Gooseberry Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
goosemods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
gooseberryhigh2017-02-05 04:17 pm
goosemods) wrote in gooseberryhigh2017-02-05 04:17 pm
Entry tags:
QUIDDITCH: February 5, Match #5
Every year, the Quidditch season pauses for winter, and every year, the students of Gooseberry are impatiently eager to return to the stands in February to see their house teams go head-to-head again. At 2 PM, there’s enough sun to make freezing in the tall stands tolerable, and the crowd’s in high spirits. Coppertale’s supporters have shown up in all the rust orange and black they can muster, but today, everyone’s talking about the “trading cards” which have been distributed by Azurcrest freshmen, depicting members of their house’s Quidditch and cheer teams striking poses and mugging for the camera.
Captains Hawkeswood and Prince have had all winter to perfect their new routines, and it’s up to them to set the standard for the rest of the year. Azurcrest’s players fly with Prince’s team, coordinating tricks in the air with the cheerleaders’ tosses, while Coppertale’s players seem to be holding back until the cheer routines are done. But Hawkeswood’s team wouldn’t be foxes if they were intimidated, and their impeccably synced cheers and ambitious choreography show how hard Hawkeswood is gunning for captain of the Gooseberry cheer squad. When Coppertale’s Quidditch players finally take to the air, there’s a murmur in the crowd, and even the announcer sounds surprised to realize that two players have switched positions, with Wainwright back on Seeker and Guthrie taking up the third (possibly cursed?) Chaser spot.
The whistle blows, and Chaser Castillo takes the Quaffle. Azurcrest’s teamwork seems to have noticeably improved, and the first fifteen minutes are fast: Castillo and Key score twice before Turner catches the Quaffle and wins the first goal for Coppertale, only to lose it to Castillo, who throws an assist to Kramer, bumping Azurcrest ahead to 30–10. Elsewhere, the Beaters are fighting for the Bludgers. Beaters Delgado and Hobbs do an impressive job blocking Park, who’s now flying one of the best brooms on the pitch, and their shots are instrumental in giving Azurcrest their early lead.
However, Barringer and Park eventually wrest control of the Bludgers, allowing Coppertale to catch up. Despite Chaser Guthrie’s lack of experience, he’s already a more focused Chaser than Wainwright was in his first game, and Coppertale just manages to stay right behind Azurcrest as the score climbs. Guthrie and Stoker get one goal each, and Kramer’s on a roll as he scores two more for Azurcrest… but that lucky streak doesn’t last long. It becomes obvious to everyone watching that the fox Beaters have a target, and it’s only due to quick reflexes that Kramer manages to avoid the Bludger so many times. Just seconds after the first half-hour, Barringer wings him on the elbow as Kramer swerves to avoid direct impact—only to get slammed by a second Bludger sent by Park, which cracks him in the head. Kramer’s out instantly. When Healer Mufferaw insists he go to the infirmary, Captain Gray is forced to put in a reserve. The score is 50–30 for Azurcrest.
If Coppertale plays rough, then Azurcrest is more than prepared to play rougher, with Reserve Cunningham working alongside Castillo and Key. After that early upset, Keeper Velasquez seems to regain her confidence, and doesn’t even flinch at how hard Cunningham throws the Quaffle at her—she’s blocking them all anyway. The next twenty minutes are multiple steals, checks and near-collisions as all six Chasers on the field amp up their aggressive campaign to take the Quaffle. Just a little past the hour, Chaser Stoker slams into Castillo’s side, hard enough to make him drop the Quaffle—and also push him in the path of Barringer, whose Bludger hits his outstretched arm with an audible crack of bone.
Coach Thorn blows the whistle, and calls both captains to him. There’s a brief argument on the ground as to whether or not Stoker had shoved Castillo or struck him with his fist in any way—even observers in the stands are divided over this—but Thorn rules that flying into another Chaser is enough of a foul. Stoker is ordered to sit out for ten minutes. Reserve St. Clair moves to fill in for Castillo while he gets his broken arm mended.
When play resumes, the score is 90–60 for Coppertale, with only two Chasers on their side, and two reserves on Azurcrest’s side. The next ten minutes are tense. Seeker Gray knows it’s not looking good for her team, but she keeps flying to distract Seeker Wainwright, refusing to give him the chance to spot the Snitch before her. Down below, Cunningham moves to block Turner, and St. Clair’s focused on assisting Key as they outmaneuver Guthrie. It’s easy with Beater Hobbs sending Bludgers to clear their way, and Key manages to score two goals past Velasquez before Stoker’s admitted back into the game.
90–80 for Coppertale. They should be in the home stretch now, but the match goes on for another half-hour even with all the roster shakeups. Gray and Wainwright lose track of the score as they both search harder against the white snow for the Snitch. The score keeps climbing for both teams—Azurcrest squeaks in ahead, then Coppertale takes the lead again. There! Gray speeds off, rising high in the air, and Wainwright’s right behind her, eyes focused on that golden glimmer. Just as the both of them are about to close in, the Snitch sharply spins back right past them. Wainwright and Gray’s hands go out, Gray’s fingertips brushing metal wings, but they miss. Both Seekers turn their brooms, but Wainwright is quicker by a mere second. The Snitch is dropping to the ground like a tiny meteorite, too fast for the audience to see, but not too fast for a Seeker. Hand outstretched, flying harder than he’s ever flown before, Wainwright leans as far as he can on his broom to close his fingers around the Snitch. After 110 minutes of play, Coppertale earns their first victory!
Captains Hawkeswood and Prince have had all winter to perfect their new routines, and it’s up to them to set the standard for the rest of the year. Azurcrest’s players fly with Prince’s team, coordinating tricks in the air with the cheerleaders’ tosses, while Coppertale’s players seem to be holding back until the cheer routines are done. But Hawkeswood’s team wouldn’t be foxes if they were intimidated, and their impeccably synced cheers and ambitious choreography show how hard Hawkeswood is gunning for captain of the Gooseberry cheer squad. When Coppertale’s Quidditch players finally take to the air, there’s a murmur in the crowd, and even the announcer sounds surprised to realize that two players have switched positions, with Wainwright back on Seeker and Guthrie taking up the third (possibly cursed?) Chaser spot.
The whistle blows, and Chaser Castillo takes the Quaffle. Azurcrest’s teamwork seems to have noticeably improved, and the first fifteen minutes are fast: Castillo and Key score twice before Turner catches the Quaffle and wins the first goal for Coppertale, only to lose it to Castillo, who throws an assist to Kramer, bumping Azurcrest ahead to 30–10. Elsewhere, the Beaters are fighting for the Bludgers. Beaters Delgado and Hobbs do an impressive job blocking Park, who’s now flying one of the best brooms on the pitch, and their shots are instrumental in giving Azurcrest their early lead.
However, Barringer and Park eventually wrest control of the Bludgers, allowing Coppertale to catch up. Despite Chaser Guthrie’s lack of experience, he’s already a more focused Chaser than Wainwright was in his first game, and Coppertale just manages to stay right behind Azurcrest as the score climbs. Guthrie and Stoker get one goal each, and Kramer’s on a roll as he scores two more for Azurcrest… but that lucky streak doesn’t last long. It becomes obvious to everyone watching that the fox Beaters have a target, and it’s only due to quick reflexes that Kramer manages to avoid the Bludger so many times. Just seconds after the first half-hour, Barringer wings him on the elbow as Kramer swerves to avoid direct impact—only to get slammed by a second Bludger sent by Park, which cracks him in the head. Kramer’s out instantly. When Healer Mufferaw insists he go to the infirmary, Captain Gray is forced to put in a reserve. The score is 50–30 for Azurcrest.
If Coppertale plays rough, then Azurcrest is more than prepared to play rougher, with Reserve Cunningham working alongside Castillo and Key. After that early upset, Keeper Velasquez seems to regain her confidence, and doesn’t even flinch at how hard Cunningham throws the Quaffle at her—she’s blocking them all anyway. The next twenty minutes are multiple steals, checks and near-collisions as all six Chasers on the field amp up their aggressive campaign to take the Quaffle. Just a little past the hour, Chaser Stoker slams into Castillo’s side, hard enough to make him drop the Quaffle—and also push him in the path of Barringer, whose Bludger hits his outstretched arm with an audible crack of bone.
Coach Thorn blows the whistle, and calls both captains to him. There’s a brief argument on the ground as to whether or not Stoker had shoved Castillo or struck him with his fist in any way—even observers in the stands are divided over this—but Thorn rules that flying into another Chaser is enough of a foul. Stoker is ordered to sit out for ten minutes. Reserve St. Clair moves to fill in for Castillo while he gets his broken arm mended.
When play resumes, the score is 90–60 for Coppertale, with only two Chasers on their side, and two reserves on Azurcrest’s side. The next ten minutes are tense. Seeker Gray knows it’s not looking good for her team, but she keeps flying to distract Seeker Wainwright, refusing to give him the chance to spot the Snitch before her. Down below, Cunningham moves to block Turner, and St. Clair’s focused on assisting Key as they outmaneuver Guthrie. It’s easy with Beater Hobbs sending Bludgers to clear their way, and Key manages to score two goals past Velasquez before Stoker’s admitted back into the game.
90–80 for Coppertale. They should be in the home stretch now, but the match goes on for another half-hour even with all the roster shakeups. Gray and Wainwright lose track of the score as they both search harder against the white snow for the Snitch. The score keeps climbing for both teams—Azurcrest squeaks in ahead, then Coppertale takes the lead again. There! Gray speeds off, rising high in the air, and Wainwright’s right behind her, eyes focused on that golden glimmer. Just as the both of them are about to close in, the Snitch sharply spins back right past them. Wainwright and Gray’s hands go out, Gray’s fingertips brushing metal wings, but they miss. Both Seekers turn their brooms, but Wainwright is quicker by a mere second. The Snitch is dropping to the ground like a tiny meteorite, too fast for the audience to see, but not too fast for a Seeker. Hand outstretched, flying harder than he’s ever flown before, Wainwright leans as far as he can on his broom to close his fingers around the Snitch. After 110 minutes of play, Coppertale earns their first victory!
.
.
.
.
.
COPPERTALE WINS
170–100
.
.
.
.
COPPERTALE WINS
170–100
Whether you’re a player, cheerleader or spectator, post below with your character’s reactions! If you wish to post separately about the game, please use lj-cuts and mark for spoilers for the first 24 hours, so no one sees the result before reading the official match description. Thank you for your patience, everyone! This is the longest match description yet, so I hope you all forgive me for my indulgence. I’mmmm going back to bed right after I post my characters.