FireMercs Preview

by Alex Browne | July 5, 2013

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of the IQA.

This weekend fantasy tournaments return to the west, as Los Angeles plays host to the second FireMercs tournament.

Photo by Michael E. Mason/IQA Staff.

Pink Team – The Fighting Flamingos

Roster (beginning with captain, then in order of selection; in the case of trades, selection order was approximately swapped):

·    (Captain) Chris Lock, Keeper, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Adam Richardson, Chaser/Keeper, UCLA

·    Julia Thomas, Beater, USC

·    Brian Vampola, Beater, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Henry Raschke, Chaser, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Alyssa Burton, Chaser/Beater, Riverside Quidditch

·    Brennan Ross, Chaser, UCLA

·    Kaylee Bucholz, Beater, ASU

·    Dakota Sky Bloom, Chaser, Berkeley

·    Caylen McDonald, Chaser, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

·    Logan Anbinder, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Evan Bell, Beater, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    E. Thraen, Seeker, no team

·    Cathy Aventuras, Beater, OC Obliviators (Sunday only)

·    Becky Watkins, Chaser, OC Obliviators (Saturday only)

With a team comprised almost exclusively of Southern California players, and nobody from outside the West, Chris Lock certainly stuck with what he knew for his draft picks. This is especially true of the registered players from the Blacktips, half of whom he drafted. Chris used the first pick of the entire tournament to grab Adam Richardson, a starting chaser for UCLA who is capable of singlehandedly running the Fighting Flamingos' offense, as well as playing point for a solid defense. While he is able to charge the hoops alone, impressive newer players like Henry Raschke and Alyssa Burton will provide viable passing opportunities, making Richardson a dual threat in the starting lineup. These three also have outstanding stamina, and depending on Lock's strategy, might play for long stretches throughout the tournament. The real question is how will their beaters fare. Going up against some of the top beaters in the region, I am unsure if the Fighting Flamingos' beater core, fronted by Julia Thomas and Brian Vampola, will be able to compete at the same level. On top of that, the lack of a practiced seeker could prove problematic in closer games. This means that having a good offense will be essential to overcoming opposing teams with stronger seekers, and in that sense, Lock's defensive play style might be a hindrance.

Adam Richardson of Univeristy of California, Los Angeles during World Cup VI. Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff.

Julia Thomas during Snow Cup 2013. Photo by Monica Wheeler. Brian Vampola during Santa Barbara Beachside Brawl. Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff.

Silver Team – The Silver Snakes

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Kevin Oelze, Keeper, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Keir Rudolph, Seeker, Kansas

·    Kyrie Timbrook, Beater, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Chris Seto, Beater, Lost Boys

·    Keegan Adlis, Chaser, Silver Phoenixes

·    Luke Sanchez, Chaser, NAU

·    Hannah DeBaets, Chaser, Tufts

·    Sam LeBeau, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Josh Mattison, Beater, ASU

·    Madeleine Wojdak, Beater, Boston Riot

·    Julia Zatyko, Chaser, OC Obliviators

·    Kevin Hayes, Seeker/Chaser, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

·    Ryan Willard, Beater, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Martin Pyne, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

From Kevin's first few picks, it is clear that he drafted his team around one of the most common fantasy quidditch beliefs: elite seekers win fantasy tournaments. Kyrie Timbrook and Chris Seto are both excellent starting beaters from their respective teams, and together, should be completely capable of maintaining bludger control while fronting a stellar defense. On top of that, Oelze is himself a solid shot blocker, and with speedy chasers like Keegan Adlis and Luke Sanchez shutting down passing opportunities, the Silver Snakes should prove particularly difficult to score against. On the other side of the ball, Oelze has improved significantly as primary ball handler, and should be able to tally up both goals and assists with his team. A strong defense is key for this team, though, since Oelze's first round pick, Keir Rudolph, is clearly intended to be the game winner. His primary competition in the seeker category is expected to come from the Spirit Animals' Porter Marsh and Blue Wasikowski's Steve DiCarlo on Day 2, but with an otherwise shallow seeker pool, Keir should be able to snatch most snitches. I am still unsure whether or not this defensive strategy will work though, or if more offensively structured teams will be able to outscore the Silver Snakes. It is also worth noting Kevin Oelze's recent injury. Although I am unsure whether or not he will still be able to play, losing Oelze would force some serious position changes for the Silver team. With no other keepers on the team, I imagine either Keegan Adlis or Keir Rudolph (who said he would play keeper on his registration) will step up to fill the gap. Additionally, with three male beaters, either Josh Mattison or Ryan Willard might have to switch to chaser for more quaffle playing depth. While losing Oelze would affect their offense significantly, the Silver team shouldn't lose much of its defensive strength, still giving them a chance to stay within snitch range.

Keir Rudolp with the snitch catch during World Cup VI. Photo by Lauren Carter. 

Orange Team – Safety First

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Dyllan Fernandez, Chaser, USC

·    Alex Makk, Chaser/Beater, ASU

·    Greg Leininger, Keeper, NAU

·    Katelynn Kazane, Chaser, UCLA

·    Justin Regan, Beater, NAU

·    Ryann Padilla, Beater, ASU

·    Igor Gorbatok, Seeker, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Chris Sauro, Keeper, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Ashley Bleicher, Chaser/Beater, ASU

·    Miranda de la Vega, Beater, California Cannons

·    Daniel Daniels, Seeker/Chaser, Quid Pro Quo

·    Alberto Amaya, Chaser, La Serna High School

·    Roberto Amaya, Seeker, La Serna High School

·    Chris Chavez, Keeper, Hollywood Harpies

Dyllan's team is very well rounded, with solid players at every position. Alex Makk knows how to play well on both sides of the ball, scoring (I believe) more points than anyone else at this year's Western Cup, and stopping many strong offenses with his relentless point defense. Greg Leininger is a great match for Makk, with solid shot blocking and ball handling ability, although he has been relatively inactive since the fall. Additionally, strong picks like chaser Katelynn Kazane, beaters Justin Regan and Ryann Padilla, and seeker Igor Gorbatok, give Safety First experience at every position. Despite the support, the majority of the point scoring will likely go through Alex Makk. This not only gives opponents a single player to focus on defensively, it also puts a lot of pressure on Makk to score while avoiding cards and injuries. Additionally, with the fewest female players out of all teams, the four girls on the team might lose their energy in the summer heat.

Alex Makk chasing for ASU during World Cup VI. Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff.

Black Team – The Night's Watch

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Alex Browne, Keeper, UCLA

·    Zach Luce, Keeper, UCLA

·    Brandon Scapa, Chaser, UCLA

·    Ryan Donahue, Beater, UCLA

·    Sarah Simko, Beater, UCLA

·    Sunil Venugopal, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Shelby Rose, Chaser, Roadrunner Quidditch

·    Andrea Chau, Beater, UCLA

·    Branden Shipley, Chaser, NAU

·    Justin Madriaga, Beater, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

·    Ann Molin, Beater/Chaser, UPenn

·    Caleb White, Chaser, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

·    Octabio Garcia, Chaser, no team

·    Sydnee Dunn, Beater/Chaser, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

Spoiler: I am a bit biased toward both of my teams, the Night's Watch and UCLA. I bring up the first bias so you read this review with a grain of salt, while the second bias brought itself up in 5 of my first 7 draft picks. Zach Luce is a machine, and the fact that he was only the fourth overall draft pick is almost criminal in my mind. It may seem an odd choice to pick a keeper as my first overall pick since I am a keeper myself, but not only is Luce a tremendous scorer and shot blocker, having an elite keeper allows me to play chaser, beater, or even seeker if needed. Although many don't recognize it, Brandon Scapa is the glue that holds UCLA together, and has years of experience playing as support offense and point defense with both Luce and myself. Add to that the trio of lesser-known UCLA beaters who will likely be the starters for next year's Bruins and I think my faith in my alma mater is well placed. I drafted the team as a whole to fit with the way Luce and I play, making Sunil Venugopal and Branden Shipley natural picks, as both are great supporting players on their respective teams. Although we may not have as much size as some other teams, having an evenly distributed roster with a lot of endurance coming off the bench means this team is built to run. Furthermore, I hope to play most of my team evenly, which could give us an advantage as other teams begin to wear out their starting lineup. I must admit, we do not have a dedicated seeker, which some would see as a serious weakness. However, I'm not sure I believe the hype, and think that a cohesive and capable team can overcome the advantage of an elite seeker.

Brandon Scapa chasing at World Cup VI. Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff.

Zach Luce at the SCQC Finale. Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff.

Purple Team – The Spirit Animals

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Cooper Davis, Chaser, NAU

·    Porter Marsh, Seeker, NAU

·    Michael Mohlman, Beater/Chaser, Lost Boys

·    Tiffany Chow, Chaser, UCLA

·    Mitch Dumas, Keeper, Quid Pro Quo

·    April Gonzales, Beater, NAU

·    Rich Hatch, Chaser, Quid Pro Quo

·    Nicole Remsburg, Beater, UCLA

·    Gabby Hooper, Chaser, NAU

·    Josh Vinson, Beater, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Jason Winerip, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Joe Tran, Chaser, SJSU

·    Ally Heraper, Chaser, Hollywood Harpies

·    Courtney Callendar, Beater, Quid Pro Quo

Speaking of elite seekers, Porter Marsh is probably the most proven seeker at the tournament, going 8 for 8 at World Cup VI. While Keir Rudolph is still somewhat of a wild card with fewer matches under his belt, Marsh has shown time after time that he can make snatches against some of the best snitches and seekers in the sport. The biggest question for Cooper's team is whether he will play Michael Mohlman as a beater or a chaser. As a beater, Mohlman makes a solid beating pair with April Gonzales, and together they should be able to hold games defensively for Porter to put it away. Offensively though, Mohlman is one of the most experienced quaffle players on the team. Without him, Mitch Dumas and Rich Hatch, two relatively inexperienced players from Quid Pro Quo, will be relied on for the quaffle game. They will receive some solid support from UCLA's Tiffany Chow, but knowing how newer ball handlers tend to play, I'm unsure her teammates will be able to use her support effectively. Cooper's best bet may be to use Mohlman's utility to full advantage, switching him between beater and chaser based on the opposing lineup.

Michael Mohlmann beating for the Lost Boys during SCQC Finale. Photo by Kat Ignatova/IQA Staff.

White Team – Direwolves 2.0

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Jennifer Tran, Beater/Chaser, South Alabama

·    Becca DuPont, Chaser, Texas A&M

·    Matt Ziff, Beater, Miami

·    David Saltzman, Keeper, Stanford

·    Jeff Lusk, Keeper, UNC-Greensboro

·    Mollie Lensing, Beater/Chaser, LSQC

·    Paxton Casey, Beater, Austin Quidditch

·    Anthony Hawkins, Chaser, Hollywood Harpies

·    Martin Pavez, Chaser, Hollywood Harpies

·    Emily Wolf, Chaser, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Forrest Stone, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Michael Goldman, Keeper, Syracuse

·    Chelsey Davis, Beater, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Randi Jamer, Beater, no team

·    Emma Manning, Beater, Claremont Colleges Dirigible Plums

·    Seth Segura, Beater, no team

Jennifer Tran made several interesting choices with her draft. For one, 50% of her players come from outside the Western Region. While this gave her a chance to draft solid players unknown to the other captains, it could give her team problems being cohesive, with players from different regions searching for a unified strategy (As a disclaimer, Jennifer's interregional picks also made her team the hardest for me to analyze). Next, despite being the only female captain, Jennifer Tran picked a female chaser in the first round. Although Becca DuPont is undoubtedly one of the best female chasers both at the tournament and across the country, I believe that in general, securing an experienced player capable of running their offense would provide more benefit than an elite female chaser, though the strong field of female chasers at Firemercs might prove me wrong. Finally, both of Tran's top beater picks, Matt Ziff and Mollie Lensing, are suffering from shoulder injuries, and will be unable to beat at their best, if at all. Despite all that, the white team has some size going for it, with both more players and larger players than most other teams. Unfortunately, the roster is also slightly unbalanced, with no dedicated seeker and more preferred beaters than chasers. With a few position changes and some interregional unity, this team could find its stride, but it will be exceedingly difficult.

Becca DuPont chasing during the Diamond Cup. Photo by Lauren Carter.

Red Team – Kryptonyans

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Tony Rodriguez, Keeper, Lost Boys

·    Peter Lee, Beater, Vassar

·    Amanda Turtles, Chaser, Lost Boys

·    Michael Binger, Chaser, UCLA

·    Duston Mazzella, Beater, ASU

·    Ericka Phanthip, Chaser, Quid Pro Quo

·    Logan Trudell, Beater, Sierra College

·    Andrew Waldschmidt, Beater/Chaser, Lost Boys

·    Kara Levis, Beater, UCLA

·    Sofia de la Vega, Chaser, California Cannons

·    Tanna Helm, Beater, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

·    Richard “Spike” Sprague, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Tristan West, Keeper, SJSU

·    Teak Aldridge, Beater, Golden Snitches

·    Marie Todd, Beater, Hollywood Harpies

For such a new player, Tony Rodriguez knows exactly what it takes to make his offense run smoothly, and drafted a set of players that will work very well together. Peter Lee is an exceptional beater that is just becoming known in the West through open practices with the Lost Boys and UCLA. He possesses tremendous speed and field awareness, and is one of the best bludger catchers around. Interestingly, Tony seems to be leaning towards a two male beater set, pairing Lee with the experienced Duston Mazzella and Andrew Waldschmidt, an athletic chaser looking to expand his utility. To compliment them, he has one of the most solid sets of female chasers in the tournament, with Amanda Turtles, Ericka Phanthip, and Sofia de la Vega, all of whom can play excellent support. Holding down his point defense, Tony drafted Michael Binger, one of the strongest players continuing with the Bruins next year. While this team is very well put together and will likely be one of the best at the tournament, any team that is able to shut down Tony on offense and Lee on defense, a particularly difficult task, should find themselves out of snitch range, and with no dedicated seeker, the red team is not expecting to be playing from behind.

Tony Rodriguez keeping for the White Shafts during the 2013 Cinco de Mayo Cup. Photo by JH Photography.

Green Team – 50 Shades of Green

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Tad Walters, Chaser, Loyola New Orleans

·    Vanessa Goh, Chaser, UCLA

·    Willis Miles IV, Beater, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Ryan Cancino, Chaser, ASU

·    Frank Nolin, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Eric Willroth, Beater/Keeper, Texas A&M

·    Nebraska Huggins, Keeper, Sierra College

·    Steve Gruenewald, Beater, NAU

·    Chandler Smith, Beater, Oklahoma Baptist University

·    Madi Douglass, Beater, NAU

·    Ra Hopkins, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Quinn Monaco, Beater, Long Beach Funky Quaffles

·    Matthew Williams, Keeper, Golden Snitches

·    Amy Borsuk, Seeker, Claremont Colleges Dirigible Plums

·    Dulce Barahona, Beater, Hollywood Harpies

One of the biggest advantages for Tad Walters' team will be its size and strength. With early drafts like Ryan Cancino, Eric Willroth, and Nebraska Huggins, 50 Shades of Green has large players at every position, and will likely be one of the more physical teams in the tournament. Much like Jennifer Tran's pick of Becca DuPont, I'm not sure Vanessa Goh in the first round was the wisest choice, not because I doubt her abilities as a female chaser, but because it meant Tad had to pass on drafting someone more experienced at running an offense. Interestingly, Goh might have to step up to carry the quaffle up pitch, a role she is relatively unfamiliar with. Additionally, Walters spent his first four beater picks on experienced male players, including Willis Miles IV, so it is quite possible he is planning on running a two-male beater lineup. Unfortunately, with only two preferred female chasers and no experienced ball handler, their offense might suffer in that setup. Overall, expect to see players out of position no matter what lineup they decide to play with. Additionally, while 50 Shades of Green has the strength to overcome some of the less solidly assembled teams, I imagine they will fall to the more strategically cohesive teams in the tournament.

Vanessa Goh playing for the White Shafts during the 2013 Cinco de Mayo Cup. Photo by JH Photography.

Blue Team – Blue Wasikowski

Roster (in order of selection):

·    (Captain) Dan Hanson, Keeper, Lost Boys (Saturday only)

·    (Captain) Steve DiCarlo, Chaser/Seeker, Lost Boys (Sunday only)

·    Jeff Lin, Chaser, UCLA

·    Missy Sponagle, Chaser/Beater, UCLA

·    Mitch Cavender, Beater/Chaser, White Shafts

·    Tye Rush, Chaser, Riverside Quidditch

·    Jake Tieman, Chaser/Keeper, UCLA

·    Kayla Martin, Chaser, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Misty Gray, Beater, Lost Boys

·    Shaye Lander, Beater, Arizona

·    Plunger Pârvulescu, Seeker, McGill

·    Lauren Mosley, Beater, Santa Barbara Blacktips

·    Aviva Maine, Chaser, Silicon Valley Skrewts

·    Rachel Iversen, Chaser, OC Obliviators

·    Tom Lehman, Beater, Hollywood Harpies

I love the first 5 picks made by Dan and Steve, and think they really set the tone for a solid team. Jeff Lin and Missy Sponagle provide amazing chemistry as chasers, as well as doubling as a fantastic seeker and beater, respectively. Mitch Cavender is a solid beater, but better yet, has the ability to effectively lead a team of beaters. Tye Rush is an outstanding chaser from Riverside, bringing both speed and strength, and Jake Tieman will likely play keeper for Blue Wasikowski, bringing size and ball handling experience to the team. However, after this great group of players, there are no more male quaffle players. While the four male chasers for this team can play full games, it will surely tire them out as play continues. Although Mitch can switch to chaser to let the others rest, the tough Day 1 schedule for his team will likely keep him playing beater. While this group has the ability to run up the score on other teams, Plunger, a solid seeker from McGill, and Steve DiCarlo should be able to help pull them out of close games. I expect to see this team perform very well, although the male players might be exhausted by the end of the tournament.

Tye Rush chasing for the Remus Riverside Runners during Western Cup V. Photo by Monica Wheeler.

Overall Predictions

As far as beaters go, it's a toss up between Silver, Black, Red, and Blue. While Silver has two capable individuals, Kyrie Timbrook and Chris Seto, I worry that their styles might be incompatible. Black's core of UCLA beaters will likely be the most cohesive, but lacks the star power of some other lineups. With a strong male beater set fronted by Peter Lee, Red will likely have the fastest beating squad, and is my choice for the strongest overall beaters. However, when Sponagle switches from chaser to beater, Blue will have the smartest beaters in the tournament, fully capable of shutting down Red's advantages.

For defensive chasing, teams with a solid keeper, strong point defender, and fast chasers able to run a tight man defense should win out. Although teams like Orange, Pink, and Black have enough solid players to run tough defenses, I expect the see particularly strong defensive lines from Red, Green, and Blue. Despite running a two female chaser lineup, both Red and Green have the size and speed to play a tremendously physical defense. Overall though, I expect Blue (as long as they're feeling fresh) to front the strongest defensive line, with incredibly quick players like Jeff Lin and Missy Sponagle completely shutting down passing opportunities, Tye Rush putting a strong physical presence up front, and Jake Tieman keeping a strong presence at the hoops.

Offensively, certain players have the potential to carry their team singlehandedly, including Pink's Adam Richardson, Orange's Alex Makk, and Red's Tony Rodriguez. Overall though, expect the best offenses to come from the most cohesive teams, which will likely be Blue and Black. As stated before, Blue has a great starting line of quaffle players who will be able to work together to run up the score. However, Black might be the most exciting offense to watch (bias warning). With Alex Browne and Zach Luce, both of whom can both charge the hoops and run a clean passing game, and a large group of solid supporting chasers (the great Brandon Scapa included), Black is set up to run an exceptionally cohesive offense.

As far as seeking goes, the two clear favorites are Silver and Purple, with Keir Rudolph and Porter Marsh respectively. Should any of their opponents fail to get out of snitch range, being able to win will prove difficult. A special mention goes to Blue's seeking group, which includes Plunger, Steve DiCarlo, and Jeff Lin. Although Steve and Jeff will both play chaser primarily, having such solid substitutes will surely give them an advantage in close games.

Bold Predictions

Pool play is essentially divided into six pools of 3 teams, with each team participating in two separate pools for a total of 4 games. This is my attempt at analyzing each of those pools.

Pool 1:

Purple, Silver, Red

This pool features the two elite seekers of the tournament, Keir Rudolph and Porter Marsh, as well as one of the strongest individual scoring threats, Tony Rodriguez. The match between Purple and Silver should be close and low-scoring, with both teams putting everything into their defense. Ultimately, I have to favor Porter's proven record to win the match for Purple. Against the well-structured Red team, the defenses of Silver and Purple will be put to the test. For Purple, having to play Michael Mohlman as either a beater or chaser will open a corresponding weakness in their offense or defense respectively, which I expect Red to capitalize on. I expect the match between Red and Silver to be much closer, with Chris Seto's experience playing alongside Tony and Peter Lee allowing him to better neutralize Red's play. However, I see the high-powered offense of Red being enough to push the more defensive Silver team barely out of snitch range.

Prediction: Red 2-0, Purple 1-1, Silver 0-2

Pool 2:

Black, Pink, Blue

Despite solid quaffle play from Pink, especially from Adam Richardson, I simply don't think the Pink team will be able to match up on either offense or defense with the more cohesive Black and Blue teams, especially in beating. The interesting matchup here is between Black and Blue. Black has some of UCLA's best quaffle distributors, while Blue has some of UCLA's best quaffle receivers. However, on Day 1, I expect Blue to struggle developing a cohesive team strategy, eventually falling in a close match to the Black team's unified strategy.

Prediction: Black 2-0, Blue 1-1, Pink 0-2

Pool 3:

White, Orange, Green

Unfortunately, with two of their top beaters seriously injured and their quaffle players coming from very different regional strategic backgrounds, I don't see White faring too well, at least until they can piece together a strategy. Orange has a well-balanced team, and should be able to overcome Green's physical defense with an experienced starting line. Alex Makk, as the only explosive point scorer out of all three teams, should be able to run away with this pool.

Prediction: Orange 2-0, Green 1-1, White 0-2

Pool 4:

Purple, Black, White

Although White has larger players than either the Purple or Black team, I see them having difficulty in this pool as well. While the game between Purple and White will be the closest in the pool, Purple's beaters will manage to keep the score low enough for Porter to win another match by snitch grab. Against both Purple and White, Black's core of experienced quaffle players and beaters, many of whom are already used to playing together, will give them the edge.

My Expectation: Black 2-0, Purple 1-1, White 0-2

Pool 5:

Silver, Pink, Orange

This might be one of the closest fought pools of pool play. The battle between Alex Makk and Adam Richardson will be amazing to watch, but the winner will likely be decided by their supporting players. Between Orange and Pink, I have to believe that Orange's solid beating duo and seeker will give them the edge, if only by a little bit. I also expect Silver's beaters to neutralize Richardson's offense, giving them the seeker advantage with Keir Rudolph. Finally, the match between Silver and Orange should be particularly close, with stronger beating from the Silver team going up against stronger quaffle play from the Orange team. In the end, Silver's defensive strategy should keep them within snitch range, allowing Keir Rudolph to deliver Orange's only loss in pool play.

Prediction: Silver 2-0, Orange 1-1, Pink 0-2

Pool 6:

Red, Blue, Green

This is a pretty tough draw for Green. Green's primary weakness is the lack of an experienced player running the offense. While Blue has a similar weakness, their more experienced line of quaffle players should give them the advantage on pitch, allowing either Plunger Pârvulescu or Jeff Lin to give them the out-of-range snitch catch. On the other hand, Tony Rodriguez has become one of the best offense leaders in the West, and with a strong supporting group of players, the Red team should be able to easily defeat Green. The most interesting match in this pool will be between Red and Blue. With excellent beaters on both teams, and with strong quaffle players that are used to playing each other, I see this game going to whichever team is able to change its strategy to best deal with their opponents. In that regard, I have to give a slight advantage to Blue, which features several capable utility players as well as members of the UCLA team that made the World Cup VI finals in large part because of their strategic adaptability.

Prediction: Blue 2-0, Red 1-1, Green 0-2

Black - The Night's Watch: 4-0

Blue – Blue Wasikowski: 3-1

Orange – Safety First: 3-1

Red – The Kryptonyans: 3-1

Purple – The Spirit Animals: 2-2

Silver – The Silver Snakes: 2-2

Green – 50 Shades of Green: 1-3

White – Direwolves 2.0: 0-4

Pink – The Fighting Flamingos: 0-4

Play-in Game

Pink (9) over White (8)

Quarterfinals

Black (1) over Pink (9)

Blue (2) over Green (7)

Silver (6) over Orange (3)

Red (4) over Purple (5)

Semifinals

Black (1) over Red (4)

Blue (2) over Silver (6)

Finals

Blue (2) over Black (1)

Overall, I expect the bracket play to be relatively straightforward. In the play-in game, Adam Richardson has the ability to carry Pink to victory against a White team weakened by injury and disjointed quaffle play. The quarterfinal matches then proceed exactly as they did in pool play. In the semifinals, Black and Red, two of the strongest teams in the tournament, meet for the first time. Despite a strong showing from Tony Rodriguez and Peter Lee, I expect the Black team's passing options to give them an offensive advantage. At this point, Blue's quaffle play should have found its rhythm, giving them the ability to simply outscore the Silver team. In a dramatic rematch from pool play, I expect the finals to come down to a snitch grab, with Blue's stronger seeking squad giving them the win on a pull.