Shadrach: WA/BC Mixed Sectionals Preview

I will arise before the dawn tomorrow to drive north to Burlington for Sectionals with Shadrach. Our section has two (2) bids to the Northwest Mixed Regional tournament two weeks later, again in Burlington. We are currently seeded 2nd and must maintain that position to qualify for Regionals.

Shazam will, almost without a doubt, win Sectionals. They are more athletic, skilled, and experienced than we are or any other teams is. All the teams in the section know this. So, quite unfortunately, everyone will be gunning for us. Yikes.

Catch 206
This team is the YCC mixed squad (read: high schoolers). They will be fast and solid and coached by Jon Ladd (from the Shazam core) and they've been talking trash about beating us. I am confident in our athleticism and discipline to overcome their youthful exuberance. Furthermore, most of the tip top youth players in Seattle are on open or women's teams for the club series.
RRI Prediction: 15 - 9.9
Drew Prediction: 15 - 8

Rainmakers
I have lost to this team more than a few times while playing with Contrafactus. Shadrach is not Contrafactus. I expect the Tacoma folks will hang with us to start and then our defensive athleticism will break through and take a few runs. If we stay focused, which can be a problem for us, we will finish this game strong.
RRI Prediction: 15 - 11.1
Drew Prediction: 15 - 9

Moonshine
Sam, Ashley, and Trina all play on this Seattle team, along with Dan Henbest and a number of other players I've met here in Seattle. Moonshine has some real talent and excellent team chemistry. We have also heard rumors of their gaining new quality additions and talking trash about beating us. We saw a bit of choke tendency from them at Spawnfest in our 15 - 6 victory, but they were missing some key players, including those three Claremonters mentioned above. I expect to have to beat them once, first game Sunday morning, and again, in the 2/3 game to go to Regionals.
RRI Prediction: 15 - 12.5
Drew Prediction: 15 - 12, 15 - 10

Walla Walla Sweets
I know little of this team, and if they warrant the third seed. They beat and lost to a handful of teams that we beat. Whitman could supply strong talent but, again, I just don't know the players or the team. Regardless, they haven't played a tournament since April and I expect we will handle them fine. And I think Moonshine will break seed and beat them.
RRI Prediction: 15 - 13
Drew Prediction: 15 - 9

Shazam
Shazam will win the UPA Club Mixed Championship. There, I said it. Some RSD chatter and blog posts have claimed Shazam has revealed all their tricks and secrets over their 20 - 1 season and that the top teams will be ready for them in Sarasota. When your "trick" is that you're more athletic and skilled than all the other teams, it doesn't matter if your opponents know. We will likely have to play them twice and, um, it's going to be fun.
RRI Prediction: 7.6 - 15
Drew Prediction: 7 - 15, 6 - 15

I will report back after the tournament with results. Unless we don't take the second spot to Regionals, in which case I will be too angry to write about it. Fan-tastic.

It's not how you play the game: it's how you win it.
I cut and huck and bid, and I just spin it.
3 MCs and we're on the go
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego.