MQC Madness: Rounds 9-14
2021 MQC Fantasy Draft
Featuring: Andrew Steinberg, Grant Hillyer, Tess Kowalski, Jack Moseley, Mary Scott, Peter Lawrence, Abraham Beningson and Brooke Smiley
Edited by: Fiona Wisehart and Christian Barnes
The MQC Fantasy draft is being run in three separate sessions, beginning with the first session on March 30, 2020. All players who would have been rostered during the 2020-2021 season are eligible to be drafted. There are six GM’s, each tasked with building the best team possible over fourteen rounds.
Final Draft Board
Team Steinberg:
After watching Jessica Abbazia play, it is clear why she is a rising star on RPI Quidditch and made the New York Titan practice squad. She has an incredible arm, which allows her to make long-range beats while maintaining possession. On offense, she isn’t afraid to get in your face and win back control. Even if she doesn’t gain control, she can isolate an armed beater and take them out of the play in a manner similar to Brooke. I think Jessica is the perfect beater partner for Justin, who is more experienced, but less agile. Her ability to engage an opposing beater will allow Justin to play to his strengths and create no bludger situations. Her talent, grit, and fit make her a great addition to my second beater line.
At the end of Round 10, I knew I needed a back-up keeper, seeker, and ball carrier. When Will “Naptime” Napper was still available, I was ecstatic because he fit all of those needs. As a ball carrier, Will has the confidence, strength, and dexterity to drive past multiple defenders. He can also read the entire field and deliver pinpoint passes to off-ball chasers for easy goals. On defense, he has the height to swat away shots and the athleticism to make multiple block attempts. Perhaps most valuably, Will offers elite seeking, and was a 2019-2020 MQC Seeker of the Year Nominee as a freshman. His addition to the squad guarantees that I will have one of the best second lines in the draft and always have the best seeker on the field.
My Round 11 pick was 2019-2020 MQC Rookie of the Year Nominee, Annie Kew. Kew is an amazing transition player, recognizing when the defense becomes offense and getting open for her teammates on the fastbreak This awareness will pair excellently with James Devaney and myself, who like to run immediately after a quaffle turnover. Kew is also a ball carrier and can rip a shot from distance. On defense, her athleticism really shines, as she is tenacious and agile as a point chaser. Just for good measure, she also seeks, adding a third talented seeker to my already stacked core of HBB and Will Napper.
Spencer Royston is a speedy and agile beater. His strengths lie in his ability to force turnovers and tododge beats. He has the physicality to muscle through an unarmed beater, allowing him to pressure the quaffle. Similar to Brooke and Jessica, he is aggressive when he does not have a bludger, which when matched with his height, forces defensive beaters to get him out of the play. Spencer also has the speed to beat his opponents to loose bludgers. He is a great start to a third beater line and will provide the team with amazing depth.
I picked Zack Bowerman to complete my quaffle player core. How I was able to get a player on the MLQ Boston Forge practice squad in the 13th round is beyond me. Zack is more than comfortable ball carrying, which he did a lot for BU. He works well with beaters to explode towards the hoops in no bludger situations. He can make cross-field passes and dish to the open player near hoops. His chemistry with Shayla Ashley will lead to many goals this way. When off-ball, he knows how to find space and shoot quickly. Zack also shines on defense. As a keeper, he can defend every hoop with his incredible leaping ability. He can force turnovers and can tackle players in the open field. Although I primarily see Zack as a third male chaser along with James and myself, he can keep when HBB and Will are seeking. Zack’s versatility will allow us to be fresh at the end of games and he is a valuable pick this late in the draft.
Kat Whalen did not deserve to fall to the final pick of the draft. As a 2019-2020 MQC Beater Pair of the Year Nominee , she knows what elite beater play looks like and will help her teammates achieve it. She has great hands and is notorious for her catching ability. She will make the hustle plays to get bludger us control. Kat also knows when to engage with her opponent to open up driving opportunities for her chasers. I could not have picked a more perfect pairing with Spencer, who excels at the physical side of beating but needs a partner like Kat to shore up the strategic side.
(Left to Right) Jessica Abbazia-Sophomore-RPI-Mechanical Engineering, Will Napper-Sophomore-Middlebury, Annie Kew-Junior-Emerson-Public Relations, Spencer Royston-Senior-Middlebury-International Global Studies, Zack Bowerman-Junior-BU, Kat Whalen-Senior-Emerson-Media Arts Production
Team Kowalski:
Jason Almquist is a player who has participated in many important tournaments with RPI and has lots of experience as both a chaser and seeker. By drafting Jason, I now have the deepest seeker line of all the teams drafted. Jason is a really fast player who also isn’t afraid to get physical on defense. Another reason why I drafted Jason is because of his familiarity with the RPI players who are already on my team. Communication on a team is extremely important and RPI chaser line communication is some of the best I’ve seen in the MQC. In addition to all of this, Jason was also on MLQ Forge’s practice squad in 2020.
Jacob Curtis is a player who will take you by surprise and run right past you to score. He’s definitely a person who knows how to make the best out of any situation he’s in. I drafted Jacob because he has a similar play style as other chasers on my team. Jacob is not only fast, but also a strong player who can run right through a defense. Picking him up in this round was really exciting for me because I think he’s a fantastic player.
I drafted Ellie Russell because I have always been impressed with her confidence on the field. As a younger player, Ellie isn’t afraid to make bold plays against more experienced opponents. Ellie is able to switch from an aggressive beating style to a more defensive style– blocking lots of beats and controlling her side of the field on defense. Ellie was even nominated for 2019-2020 MQC Rookie of the Year!
Ari Swift is a pick who I think could have gone much sooner in the draft. Their experience as captain of BU for many years makes them an exceptional leader on and off the pitch. They are also a great off ball chaser, and they aren’t afraid to get physical on defense. Ari will excel in any of the chaser lines on my team because of their strong communication skills and great understanding of their position no matter who they are playing with.
Frank Mulvey is a senior at RPI and also a pick which could have gone much earlier in the draft. I was excited to pick up another RPI chaser who I know will work well with players such as Jason and Katrina. Frank is really experienced and he even has played in the Elite 8 in US Cup 12. Because of experience like this, Frank knows how to perform well under high pressure situations. Frank is really skilled and a super fast player who knows how to make big plays and communicate well with his chaser line.
Vidisha Jha was someone who I knew I wanted to have on my team since the beginning of this draft. While she is only a sophomore and there is sadly not much footage of her in games, I have still gotten to watch Vidisha grow this year during practice. Her communication during drills and in games is really exceptional and her beating style also makes her a good partner for almost any beater out there. Vidisha is really good at stepping up on defense to pressure the quaffle and slow down offense. Another reason why I think Vidisha will be a great addition to this team is because her beating partner, Adrian Koretsky is also on my team. This means that I will have a beating pair who are very familiar with each other and understand how to work together well.
(Left to Right) Jason Almquist-Junior-RPI-Architecture, Jacob Curtis-Junior-UVM-Business, Ellie Russell-Sophomore-RPI-Biochemistry & Biophysics, Ari Swift-Senior-BU, Frank Mulvey-Senior-RPI-Mechanical Engineering, Vidisha Jha-Sophomore-Brandeis
Team Hillyer:
In the ninth round, I took Nicholas Brown, a beater out of Middlebury. Brown is a very speedy beater who switches between playing as athe engage and free beater positions. Pairing him with Megan gives my team a beating pair that can switch roles spots easily depending on matchups. Brown’s decision making and ability to make choices quickly make him a great snitch on pitch player, and he will probably be one of my primary snitch- on- pitch beaters.
In the next round, I selected Stephen Trempel from RPI. Trempel is an aggressive player who is not afraid of can withstand contact whileto make drivinges and scoringe. Paired with a great shot, Trempel is also a very capable scorer who has the agility and the strength to set great picks. with some different skills who helpsHe rounds out my team offensively and provides great depth. Trempel can also ball handle in a pinch, giving my team a great utility player. He is also a good defender capable of making hits and causing disruption. Crucially, Trempel is also a solid seeker who can help relieve Kit.
After that, I took Carson Chadbourne, a member of the MQC All Rookie Team with crazy speed. Carson is an intuitive chaser who often plays as the unmarked chaser behind hoops or as a wing chaser. He is very good at cutting and moving in space, often creating scoring opportunities by being in the right place to receive a pass and shoot or knowing where to position himself for a drive. Playing with Stephen, my second line will be very speedy and hard to defend.
Adding another chaser in the following round, I grabbed Kaylie Chilek of RPI. Another very good shooter, Kaylie adds an additional scoring threat to my team. She can play wing chaser and fits my team’s mentality of always trying to score and trying to keep pushing the tempo of a game. Kaylie has also taken minutes at keeper, so along with Stephen she will probably slot around the field in different spots depending on the game and situation.
Following that mindset, one of my last picks was Andrew Desino, a chaser from Boston University. Andrew is a very strong driver, who can be both shifty to create space or simply plow through defenders. Desino will be a great addition to my team’s offense that will rely on speed and shooting. He will primarily function as a wing chaser or as the unmarked chaser, swapping with Carson from drive to drive.
My final pick was Annie Bennett, a chaser from Emerson. Annie had looks last year where she was effective at getting open as a scoring threat with good movement as a wing chaser. She will likely fill that role on my team as well, to compliment the rest of the team and provide another scoring threat.
(Left to Right) Nicholas Brown-Junior-Middlebury-Environmental Studies/Chemistry, Stephen Trempel-Junior-RPI-Computer Science, Carson Chadbourne-Sophomore-BU, Kaylie Chilek-Junior-RPI-Environmental Engineering, Andrew Desino-Senior-BU, Annie Bennett-Sophomore-Emerson-Journalism
Team Moseley:
There’s not enough good things I can say about my RPI keeper Ian Goodspeed. Goodspeed played himself into a huge role this past season, earning a 2019-2020 MQC Rookie of the Year nomination and leading RPI in total minutes played in the spring. He has great size and strength for scoring through a crowd and the speed to take the quaffle coast to coast himself. He also plays in a way that elevates the play of those around him, he had several brilliant assists last year and consistently positions himself well for passes from his teammates. Defensively, he’s a menace with his shot blocking and physicality. This play is Ian in a nutshell, he makes a great hit then sprints into position on a fast break for an easy goal.
Emma Polen is another great quaffle player to add to my lineup. Although she primarily plays off-ball on offense (alongside my first string keeper Aidan Schutt) she has great playmaking ability when she has the ball in her hands. Polen played well defensively last season both in man defense and on the hoops in a zone, using good footwork and physicality to stay in front of opposing chasers. My favorite thing about Emma is her leadership on the field, she’s a great communicator and raises the energy level of her whole team.
I chose Leo De Paolis to pair with Marissa Rizzi in my second beater line. I love the dynamic here, Leo is the perfect Tessa to Marissa’s Danny. De Paolis is a natural athlete with the speed and arm strength to fly around the field taking out opposing players. He’ll be great in the engage beater position at stealing control of bludgers while Marissa provides a steady presence in the middle. Bonus points to Leo for already having experience beating with Tessa Mullins. He also played well at chaser last year, showcasing good quickness and hustle. Picking a utility player here allows me to spice up my rotations and try out some different player combinations.
Ben Silver is a valuable addition to my stable of seekers. Silver showed a lot of potential with his hard-nose style and hand fighting, but what really excites me about him is his snitching. Good snitches tend to make good seekers and I’ve seen (both from seeking against him myself and watching him last over twenty minutes in other games) that Silver is a great one. I picked Ben as a seeker, but the added depth he gives to my beater rotation is a great bonus.
I’m finishing my quaffle player rotation with Vincent Falardeau. Falardeau has excellent size and speed for driving, a big arm for passing/shooting, and an already advanced ability to block bludgers. He uses his length well to defend the hoops and be a big passing target for his teammates. He’s still young, but Vincent has all the physical tools to succeed and I love the potential that’s already starting to show through.
Emmi McIntosh is the perfect way to finish my seeker rotation. A nominee for seeker of the year last year, McIntosh is skilled at catching snitches when they least expect it. She also has good speed and quickness to give my team more chaser depth. She positions herself well offball and can think quickly to overcome pressure situations.
(Left to Right) Ian Goodspeed-Sophomore-RPI-Biomedical Engineering, Emma Polen-Junior-UVM-Political Science, Leo De Paolis-Sophomore-Emerson-Sports Communication, Ben Silver-Sophomore-Tufts-Political Science/Environmental Studies, Vincent Falardeau-Junior-Middlebury-Geography, Emmi McIntosh-Sophomore-Emerson-Theatre & Performance
Team Scawringson:
Matthew Silverman has played with a number of partners over the years, and this has led him to have a diverse and broad skillset. When it comes to dueling, Matthew is incredibly hard to beat. And he’s not a one trick pony; he can avoid beats in any way: he blocks, he dodges, and he catches a lot of beats. On defense, he’s a threat at the hoops and closes distance very effectively. Additionally, he’s a very intelligent player with a keen sense of strategy and positioning. A testament to Matthew’s game sense is his uncanny ability to steal bludgers straight out of the hands of even the most experienced beaters. With Matthew’s ability to play as both a free and engage beater, he and Grant will frustrate other teams with their flexibility.
Ana Louiza Nicolae is a player who really jumped out at us while watching Harvard play. We were impressed with her ability to drop dimes under pressure and bounce right back from hard hits, fake and finish around keepers, post up at the hoops, and block shots. That’s not even to mention her height, which is a huge asset on both sides of the field. In particular, it’ll make her shine at the hoops in our 2-2 zone, a position she has experience playing in the Harvard system. She’ll fit right in on our physically imposing team.
Kavi Patel isn’t exactly a name many people will recognize, but she’s an insanely gifted athlete with a great mind for the game. Her first tournament was MQC Opener in 2019, where in her first ever game of quidditch, she scored this solo ball-carrying goal against RPI. Over the course of the day, she went on to finish near the hoops, move the ball with ease, block passes and leave people in the dirt – oh, and she obliterated someone’s ankles. Did we mention she did it all with no subs the entire day? On top of her athleticism, her soccer background grants her a sense of positioning on both offense and defense that far exceeds most newer players. In short, Kavi is a natural.
Sam Lyons is a threat at literally any position on the field at any time. As a keeper, his long arms make him an excellent shot blocker, and he’s quick and dangerous on the fast break. If he’s playing chaser, expect him to be in the right place for quick finishes at the hoops. At beater, his cannon of an arm and measured aggression can completely dominate the game – he played a heavy share of beater minutes in Middlebury’s convincing 130-60* win over Brandeis at NERC in 2019. And he can even seek in a pinch, should we need to give both Peter and Jack a rest. Sam’s utility is a huge asset to our team.
Paul Ruffolo is a truly well-rounded chaser, comfortable with taking on many different roles and play styles. On offense, he tends to start off-ball for Middlebury, where his well-timed cuts and creative finishes net him a lot of goals. But he’s just as much of a threat with the quaffle in his hands – he has a deadly accurate and fast pass, is excellent at finding the open player, and has a knack for manufacturing goals from tricky situations. On defense, his off-ball positioning is fantastic, and he’s unafraid to step up and make a hit. Paul’s versatility will make him a fantastic addition to any chaser line that we put him on.
Sophia Nieves is another lesser-known name that more people should know. Any captain would be ecstatic to have a women’s collegiate rugby All-American on their team, and that’s what you get with Sophia. With two-arm tackling legal, she is a downright formidable presence on defense. (Hopefully some rugby footage helps demonstrate this.) On top of this, she has clean passing and quick cuts on offense too. An incredible athlete, Sophia is coming into her own as a quidditch player, making her an ideal last-round pick with incredible potential.
(Left to Right) Matthew Silverman-Junior-Middlebury-Biology, Ana Luiza Nicolae-Junior-Harvard, Kavi Patel-Junior-Middlebury-Economics, Sam Lyons-Senior-Middlebury-Computer Science, Paul Ruffolo-Sophomore-Middlebury-Computer Science, Sophia Nieves-Senior-Middlebury-International Global Studies
Team Smiley:
For my first pick on the last night of this fantasy draft, I chose to pick chaser Jordan Smiley, my sister and co-captain of Tufts Quidditch. This late in the draft, Jordan was a complete steal! Jordan is great at working with other teammates, and has great positioning on the field. She knows where to find advantageous places for scoring. Like Sophie, Jordan knows how to utilize how other players underestimate her, allowing her to get close to hoops for passes to make guaranteed goals (time stamp 6:50). She can play tight on defense, sticking with her person and making their life difficult. Jordan also isn’t afraid to dive for loose quaffles (time stamp 21:36). With Jordan, not only have I gained another amazing chaser for my team, but also a great leader.
My next pick was Richie Abbot, a captain and starting-line beater for UVM. Richie is an intelligent player, and I was shocked to see him still on the list by round 10. First, he is good at making reads and capitalizing on situations. For example, see this play where he wiped out an entire offensive line of beaters and chasers to give his team a quaffle turnover and goal. As an engage beater, he knows how to pressure offensive players on defense, causing them to make mistakes. He also can catch, allowing for more opportunities for gaining bludger control, even though he can get bludger control for his team no problem on offense.
My third pick for day three of the draft was another chaser. Benjamin Boncaldo, another captain from UMass, is very good at running down the field and scoring. He knows how to power through opposing players, even if they get a body on him. Even more, he knows how to look for passes, which will work wonders when working with players like Sophie and Jordan who know how to find spots near hoops. In general, I think Benjamin’s ability to get through other players, as well as look for passes to teammates, will work well with this team. And if you aren’t yet convinced, here are three more highlights (time stamps 9:05, 17:40, 19:00).
My next pick was a Tufts teammate of mine, chaser Nadia Sbuttoni. Nadia is agile and quick, and can throw, pass, and shoot with great accuracy. She is also good at getting around people, but can hold her own when defending other players. Nadia additionally is a member of the MLQ New York Titans practice squad has MLQ experience, having played for the New York Titans. Overall, Nadia is another great addition to my team who will continue to strengthen my chaser line.
Next, I finished out my beating line with Tufts beater, Ivara Goulden. Ivara is excellent at communication, field awareness, and closing distances in order to make effective beats against opposing players. As a free beater, Ivara is great at keeping their eye on the quaffle, preventing some last-second goals. As an engage beater, Ivara is wonderful at making quick decisions and winning her beater battles with excellent blocks and throws. Overall, they are a great final pick to finalize my beating line.
My last pick was Will Capriola, another talented Tufts chaser. Like Nadia, Will is great at finding open space. Coupled with his speed and hustle, this makes for a great combination that makes him a great option on every play. He is wonderful at passing and catching, which will help him work well with all the other chasers on my team. He also works extremely well with Nadia; as Tessa said during the live draft commentary they have “great field chemistry.” All in all, Will was an excellent final pick to round out my team.
(Left to Right) Jordan Smiley-Junior-Tufts-Biomedical Engineering (photo via Isabella Gong), Richie Abbott-Junior-UVM-Chemistry, Benjamin Boncaldo-Senior-UMass-Operations Management, Nadia Sbuttoni-Senior-Tufts-Community Health (photo via Isabella Gong), Ivara Goulden-Senior-Tufts-Environmental Studies/Biology, Will Capriola-Senior-Tufts
Tune in later this week for the final team defenses!