From the Daily Prophet of 31 August, 2000
The rest of the story
More to Puddlemere than Potter and Diop
By Mike Thalia
PUDDLEMERE, England -- With the start of the season two days away, the first question on the mind of everyone connected with Puddlemere United is the same one that's been there all summer: Harry Potter or Samuel Diop?
The two superstar Seekers have been in the spotlight at Nimbus Arena ever since the Boy Who Lived agreed to join United in June. They deserve the attention -- whoever prevails in their fiercely contested struggle for the place in the first seven is likely to be the greatest single contributor to the club's success.
But whether it's Potter, Diop or even the relatively unknown Ekaterina Petrova chasing the Golden Snitch when the side opens the season at Portree on Saturday, the Seeker will need plenty of help if Puddlemere is going to contend for its first championship in 25 years.
Manger Glenn Watson is guardedly optimistic the support will be there.
"I think we have a pretty strong side all around," said the Puddlemere boss, who is entering his fourth season directing the team. "We finished third last year and we have most of our key players back so we're definitely looking up the table. We know there are areas where we can improve but I think we have a lot of skilled players and the potential to win a lot of matches this winter."
Puddlemere won 18 times a year ago in its most successful campaign in a decade. The winning potion usually mixed a fast capture from Diop -- the Senegalese international caught the Snitch in each of United's victories -- with a workmanlike defensive effort from the rest of the side. It's a formula Watson hopes to be less reliant on this year as his team tries to climb past Montrose and Wimbourne in the standings.
"I think we're going to score more goals this year," Watson said. "The talent is there to put more points on the board and we really need to do it to take a bit of the pressure off of our Seekers. We found out last year that you need to steal a victory or two when the luck of the Snitch goes against you if you want to win a championship."
The one certain change in Puddlemere's first seven should favour a more offensive strategy. Norwegian Chaser Terje Helstad, a defensive specialist who made his mark at Nimbus Arena by teaming with skipper Siobhan Moran to shut off opponents in the centre of the pitch, has moved to Wigtown on a 130,000-Galleon transfer. Of his possible replacements, only Kate Towne -- a reserve who did not suit up for a first-team match a year ago -- seems suited to the same rugged style.
Instead, Watson used young finisher Corinne Kiely with his returning starters, Moran and Hernando Chavez, in United's exhibition win over Lourdes. Kiely saw limited first-team action last year but scored 141 goals in just 19 games with the Puddlemere reserves.
"I know I can't fill the role Terje played last year but I think I can contribute a lot more offensively," the powerful 22-year-old from Taunton said. "I like to go to the hoops and put pressure on the other team's defence."
Kiely should battle for pitch time with a pair of speedy, attack-oriented players. French passing specialist Angelique Rouselle was Puddlemere's most called upon backup a year ago, appearing in 14 matches (including two starts) and collecting 49 assists. Alessandro Albertini, a 24-year-old transfer from Lazio in the Italian League, has impressed with his Quaffle-control skills.
The three potential scorers will be called on to take up some of an offensive load that rested mostly on Chavez a year ago. Though he averaged more than six goals per game, the lightning-quick Peruvian, now 32, often appeared vulnerable to the battering he was subjected to by United's more physical opponents. Chavez missed at least part of nine games because of injury.
"The new Chasers like to attack more," Chavez said. "Together we should be able to open the game up and that will make scoring a lot easier for all of us."
Moran, a veteran of Ireland's 1994 World Cup triumph and 11 seasons with Puddlemere, knows any move toward offensive Quidditch will put any even greater emphasis on her ability to mark the opposition's top Chaser and she readily accepts the challenge.
"I want to go up against the other sides' best," she said. "Keeping them from scoring is a lot of hard work, but I've been playing this game a long time and I know what I have to do. I think I can do it too."
It's his captain's dogged, team-oriented attitude Watson hopes to see from all his Chasers.
"Siobhan sets an excellent example," the manager said. "We've got a group of five or six Chasers that balance each other very well. If they work together and put in the kind of effort she does, I think they'll all make fine contributions."
It's hard to be as confident about United's Beaters.
"Anybody who saw us play last year could tell what our weakness was," Watson said. "Our Beaters were not on the same level with the rest of the side."
Gareth Weston and Joe Smith, last winter's usual first-team tandem, return looking to redeem what were once considered bright careers. Both can be counted on to do a passable job protecting the United Seeker, a defensive role considered primary in Watson's usual Snitch-focused strategy. But they have often struggled to coordinate their Bludgers with the Chasers, especially at the offensive end of the pitch.
Another potential first-seven choice is Gerald Eddington, generally considered Puddlemere's best off-season addition other than Potter. The 20-year-old former Ballycastle man arrives on an 80,000-Galleon transfer after having fought his way up from the reserves to the Bats' starting line-up last year with his powerful and timely hitting.
"I see this season as a great opportunity for me," Eddington said. "I improved my game a lot last season, and now that I'm part of a team with a legitimate chance at the championship, I have the opportunity to really make a name for myself."
Third-year reserve Raul Suarez and hard-hitting Scot Maggie MacDeavitt could also see action in a Beating corps that is sure to be under increased scrutiny with Puddlemere's high expectations for reaching the top of the table. That pressure would become even greater should United go ahead with the likely shift to a more offensive overall strategy.
"We need (the Beaters) to be more effective this year," Watson said. "If they can continue to do well at protecting their team-mates and become a bit more involved in dictating territorial play, that would go a long way toward helping us achieve our goals."
Another key element of Puddle U's title hopes is the Keeping of England international Oliver Wood. After working his way up from obscurity to starter in his first five seasons with the club, the spirited shot-stopper emerged as a star last winter. He led the league in save percentage without sitting out a single minute, turning in one fiercely determined effort after another to backstop United's title push.
"Oliver's so steady," Watson said. "He never relaxes during a match and he plays with as much passion as I've ever seen from a player. We relied on him heavily last season and I'm sure we can count on him again this year."
American Tamika Simmons, a 19-year-old in her first season of full professional play, figures to be the first reserve Keeper.
All told, Watson can call on a talented and experienced squad.
"It's a good side," Moran said, "better than last year, I think. We should be more balanced and that ought to make us more dangerous in all respects."
Throw in two first-class Seekers in Potter and Diop, and the lessons learned in last year's run up the table, and Puddlemere's goal is clear -- an end to the 24-year wait for a trophy.
"Only a championship is acceptable this year," Wood said. "We came so close last season and now we're even better. We definitely don't want to experience that kind of disappointment again."
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Mike Thalia covers Puddlemere United for the Daily Prophet. Owl him at thedpreporting(at)yahoo(dot)com.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 23. It's good to know you're not too put off by the turn of events. Thanks as well to my betas, Kate, Nancy and R.G., for their typical hard work my behalf.