Northeast Fantasy Preview: Part 2 of 3
Photo by Ana Iherina.
Pool 2:
State of the Pool: While not the strongest pool, this is definitely the most competitive one from top to bottom. Ricky Nelson, Shenuque Tissera, or Benny Nadeau could all see their team win the pool or miss the playoffs entirely. This pool features good offense but significantly diminished beating compared to the other groups. Seeker play will matter heavily in this pool, but with only one bona-fide seeker present, the beater game when the snitch gets back on pitch will be a difference maker in many games.
Game(s) to Watch: Ricky vs. Benny; Ricky vs. Shenuque; Benny vs. Shenuque. All three of these teams could make the playoffs, but with only 2 spots, someone will be left out, rather undeservedly so.
Benny Nadeau's White Team
Benny Nadeau, Chaser, Q.C. Boston: The Massacre
Erin Mallory, Chaser, University of Maryland
Sarah Kneiling, Beater, Louisiana State University
Sarah Sherman, Chaser, University of Southern California
Nora Mueller, Beater, Tufts University
Amanda Salvucci, Beater, Hofstra University
Wesley Weiss, Keeper, Emerson College
Pablo Santiago, Chaser, Emerson College
Jason Caballes, Seeker, Stony Brook University
CJ Junior, Beater, Emerson College
Christian Barnes, Beater, Macaulay Honors College
Howie Levine, Chaser, Tufts University
Aaron Roth, Beater, New York Badassilisks
Luke Greenway, Beater, Middlebury College
Thomas Walsh, Keeper, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Rob Terreri, Chaser, SUNY Geneseo
David Kelvey, Utility, India Point Ashwinders
Rhoze Faraci, Beater, No Affiliation
The Team: This team will rely on its strong females to push it into contention. Nadeau's first five picks were all ladies, and of those, chasers Sarah Sherman and Erin Mallory and beater Sarah Kneilling are some of the best at their positions in this tournament. Yet Nadeau's male players are not lacking at all, as he was able to value draft Pablo Santiago, Wesley Weiss, and Howie Levine to give himself one of the deepest, strongest chasing lineups in the entire tournament. While Nadeau's beaters aren't as strong as his chasers, they will be anchored by CJ Junior and Kneilling, and they should be able to hold their own in the pool. Nadeau drafted one of the more underrated seekers in Jason Caballes, but he will be hard pressed to find a backup when Caballes inevitably gets tired.
Prediction: This team should thrive in the quaffle game and outscore many opponents with ease through its sheer number of elite chasers alone. As long as Junior and Kneilling can hold down the defense, this team should put enough points on the board to be successful and, quite frankly, scary. I see them going 3-1 in pool play, and taking the first or second spot depending on goal differential.
X-factor: Depth. While Nadeau has enormous depth at chaser, his keeper and seeker lines are very thin, perhaps forcing some of his elite players into positions where they are not as comfortable.
Ricky Nelson's Purple Team
Ricky Nelson, Beater, University of Maryland
Andonio Mourdoukoutas, Chaser, Macaulay Honors College
Harry Greenhouse, Utility, University of Maryland
Missy Hanley, Chaser, Villanova University
Robby May, Beater, NYDC Capitalists
Alina Clough, Beater, Ives Pond/Buffalo Quidditch
Matt Angelico, Chaser, University of Maryland
Matthew Paesch, Keeper, University of Maryland
Emily Barno, Chaser, Steel City Quidditch Club
Freddy Salinas, Beater, Austin Quidditch
Nick Romano, Chaser, Pennsylvania State University
Chandler Smith, Beater, Oklahoma Baptist University
Alex Krall, Beater, No Affiliation
Sarah Kelly, Chaser, Pennsylvania State University
Julia Baer, Beater, University of Richmond
Amy Murphy, Beater, University of Richmond
Erin Jansen, Chaser, Boston University
Tyler Trudeau, Keeper, Boston Riot
The Team: Nelson had one of the strongest drafts and got many of his players for significantly less than they were worth. While Nelson's squad is a little light at the chaser position, he has Maryland teammates Harry Greenhouse and Matt Angelico headlining the team to provide a solid scoring punch. Missy Hanley and Andonio Mourdoukoutas should also provide good quaffle help, and can score if needed. Nelson, besides himself, has exceptionally strong beaters in Robby May and Julia Baer. They should be able to control the games well and provide defensive support for the somewhat less physical chasing lines. Greenhouse is also arguably the best seeker in the tournament, and as long as he is on his game, he should be able to end close games quickly. Greenhouse will need strong support from the beaters, however, as he will have a target on his back from the moment he switches headbands.
Prediction: Nelson has one of the deepest teams in the tournament. His chasers and beaters are all reliable, and Greenhouse will be unmatched in the seeker game. I see Nelson's team going 3-1 and fighting for the top spot in the pool on goal difference with Nadeau's White Team.
X-factor: Julia Baer. Drafting her for a mere fourteen galleons was the best pick of the entire tournament, and she brings this beating corps from good to great.
Shenuque Tissera's Orange Team
Shenuque Tissera, Utility, Macaulay Honors College
Chad Brown, Beater, Bowling Green State University
Matthew Savery, Chaser, Fordham University
Kyle Sanson, Utility, University of Rochester
Jason Rosenberg, Chaser, Pennsylvania State University
Carrie Franchino, Chaser, Villanova University
Josh Marks, Keeper, University of Maryland
Kevin Da Ponte, Utility, University of Ottawa
Samantha Elgin, Chaser, Bowling Green State University
Becky McAlary, Beater, Pennsylvania State University
Nick Tobey, Chaser, Tufts University
Laurie Rabin, Beater, Tufts University
David Tracey, Seeker, Pennsylvania State University
Nick Candido, Chaser, University of Richmond
Tina Liu, Chaser, Ives Pond/Buffalo Quidditch
Norman Pan, Beater, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Euris Sanchez, Chaser, Ithaca Hex
Hannah Sugarman, Beater, SUNY Geneseo
The Team: Tissera seemed to know who he wanted early on and was not afraid to spend for them. His two biggest picks, beater Chad Brown and chaser Jason Rosenberg, are well worth the money, and immediately make this team one of the best defensively in the tournament. He also got good value in keeper Josh Marks and chaser Samantha Elgin, and this team should be above average in the quaffle game. Perhaps the biggest strength on this team is the number of solid utility players, as Tissera himself and Kyle Sanson can fill any need the team encounters on the fly. The beater corps is a little weak after Brown, but so long as his partner proves capable, he should still have a huge influence on all of the games.
Prediction: This team should not find itself out of many games, but may struggle to get out of snitch range. Brown and Rosenberg should provide ample defense, but when the seekers get back on pitch the game may open up too much for them to have as great of an impact. I see this team going 2-2 for third in the group, but with the most potential of any team to exceed these expectations. This is such a competitive pool that winning or losing one game could be the difference between first and fourth.
X-factor: Female beater. Whoever steps into the starting role must hold her own, as Brown will need reliable support with his ultra-aggressive style.
Clay Dockery's Red Team
Clay Dockery, Chaser, New York Badassilisks
Kedzie Teller, Chaser, Q.C. Boston: The Massacre
Clare Hutchinson, Beater, University of Ottawa
David Foxx, Keeper, Emerson College
Jonathan Palmer, Chaser, Northwestern University
Alexandra Bassa, Beater, University of Ottawa
Freddy Varone, Chaser, Hofstra University
Alex Amodol, Beater, Philadelphia Honey Badgers
Alicia Caruso, Chaser, New York Badassilisks
Elissa Salamy, Chaser, Hofstra University
Benjamin Rosner, Chaser, SUNY Geneseo
Ben Tunick, Beater, University of Maryland
Jeffrey Hunt, Utility, University of Richmond
Matt Bailey-Adams, Chaser, Ithaca Hex
Samantha Hayes, Beater, University of Rochester
Aaron Kennedy, Chaser, Ives Pond/Buffalo Quidditch
Darrah Treleaven, Beater, Steel City Quidditch Club
Jessica Blanca, Beater, Ithaca Hex
The Team: Despite being handicapped as the only GM not to really be playing on Saturday, Dockery still drafted a very strong team. He has proven his knowledge in understanding which players work well together, and showcased this again in getting unselfish stars such as chaser Kedzie Teller and keeper David Foxx, both for significantly less than market value. Alongside them are two of the most underrated players in the tournament: utility-man Freddy Varone and beater Alexandra Bassa. Together, these four provide strength at all four positions unmatched by many teams in this pool. Beyond them, however, are mostly role players that will have to step up and do their jobs to keep this team successful. This team has strength at the top, but may be undone by a critical injury or exhaustion as the day wears on.
Prediction: The star power on this team will be enough to keep it close against most teams in this pool, and I see many, if not all of their games, coming down to a snitch catch. Here, Varone will need to use his scrappy style to get his team much needed wins, and if he has an off day, they may find themselves farther down in the pool than they deserve. I predict them going 2-2 in pool play and finishing in fourth place, with an upset of one of the two top teams in the pool very possible.X-factor: Scoring. So long as either Kedzie or Foxx steps up to put the ball through the hoop, the offense will be okay. If they become too unselfish, however, this team might find itself passing too much and shooting too little to get the goals they need.
Dante Close's Gray Team
Dante Close, Chaser, New York University
Mo Haggag, Chaser, New York Badassilisks
Indiana Kuffer, Chaser, Macaulay Honors College
Lucy Miller, Keeper, New York University
Amy Havens, Chaser, University of New Haven
Leah Ferrante, Beater, Steel City Quidditch Club
Matthew Zeltzer, Utility, Vassar College
Kevin Oelze, Keeper, Silicon Valley Skrewts
Michael Bufardeci, Chaser, Hofstra University
Rich Martino, Chaser, New York University
Mike Iadavaia, Beater, Hofstra University
Sean Sullivan, Keeper, Horn Tailed Horcruxes
Collin Leese Thompson, Seeker, Pennsylvania State University
Kyle Jeon, Chaser, New York University
Alyssa Michnevitz, Beater, Hofstra University
Jesse Brint, Chaser, University of New Haven
Namitha Gubbi, Beater, New York University
Tommy Byrne, Keeper, Pennsylvania State University
The Team: Close drafted mostly New York-based players that he is familiar with, but left way too many galleons on the table to have a fully competitive team. His biggest name is keeper Kevin Oelze, who while used to having an offense run around him, may find trouble with the lack of depth on this team. Close and fellow chasers Mo Haggag and Indiana Kuffer will have to really step up their game in order for this team to score the goals it needs to stay in the games. Beater-wise, the team is relying on Hofstra duo Alyssa Michnevitz and Mike Iadavaia to neutralize the high-powered offenses elsewhere in the pool, but their lack of aggression may force Kyle Jeon into the position if they consistently lose bludger control. Seeker is a strong point on this team, with Haggag, Collin Leese-Thompson, and Matthew Zeltzer all being more than capable of finishing off a game. Whether they will have the chance to is another story.
Prediction: I see this as one of the weaker teams in the tournament. Unfortunately, Close saved his galleons for too long and was never able to get the star power he really could have. With so many good players going on the cheap in Day Two, I am shocked Close didn't use his money to snag a few of them. I see this team going 0-4 in pool play and being doomed by their quaffle offense not being able to score points on more aggressive teams.
X-Factor: Oelze. He will need to be at the top of his game if this team has any hope of pulling some upsets. If his teammates can not get open for his normally spot-on passes, it will be a long day for him and this team as well. Tomorrow, the Group of Death: Pool 3.