App-5 Fall Semester Recap
PC: App-5 Conference
The Appalachian 5 Conference returned to action this fall with all of the top collegiate quadball teams in Appalachia coming back for another season. The conference has even expanded to the eastern shore of Maryland, and now includes the Phoenixes of Salisbury University, bringing the conference back to its original 5 team format. This season has already seen lots of high-quality quadball, great competition, and plenty of storylines to monitor going into the spring semester.
The newest members of the App-5 conference, Salisbury Phoenixes, have taken huge strides forward in their development as a team. Having struggled against their Mid-Atlantic competition in past seasons, they’ve really found their identity this year, and brought a fresh burst of energy to the App-5. Virginia Tech and James Madison University have reprised their partnership and returned as Virginia Reunited. Playing as a joint team always brings extra challenges with building team chemistry, but Reunited has found ways to overcome it, and developed a relatively inexperienced group into a team that consistently finds opportunities to win games. Once again, QC Pittsburgh has excelled in getting new recruits. Last year’s App-5 runner-up may be in a bit of a rebuild year, but their focus on developing new players, and the talent on their top chaser line has made them a thorn in the side for their competition. The undefeated University of Virginia once again has been dominant in conference play. Their high pressure defense and ability to out hustle their opponents makes them the heavy favorites to repeat as App-5 champions. UVA however is not the only undefeated team left in the conference. While Penn State hasn’t gotten the opportunity to face either team from Virginia, Penn State has racked up wins against QC Pitt and Salisbury by comfortable margins, and has also gotten some big wins in out of conference games.
The fall semester kicked off in mid September as Virginia Reunited hosted a 3 game Battle of the Virginias series against UVA. UVA was dominant with their full court press defense, and earned a 3 game sweep on the road over their in-state rivals. UVA extended their winning streak the following weekend as they won their home tournament Cavalier Cup with another 3-0 performance. Virginia Reunited took second place with tight wins over Salisbury and QC Pitt, and Salisbury managed to fight off QC Pitt and leave Charlottesville with a win. The final two App-5 events of the year were both in State College, PA as Penn State hosted QC Pitt and Salisbury in the Keystone Classic and the Bappalachia Bludger Bash. The hosts gave strong performances coming away undefeated in both tournaments. Salisbury and QC Pitt played very even with each other and played 4 very close games. Salisbury squeaked out wins in both matchups at the Keystone classic, but QC Pitt came back with vengeance weeks later in their rematch and were able to split games. In national qualifiers, UVA continued their winning ways and will be returning to the D1 bracket at USQ Cup in April, while Virginia Reunited, Salisbury, and Penn State have all secured spots in the D2 bracket.
Fall Semester Standings
Penn State, having won 8 conference games, finishes the fall at the top of the conference in points. However, UVA has been even more dominant in point differential and will pose a big threat to Penn State’s first place status in the spring when they face off against each other. Salisbury and Pitt have been able to rack up points by playing in 3 events this fall and take 3rd and 4th place, respectively. Virginia Reunited rounds out the bottom of the standings having only played 6 games, but boast 2 wins over Pitt and Salisbury as well as a D2 bid to nationals secured in Richmond. These standings will determine seeding for the double elimination App-5 Championship Tournament this spring (date and location to be announced soon!)
Team Overviews
Penn State: Currently holding first place, Penn State has looked like a team that picked up where they left off last year. The team has held fast to their drive and dish focused offense which has looked potent in their games so far. Much of this is credit to Penn State’s younger chasers who have matured and now understand the game at an even higher level. Their defensive scheme also follows their recipe for success from last year continuing to play a compact 2-2 zone. Daring teams to attack their zone, Penn State use their physicality and well positioned beaters to eat up drives and often force turnovers forming into fast break situations. When teams have forced them into half court offenses, they look for Kenneth Peterson and Advait Iyer to drive and dish to cutters like Sophia Wood, Arya Metha, Shana Levin. One of the team’s key players Connor Morrow has made the switch from beater to chaser this year, and has become one of the top scorers on the team, often leading the charge on fast breaks. Luci Jensen has often looked like the best beater on the pitch in her appearances at Keystone Classic and Bappalahia Bludger Bash, as her veteran presence and smart play has been huge for her team. Penn State was the only team not to attend the Richmond National Qualifier and instead shipped up to Boston 2 weeks later to come away with a D2 bid finishing over some high quality Northeast teams. With Penn State having not matched up with the Virginia teams yet it will be interesting to see how they match up against either of the UVA high press and pass heavy offense, and if they can make a run at the conference championship.
Fall semester MVP: Arya Mehta - Mehta has taken a big leap in his second year to become a key player for Penn State. After losing Lucas Oppenheim to graduation, Penn State was in need of a dynamic wing player to fill that role. While Mehta is not a like for like replacement, he may suit this iteration of Penn State better. Mehta is a dynamic player with loads of speed and agility that makes him a tough player to cover. This dynamism allows him to attack zones as teams have a hard time picking him up on the switch. Mehta’s skill set also makes him a dangerous player when Penn State gets out and is able to run downhill. He works well with his teammates to be an excellent dump off option on fast breaks. On defense Mehta is a tenacious defender being hard to beat on the dribble and willing to hit players much larger than him. Look for the Sophomore to keep growing as the season goes on.
Player to watch this spring: Shana Levin - From the departure of many of Penn State’s off ball options, lots of holes were needed to be filled this year in terms of where offensive production comes from. Levin has taken this opportunity and transformed into one of the best behind the hoops scoring weapons in the conference. Penn State’s ball movement in their games at Bappalachia Bludger Bash and Keystone Classic always seemed like they were one pass ahead of what the defense was capable of stopping, and Levin was consistently involved. Her skills as an unmarked chaser elevates Penn State’s passing game in big ways.
QC Pitt: The App-5 tournament runner ups of last season have been a team of growth this semester. With the loss of several key pieces of the team that shocked Virginia Reunited Last year in the semifinals, this team has struggled to find the highs they experienced last year. However, they have shown improvement at every successive tournament they have attended this semester. As they’ve played more games, Captains Delaney Lindberg, Jim Karas, and Kevin Oh have gotten their beaters more involved on offense, and tightened up their defensive rotations. Giving plenty of playing time to their first year players has paid dividends. Pitt’s ability to recruit and retain players consistently has been impressive. They boast the largest roster in the conference and are able to use the extra fresh legs to their advantage. Q.C. Pitt can be one of the more physical teams in the conference and there is a willingness to hit from the top to the bottom of the roster regardless of position. This physicality has been one of their greatest strengths on defense. On offense, Jackson Neofes has been the field general of the team and has turned into a stellar ball handler. Neofes often racks up assists and finds his captains Lindberg and Karas in the wing position to finish goals. Pitt has what it takes to stay competitive in the spring, and the continuous development of their young and deep roster will be the driving force that will help them win games.
Fall semester MVP: Delaney Lindberg - Lindberg has been the heart and soul of the QC Pitt program this year. Her coaching and drive has been key to the growth this team has seen at each tournament. On offense Lindberg has great positioning as an off ball chaser beyond most college players have, always looking to be a scoring threat. On defense she plays as excellent point or mark defender, with good footwork and willingness to lay a hit on any player gives opposing offenses a challenge. If Lindberg continues to improve next semester she has a real chance at being first team all conference in the spring.
Player to watch this spring: Kelechi Anucha - Anucha has made an impact at what is the toughest position in the sport to pick up. He has become a great energetic off the bench beater for Pitt. He has a strong arm which he has used to fearlessly engage some of the top beaters in the conference and held his own. He has really been able to take advantage of Pittsburgh giving their beaters more freedom as the semester has progressed allowing him to use his athleticism to push other more technical beaters. But, Anucha isn't just a beater he has also been one of the main seekers for QC Pitt. He had the all important catch for Pitt in their win over Salisbury at Bappalachia Bludger Bash. It’s going to be fun to watch Anucha grow at both positions next semester.
Salisbury: The newest addition to the App-5 conference has done nothing but impress in it’s debut semester. This team may not have the depth the other four teams in the conference do, with their largest roster being only 13 players. But, the top to bottom athleticism and experience makes this team a dangerous match up. Despite this small roster this team likes to play fast and physical and is always looking for fast break opportunities. Salisbury uses their size, and athleticism to make teams uncomfortable on offense forcing turnovers which players like Diego Rojas, Lance White, and Daniel Stepcic steam down field and turn into easy goals. At beater, Salisbury is anchored by Cat Sylvain and Jordan Pinckney two wonderfully technical beaters who have great communication with each other as a pair. Because of the small roster size the two of them play very long shifts and as a result have great situational awareness of when they can help on fast break and when they are better off resting for the next defensive shift. Utility player Wesley Coston and brings intensity unmatched by any other player on the pitch. His incredible speed and shiftiness makes him dangerous at any position. Salisbury has been one of the most fun teams to watch solely based on their team spirit. Throughout the game they are always talking, cheering, (Even shouting to intimidate, usually from Coston or Rojas). Salisbury has started to grow a rivalry with QC Pitt so far this year with 5 of their 7 matchups having been decided by 25 points or less, it will be interesting to see how that rivalry grows in the spring. If the Phoenixes can pick up a few more recruits in the spring semester, and build their depth this team has the right ingredients to rise and catch fire this spring.
Fall semester MVP: Alex Lipinski - Lipinski emulates exactly what Salisbury's culture is all about, small but mighty and tough as nails! She is one of the loudest players on the pitch, always calling out opposing offenses movements from the small hoop which she fiercely defends. She does an excellent job of guarding the hoops with active hands and good switches when the field flips. Lipinski is great at cleaning up loose balls that her teammates create in Salisbury's turnover creating defense. On offense Lipinski is a sure handed outlet for her driving teammates. She helps extend drives with her great passing under pressure. In addition, she has come in clutch as a seeker multiple times for her team. Having the extra boost of a snitch catch is sometimes the spark this team needs to close out games, and Lipinski often provides it. She often the unsung hero for Salisbury, but she is key in the success we have seen from the Pheonixs in their debut semester.
Player to watch this spring: Chris Rucker - Rucker is currently in his third year of quadball, and each year he becomes an increasingly bigger weapon for Salisbury. This year he has floated between ball handling and being a scoring threat off ball, and the way he has diversified his offensive game has been key for building the chemistry Salisbury has. He has also grown into being Salisbury’s most difficult point defender to beat. His team clearly missed him at national qualifiers when he was out with an injury, but surely once Rucker is back on the field, his presence will make a big impact as Salisbury makes their push for a conference title and their first competitive appearance at nationals.
University of Virginia: The University of Virginia Quadball team might have been placed second among the App-5 teams, but they remain undefeated for the semester, and the heavy favorite to win the conference. UVA has been a very high scoring team this season, scoring the second most amount of points while playing the least amount of games. PSU only scored one more goal than UVA, with UVA playing six games and PSU playing eight. UVA’s offense relies heavily on quick and precise passes to force the defense to turn itself around and not be able to respond to scoring threats easily. They aren’t afraid to shoot or dunk, making use of all quadball players to find whatever weakness the other team has on their defense. On UVA’s own defense they prefer to use their beaters to do the heavy lifting, the chasers and keeper aren’t left out though. The beaters tend to defend the wing chasers while making the quadball carrier feel isolated, UVA’s beaters aren’t afraid to be aggressive but tend to make smart decisions with their beats. Their hallmark defense is the 1-2-1, having one chaser marking the quadball player behind hoops, two defending the hoops, and one marking up on the quadball carrier. While they return their UNSTDA chasers Zan Siddiqui and Emma Rollins and their stalwart beater Maddie Myott, UVA is comprised of mostly new players, which makes them all the more impressive. UVA is the only App-5 team to secure a D1 bid at nationals so far, and they look dangerous as ever. A repeat run at a confenece title seems well within reach for UVA, and they certainly have their eyes set on their first national title as well.
Fall semester MVP: Zan Siddiqui - Zan Siddiqui has been impressive at chaser since he first started playing at UVA. When he first started out playing he was very much a supportive wing chaser on offense looking for weaknesses on the opposing team’s defense, he’s evolved into a completely different chaser. He’s still able to help his team on offense with crisp and precise passes, but now he’s very much a solo scoring threat. If a keeper isn’t paying close attention, Siddiqui is able to shoot reliably and quickly outmaneuver a defense to dunk on the hoop. He’s the MVP for UVA this semester because he’s a reliable scoring threat, but he’s no slouch on defense either. Siddiqui is able to bring down most quadball carriers and makes sure to get in their face to deny a shot opportunity.
Player to watch this spring: Nathan Jun - One of UVA's many impressive new chasers, Jun has immediately become one of UVA's biggest scoring threats. Consistently one of the players playing high up in the press defense, Jun has found a knack for forcing opponents into mistakes and turning over the ball before it even crosses midfield. This new recruitment class UVA has brought in might be the best we've seen in the Mid Atlantic post-pandemic and Jun is one of the most impressive players of the bunch.
Virginia Reunited (James Madison University and Virginia Tech): The two schools separated by 138 miles of I-81 have joined forces once again this season in a team with a slightly different look than their last iteration. The Reunited team this year is full of young blood that has shown that with some more polishing they can really help this team challenge the top teams of the conference. With the departure of Elizabeth Nolan and WVU stars Jack Melnick and Cameron Speaker, the team has had to fill lots of gaps with raw new talent. First year player Alex Vaughan has been huge this fall stepping into the role of a starting beater for his team. With support from Jane Voith and Ryan Marsh, the beating core of this team has morphed into one of the team’s biggest strengths. The chasing game is led by the two captains Shane McConaghie from Virginia Tech and Gabe Templeton from JMU. Both being fresh off of a summer playing with the Washington Admirals in MLQ have shown how smart they are for college players. Their intelligence has rubbed off on many of their young chasers as well. Reunited has come up with some close wins and relied heavily on Templeton and McConaghie to close out games, and it has led them to a D2 bid. But younger stars like Charlie Bodenstein and Li Rauss have started to step up and the two schools are growing their chemistry. As that continues, this team will even be able to challenge the D1 bracket caliber teams.
Fall Semester MVP: Shane “Money Bags” McConaghie - While many of the new players on Virginia Reunited have been impressive this fall, it would be hard to pick anyone over the veteran Virginia Tech Captain McConaghie. Coming off his summer of leading his MLQ team Washington Admirals in scoring, McConaghie has continued his hot hand into his final college season. McConaghie loves running fast breaks when the other team is still in transition, and is arguably the best tackler in the Mid Atlantic. He thrives in his role as the main ball carrier, and has been on point all semester with his mid range shots. His leadership for this team is extremely valuable, and off the field has been a big part of developing Reunited’s young core.
Player to watch this spring: Gabe Templeton - Templeton is the coach of the JMU half of Reunited, playing chaser and is the energy and spark plug for this Virginia Reunited team. Templeton is coming off a summer of being on a MLQ practice squad with the Washington Admirals. This past summer allowed Templeton to polish his game and has made him a much more consistent player and a leader for this team. Templeton is an energetic player who is best when he can use his speed and agility to attack the hoops from the wing. He also will not give up on a play always looking to pick up loose balls for those lucrative second chance goals.On defense he is a tenacious point defender. Templeton has excellent footwork and quick reaction time to keep himself in front of almost any attacker. He has adopted a never back down mentality and will put a hit on any player. If Templeton can continue his upward trajectory and become a bonafide star along with teammate McConghie the two of them could propel this young VRU team to challenge for the APP-5 title come the end of the season.
