I have to admit I'm doing better on Quidditch Pitch

Coach Amelia Pierce

May 15, 2010 10:26 PM

Game Two: Aladren vs. Teppenpaw by Coach Amelia Pierce

Like the Pecari-Crotalus game, the second game of the school year was also a repeat of the previous year's game. Unlike that game, however, the teams hadn't changed quite as dramatically. Teppenpaw, for one, had been the sole team in the school to have retained the same captain both years Amelia had been Coach, and of all the teams, Aladren was the one with the most returning players. In spite of all that, Aladren was sporting a new Captain, and - like Pecari - Teppenpaw had more new players than returning ones. It was still a whole new Quidditch game.

When it came to be the morning of the match, the weather proved to be different as well. It looked to be one of last warm autumn days Sonora would see before the chill of the coming winter set in, and the sun shone overhead in a mostly clear sky; what few clouds did float overhead were white and fluffy.

Amelia let the two captains finish giving their talks to their teams before giving the standard pre-game remarks. "Game starts at the whistle. Game ends when someone catches the snitch. Keep it clean in between. Medic's on hand if she's needed. Have fun. Hannah, Thomas, please shake hands." Once the captains had done so, she sent them back to join their teams and opened the trunk with the game balls in it.

She released the snitch first, and let it disppear out into the field. Then the bludgers were loosed and they flew up into the air above. Finally, she picked up the quaffle in her right hand and held the whistle at the ready in her left. "Three, two, one," she counted down, then blew the whistle and threw the ball into the air. After a moment, she picked up her own broom and followed it up.

The game was on.

OOC: Usual posting and Quidditch rules apply. If you're not quite sure what's expected of you, please refer to this OOC post. Have fun. If you want to color your own name, see the Headmistress's post.

Subthreads:

I have to admit I'm doing better by Daniel Nash II, Chaser with Lucie Dupree, Chaser, Tobar Brishen Chaser , Dmitri Petrovskii Beater, Grayson Wright, Keeper , Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser, Brian Moore, Beater , Samantha Hamilton Chaser, Tobar Brishen Chaser , Edmond Carey, Beater

Doing the obvious - Seeking by Hannah Laurent, Seeker with Jera Valson, Seeker , Coach Pierce

I can do this by Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr

1 Coach Amelia Pierce Game Two: Aladren vs. Teppenpaw 20 Coach Amelia Pierce 1 5

Daniel Nash II, Chaser

May 17, 2010 9:48 AM

I have to admit I'm doing better by Daniel Nash II, Chaser

When Daniel began attending Sonora, he never imagined he would become a competitive member of a sports team. The sole and only reason his name had gone on that first sign-up sheet was that Aladren wouldn't have had a full team without it. Okay, yes, and because it would annoy Holly to no end to have her brother on a team and thus force her to watch his games, but that was petty and he wasn't going to admit that was a deciding factor to anyone but himself.

In the last three years, things had changed, and he didn't just mean his mother's marital status.

Quidditch might not be the center of the whole world like some people - especially Pecari people - seemed to believe, but Daniel was getting good at it. Of course, compared to, say, Grayson Wright, he'd had a few natural advantages. He'd never fallen into many of the Aladren stereotypes and his level of athleticism had never been a real problem. With three years of training supplementing his carefully maintained physical fitness, Daniel was quick and agile on a broom, and his ability to catch and throw a Quaffle was better than ever.

Practices had gotten even better the last few weeks, too, since Daniel had run into Cassy in the Gardens. He played a lot better now that he wasn't as tense and stressed over the whole Anton thing at home. Add in a healthy and balanced breakfast, and he thought today's game should prove to be his best yet.

As he stood on the pitch, his perfectly groomed broom in hand (it was coming up on three years old, but other than being slightly less than optimized due to Daniel's change in height and mass since he picked it out, it was still in excellent condition - still, he'd be replacing it over midterm if they made the finals again), and looked over the competition.

Lucie was the only Teppepaw he'd faced as a Chaser before. Tobar had been Keeper the previous year, and Andrew was new to the first string. Looking back to his own team, Samantha was new, but he and Thomas had been playing together since Daniel began. He decided Aladren had the Chaser advantage. Jera might have a tough time against Hannah, but she'd beat her before, and it wasn't really Daniel's problem anyway.

He listened to Thomas, and then the Coach, and then readied himself on his broom, ready to launch into the air at the sound of the whistle. It came, and Daniel was off. The Quaffle felt warm against his hand as he pulled it in against his chest. Hugging it close, he leaned forward over the handle of his broom and rose high into the air, climbing at an angle that brought him closer to the Teppenpaw goals.

He flew as far and as fast as he dared, but hearing the crack of a beater's bat against a metal bludger, he decided he'd had the red ball long enough. He spotted another blue clad Chaser nearby and threw the Quaffle in that direction before dropping into a quick barrel roll to see if the bludger he'd heard was aimed at him.

1 Daniel Nash II, Chaser I have to admit I'm doing better 130 Daniel Nash II, Chaser 0 5

Lucie Dupree, Chaser

May 18, 2010 11:58 AM

I wouldn't celebrate just yet. by Lucie Dupree, Chaser

Lucie had no idea what to expect from this game. Sure, they were playing the same team as last year, mostly with returning players, but Teppenpaw had changed dramatically. Even their older players were different. Last year, Hannah had only cared if they had played their best. Now, there was no option left, but to win. She shuddered to think how their Captain would take it if they lost. Even she was changed. It wasn't maybe as obvious as Hannah, but still it was there. She was no longer the innocent girl she had once been. Though, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, just new, like she was seeing everything from another perspective, an older one. That was it. She felt more mature, more confident, more secure. It even showed in Quidditch.

The bubbly excitement that she once had to get on the broom and fly was gone. In its place was the cool air of being one with the broom, having it respond to every little command with unearthly ease. Even so, the thrill of being in the air still remained. It would always remain. She still adored the way the wind would rip through her long, blonde hair turning into a wild mane. Unfortunately, during games, the probability of it turning into a liability was too high and it ended up back in a braid, but it was preferable to the high styles her mother tried to impose on her during the countless parties that she had been obligated to attend. Though, between that and the shift between her and Rook, she was more determined than ever to leave the sanctity of arranged marriages behind.

Of course, there were other reasons for that as well. Her gaze went to where it always did when they played Aladren. Yup, there he was. And she could always appreciate a man in uniform, even if it was an opposing one. Internally sighing, she forced her eyes away and focused on the rest of the team. Okay, there was Jera. She didn't really have to worry about the girl. That was the Seeker and Beater's jobs. There were the rest that she recognized. Thomas, Daniel, and Edmond. A known entity. That left the other two. The ones she would need to exercise more caution around. They looked young, but that didn't equal being a horrible player. They would very well be incredibly talented. Yes, she would definitely be on the watch for them.

She watched while the Captains shook hands and finally what seemed would never come, finally came. Straddling her broom, Lucie took off into the air, disappointed that she didn't get a hold of the quaffle first. But that was all right. It was only the beginning of the game after all. Plus, he still had to make it to the Teppenpaw goals and actually score for it to be worth anything. That didn't mean she was going to be lax about the whole thing though. Quickly, she set off after Daniel, following slightly behind and below, waiting for opportunity. And when she saw it, she was seized upon it. The quaffle was now in her hands and with a sharp twist, she was heading back towards the Aladren goals.

Lucie could hear the deafening sounds of the bludgers as they cracked against the beater bats and the boos made by the opposing crowd. The cheers from her own House strengthened her as she zipped and zagged. The quaffle was safely tugged against her side, but it could only stay there so long. Glancing around, she was pleased to see another Tepp chaser to attempt the pass to. Throwing it, she prayed to Merlin that it would be seen to its target. She might not have been as single-minded as Hannah, but she certainly wanted to win, to be recognized for something since they often weren't.

0 Lucie Dupree, Chaser I wouldn't celebrate just yet. 0 Lucie Dupree, Chaser 0 5

Tobar Brishen Chaser

May 18, 2010 12:41 PM

He shoots.... by Tobar Brishen Chaser

Tobar was excited the morning as he dressed in his yellow Quidditch robes. Last year he had been a keeper, and a fair one at that but it wasn’t what he had wanted to be. He wanted to be Chaser, and this year he had gotten the position. The black haired gypsy tied his shoulder length hair back and smiled remembering all the time he had spent practicing this summer with his siblings, and the other children of the caravan.

He grabbed his broom and smiled as he made his way down to the great hall. Today was the day Teppenpaw was going to win, they had to win in Tobar’s eyes. To loose twice to the same team would be horrible. He sat down at the Teppenpaw table and ate a light breakfast. He didn’t want to over-do it before the game but he knew he needed something in his stomach or his mind would be on food, not on the game. When he saw the rest of the team leave, he followed them with a grin. He was going to show Hannah putting him in the Chaser position wasn’t a bad idea.

At the pitch, Tobar smiled at his teammates. Brian and Dmitri would be good beaters, he hoped. He disliked being hit with a bludger and after what happened to the Pecari Keeper Tobar was going to be on the lookout. As the captain’s shook hands, Tobar swung his leg over his broom and shot into the air. An Aladren Chaser got the quaffle first and took off towards the goals. Tobar leaned on his broom shooting after him, hoping he would be able to get the Quaffle and pass it off to either Andrew or Lucie.

He hadn’t quite caught up to Daniel when he passed the ball and it was caught by LUCIE! Tobar grinned as he quickly turned around raced passed the other players in the air. He made sure to shoot up near Lucie who glanced right at him. She tossed the ball and he caught it tucking it under his arm. The cheers of the Teppenpaws grew louder as she approached the goals.

The sixth year guarding the goals really worried Tobar but he knew he could get the shot in. He was coming from the left and knew the older boy would probably expect him to shoot for the left or even the right goal. He sighed and faked to the left before throwing it towards the middle hoop praying that it went in.

0 Tobar Brishen Chaser He shoots.... 0 Tobar Brishen Chaser 0 5

Dmitri Petrovskii Beater

May 19, 2010 5:07 PM

Here, bludger. Here, bludger. Good boy. by Dmitri Petrovskii Beater

Nervousness raged through his veins. It wasn't a feeling that Dmitri often experienced. As the son ofa diplomat, he was used to making public appearances and the like. His entire life had been in the spotlight. But now the tension pounded through him. Practices had gone all right, but this wasn't practice. This was the real thing where he was expected to keep his teammates safe while actively going after the other team. No, he really wasn't sure he could do this at all, but what else could he do now but try? If he left now, he would be a complete and utter failure to his team. He had never been that in his entire life.

No, he would just have to sum up all of his courage to do the best job he could. Though, he had to admit that he was glad he wasn't alone. Adjusting one of his new Quidditch gloves that still weren't at that perfect worn in phase, he looked over to his fellow beater and roommate. That was one thing they had going for them, even if they didn't perform as well. A bond was forming, a familarity that Dmitri felt he could count on Brian and he hoped Brian thought the same of him. They were in this thing together. Sure, the rest of their teammates were too, especially Hannah, as he listened to her speech, but who was in the immediate group, such as beaters, was who one looked to.

Taking off on his broom, he had only to hear the displeased noises coming from the Teppenpaw section to know that they hadn't gotten the quaffle to start off with, but he couldn't concentrate on that. He had a mission and that was the bludger. He tightened his grip on the bat that rested in his hand. It was a little awkward having to hold that and try to maintain his hold on the broom, but he had gotten better than when he had first started out. That had been a disaster in and of itself, but then flying had been a terrifying experience at the time that had grown on him. Yes, it was scary, but now it was more like a rollercoaster kind where it was an intense rush of adrenline and fear that kept him coming back for seconds.

Spotting a nearby bludger, he took aim. There was no guarantee of where it would go and even the possibility that one of his teammates could even be the one to get in the way, but he hoped. He really hoped that it would take out the lead chaser on the other team. That or taking out the seeker would surely give them an advantage. He figured they might need it since they only had first years protecting the team, but it didn't feel completely unnatural. He sort of liked the feel of the bat and the sound of thunder it had made against the ball. And if the lightening hit all the better. But he had no time to watch to see if it did. He had another bludger to find and with a little luck maybe he could try to take an Aladren out with it. Hmmm, maybe he was getting a little bloodthirsty in the game too, but that was the spirit of competition, was it not?

0 Dmitri Petrovskii Beater Here, bludger. Here, bludger. Good boy. 0 Dmitri Petrovskii Beater 0 5

Grayson Wright, Keeper

May 20, 2010 4:05 PM

Not quite the description of it that I'd use. by Grayson Wright, Keeper

Though he knew there was a better-than-average chance that the day would end with him making a fool of himself, Gray was in a good mood on the day of the Quidditch match. He’d read almost two hundred pages the previous day, they’d had that cereal with the dried marshmallows at breakfast, and those two things together were enough to make him trust his Chasers to keep the Quaffle far, far away from his position during the game.

That was how Gray understood the theory of positive thinking – he looked for little good things on a day, and concluded that they meant more good things would happen. The logic was bad and the idea had lots of historical records to disprove it, but Gray didn’t think it was like he had anything to lose. He had improved a lot over the past few years, but that wasn’t hard when his original standard of Quidditch excellence had been not falling off the broom while hovering a few feet above the ground. If he was going to be able to laugh at his own dreadfulness with everyone else later, he needed a good run at being in a good mood first, and if focusing on the dried marshmallows would do that, he’d create an entire advertising campaign for the things.

He was busy doing that when he realized he was about to be late for the game and hightailed it to the Pitch just in time for the speeches. Seeing Lucie among the opponents during the Coach’s talk, Gray waved casually. The game was, in a way, serious – there were points attached to it, and the more points Aladren had, the less likely he was to be assaulted by people who thought of it as a cult instead of a dormitory – but that was no reason to be unfriendly. He had never really understood the theory under which people one hung out with under normal circumstances became mortal enemies whenever both parties weren’t wearing green, and he didn’t really care to.

Of course, he could find it in his heart to feel a tiny bit of irritation toward his friend when she took the blasted Quaffle out of Aladren hands. Teppenpaw having the Quaffle meant that Gray might be asked to interact with the Quaffle, which was bad.

As it became clear that his Chasers weren’t going to get the ball back in time to spare him from such badness, Gray decided to look to the positive. It wasn’t Lucie throwing the thing at him, it was Younger Kid. In ninety-something percent of cases, Younger Kid was going to be worse at whatever it was he was doing – except, perhaps, being annoying and poorly read – than Older Kid, and Gray was technically an adult now. He might actually stand a chance at this.

One thing he had observed, just through watching this for years even before he started playing because of Anne, was that almost no one ever took the first shot it looked like they were going to take. Everyone always went one way, then dodged the other at the last second. It didn’t always go that way – he thought Edmond might have tried doing something straightforward last year – but it usually did. With that thought in mind, Gray decided not to attempt to go where he thought he was being led toward too fast. Worst case scenario, he missed the shot, which was the most likely scenario anyway – and the one which didn’t happen.

It took his brain a second to catch up with that. Outside of practice, he was pretty sure he’d never actually saved anything before. Either Teppenpaw Chasers – excuse him; new Teppenpaw Chasers – really sucked, or it really was a lucky day. Trying, and largely failing, not to look too pleased with himself in case he jinxed it, Gray threw the ball back toward the nearest Aladren Chaser. He thought they should have a decent chance of getting it; he was a bit better at aiming, and they were presumably Chasers because they were good at being where the Quaffle was.

Except, there was a Bludger....

16 Grayson Wright, Keeper Not quite the description of it that I'd use. 113 Grayson Wright, Keeper 0 5

Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser

May 22, 2010 2:01 AM

I'm kind of disagreeing too, at the moment. by Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser

He'd been forced to shuffle some positions, which was never the best case scenario, but Thomas felt good about how they were likely to perform against Teppenpaw. He reckoned their Beaters would be Aladren's weakest point while their Seeker would be their strongest, which was far from the very worst situation that a team could have.

Of course, they also had Gray, but Thomas preferred not to factor his roommate into his calculations. Doing so wasn't good for team morale. Instead, he subconsciously worked in the idea that he and Daniel needed to be extremely good at what they did and considered Edmond and Caleb to be weaker than the rest of the team minus Gray, just because one had previously been a Chaser and the other had wanted to steal Gray's job.

If the kid was one of the braver ones, Thomas expected that he'd catch some hell for letting Gray keep it later on, but it had been the only way. Caleb was a first year, which was no ideal Beater under most circumstances, but at least he'd done nothing to indicate that giving him a bat would end in him breaking his own glasses, being blind on the Pitch, and likely plowing into his own Chasers. If he gave Gray a bat, Thomas expected that exact scenario would be the best thing that could possibly happen.

But it wasn't going to happen. Neither were a million other unfavorable things. Positive thinking.

He decided to keep his opening speech relatively short. A very long one would either increase anxiety beyond levels of productivity or it would bore everyone so much that it put them to sleep.

"All right, everyone," he said, getting their attention. "I believe you all know the drill. Jera, watch out for Hannah, I expect she'll be wanting revenge for last year." That was a definite downside of playing the same team two years in a row. "Beaters, you watch after Jera. If you can keep all of us from getting hurt, that's great, but Jera's got to come first, you got it? I know you know your roles - it's just a reminder." When he was on the other end of the chain of authority, he rather disliked having things he already knew repeated back at him, but it felt necessary on this end. Perspective was an interesting thing.

"Samantha, Caleb - don't let them intimidate you. Even Teppenpaws can get a little confrontational about this game, but that's okay. We're better than them. All of us are better than them, got it? Let's go win."

He smiled, for the sake of appearances, politely at Hannah Laurent during the hand-shaking ritual and then the game was on. The first moments went well - Daniel had the Quaffle - but things went southward very quickly when Lucie Dupree stole it. Thomas didn't like Gray's chances against a first year; against his virtual girlfriend, the guy would be toast. Her passing made the situation slightly better, but then the younger Teppenpaw wouldn't let the ball go.

Oh, well. It was only ten points. They could make that up with no trouble. It would....

...Not be necessary. It took Thomas a second to process the sight he had just seen, but Gray seemed to have saved the shot. 'Never underestimate the quiet ones' indeed. It might have been a complete accident, but that would be okay as long as the Quaffle either remained in Aladren hands or Gray proved himself capable of repeating this behavior.

If he could also teach Gray to throw, they'd be in business. He managed to get the Quaffle, but doing so put him much closer to a Bludger than he'd ever really wanted to be; if he'd been any slower, he would have had a broken elbow instead of just a shoulder that made attempting a goal a dumb idea if any other option was available. He found it even harder than usual to feel any sympathy for idiot Creaothceann players and how their idiot need to prove something had bled into Quidditch, thus putting him in this position. Cursing and avoiding anything vaguely yellow or black, he found his way back to an Aladren Chaser and, with his good arm, passed the Quaffle.

0 Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser I'm kind of disagreeing too, at the moment. 0 Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser 0 5

Lucie Dupree, Chaser

May 22, 2010 5:17 PM

I'm really not. by Lucie Dupree, Chaser

Pass it. Pass it. The thoughts went unanswered as Tobar continued to hold onto the quaffle. Sure, she had cheered when he had caught her pass, glad that practice had payed off, but a good rule of being a Chaser was passing rather than turn into a target. Thankfully, that didn't occur before he had gotten to the goals. Her blue eyes narrowed when she realized he was going to take the shot and her lips turned downward. It was anyone's game as far as the two were concerned. Grayson was more experienced, but not a great player, but Tobar was too new to the position. Please. Please. Please.

So far no luck as Grayson managed to block the ball to which it was now in the hands of an opposing Chaser. Sigh. For Teppenpaw's sake, she hoped Hannah was having better luck than she was. From her angle, the nearby bludger hadn't seem to do much good. Though, at least, the first year was doing relatively well, which was more than she could say for how they were doing. Shifting on the worn seat, she took after Thomas. She stayed close hoping to find any sign that he was going to pass the ball. If he didn't, then there wouldn't be much opportunity for a steal and they certainly needed one.

Ah, there it was. All in the positive thinking. She snorted. Who was she kidding? Everything in this game was a mix of skill and chance, but that was all right. A slight push off of her broom and her hand cleanly snatched the quaffle out of flight. All was hers now. She rounded towards the left and went straight back to the one place that mattered. The Aladren goals. She would, of course, pass. She sent it towards the nearest maroon and yellow uniform. What other choice did she have? It was far too dangerous to hold onto the quaffle regardless of her experience. Her only wish was for it to end up in the hands of another Tepp Chaser and then back into hers.

She knew without a doubt that she could score against Grayson. Or, at least, she thought she could. She could always be surprised and he could block her shot. In which case, the game would really be dependent upon Hannah. That oddly enough put her mind at rest. Hannah wanted to win more than anything else. Lucie wasn't surprised. She had heard that Oliver had dumped the poor girl and then immediately started after someone else. Worse rumors indicated that he had been cheating on her the entire time. Poor girl. The entire thing was distasteful.

0 Lucie Dupree, Chaser I'm really not. 0 Lucie Dupree, Chaser 0 5

Brian Moore, Beater

May 22, 2010 5:53 PM

I don't really know who to agree with. by Brian Moore, Beater

Brian couldn’t for the life in him determine why he was his team’s Beater. This was the kid who tried to stay out of flies’ way if they were too close and was put in a melancholy mood if he ever stepped on an ant. Hannah must have seen some sort of potential in him though, but why the potential couldn’t have been spotted for the Keeper position he didn’t quite understand. It was too late to worry about that now since it was game day. He thought about the practice everyone put it and hoped it’d be enough to get through the game without him having to hurt anyone. He decided he'd just have to think of it like another sport, even though he didn't think tackling or knocking someone out of the way or even throwing a lacrosse ball at someone's face was anything like hitting a Bludger to someone.

When the Quaffle was tossed, Brian looked around with his Beater’s Bat tight in his hands. He just really did not want to have to use it on anyone. All those times his older sisters had told him he was a softie where never more true than they were right now. He looked at the other team’s Keeper, debating if he could fly over to him and wait the game out. Then he remember the news about how Pecari’s Keeper was knocked right down – by a Bludger, aimed by a Beater – and he decided not to follow through with that idea.

He looked over at Dmitri and smiled, resisting the urge to give him a friendly wave and shout out a nice hello or something. His roommate was dependable, and he enjoyed practicing hitting the Bludger with him at practices. But doing it at each other, both armed with bats, was nothing like hitting it to people without them.

He saw a Bludger near Dmitri and wondered if his roommate was also hesitant about hitting it at anyone. That’d be comforting to know he wasn’t the only person who – he winced when Dmitri smacked at the Bludger, a cracking sound ripping to Brian’s ears even though he was so far away he heard it well. He froze as he saw the Bludger go flying toward people. He was torn – should he make his team happy and root for it to smack someone to the ground, or make sure no one got hit?

He didn’t get much time to decide, because just then the other Bludger was coming at his face and he wacked it with his dominant arm and sent it hurtling toward an Aladren. He inwardly groaned. Maybe he could just hope the Bludgers would be distractions and not actually hit anyone? Yeah, he’d try to do that, even if it was hard to pull off as the balls of doom and destruction were aimed at seemingly unsuspecting victims.

0 Brian Moore, Beater I don't really know who to agree with. 0 Brian Moore, Beater 0 5

Hannah Laurent, Seeker

May 23, 2010 10:35 AM

Doing the obvious - Seeking by Hannah Laurent, Seeker

Hannah wanted to win. It wasn't just about Oliver anymore. Sure, it had started out that way, and yes, it would be nice to beat him, but it wasn't about that. No, the breakup with Oliver had made her realize something incredibly important. When she graduated from Sonora, what were the memories she was going to take with her and what was she going to leave behind? Especially for her senior year. Oliver would become a fond memory, her first boyfriend, but that wasn't what she would take from this last year. She wanted something positive to end on, something good to be remembered for instead of being dumped for another girl and losing a game. One she couldn't change, the other she was determined to.

Some of the choices she might have made might not have made sense to others, but there was a method to her madness. The practices had been long and hard, but that was the only way to lock the buried potential. She had no doubt that her team was up to par. She just hoped they believed it too. It was what would make the difference. At least the weather was nice, which would keep everyone's spirits up. There was nothing worse than playing in the rain and cold when visibility was as low as people's moods. But not today. Even she was in high spirits as she pulled her long blonde hair back and donned her maroon gloves with the yellow side stripes. Today, they would be great.

She gave her most brilliant grin to her team before starting the pep talk. "We can do this. We will do this. This is nothing more than a practice. We have this. Just stay calm and focused. Your body knows what to do. After all the practices, you could do this in your sleep, this should be easy." She hoped. Okay, so her speech wasn't brilliant, but the point was there. If they trusted themselves and each other, she had no doubt they could pull this off. She glanced over towards the other team. She had already gone over each of the members with her team, but it didn't hurt to remind them. "They have two experienced chasers to watch out for. Thomas and Daniel. It'll be easy to know since the third one is a girl. Samantha. She's an unknown quantity. She might be incredible or they might have been desperate."

Aladren's signups tended to be as bad as Teppenpaw's in getting players so it was possibly that Samantha might very well be a horrid player, but the only one they could get. "We have the advantage. Tobar and Andrew, you've already been on the team. You know what games are like, but they have no idea how you play as Chaser. I think we have the element of surprise on them. And Lucie has more years on both the boys so I think we got that. Grayson's their keeper. He's been on the team a good while, but he's not the best. Watch for his weak areas and you may be able to score." She was counting on Lucie more for this since she knew him the best.

"Unfortunately, the beater position is in their favor. They have one new player whereas we have two. Brian, Dmitri, watch out for Edmond, but I have faith you can do this. Take care of the Chasers and Keeper as best you can." She wasn't as worried about herself. "Leave Jera to me. Kristenna, they'll probably try faking you out when scoring. Watch how they move, their pattern. You might be able to figure out which way they'll go. All right, everyone, hands in. Go, Prairie Dogs!"

Once her speech was finished, it was time to listen to the Coach's standard one about when the game starts, general rules, and such. When it came time, Hannah shook the other Captain's hand before mounting her broom. At the sound of the whistle, they were off. She didn't have time to worry about who had the quaffle and who didn't. There was only two things on her mind. Jera and the snitch. She soared up to above the other players as she looked for the bit of gold. Where, oh, where could it be? There was a glint of something over there, but it was on a player. She hated when players wore any sort of jewelery. It was a distraction in finding the snitch. Sighing, she scanned the right side of the pitch and then the left. "Come on, show yourself," she whispered.

0 Hannah Laurent, Seeker Doing the obvious - Seeking 0 Hannah Laurent, Seeker 0 5

Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr

May 23, 2010 4:28 PM

I can do this by Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr

Kirstenna was excited about playing her first game of Quidditch ever but she was also quite nervous. While she personally just wanted to play for fun, Hannah seemed to take it very seriously. She didn't really want to let the rest of the team down.

Plus, Kirstenna felt kind of guilty. Brian had wanted the Keeper position as well, and she was the one that had gotten it. She felt just awful about it and really hoped that the other first year didn't hold it against her. He didn't seem all that thrilled with the Beater position but Kirstenna had been terrible at everything but Keeper.

It made her feel even more like she had to do well. She was worried not only that Hannah would be mad at her if she did poorly, but Brian would be especially mad too assuming he could do better. Also, when Kirstenna threw the Quaffle off after hopefully catching it,she was worried it would go way off course and be intercepted by Aladren.

Kirstenna listened as Hannah gave her pep talk and sighed inwardly when the team captain got her name wrong. It seemed like that always happened. Kirstenna didn't quite get why but she supposed it could be worse. Hannah could call her by her last name or something downright insulting. Even being referred to as 'Kristenna' was better than that .

She nodded anyway, taking in the advice. It did make her feel better to hear that Aladren's (older and more experienced) Keeper wasn't very good, but the Chasers were who Kirstenna really needed to worry about.

At the sound of the whistle, the first year flew into the air. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as an Aladren chaser got the quaffle first but it was quickly intercepted by Lucie and passed to Tobar who shot...and unfortunately did not score. "It's okay, Tobar!" Kirstenna yelled encouragingly, though she doubted he heard her.

She continued to watch as the Aladren captain got the Quaffle that their keeper threw back. That was Kirstenna's main worry, that when she threw it off, it would not reach a Tepp Chaser. Or that it would hit someone in the head. Or that it would end up far far away.

11 Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr I can do this 161 Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr 0 5

Tobar Brishen Chaser

May 23, 2010 8:11 PM

Here we go again. by Tobar Brishen Chaser

“Crap.” Tobar thought when Grayson caught the darn Quaffle. He turned his broom around quickly his anger getting to him. ‘So much for showing the team I’m a good Chaser.’ He thought as he leaned over his broom chased the group back down the course, he bobbed out of the way of a Tepp. Beater the blur went by so quick he wasn’t sure which one it was. They gypsy needed to get his hands back on the Quaffle, he couldn’t let that be the one time he had the ball all game!

He followed the play suddenly he wished he was a beater, he would send a bludger right at Grayson’s head. That was what one Crotalus beater had done, and taken a fellow second year out of play for a bit allowing the team to score. Why weren’t any of his teammates that creative? He sighed and shook his head. ‘Head in the game Tobar.’ He mumbled to himself as Fitzgerald passed it and once again Lucie had gotten it.

He once again with a twist of his hand turned around this time he flew under and to the side of her. She passed it just as quickly and he once again took off with it. He wanted to try for it once more but knew what Lucie wanted to. They had done something like this in practice so he went full speed at the goals hoping she was right behind him. He faked throwing it at the right hoop but instead tossed it towards the maroon and yellow robes. With that he flew off ready to try and catch it again.

0 Tobar Brishen Chaser Here we go again. 0 Tobar Brishen Chaser 0 5

Samantha Hamilton Chaser

May 24, 2010 11:51 AM

This is giving me a headache by Samantha Hamilton Chaser

As she got ready for the game, Samantha felt right at home. She could well be the most competitive person on the planet, even if her skill didn't quite match her determination. To say she wasn't nervous would be a lie - of course she was nervous. Everyone in the school would be watching, and if she did something stupid she was sure they would let her know about it, possibly for the rest of the term. That was quite a lot to be nervous about, without the prospect of falling off her broom. Having only been introduced to flying since her start at Sonora, Samantha had yet to perfect the art of being steady on a broom. As long as she had both hands on the handle and was going in a straight line she was fine. Any other time... well, that could be problematic.

The bludgers weren't so worrisome. Samantha had grown up with two incredibly competitive brothers, and her arm had been broken twice during friendly sports in the yard. Being hit by another ball was not going to bother her, unless it knocked her off her broom. Or incapacitated her to such a degree that she would have to leave the game, and then her team would hate her forever, which wouldn't be so fun.

As the captain called them together for a quick pre-game pep talk, Samantha tried to stop focussing on the things that she was worried about, and try to focus on the good things. She could throw really, really well – her aim was pretty good and her power was deceptively good for someone so small (in comparison to the other people on her team). Catching was a little more difficult, considering it involved taking at least one hand off the broomstick, but she was still better than average eleven year olds; sports had always been something she’d excelled in. The flying part? Samantha was getting better at that, and the team practises had helped. So as she mounted her broom she tried to believe that they could win his game. If nothing else she was excited to be a part of it.

On the Coach’s whistle, Samantha kicked off from the ground, but rose much slower than her more experienced counterparts. Her own team, Aladren, caught the ball first, and Samantha quietly cheered to herself as she still struggled to achieve the same height as the other players. Why did they insist on being so far up from the ground? It was making the first year dizzy. That wasn’t the only thing that was making her head spin – a second later and the ball was in Teppenpaw possession. Samantha tried to follow the Quaffle back down the pitch, but one of the yellow Chasers was trying to score already. Yes, they had lots of practices, but nothing had been this fast-paced! She was having as much trouble keeping track of what was going on as she did staying on her broomstick without holding on.
Samantha was still traveling towards the Aladren goals when the Keeper, Grayson, saved the attempt and passed the ball back into the game. Now there was another distraction: bludgers! Considering she hadn’t been so concerned by them only minutes earlier, in was only now she was in a game that Samantha realized how dangerous they were. She absolutely couldn’t keep her attention on three balls at once. It was impossible! For the time being, she moved out of the way of one that she saw coming, and then she looked up to find the red ball coming back her way again. Assuming the Keeper would again block any attempt to score (so far his record was 100% in Samantha’s experience), she decided to stay down that end of the pitch to actually catch the Quaffle when Gray threw it. She hadn’t touched the red ball so far, and seeing as that was her only job in this game, she felt like a real idiot. That wasn’t a feeling she wanted to hold onto for very long, so Samantha carefully position herself near the... oh no! Not another Bludger! To keep out of its path, Samantha drew her eyes away from the approaching Teppenpaw and flew quickly out of the path of the Bludger. She thought she’d avoided it, until THWACK. Something fairly hard smacked into the side of her head, but it wasn’t anywhere near hard enough to be...

Realization dawned and Samantha’s cheeks turned red with embarrassment. She hadn’t caught the Quaffle exactly, but she had made contact with it, even if it had been a whole-hearted accident. Trying to regain some semblance of control, Samantha dropped a terrifying few feet on her broomstick, sucked in her gut, took both hands off the broom, and caught the Quaffle that had so recently collided with her head. Wobbling just a little as she tucked the ball under her arm, Samantha wasted no time in steadying herself by placing her free hand on the broom, and setting off towards the Teppenpaw Keeper, a comfortable four feet closer to the ground than she had been before.

The first year flew until she had the courage to look around for someone to pass the ball to – which took about two seconds. She knew that if she kept hold of the ball she would be a magnet for bludgers, and that didn’t sound like the best of ideas. Regaining some height, Samantha sought out the nearest blue Chaser. She brought the Quaffle up to her chest, and passed in a good straight line with her throwing arm. She had at last participated in the game. It had been exhausting.

0 Samantha Hamilton Chaser This is giving me a headache 0 Samantha Hamilton Chaser 0 5

Daniel Nash, Chaser

May 24, 2010 2:00 PM

Take some asprin and call me in the morning by Daniel Nash, Chaser

After passing the Quaffle, it had taken him a short while to determine that the bludger either wasn't after him, or he'd lost before he could locate it. It took another few moments to figure out that Teppenpaw had taken control of the Quaffle while he'd been distracted, and he flew after them. He was as shocked as anyone when Gray actually made the save, and cheered more out of surprise than to congratulate his teammate.

Thomas got the ball next, though he lost it as quickly as Daniel had. Lucie had come out of nowhere to intercept - again. He could already guess that their next Chaser practice was going focus on passing since they were currently running at a zero percent success rate in that.

The Tepps proved that Tobar's ability to catch Lucie's passes was not a fluke as he did that for a second time this game. If they stayed true to form, he'd take a shot at the goal, so Daniel tried to line himself up for an intercept of his own. Gray might have stopped one attempt to score, but there was no sense in relying on that luck to hold. But Tobar didn't. He made another pass and Samantha . . . got in the way.

Daniel winced in sympathy as the Quaffle whacked into her skull. Impressively, she still managed to catch hold of it, and started flying it back toward Teppenpaw's side of the pitch. Putting on a burst of speed, Daniel flew ahead and set himself up for a pass. Samantha took advantage of the opportunity and the Quaffle was back in Daniel's arms, raising Aladren's passing success rate from a pitiful 0% to a still sad 33%, but at least that was an improvement.

He flew onward, getting back into Teppenpaw territory and letting Gray breathe again. The new Teppenpaw Keeper - Quentin's sister or cousin or something, if he remembered the opposing team's roster correctly - could take her turn at worrying instead. He eyed her, but he was still too far away and he'd carried the Quaffle too long already.

He threw the ball to another Aladren Chaser and hoped they could keep their upward trend and hit a 50% passing success rate.

1 Daniel Nash, Chaser Take some asprin and call me in the morning 130 Daniel Nash, Chaser 0 5

Tobar Brishen Chaser

May 25, 2010 7:10 PM

Trying one last time. by Tobar Brishen Chaser

Tobar sighed when his pass to Lucie missed its target. ‘Are you serious?’ He thought through gritted teeth has he followed the group down the Pitch once again. The Alderans needed to stop getting into their way. As he followed the quaffle being passed to Daniel he thought. ‘I should have stayed a Keeper; it’s not so much work.’ He shook his head. He loved being a Chaser it was a lot of work but kept the game interesting. Instead of bobbing up and down near the goals he was in the thick of the action. He could become a game changer.

Daniel tried to pass off the ball to one of the blue uniforms nearby but that’s when Tobar made his move. He shot forward in the empty space between the two and grabbed the ball. He tucked it tightly under is arm and turned around quickly. Heading towards Grayson he wondered if he should shoot the darn ball again, obviously Lucie wanted him to pass it but they were so near the goals why risk losing the ball again without another attempt at the goals. He didn’t want to upset his team so this would be the last attempt for the game.

He had gone for the feign on his first shot, and the second time he had raced at the goals he had passed the ball at the last possible moment so he hoped the Keeper would fall for it again. He leaned over his broom and shot forward as fast as he dared. He was nearing the left goal and waited for the last moment before he threw it as hard as he could at the left goal.

0 Tobar Brishen Chaser Trying one last time. 0 Tobar Brishen Chaser 0 5

Edmond Carey, Beater

May 25, 2010 11:44 PM

Emphasis on the "last." by Edmond Carey, Beater

Julia had not been pleased when she heard that Edmond would be playing Beater this season, and pointing out that having a bat meant he was actually less likely to get injured had, to his surprise, done little to soothe her. She hadn't said anything directly after her initial expressions of concern, but he had gotten good enough at reading between all of the lines to realize the source of her sudden fixation, in long weekly letters meant to supplement his curriculum, on being very sure that he understood violence was always to be used as a last resort and not as a matter of course and that the game was in no way connected to real life.

It was not an unfamiliar theme; in fact, it was something, minus the part about Quidditch, that Julia came back to on far more occasions than she did most topics. What made the thing stranger was that she never included Jane, who was a great deal more assertive than he was, in her talks on the topic. He'd once thought a casual listener might think she thought she was raising a budding sociopath or something.

Of course it was ridiculous. Edmond was perfectly capable of emotions; it was only through careful attention to the things Julia had taught him that he'd learned how to keep them covered and under control when appropriate. He was a far cry from being as emotional as Jane, or even Morgaine most of the time, but he did feel things. If books he'd read being right was assumed, he was perfectly sane.

He considered that an advantage. While the ability to do horrible things without remorse could, according to other lessons, have its benefits, one of them was not often an optimal lifespan. This way, he was far less likely to be the target of enemies who were enemies because he'd done something to them.

Unfortunately, there was a chance he'd make a few of that sort today. While things that happened on the Pitch were, officially speaking, supposed to be impersonal, there was no telling what sort of personalities were around. It was against the House stereotype, but there could be at least one Teppenpaw who came from a family that didn't care for his and who assumed his hitting them with a Bludger was a vendetta instead of a strategic move. Morgaine said there was an even chance that the Duprees might not feel kindly toward the Careys because of Gwenhwyfar, though she'd not explained why, and the mess of family connections was too large for him to even begin to speculate about what other Teppenpaws might have something against him. Some might - irrational as it was - just take exception to getting hit with no previous relationship to him or his family on the table.

Once the game began, Teppenpaw was quick to get control of both the Quaffle and the Bludgers. While looking out for a chance to deflect one of the latter, Edmond could not help but follow the elaborate moves of the former with a wince. The Miss Dupree, in conjunction with a younger boy he felt vaguely sure had been in his classes last year, was wiping the floor with them; it was only through luck and damages, which he felt indirectly responsible for, that Aladren got to touch the game's original ball at all.

When the younger boy made a downright reckless long run with the ball and lived to shoot, Edmond decided that, if he was going to make new enemies, he should get on with it. Miss Dupree didn't seem to want to take a shot, so, in theory, removing her partner could do a devastating amount of damage to the Teppenpaw offensive. It was less logical, and so more dangerous, but Edmond also felt less wrong for trying to seriously injure another wizard. He would go for Miss Dupree if this didn't work, but if there was a way to avoid it, he just felt more comfortable not harming a girl. He drew a Bludger's attention and redirected it as forcefully as he could toward the partner's head.

0 Edmond Carey, Beater Emphasis on the "last." 0 Edmond Carey, Beater 0 5

Jera Valson, Seeker

May 26, 2010 4:05 AM

Yes, I think the puns have been exhausted by Jera Valson, Seeker

Whatever fates had decided they would be playing Teppenpaw again would have a lot to answer for if Jera didn't come out of this Quidditch game alive today. True, that was being somewhat melodramatic, but the sixth year knew how she would feel in Teppenpaw's position: she'd be more determined than ever to beat those who'd beaten her in the previous year. Still, Jera tried to remain calm as she ate her breakfast of fruit salad with yoghurt. She tried to remind herself that Aladren had somehow managed to win the championship last year, and that meant they could do it again this year. Their two new players were doing fairly well so far, and Teppenpaw had new players, too. All in all they were probably fairly well matched. The outcome of the game would probably (as usual) be down to the Seekers. The opposition's Seeker was their captain, and Jera was Assistant. Hannah was in seventh year, and Jera was in sixth (but in her fifth year at Sonora, if that counted). Hannah did seem to have the slight advantage, but Jera had beaten her twice before, and she could do it again. All she had to do was focus.

Breakfast done with, Jera made her way down to the pitch, bright blue robes gently billowing behind her, and broomstick in her hand. This felt normal, now. Rather than just staying on the team because if she quit they wouldn't have enough players, Jera found some pleasure in attending practises and playing games. She thought the competitive nature of the sport might have made her a shade more agressive off the pitch, too. She was still more timid than the majority of her peers, but the Aladren was becoming gradually more outspoken as the years progressed. It might have a little to do with being more confident in herself, and perhaps spending time with Jessie had influenced her a bit, too, but mostly Jera was blaming Quidditch.

Thomas gathered them over for a pre-game pep-talk, and it was kind of a relief to have a captain that held some belief in himself, after suffering Paul's insecurity for the past year. Paul had definitely been a good captain - their victory alone spoke for that - but his speeches had been awkward to listen to. Thomas seemed to fill the team with confidence, and Jera could feel all her earlier worries fading, replaced instead by determination and excitement.

The captains shook hands, the whistle blew, and Jera kicked off into the air, her dark hair tied back into a ponytail to keep her vision unobscured. It was essential she find that Snitch before her opposition, who, by the looks of it, was equally as determined to win, if not more so. Hannah was circling the pitch in one direction, so Jera opted for the other direction - this meant that she didn't look like she was following Teppenpaw's Seeker, and she had the advantage of Hannah's blindspot (the same was true for Hannah, but Jera would be extra vigilant to make up for this disadvantage). All that was left to do was to search, and ready herself for the chase.

0 Jera Valson, Seeker Yes, I think the puns have been exhausted 0 Jera Valson, Seeker 0 5

Hannah Laurent, Seeker

May 31, 2010 8:10 PM

But this never gets old. by Hannah Laurent, Seeker

What was Jera doing over there? Did the younger girl know something that Hannah didn't? Nah, that was impossible. The game was just getting started and short of being some sort of oracle, there was no way she could have any more of an advantage than her. Though, she had to admit that she was a bit surprised that the girl chose to go in another direction rather than the traditional shadowing, but that was perfectly fine with her so long as she was the one to get to the snitch first. She just had to win the game, especially since if she didn't she would be the weak link of the team, which was just an utterly fine position for the Captain.

Sneaking a glance at her team, she was really proud of how they were doing. Sure, they hadn't managed to score, but they were keeping both the quaffle and the bludgers in possession the majority of the time. The hard work they had put into practices was obviously paying off. Now she just had to be able to hold her own in all of it. Seriously, where was it? Was that it? Taking off, she followed the glint of gold. Yes, there it was! She could almost feel it in her hand. She was so close. She reached out to grab it, but the sound of a bludger distracted her and when she looked back, it was gone. Giving a disappointed sigh, she went back on the watch, just hoping it wouldn't make an appearance before the other seeker.

It was a surprisingly short time before the snitch made itself known again. This time was near to the Aladren goal posts. She wished that some piece of shiny jewelry distracted Jera while she sped towards the goals. They had to win this. She had to win this. She just had to. Reaching out again, her fingers brushed against the golden ball before closing around it. She had it. There was no question about it any longer. They had won. She let out a shout of joy. They still had a long ways to go, but this was definitely the first step to winning the championship, but she had no doubt now that they would be able to.

0 Hannah Laurent, Seeker But this never gets old. 0 Hannah Laurent, Seeker 0 5

Coach Amelia Pierce

Game Two: Aladren vs. Teppenpaw by Coach Amelia Pierce

<font color="blue">Daniel Nash II, Chaser</font>

I have to admit I'm doing better by <font color="blue">Daniel Nash II, Chaser</font>

<font color=yellow>Lucie Dupree, Chaser</font>

I wouldn't celebrate just yet. by <font color=yellow>Lucie Dupree, Chaser</font>

<font color="yellow"> Tobar Brishen Chaser </font>

He shoots.... by <font color="yellow"> Tobar Brishen Chaser </font>

<font color=yellow>Dmitri Petrovskii Beater</font>

Here, bludger. Here, bludger. Good boy. by <font color=yellow>Dmitri Petrovskii Beater</font>

<font color="blue">Grayson Wright, Keeper</font>

Not quite the description of it that I'd use. by <font color="blue">Grayson Wright, Keeper</font>

<font color="blue">Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser</font>

I'm kind of disagreeing too, at the moment. by <font color="blue">Thomas Fitzgerald Chaser</font>

<font color=yellow>Lucie Dupree, Chaser</font>

I'm really not. by <font color=yellow>Lucie Dupree, Chaser</font>

<font color="yellow"> Brian Moore, Beater </font>

I don't really know who to agree with. by <font color="yellow"> Brian Moore, Beater </font>

<font color=yellow>Hannah Laurent, Seeker</font>

Doing the obvious - Seeking by <font color=yellow>Hannah Laurent, Seeker</font>

<font color="yellow">Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr</font>

I can do this by <font color="yellow">Kirstenna Melcher: Kpr</font>

<font color="yellow"> Tobar Brishen Chaser </font>

Here we go again. by <font color="yellow"> Tobar Brishen Chaser </font>

<font color="blue">Samantha Hamilton Chaser</font>

This is giving me a headache by <font color="blue">Samantha Hamilton Chaser</font>

<font color="blue">Daniel Nash, Chaser</font>

Take some asprin and call me in the morning by <font color="blue">Daniel Nash, Chaser</font>

<font color="yellow">Tobar Brishen Chaser </font>

Trying one last time. by <font color="yellow">Tobar Brishen Chaser </font>

<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>

Emphasis on the "last." by <font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>

<font color="blue">Jera Valson, Seeker </font>

Yes, I think the puns have been exhausted by <font color="blue">Jera Valson, Seeker </font>

<font color=yellow>Hannah Laurent, Seeker</font>

But this never gets old. by <font color=yellow>Hannah Laurent, Seeker</font>

Coach Pierce

Teppenpaw Wins! 150-0 (nm) by Coach Pierce