.  This decision could prove crucial as I don't see another beater in this tournament that is on Pagoada's level in terms of decision-making, experience, arm strength, and physical play – or even any a level or two down.  That being said, he has been working on moving back to chaser and his athletic abilities could prove a formidable pair with his old running mate Sean Snipes.  Making his return to quidditch after a year away from the sport while serving in the military, if Snipes come back on a similar level then his and Pagoada's athleticism could create a deadly quaffle-playing duo; I can see them running a fierce line-up together with Malakoff's intelligent distribution.  Ultimately I see this team's fate being dictated by the use of Pagoada: used as a beater, Iron Nitrogen Xenon has arguably the best beaters at the tournament; used as a chaser, the line-up of Malakoff, Pagoada, and Snipes could wreak havoc.  An underrated addition to this team could be Samuel Ravelo Jr, a player from Loyola who drew high interest at a couple other fantasy tournaments but found himself placed on Iron Nitrogen Xenon as a late addition, confirming his attendance after the draft had taken place.   Sarah McGowan's Tye Dye Team, the Tye Fighters Roster :

• (GM) Sarah McGowan, chaser/seeker, unaffiliated
• Sarah Woolsey, beater, University of Maryland
• Jason Rosenberg, chaser/keeper/seeker, Penn State University
• Allie Nelson, beater/seeker, QC Carolinas
• Anthony Rieger, chaser, Christopher Newport University
• William Messner, keeper, Philadelphia Honey Badgers
• Steve Minnich, chaser/keeper/seeker, QC Carolinas
• Michael Reilly, chaser, University of Virginia Whomping Wahoos
• Shawn Zamperini, chaser/beater, unaffiliated
• Corey Shelton, seeker, UNC Greensboro
• Chris Coleman, seeker, Virginia Tech
• Matthew Weber, utility, Brevard Community College
• Tanner Morris, chaser/beater, unaffiliated
• Abbi Pittman, chaser, QC Carolinas
• Sarah Staatz, seeker/chaser, Stanford University

Matchups :

• Pink Pygmy Puffs
• Aloha Snitches
• John Hammonds
• Green Team Dream Team

McGowan put together a well-balanced roster in building the Tye Fighters.  With the seeming premium placed on female beating, taking Woolsey and Nelson early, I wonder if she will try to focus on a male heavy quaffle line or if she will rotate those two to keep them fresh and utilize the resourceful Weber as a primary beater for the team.  Knowing McGowan's desire for balance, I imagine that Weber will indeed focus on beating, giving them an imposing figure to hunt down bludgers.  From there, the Tye Fighters will need consistent distribution to utilize Minnich (myself) and Reilly as scoring threats; with the focus on defense placed in this region and at fantasy tournament in general, it will be difficult for the driving Rosenberg to find open lanes, or for Minnich to be able to complete many drives himself.  A hidden gem could come in Abbi Pittman; if her teammates can find her consistently, she often gets herself into smart positions and neglected areas to finish near the hoops.  While this team could have as strong a defense as any in the tournament, they will have to find ways to score and will need a consistent passing game to be able to bury teams.   Tim Suddeth's Pink Team, the Pink Pygmy Puffs Roster :

• (GM) Tim Suddeth, seeker/chaser, unaffiliated
• Amy Reader, chaser, University of Richmond
• Sam Rosenberg, utility, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Jake Michel, chaser/keeper/seeker, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Peter Marx, chaser, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Wesley Johnson, utility, unaffiliated
• Kyle Stolcenberg, chaser, University of Virginia Whomping Wahoos
• Haley Moffit, beater, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Edderic Ugaddan, beater, University of Richmond
• Natalie Pollard, beater/chaser, University of Richmond
• Melisa Coleman, chaser/beater, Furman
• Jackie Coleman, chaser/beater, unaffiliated
• Michael Musatow, beater, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Deborah Winfield, beater/chaser, unaffiliated

Matchups :

• Tye Fighters
• John Hammonds
• Iron Nitrogen Xenon
• Aloha Snitches

Suddeth built the Pink Pygmy Puffs roster around familiarity, filling the roster with mostly Richmond area players and members of the friendly rivals University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University.  The result is a team with a lot of chemistry, familiarity, and experience with each other's playing styles that they hope will give them an advantage over other rosters which might have more skillful individuals but a more disjointed whole.  If they can get an effective passing game open, the Pink Pygmy Puffs should be able to get a lot of finishing touches from the excitingly quick Stolcenberg, and could also find the quaffle often in the hands of Reader in good position around the hoops.  How I See It The most offensively-gifted team here in quaffle play has to be the Never Nudes.  Between Creary, Miceli, Katyayan, McPhail, Fernandez, and Yunger, they have players that can all drive on their own and are effective in the passing game.  If they can get all cylinders firing, games with this team could get exciting in a hurry – especially as it looks like they sacrificed depth at beating to allow for the offensive firepower in quaffle play.  Add in Mitchell's ability at playing a forward defense, and the Never Nudes don't lose much from their offensive game to their defensive.  I also like what's going on with the quaffle play for Beckman's Whitest Quidkids U'Know, with the solid South Florida players adding their talents to a group of familiar College of Charleston teammates; add in the vastly improving Lawrence as the keystone to make those wheels turn both offensively and defensively, and the Whitest Quidkids U'Know could impress come Saturday. Many of the beaters in this draft are unknown figures for me, and I'm looking forward to getting to see a lot of them play.  Of course, Pagoada of Iron Nitrogen Xenon should be the player to watch here, and it will be interesting to see how Woolsey fares when paired with any of the other beaters on Tye Fighters, depending on who gets used at the position.  With a strong partner, Woolsey can be a force; without one, she can sometimes get frustrated.  I'm also excited to see Padan on the Heisenburgs and how he works in with the pair of Southern Mississippi females, Burg and Hotard; another beater that was keyed on early in the draft is the Monstars' Stephenson.  Without being able to pinpoint any particularly strong group of beaters in the pool of players, though, if a solid pair of beaters emerges on any of these teams then they could prove to be a force. In the closing game, I see a toss-up between Champitto of the John Hammonds and Leese-Thompson of the Aloha Snitches.  While Leese-Thompson seemed to be the only seeker that could get the better of Champitto in the earlier Mid-Atlantic fantasy tournament, who was on fire in Lebanon, I think Leese-Thompson will have a tougher run of things as I see the John Hammonds hanging tighter in quaffle score than the Aloha Snitches.  That might put more pressure on Leese-Thompson to save his team in the endgame, which might prove difficult unless a pair of beaters steps up to help him and the Aloha Snitches out of some jams. All elements considered, I just can't argue with the potential scoring threats on the Never Nudes.  Despite lacking a solid seeking game, usually considered a necessity at these fantasy style tournaments, I don't see any other quaffle-play lineups that can keep a game close enough that the Never Nudes would have to worry about seeking.  Love should provide enough beater support and their quaffle defense should be solid enough to spring their scorers for numerous goals in every game, which is especially exciting given its rarity in these summer fantasy tournaments.  Bold Predictions Pool Play Never Nudes : 4-0 Green Team Dream Team : 3-1 Tye Fighters : 3-1 John Hammonds : 2-2 Whitest Quidkids U'Know : 2-2 Heisenburgs : 2-2 Iron Nitrogen Xenon : 2-2 Pink Pygmy Puffs : 1-3 Monstars : 1-3 Aloha Snitches : 0-4 Play-in games 7. Iron Nitrogen Xenon def. 10. Aloha Snitches 9. Monstars def 8. Pink Pygmy Puffs Quarterfinals 1. Never Nudes def. 9. Monstars 7. Iron Nitrogen Xenon def. Green Team Dream Team 3. Tye Fighters def. 6. Heisenburgs 5. Whitest Quidkids U'Know def. 4. John Hammonds Semifinals 1. Never Nudes def. 5. Whitest Quidkids U'Know 3. Tye Fighters def. 7. Iron Nitrogen Xenon Finals 1. Never Nudes def. 3. Tye Fighters Ridiculous Finals Score Prediction : 90-50*