Preview
Midwest Monday: No. 4-2
This week, we discuss a reloading—not rebuilding—of the University of Michigan, perennial contender Ball State University, and the dangerously isolated University of Kansas.
As USQ prepares for its “inaugural” season, the three of us decided it would be interesting to write a small article highlighting the top 10 teams in the organization’s largest region: the Midwest. As most things concerning Midwest analysis tend to go, we ended up writing more than enough to give you all no less than five articles, which will be released each week leading up to the Midwest’s two kick-off events: Ohio State’s Tournament of the Stars 2 and the Illinois State Firebirds Opening Day on Sept. 20. After the season gets underway, we’ll occasionally revisit these rankings and update them as the first half of the season gets closer to the Midwest Regional Championship on Nov. 9.
This week, we discuss a reloading—not rebuilding—of the University of Michigan, perennial contender Ball State University, and the dangerously isolated University of Kansas.
#4: The University of Michigan
EW: The University of Michigan seems to have had pretty much the same season annually since it became IQA official three years ago. All three seasons have started out with elimination from an early October tournament by another top-tier Midwest team, shortly followed by elimination by Michigan State University at the Midwest Regional Championship on a snitch catch, then a surprise for everyone with dominant pool play at World Cup, and finally a loss in bracket play on a quick snitch catch. This year they were eliminated with a catch by Ohio State University’s Mitch Boehm in the Sweet Sixteen, 90*-60. Many questions surround Michigan’s leadership as both three year starting keeper/chaser Evan Batzer and former head captain and chaser Michelle Busch depart, and team USA alternate chaser Andrew Axtell steps down from his role as co-head captain. With seven returning players having played in three World Cups, Michigan’s lines are undeniably battle tested. Many people seem to think that all of the team’s success rested in the hands of the Axtell/Batzer combination, and they tend to write off Michigan’s highly physical beaters and chasing lines.
TC: Michigan is going to have a stellar year. With an extremely talented and experienced team, along with minimal graduations, this team comes into the season with a lot of potential. Michigan had a great showing at World Cup VII, taking down the NYDC Capitalists and winning what most called “the Pool of Death.” Michigan had a good second day at WCVII, losing to Ohio State University in the Sweet 16, once again being knocked out by a fellow Midwest team. An interesting change I am excited to see is Dylan Scheppers moving over to chaser. Having played with him at the Black Swamp Fantasy Tournament this past summer, he has a lot of potential at chaser. Michigan is definitely capable of hanging with any team in the region, and I think it will impress early.
DH: The best performance from our region at World Cup VII, hands down, was Michigan. An undefeated run-through of the Pool of Death (featuring victories over the NYDC Capitalists, Austin Quidditch, and the Santa Barbara Blacktips) capped off by superb performances in bracket play easily trumps what any other Midwest team accomplished. A missed snitch grab after a tense match against Ohio State University is the only blemish on the record—a much smaller blemish than any other team’s. Being awarded the chance to play this team in the Sweet 16, and comparing that match to previous matches at the University of Toledo’s Glass City Classic, highlighted the main reason why Michigan succeeded, a team-wide insistence on not making mistakes. At the Glass City Classic, Michigan occasionally broke down under pressure and gave up easy driving lanes or wide open passes. At World Cup VII, Michigan cut off those mistakes and forced opponents to fight for every single goal, using a combination of intelligence and physicality. With the returning chasing experience of Andrew Axtell and Malek Atassi, I see Michigan building off its World Cup successes and being a favorite in any tournament it chooses to attend.
#3: Ball State University
TC: Going into the 2013 Midwest Regional Championship, Ball State University was considered by most as the favorites to take the Cup. Having not brought a complete roster to any tournaments that semester, its debut at full strength was to be at the Regional Championship. Blowing away its pool and defeating its Sweet 16 opponent University of MIssouri in the only match of that round out of snitch range, the Cardinals had their eyes on the prize. However, Ball State fell in a tough semifinals round to its rival, Bowling Green State University, on a snitch catch. After what it considered a disappointing first semester, Ball State continued to disappoint in the second semester. Most notable are the numerous occasions where it lost well out of snitch range to Central Michigan University at the Purdue Indoor Invitational and in the Big Ten v. MAC Challenge. Ball State finished its 2013-14 season with a 100*-10 loss to Texas A&M in the Round of 32 at World Cup VII. The Cardinals’ only other loss in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was to Emerson College in pool play. These two losses point to an interesting fact: the only two teams Ball State lost to at World Cup VII were Final Four teams, giving the team some solace in what it considered an early leave. Coming into this season, Ball State is suffering from graduations that have left it with a depleted returning chaser line, losing Devon McCoy, Sara Makey and Erin Kelly. Ball State suffered another blow to its chaser line early this season. Tyler Walker, head coach for the Cardinals and one of the best quaffle players in the Midwest, has decided not to return to Ball State and will not be involved with the team. However, Ball State has retained its entire beater line, plus a huge addition: Andrew Derry, formerly of Central Michigan University, is now attending graduate school at Ball State University. Easily the most underrated male beater in the region, Derry will greatly influence any success the team has. With the new depth at male beater, combined with the very underrated depth of female beaters, the Ball State beaters are going to be leading this squad with their experience.
DH: Losing Tyler Walker, in my opinion, will be the biggest loss this team will need to overcome. McCoy and Makey had better reputations for their skill, but Walker was the kind of “glue guy” that would hold offenses together and be the middle link in passing attacks. With all three of these big names in the quaffle game gone, Ball State will be forced to rely on its beating corps. For almost any other team, this big of a loss would spell trouble. Ball State, however, is lucky to have arguably two of the top five male beaters in the region, as well as an underrated and deep female beating line. Trevor Campbell has made quite the name for himself this summer with stellar fantasy tournament performances (Black Swamp Fantasy, Midwest Fantasy, and THE Fantasy). Adding ex-Central Michigan starter Derry gives Ball State either the best one-two male beater punch in the region or the interesting idea of a two-female chaser, two-male beater line. No matter which way this team goes with these two stars, expect Ball State to be notoriously hard to score against. If Campbell and Derry can help an unproven chasing line open up easy passing and driving lanes on offense, Ball State has the potential to swing up to our top spot.
EW: Ball State is one of very few teams to actually benefit from its players lost. That is not a criticism of any of them personally, but I believe that the necessary structural changes in its lines and strategies that will result will benefit the team. Devon McCoy has stagnated in terms of strategy and physicality, and his move to Blue Mountain Quidditch Club will allow Blake Fitzgerald and the mountain of a man that is Ian Books to move into their deserved roles. Books has twice now been a key part of teams in the finals of Midwest Fantasy Tournaments, anchoring Matt Eveland’s team at Midwest Winter Fantasy and serving as a huge counterpart to Andrew Axtell on Melinda Staup’s Midwest Fantasy team this summer. Books has proven that his size and physicality can score on even the strongest of point chasers and keepers. Fitzgerald didn’t have much chance to show his worth until this summer at Midwest Fantasy, when his play-style was strongly juxtaposed against Books’. Intercepting passes and shots on defense and drawing defenders to clear lanes for off-ball chasers on offense, Fitzgerald showed that the diversity of Ball State’s keepers next season is going to force teams to constantly adjust their strategy.
The addition of Andrew Derry is obviously important and has been covered well enough, but what you guys have both failed to mention is that Trevor Campbell isn’t just a “top five male beater” or any other conservative statement of the sort. He is the best beater in the region coming into this season, and he will hold that title until someone is able to convincingly outperform him in an official match. Not only did he dominate Day Two of Midwest Fantasy, he did more than just “make a name for himself” at THE Fantasy Tournament; he showed that he was of the same caliber as the best in the world. If he and Derry can balance themselves to appropriately cover weaknesses in their chasing line, there are absolutely no guaranteed wins against this team, especially with the new rules giving an exact time of the snitch’s release. Campbell is the most aggressive seeking game beater in the region and will have adequate time to rest himself before every game’s seeker battle.
#2: University of Kansas (KU)
DH: This team is my personal selection for No. 1. When I’m looking at potential elite teams in our region, I’m looking for teams who can compete with the best—the Southwest. It’s been covered time and time again, but it is worth repeating: Kansas was a snitch grab away from taking down Texas A&M University in WCVII, as well as a better overtime performance away from defeating Lone Star Quidditch Club (LSQC.) Any way you slice it, those were two of the top five teams in last year’s IQA, and no one else in the Midwest came this close. This season, graduation has hurt KU with depth in numbers, but the Kansas program’s B Team, Crimson Warhawks, gives the A Team a chance to fill out its depth with players who have World Cup experience. That is the kind of advantage no other team in the Midwest has, and very few anywhere, can claim. I’m looking forward to the ways Samy Mousa will push an already talented beater corps, as well as how it combines with a quaffle game that I expect to have a larger focus on raw athleticism and physicality.
TC: Kansas had the second best performance of the Midwest teams down in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at World Cup VII. In an amazing game against powerhouse LSQC, the Jayhawks were able to take LSQC into overtime in a close match. Not only were they in overtime, but Kansas almost sent the game into double overtime (the snitch catch was ruled no good due to it being too close to the spectator area). Not only that, Kansas also held Texas A&M, the favorites to win World Cup, to an extremely close match. Having proved that it can handle out-of-region play, Kansas will be coming in strong this season and look for a repeat appearance in the finals at the Midwest Regional Championship.
EW: The same thing that has plagued Kansas in the past will continue to be a thorn in its side this year: the rulebook. It is a notoriously card-happy team, and the team’s strategy and physical play leads to many rules debates. I ranked the Jayhawks so highly because their well-established program—no other team has played in more high-profile games, except Bowling Green State University—has learned how to win. There is no doubt with the amount of returning talent, knowledge, and experience the team has that Kansas will be a title competitor at the Midwest Regional Championship. Looking past that, however, to Rock Hill, South Carolina brings up larger questions. Kansas plays a straightforward game against other Midwest teams of similar skill, and that alone is enough to make it second best unless there is a huge rise in talent from other squads. Unfortunately, the changes in Rulebook 8.1 preventing the team’s keepers from regaining immunity in the keeper zone will seriously hurt Kansas against significantly better teams. I believe it will lose to our predicted No. 1 team when they meet in regional bracket play because it will no longer be able to run its stalling game as effectively, leaving the team much more susceptible to counterattacks. Unless Kansas can develop a consistent identity for all games it plays, the idea of playing higher-caliber teams conservatively will hurt the Jayhawks when it matters.
