Power pools

Round 1: Prime faces Ozone and Riot plays Backhoe in the first power pool. Prime runs a spread offense that opens up the field for deep looks. Their throwers break well, swinging the disc to the other side of the field for a wide open strike. Ozone is fast and they are wide open on offense, but they make a lot of unforced errors. Their defense is great on the open side, but Prime keeps breaking and it's all for naught. Ozone's down early and never catches up.

Riot versus Backhoe is closer, with Riot looking long often and Backhoe used to that style of offense. Backhoe throws Z, but Riot knows how to handle it. Riot plays tough D and they're probably the most athletic women's team here. They've got lots of good throwers and runners. Backhoe is also quite athletic and is great at using the deep game. The teams trade offensive points to 7-6, and then Riot gets the D break to take half 8-6. Molly Doyle (#82) is a big thrower for Backhoe and Katy Harris (#4) is a big receiver. Beth Oppenheimer (#33) has a big D on the first point after half to make it 8-7. Then Riot drops the pull, and Backhoe scores quickly to tie it at 8s. Backhoe comes out with a zone, but Riot shreds it easily. 9-8 Riot. The next point goes on and on, with a handblock by Frannie Goodrich (#34) on Backhoe, but stagnant offense on both sides. Finally, Deb Cussen (#27) puts a pretty throw deep to Liz Duffy (#37) and Riot leads 10-8. After that it's business as usual, and Riot wins going away.

In the other pool, it's Godiva versus Schwa and Fury versus Rare Air. Godiva looks great to start this game. Yesterday, they had come out somewhat flat in the morning, but got their offense organized against Rare Air. Today they looked deep a lot more, which opened up the field for their cutters inside. The long ball was pretty successful too, not surprising considering the talent of Godiva's throwers. Dominque Fontinette (#12) had a particularly good day behind the disc, making lots of nice throws. At 3-3, Godiva came out with a zone that seemed to puzzle Schwa. The Northwest teams run a different style of junk D, less traditional and more aggressive; Godiva's was the standard type that denies the downfield look but not the dump. Their points get on quickly and have big marks, especially Whitney Kakos (#15). The Z seemed to stop Schwa's deep game, and Godiva transitioned well at midfield to man defense. Schwa kept turning it after the transition, making unforced errors. This is Godiva's bread and butter, and they took full advantage. Godiva led 8-4 at half and pulled away for the win.

Fury versus Rare Air is close to start, with both teams playing fired up man defense. Rare does a good job of denying Fury the dump through tight defense, but then has too many unforced errors on O. Fury also throws it away long to start and it's ugly to 4-4. Then Fury starts connecting on their hucks, and taking advantage of Rare Air miscues. There are a bunch of quick scores and Fury takes half 8-4. Though Rare Air can match the athleticism of Fury, they can't match the depth or quality of throwers. Fury, smelling blood, runs away with it.

Round 2: Backhoe versus Ozone is a close game, with Backhoe looking long as usual. Jessi Witt (#9) had a big game, making some nice long completions and scoring once deep herself. Ozone is keeping to a close rotation, with Lisa Kotura (#8) and Angela Lin (#71) in most of the points. Backhoe, on the other hand, plays all of their women. Up 8-5 at half, Backhoe goes on a run to make it 11-6. Then the Atlanta team makes an impressive comeback, taking advantage of Backhoe miscues and scoring. Ozone's hard running defenders make life difficult for the 'Hoes. Ozone makes it 13-12 Backhoe, but Backhoe still holds the advantage. Receiving the pull, Backhoe works it to midfield and then hucks it to Witt, who has a nice layout for the score and the win.

Riot versus Prime is a rematch of both Sectionals and Regionals; needless to say, these teams are familiar with each other. Sectionals was a double game point Riot win, Regionals not as close, and at Nationals Riot dominates. The long game looks good for the Seattle team, and their defense plays close and lays out. Riot takes half 8-4 and it's never close after that.

Rare Air versus Schwa is a huckfest, with Tracey Satterfield (#27) making things happen for Schwa and a number of throwers putting it on Rare Air. Rare goes up 7-5, but Schwa works it against the hard running Rare D and takes half 8-7. Rare Air seems to try harder on defense than on offense, and they are often stagnant in the stack. The teams trade for the second half. Schwa plays a zone-to-man that slows down Rare's deep game. But Satterfield continues to huck, hitting Anna Neraas (#23) among others. Schwa pulls away in the end, winning 16-14.

The marquee game of the round is Godiva versus Fury. Though both teams are guaranteed to make quarters, the winner of this game is on the opposite side of the draw from Riot - and seeing Riot in the finals is certainly better than playing them in the semis. Godiva hasn't gotten much respect from Northwest teams this season, partly because of a poor performance at Labor Day. But Godiva always peaks for Nationals, and this year is no different. Godiva is up 5-4 and Fury throws their aggressive zone D, which at first seems to be working. But there's no wind, and Godiva isn't afraid to throw scoobers over the cup to open things up. Their throwers are particularly adept at faking the dump to move the cup and throwing the big swing. Working it all the way up the field, Godiva scores to make it 6-4. On the next point, Fontinette gets a big D and Sarah Cook (#10) throws a nice away flick to Victoria Chow (#29). Fury takes a time out and scores the next point, but can't stop the bleeding. Godiva's marks are very impressive, flat and big; they don't get handblocks, but they don't get broken, either. Their force middle defense slows Fury down, and Fury gets impatient and throws it away. In the end, Fury can't make up the deficit and Godiva wins 15-11.

Prequarters: Ozone and Rare Air didn't want to be in prequarters; BNOGO and Zanzara are delighted. BNOGO starts out on fire and quickly builds a lead against Ozone. Shelley Su (#2) and Jax Neilson (#23) are playing great behind the disc for BNOGO. The team is deep, and many different players act as receivers. Down 0-3, Ozone brings it back with aggressive D, break marks, and hammers to the corner of the endzone. They also often cut from behind the disc down the line, which BNOGO finds hard to defend. Ozone ties it at 3s, but BNOGO keeps playing aggressive offense. The dump-swing opens up the field for them and the cutters work it downfield. BNOGO takes half 8-6 and the teams trade to 9-7. Ozone starts playing like their season is about the end, and BNOGO starts taking less risks. They make little mistakes, and Ozone takes advantage. Ozone has been here before and expects to win; BNOGO knows they can beat Ozone but doesn't play with the same confidence. At 10-9 BNOGO, Ozone goes on a run. Every point they score, their sideline screams with excitement. BNOGO is down and unhappy, and can't seem to turn it around. Ozone rolls on to the win, 15-10.

Zanzara versus Rare Air was another barn burner. Zanzara gets up big early on hucks. It's 6-2 when Rare Air finally wakes up. Zanzara plays a straight up defense to slow Rare's huck game, but Rare starts making the connections anyway. Rare puts a zone D on Zanzara that's fairly successful. Zanzara is a hard-running defensive team, but lacks experience. Katey Forth (#11) is huge for Zanzara, hucking it, receiving it, and making defensive plays. She's in on every point and essential to Zanzara's long game. Rare Air has a number of players that put it for away looks, if not exactly hucks. Rare fights back to take half 8-7, and it would seem like they'd start to run away with it. But Zanzara hasn't given up. Zanzara goes up 13-12 on a hammer by AJ Moore (#16) off a timeout call. Rare Air turns it on the next point and Zanzara works it to the endzone. Alex Snyder (#44) has a big layout D for Rare Air, but the mack is caught by Forth. 14-12, game point for Zanzara. A Rare Air huck is called back on the next possession, but Rare hucks again successfully. 14-13. Zanzara has an unforced error on the next point, plays tough defense on Rare, but Rare manages to score, 14-14. Forth catches another huck for Zanzara and has it on the goalline but throws it away. Rare works it down the field, calls a timeout outside their endzone, and executes after for the score, 15-14 Rare Air. After another Zanzara miscue, Rare Air gets to within 10 yards of their endzone. Allison Boyd (#7) throws up swill on a high stall count, which Snyder catches - but it's called back on the stall. Then Boyd puts up a big backhand to a tightly covered Tina McDowell (#013); the D is right on her back, and they both layout high for the disc. McDowell catches it and Rare Air completes the comeback: 16-14 Rare Air.