Membership Regionals 2022: Mega-Preview (Combined)

Breaking down each area and all of your contenders.

September 23, 2022 by Alex Rubin, Jenna Weiner, Isabel Cruz, Ben Murphy, Laura Osterlund and Edward Stephens in Preview with comments

Ultiworld’s 2022 protection of the membership division is offered by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are these of the writer(s). Learn the way Spin can get you, and your group, wanting your finest this season.

Summer season is slowly on its means out, and with it has gone the common season and Sectionals, too, placing us firmly in the midst of the postseason. That is the place the rubber hits the street. With so many rosters solely rounding into type in direction of the top of the common season, we’re lastly getting a glimpse of the ultimate type of the groups with Nationals aspirations. There are solely 16 bids accessible, although, so loads of groups heading into Regionals are underdogs, not favorites. We’ll check out these underdogs, favorites, and all the pieces in between to assist in giving an concept on what we anticipate to see in every area.

Nice Lakes

Competition Schedule
Dates: October 1-2
Location: Zeeland, MI
Variety of Bids: 1
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥

Through the 2021 season, no area was hit more durable by the predetermined bid allocation than Nice Lakes Combined. Spectacular common season performances from a sudden glut of high quality groups in Ann Arbor Hybrid, Columbus Cocktails, and Cleveland Crocs would sometimes have been sufficient to earn the area three bids to Nationals, however as a substitute had been caught grappling for only one. Regardless of the fierce competitors, the ascending Michiganders definitively claimed the crown and went on to complete second in San Diego. Loads of critics argued that that they had a straightforward path to the nationwide last they usually didn’t should beat any of the highest groups as a way to win their silver medals of their Nationals debut, however they beat each group they confronted however one, and earned their prize. Due to that success, in addition to a delicate shifting of relative energy of some would-be challengers, Hybrid head to Regionals rather more of a clear-cut favourite for the lone bid this season.

Coming into 2022, expectations had been understandably lofty, and #5 Ann Arbor Hybrid determined to begin the yr off by making an attempt to set a roster measurement file.¹ Jokes apart, they added a ton of expertise – Axel Agami, Tracey Lo, and Raymond Lu headline the additions that make this yr’s group much more proficient on paper than final yr’s. Hybrid appeared robust at Professional-Elite Problem, posting stable wins over ranked opposition in Arizona Lawless, Fort Collins shame., and San Francisco Polar Bears, and shedding solely within the last to reigning nationwide champs Seattle BFG by one aim. They stumbled a bit at WUCC with a quarterfinal exit towards Melbourne Lunch Field after which once more at Professional Champs, shedding the ultimate to Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust after having important leads in each video games. The offense hasn’t all the time appeared clean with out 2021 Offensive Participant of the 12 months Connor Lukas on the helm, and the hassle to distribute accountability round to among the new faces on the group hasn’t fairly gotten them to the place they want to be. However the protection continues to be prime notch and provides each opponent matches with each on-field expertise and dynamic ways.

Make no mistake, this group continues to be a severe menace to be enjoying within the nationwide last once more. To get there, they’ll want to determine a technique to remedy what ails them on offense – whether or not that’s one thing psychological contributing to the losses after having an enormous lead, or one thing tactical in how they design the offense. Regionals needs to be a possibility for Hybrid to work out a few of these kinks, although with simply the one bid on supply as soon as once more, they can not afford to take any video games at Regionals without any consideration.

If there’s any probability that Hybrid wouldn’t take the lone bid, #21 Cleveland Crocs is the probably candidate to steal the berth. Along with a full season of contributions from Libby Lehman and Iris Javersak, Crocs additionally picked up a number of gamers that had beforehand performed with Buckeye State rivals Cocktails, like Sion Agami, Eliot Alexander, and Riley Dickson. Crocs had an honest common season with a pair of native match victories and a fifth-place end at SFI East, however it wasn’t sufficient to earn a bid. They actually have the talent to compete with Hybrid and performed shut sufficient at Sectionals that they might see methods to make some changes and discover the sting they want. Hybrid has proven that they are often weak to comebacks, and Crocs would be the prime group trying to find an opportunity to go to San Diego.

Regardless of the seeming vulnerability of the highest seed, you’d should squint fairly arduous to see a practical probability for another groups to depart with a Nationals ticket in hand. Columbus Chaos is a rebranded effort to keep up a aggressive membership group in Ohio’s capital metropolis after Cocktails didn’t return for 2022; most of the identical names and faces, like David Valentine-Elam and Mallory Griffith, have contributed to Chaos remaining a regional contender however that could be their ceiling this yr. One other bygone Ohio Nationals attendee, Cincinnati Steamboat, nonetheless have Ryan Gorman and thrilling younger expertise Lula Dutille on the roster, however in all probability don’t have the firepower or the depth to maintain up, as evidenced by a pair of lopsided losses to the Crocs at Sectionals. Maybe Chicago is probably to provide a worthy challenger. A pair of recent Windy Metropolis packages, Parlay and RAMP, performed to double recreation level within the de facto Central Plains last; each have rosters dotted with names with earlier Nationals expertise, although neither has the type of signature win on their resume from the common season that portends a real contender in ready. The enigmatic and veteran-laden U54 Ultimate had been additionally undefeated at Sectionals of their first motion of the yr earlier than a climate reschedule triggered them to skip out on seeding video games and can seemingly start Regionals dangerously underseeded.

For now, this bid is Hybrid’s for the taking. Their offense is working out of time to work out the bugs earlier than the large stage, however they need to be simply high-quality at Regionals, because the protection is ready to stifle different offenses and carry them again to Nationals.

Mid-Atlantic

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Frederica, DE
Variety of Bids: 1
Pleasure Degree: 🔥

After a US Open win and a third-place end at Professional Champs, #4 Philadelphia AMP is cruising its means into Regionals with out something to show and with their sights set on the bracket in San Diego. Integrating the skilled core of Raha Mozaffari, Sean Mott, Liz Hart, and Linda Morse with high-impact newcomers like Thomas Nye, Layne Dodge, and Will Helenski — to not point out All-American Henry Ing if he’s wholesome sufficient to play — AMP has the firepower to win a nationwide championship this season and shouldn’t have any drawback taking dwelling one other regional crown to increase their 15-year Nationals streak as one of many division’s true bluebloods. The expertise and expertise up and down the roster are sufficient to comfortably pencil in AMP to a pool prime seed on the Membership Championships.

That mentioned, although their general dominance suggests lofty ambitions, AMP is nice for one unusual consequence per match: shedding to XIST again in June, shedding to Public Enemy at US Open, giving up two 3-0 runs to open and shut a semifinal recreation towards Drag’n Thrust at Professional Champs, and almost shedding to Jughandle at Sectionals stand out and lift eyebrows. That type of behavior can spell doom in a one-bid area and Philadelphia will certainly be targeted on avoiding any such slipup that will put their qualification in danger. However habits may be difficult issues to interrupt, it doesn’t matter what your intentions.

If anyone goes to problem AMP, #22 Washington DC Rally is an effective guess. Rally completed simply outdoors of bid-earning vary after solely enjoying two sanctioned tournaments this season: a third-place end at SFI East that noticed the group earn high quality wins over mid-level competitors, and a ninth-place end on the US Open that included wins over San Francisco Mischief, Arizona Lawless, and Dallas Public Enemy. Rolling by means of Capital Sectionals with out permitting an opponent inside 4 objectives, Rally needs to be using a wave of confidence, however might want to placed on their finest efficiency of the season to have even an opportunity of taking down AMP. As spectacular as their wins are, this group has additionally misplaced to Charlotte Storm, Ames Chad Larson Expertise, and Denver Love Tractor. Rally simply hasn’t performed with the type of consistency anticipated of a surefire nationals group, and that exhibits with their 18th place ranking-just two spots under the energy bid cutoff. Anthony McLean, Graham Turner, and Lily Eisner have a stable command of the offense, and Xavier Maxstadt could be a ‘x’ issue on the counterattack together with his dynamic attributes and skill to fabricate offense with a single backbreaking throw. Margot Nissen is coming off of a formidable summer season enjoying for the French U20 group so as to add a little bit of overachieving spark to a group that may make use of any tiny benefit it could possibly discover.

With its runner-up end at Founders Sectionals, together with a universe level loss to AMP, New Jersey Jughandle may have an opportunity to show it deserves greater than little sibling standing. Ryan Lee and Mason Compton type a succesful pair within the offensive backfield, and Emma Ignaszewski’s initiation cuts get the Jughandle offense shifting easily. With Rebecca Halleran working down her fair proportion of hucks, Jughandle may make a little bit of noise if it peaks on the proper time. Stable wins over Columbus Chaos, Raleigh Malice in Wonderland, and West Chester Loco present that Jughandle can dispatch good groups. They simply haven’t but damaged by means of to take down a group with Nationals aspirations, and that type of breakthrough is unlikely to occur at Regionals towards locked-in opposition.

It’s an identical story for the opposite fringe contenders, West Chester Loco and Baltimore Fleet. Each have performed near elite competitors this season — Loco have been inside two factors up upsetting all of AMP, ‘Shine, and XIST whereas Fleet was a late collapse away from knocking off Boston Sprocket at Professional Champs a couple of weeks in the past — however ‘nearly’ received’t reduce it at Regionals. They might want to hope they’re on a steep progress trajectory to problem AMP for the lone bid, however Sectionals losses to Jughandle and Richmond Revival respectively are robust to sq. with that ambition.

North Central

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Hartland, WI
Variety of Bids: 3
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥🔥

Recent off of their Professional Champs victory, #3 Minneapolis Drag’N Thrust may comfortably have already bought their airplane tickets to San Diego. A significant roster turnover that features the losses of key gamers Sarah Meckstroth and Kat Ritzmann has allowed alternatives for extra gamers to shine, together with Danielle Byers, Jane Koch, and Bryan Vohnoutka. At Sectionals, Drag’N soared above their competitors, together with a 15-10 victory over NOISE (their closest recreation of the weekend).

The second Nationals bid is more likely to find yourself within the palms of #9 Madison NOISE, who has had fairly the curler coaster of a season. The season for the Wisconsinites began in Cincinnati at Worlds, putting sixth with an 8-2 file. They adopted that up with a second-place end on the US Open and a disappointing ninth-place end at Professional Champs. With the assistance of gamers whom we’ve already talked about rather a lot this season, resembling Robyn Fennig, Dylan DeClerck, and Jack Kelly, they are going to be considering extra about their probability to win the area than about whether or not or not they are going to qualify.

For the primary time since 2017, the North Central area has earned a 3rd bid to Nationals, because of the efficiency of #13 Kansas City United throughout this membership season. Of their second yr as a longtime group, KCU has had fairly the season, with a second-place end at Colorado Summer season Solstice, an look at Professional-Elite Problem highlighted by a win over Seattle BFG, and a second-place end at Elite-Choose Problem. It’s no shock that they confirmed as much as win West Plains Sectionals. However early success final season didn’t yield a visit to Nationals. Can they make it this yr as a bid earner?

A number of groups are nicely ready to step as much as bat and problem KCU. Ames Chad Larson Expertise is not any stranger to the Nationals entrance, although there are vanishingly few holdovers from their glory days nonetheless on the roster. As has been the case for the previous half decade, the Iowa outfit struggled towards prime competitors on the US Open and Professional-Elite Problem; even when they do eke out a game-to-go win, their ceiling this season is a bit low. Wichita Influence might also be vying for the third Nationals bid. They had been the one group to offer KCU a problem at Sectionals, shedding 15-12 (KCU’s closest recreation), and proved that they’ll a minimum of cling with most higher-level groups at Summer season Solstice and Elite-Choose Problem. On the Northwest Plains facet of the area, a couple of different groups are hoping for a mistake from the highest canine. Relying on the climate, Minneapolis No Touching! could also be trying to shake issues up but once more. As semifinalists on the US Open, they proved that they’ll nonetheless win when it counts, however they had been surprisingly knocked off the bracket in quarterfinals at Sectionals, although they blew previous the remainder of their competitors. Or maybe Milwaukee Northern Consolation will rise above the ranks, as they too proved robust towards most different groups within the area, nonetheless nonetheless confirmed that they’ll’t maintain a candle to groups like Drag’N, shedding 15-5 to them within the semifinal.

Whereas all of those choices appear viable, it’s a reasonably secure guess to say that the probably end result from North Central Regionals will end in Drag’n Thrust, NOISE, and Kansas Metropolis United all snatching bids to Nationals this season.

Northeast

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Devens, MA
Variety of Bids: 2
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

It’s an annual custom at this level: the Northeast area has yet one more Nationals-quality group than it has bids to Nationals. The hallowed grounds of Fort Devens are as soon as once more host to what’s certain to be an thrilling, and for one group gut-wrenching, Regionals. After profitable their respective Sectionals championships, #12 New York XIST and #15 Boston Slow are on a collision course to satisfy within the last within the double-elimination championship bracket. Each will anticipate to advance to Nationals, and it doesn’t matter what, one group might want to win simply 4 video games to advance to Nationals. Looming within the third spot is #16 Boston Sprocket, the group that completed only one spot outdoors of bid-earning vary. Although they’ve simply 4 losses on the season, two of them – ill-timed defeats to San Francisco Classy and Dallas Public Enemy on the TCT Professional Championships – dropped Sprocket’s rating simply sufficient to tug the group all the way down to the nationals bubble.

Sprocket took down Gradual in an early season recreation at Combined Easterns in June. Gradual avenged the loss within the rather more significant sectional championship recreation. With Amber Sinicrope, Lexi Zalk, and Olivia Hampton round, Gradual has some severe firepower. Add in Peter Prial, Alex Trahey, and Ryan Cardinal, and the veteran group stands out in sharp distinction to Sprocket, whose youthful vitality is a pleasure to be round however generally leaves the group weak to psychological errors. Sprocket’s Tannor Johnson would be the finest participant on the sector in nearly each recreation he performs.

Up to now this season, Sprocket has caught to enjoying comparatively even strains and growing your entire group collectively. If they need a shot to return to Nationals, they’ll should be enjoying their finest gamers: Johnson, Brett Tan, Caitlin Go, and Hazel Ostrowski much more than as soon as each three factors.

Whereas Sprocket and Gradual will seemingly get their rubber match to determine which is the most effective group within the Boston space, New York XIST enters Regionals because the top-seeded favourite. With wins already over each Boston-area contenders in addition to Philadelphia AMP (although that was again in June), XIST has the seems of a Nationals group. Cara Sieber and Matt Lemar carry a relaxing offensive presence whereas Josue Alorro and each Drost brothers Mike and Ryan are as imposing a defensive trio as one can discover. Add in stable contributions from Abby Cheng, Luisa Neves, and Emily Barrett, and it’s wanting like a reasonably secure guess that XIST is not going to simply make it again to Nationals however enhance on its last-place end from 2021.

With a lot consideration concentrated within the prime three, it’s straightforward to miss the glut of different contenders itching on the probability to play spoiler. Boston Wild Card has not-too-distant nationals expertise and has largely received the video games it’s speculated to (save for an thrilling loss to Boston Follow Squad at Sectionals — extra on them in a bit). With Ian Engler, Connor Fortin, Connor Kline, and Tamar Austin because the headliners, the ground for this group is excessive. Although Wild Card has performed shut video games with XIST, Gradual, and Sprocket this season, it hasn’t but pulled off the important thing wins wanted to be in that contenders tier.

Mansfield Darkwing does have a win over Gradual, from again on the Boston Invite, however different lackluster outcomes (losses to groups like Montreal LAB, Boston Obscure, and Charlotte Storm) push Darkwing into the spoilers tier. It’ll take their finest effort after which some to repeat that upset of Gradual. With expertise from Professional Champs enjoying towards most of the prime groups within the nation, Darkwing has the potential for an upset and may actually be relied upon to offer its opponents a tricky recreation.

Lastly, many followers across the nation are rooting for Boston Follow Squad: a group of gamers who had been reduce from or had been enjoying as follow gamers on different groups inside the area through the common season. After notching an upset win over Wild Card at Sectionals regardless of not having performed a recreation collectively earlier than the Sequence, it’s actually believable that Follow Squad may finish one other group’s season early — or a minimum of make their path to Nationals that a lot more durable. That includes a couple of gamers with nationals expertise themselves (former Gradual gamers Scott Gatto and Misha Herscu, former Sprocket cutter Tess Johnson, and 2016 Harvard Crimson Line standout David Reshef to call a couple of), Follow Squad is aware of the type of effort it takes to attain wins towards prime groups. With as a lot of the ‘I advised you so’ motivation as they’ll muster, search for Follow Squad to proceed their Cinderella story and show to the world (and to the group who reduce them) their true ultimate-related price.

Northwest

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Lacey, WA
Variety of Bids: 3
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Ah sure, the Northwest Combined area. Three bid earners, three clear favorites to maintain their bids. Appears simple sufficient. However maintain on, who’s that charging in from stage left? Bah gawd, it’s worlds runner-ups #6 Vancouver Red Flag! Welcome again to the excessive warmth index, Northwest: a minimum of one top-16 group is certain to overlook out on a visit south to sunny San Diego, and it ought to make for fairly the fireworks present in Lacey this weekend.

The Northwest Combined area this season consists of not solely the world runner-ups in Crimson Flag but in addition the world champions in #2 Seattle Mixtape — but neither of these groups come into Regionals because the top-seeded group. As a substitute it’s reigning US membership champions #1 Seattle BFG, working it again with a lot of the identical squad that received them gold in 2021. Seemingly ageless 2021 Participant of the 12 months Mario O’Brien returns to the BFG backfield joined by 2021 Breakout POTY Cheryl Hsu, and people two will direct a still-potent Seattle offensive line. New additions Jack Verzuh and Corbin Atack inject a component of relative youth to BFG’s men-matching lineup, whereas Jennifer Ricaurte and Alexa Kirkland lead BFG’s cohort of WUL champions from Seattle Tempest. Regardless of a subpar efficiency at Worlds, BFG’s file within the USAU common season carries only a single blemish from a loss to Kansas Metropolis United of their first recreation of the season, and as reigning membership champions, BFG will anticipate to firmly maintain onto their bid to Nationals this weekend.

World champions Mixtape come into Regionals on a rising tide, bouncing again from a disappointing efficiency at Professional-Elite Problem to win WUCC over regional rivals Crimson Flag. As they had been lacking numerous key gamers out in Colorado, Seattle’s showings at Worlds, Fruit Bowl, and Sectionals align higher with the expectations for these near-perennial semifinalists. Certainly, post-Professional-Elite Mixtape has misplaced only one recreation, to their cross-town opponents BFG within the Fruit Bowl last. Together with the worlds win, Mixtape additionally picked up a second win over Crimson Flag within the sectional semifinal earlier than the ultimate, which might have been one other Seattle showdown, was canceled as a result of air high quality considerations. Led by World Video games choice Khalif El-Salaam, Mixtape are replete with returning veteran expertise, together with Bert Cherry, Ari Lozano, and Cam Bailey, all of whom will undoubtedly assist the world champs return to San Diego to try the fabled double peak, to pair their Worlds win with one other nationwide title.

For a group that has solely actually performed two tournaments this season in Worlds and Sectionals, Crimson Flag has had the misfortune of working into new nemeses Mixtape at each. Exterior of these two video games, although, the Canadians have appeared the a part of bid-stealing interlopers, particularly throughout that World Championships run that noticed them take down 2021 membership semifinalists Madison NOISE. Vancouver’s roster pulls expertise from the distinctive UBC Thunderbirds groups, together with Ellen Au-Yeung and Mika Kurahashi, in addition to Livid George with the significantly notable pickup of William Vu. As demonstrated by their WUCC efficiency, Crimson Flag can completely play at a championship degree; now it’s merely a matter of doing so once more at Regionals to earn themselves a visit south to hotter climes for Nationals.

With a stable if unspectacular season, #19 Montana MOONDOG labored arduous to hold onto the ultimate regional energy bid to Nationals, which the 2019 fan favorites had been hoping can be their tickets again to San Diego after a season away. Now, with Crimson Flag within the image, the Huge Sky champions’ place because the third Northwest bid-claimers feels as tenuous as ever. MOONDOG stays a great group, in fact, with Genesea Meha and Kyla Crisp representing the WUL’s Utah Wild on this Montana roster, whereas Sam Hines and Andrew Shanafelt paved the way for MOONDOG’s men-matching gamers. Nonetheless, their major problem at Regionals will, in all chance, be to fend off Crimson Flag, which can make it an uphill climb for the Montana underdogs to maintain a maintain of their spot.

South Central

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Tulsa, OK
Variety of Bids: 2
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥🔥

This area’s forecast might appear to be a story as outdated as (latest) time however, with the rollercoaster of a season the highest groups have had up to now, the outcomes from this weekend are in no way written within the stars. Relying on how the performances of the hot-and-cold prime contenders align throughout Regionals, we may even see a shake up within the rankings and probably a brand new group trying to leverage the chaos of the area to earn a spot in San Diego.

After #14 Dallas Public Enemy completed the common season robust at Professional Champs and squeaked in one other bid to Nationals for the area, the stage was set for the sixth(ish) annual “which group will be a part of #10 Fort Collins Disgrace at Nationals this yr” present. However Disgrace will not be heading to Tulsa using the identical wave of domination they’ve for the previous few seasons. The previous underdogs could also be returning to their roots – Fort Collins got here near shedding Sectionals to Denver Love Tractor however had been in a position to come from behind to win on universe 12-11 (examine this to their 15-7 win over Denver simply final yr).

With a rocky begin to the season and lackluster exhibiting at Professional Champs in Raleigh, Disgrace has but to hit their stride this yr. The chances of them shedding the highest spot within the area is slim, and even much less seemingly can be them getting shut out of Nationals solely. However the odds of Disgrace being dethroned are usually not zero. This proficient group has to clean out the peaks and valleys of their chemistry and attain their potential in the event that they need to fend off fierce opponents trying to prey on their weaknesses at Regionals – and if they need an actual shot at redemption in San Diego after their disappointing 14th place end in 2021.

Predicting who else will get to make (or maintain) reservations in San Diego is a more durable activity. Based mostly on the outcomes of the season up to now, the simplest reply can be that Dallas sustain their end-of-season momentum and stop would-be bid stealers from the Rocky Mountain part from attaining one other upset. Their potential to remain mentally robust and play their recreation, relatively than enjoying into the chaos their opponents will seemingly look to trigger to unseat them, will determine whether or not or not they maintain on to the bid they fought for this yr.

Who’re the would-be bid stealers, you ask? #20 Denver Love Tractor seemingly has the most effective shot. Not like final yr, although, Love Tractor doesn’t have a win towards Public Enemy underneath their belt, however this doesn’t rule out the likelihood that historical past repeats itself they usually snag a spot in San Diego. Love Tractor did nearly handle to upset Disgrace at sectionals, in spite of everything. They’ll actually be heading to Tulsa hungrier than ever having had a glimpse of how they can’t solely get again to San Diego however return to being the highest of the area.

Love Tractor, nor any of the highest contenders for that matter, shouldn’t lose sight of a longshot however up-and-coming Nationals hopeful Denver Mile Excessive Trash. Relying on how the schedule shakes out, Trash might search for a second probability at beating Tractor, who they misplaced to on universe at Sectionals. Though their efficiency at Fruit Bowl was (forgive me) rubbish, Trash confirmed a glimpse of the expertise that anybody acquainted with the depth of talent on their roster anticipated them to be able to. In the event that they preserve and construct upon their momentum, Trash may trigger some chaos to shake up the established order in South Central.

Different contenders to look at embody: #24 Austin Waterloo, who do have one win over Dallas underneath their belt, and Denver Flight Club, who’ve some eye-catching wins over high-caliber groups throughout the season, together with Seattle Mixtape and Durham Toro at Colorado Cup. More than likely situation: Love Tractor, Trash, Flight Membership, and Waterloo battle for who’s the highest non-Nationals qualifying group. However don’t assume any leads to the South Central!

Southeast

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Decatur, AL
Variety of Bids: 3
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Simply as everybody anticipated firstly of the yr, the Southeast area heads towards the autumn in possession of its customary lone bid to Nationals, and there are a few groups who’ve a shot at taking ho—

Wait. What? The Southeast is a THREE BID REGION in 2022??

That is extremely irregular. In all probability a typo within the algorithm. We had higher alert the brass in Colorado Springs in regards to the mix-up… No mix-up, you say? Three of the highest 10 groups within the end-of-season rankings and 9 of the top-40. It’s an honest-to-goodness robust area this yr?

Okay, then. That is going to be enjoyable.

With the unprecedented variety of bids comes an unprecedented variety of groups who suppose (inside cause!) that they might begin looking for flights to San Diego quickly. First up are the names you already know: the 2019 and 2021 bid-earners, #8 Durham Toro and #11 Nashville ‘shine. Toro beat Mixtape in July and performed inside a degree of AMP at Professional Champs earlier this month and have typically appeared the a part of a contender. Heather Zimmerman and Brian Clark make performs like they invented playmaking; veterans Kiron Allen and Christine Bookhout nonetheless chew up yards like weedwhackers. ‘Shine boasts maybe the area’s finest participant in Jesse Shofner, who takes over factors the way in which she did in her faculty days. With Eli Motycka, Rachel Kramer, and Jordan Hill alongside, ‘Shine has a deeper roster and a extra promising common season to lean on this yr than they did throughout their first Nationals journey final October.

The third bid-earner are a less-decorated outfit, #17 Huntsville Space Force, the newest in an extended line of stable north Alabama groups. The distinction is that House Pressure is likely to be rather more than stable. What they lack in nationwide recognition, additionally they lack in losses: they’re unbeaten in 2022. Their sterling 26-0 tour so far has seen main contributions from Mac McClellan and Elijah Jaime, amongst many others. They haven’t precisely confronted a assassin’s row of opponents, however they’ve soundly overwhelmed a number of of the groups seeded behind them at this match, they usually may very well be heading to California quickly.

As many as all three of the bid-earning groups may earn the journey to Nationals… or, conceivably, as few as one in every of them. The record of real upset threats consists of Atlanta Dirty Bird, new dwelling of Atlanta stars Caroline Taylor, Austin Taylor, Katherine Yost, Jin-Mi Matsunaga, and Matt Smith – in addition to, out of the blue, latest SoCal Condor standout Paul Lally. For all their expertise, their undoing may very well be a scarcity of follow and group cohesion; they might presumably have earned the area a fourth bid if that they had performed the required minimal variety of video games. Elsewhere in Georgia, #25 Athens Murmur are having the strongest season of their eight-year historical past. In three tournaments this yr, they’ve one title and two runner-up finishes, together with a really tight loss within the East Coast Sectional last towards ‘Shine. Martha Wilber, Victor Pria, Jake Powell, and Katharine Suarez are a couple of of the names to know for a group who’re looking for out simply how excessive they’ll push this new peak.

From the North Carolina contingent, Charlotte Storm may very well be in place to steal some glory from the Triangle. Connie Cui, Rick Hennighausen, Jamie Bryson, and firm earned some precious elite reps as a shock inclusion at Professional Champs. They made probably the most of their alternative, blitzing 2021 nationwide runners-up Hybrid to 10-10 earlier than shedding on universe level. Neck-and-neck with Storm are Orange County Wingdings – actually neck-and-neck, as the 2 groups cut up a pair of universe level video games at Sectionals. Wingdings are a brand-new concoction of UNC Darkside and Pleiades gamers like Andrew Li, Sydney Rehder, Josh Singleton, and Theresa Yu. They aren’t bursting on the seams with membership expertise, however they actually have expertise to spare. May they be the 2022 blended model of Boulder Lotus?

That doesn’t even exhaust the record. Atlanta Crown Peach, Rome Roma, Gainesville B-Unit, Florida Bizarre, and Auburn HeyDay will all be able to capitalize on the sudden glut of bids. Statistical aberration? Signal of the instances? No matter this yr finally says in regards to the path of the area, this yr’s Southeast match goes to be bonkers.

Southwest

Competition Schedule
Dates: September 24-25
Location: Tucson, AZ
Variety of Bids: 1
Pleasure Degree: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

For the primary time because the area’s inception a decade in the past, the Southwest blended division has a singular bid to Nationals. That’s proper, a area that had a whopping 5 bids to Nationals again in 2014 has only one, at present held by the #7 San Francisco Polar Bears. Not 2021 Nationals qualifiers Arizona Lawless, not 2019 nationwide finalists San Francisco Mischief, and definitely not 2011 and 2012 nationwide champions San Francisco Blackbird, who folded as a group after 2019. Sure, it’s uncommon however it implies that Southwest Regionals is certain to placed on a present like nothing’s ever modified.

It’s been fairly the spectacular season for a Polar Bears group that, earlier than this yr, hadn’t claimed prime billing within the Southwest heading into Regionals because the aforementioned 2014 season. Polar Bears’ solely losses have come to final yr’s nationwide semifinalists — they’ve held off closest rivals Mischief on universe at each US Open and NorCal Sectionals and have overwhelmed the likes of Seattle Mixtape, Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust, and Boston Gradual over the course of the season. Mac Taylor, an elite Bay Space final fixture for the final decade plus, has come up big, actually and figuratively, for Polar Bears this season, together with a foot-block to huck help combo that received San Francisco’s recreation towards Mischief, his former group, at Sectionals. That is Taylor’s first yr with Polar Bears, and he’s helped complement what was an already excellent roster, together with Margot Stert, Margo Donahue, and Ziyue Chen who lead SF’s potent women-matching lineup. With simply the lone bid to Nationals and Mischief more likely to be scorching on their tail as has been the case all season, it’s actually not going to be straightforward for Polar Bears to carry onto their spot. Nonetheless, with the most effective roster on paper within the area and the outcomes to again it up, Polar Bears should be the favorites heading into the weekend.

How issues have modified for the as soon as mighty #18 San Francisco Mischief. The 2019 nationwide finalists did not make the return journey to Nationals in 2021, and this yr their roster has turned over significantly from simply final season. Gone are Mischief stalwarts Han Chen, Cody Kirkland, and Gina Schumacher. Right here is an injection of youth with latest faculty standouts Jaclyn Wataoka, Chris Lung, and McKinley McQuaide enjoying large roles of their first years with San Francisco. There in fact stay some carry-overs from that 2019 peak, with Andrew Berry persevering with to point out off his teaching chops as probably the greatest within the division, and Matthew Crawford and Lily Steponaitis offering veteran management and continuity, together with Vivian Chu, a castoff from the Blackbird collapse. Nonetheless, it has been an uneven season, actually by Mischief’s requirements, with wins over MOONDOG and Lawless being paired with losses to Rally and No Touching, together with these universe-point defeats to Polar Bears.

Given simply the one bid, Mischief actually can’t be counted out, and they might love to show round these finest-margin losses to Polar Bears precisely when it issues most. With the expertise they’ve on paper, that’s greater than doable, however it’s going to come back down as to whether Mischief’s lack of consistency comes again to chunk them and causes them to overlook out on Nationals for the second yr working.

After making a decisive return to the highest of the SoCal part, #23 Arizona Lawless now have their sights set on making their second straight Nationals of their second-ever season. Earlier than Sectionals, although, it hadn’t been the most effective season for Arizona — and that could be beneficiant given their 4-9 file throughout showings at Professional-Elite and the US Open. Sure, Lawless had been largely dealing with off towards possible Nationals contenders at these tournaments, however blowout losses to Gradual, Hybrid, and AMP don’t mirror significantly favorably in any mild. With their full roster seeming to click on simply because the Sequence is winding up, although, it feels short-sighted to depend Arizona out forward of Regionals. Kody Lippincott, Megan Maxfield, and Cynthia Thomas lead Lawless’ contingent of WUL Arizona Sidewinders gamers, whereas Marshall Crawford, Travis Dunn, and Nate Bridges have been a few of Arizona’s major help throwers this season. Lawless’ solely crossover with their NorCal competitors this yr was an early season 10-6 loss to Mischief, which doesn’t bode nicely for his or her probabilities of knocking off each San Francisco giants to steal the area’s bid. Regardless of that, if there was ever a time that Lawless may have the ability to parlay their Sectionals success right into a Regionals upset, it might be at dwelling in Arizona, and that’s the place it’ll all go down this weekend within the Southwest.

Given the historic volatility of Southwest Combined Regionals, we’d be remiss to not go previous the highest three contenders even on this uncommon one-bid yr. Certainly, fifth seeds San Francisco Stylish come into Regionals with a Professional Championships semifinal berth to their names, whereas first-year group Sacramento Tower Final took third within the NorCal part behind Polar Bears and Mischief. Whereas each groups have taken losses to decrease seeded in-section competitors this season, all it might take is a single upset to place them in place to be within the game-to-go the place it appears like something may very nicely occur. That very same scenario looks like it may play out for nearly any one of many contending groups out in Arizona, since between the connectivity that the Southwest area all the time appears to have and the dangerously tantalizing lone bid to Nationals, it actually may very well be the Wild West out in Tucson in only a few days time.