By Justice Feelgood Marshall, Last updated Tue Nov 10 2009 7:35pm

Philly | Gotham | Boston | Windy City | Madison | Detroit | Texas | Kansas City | Houston | Oly | Rocky Mountain | Denver

Windy City (North Central #1)

First bout: vs winner of Kansas City / Denver, Saturday 1:30pm

2009 WFTDA record: 10-1

2009 biggest win: 186-45 over Arch Rival, April 25

2009 biggest loss: 70-69 to Philly, July 25

2009 closest bout: 70-69 to Philly, July 25

2009 background: Windy City has more 2009 wins than any other team appearing at this year's Nationals, and came within just one point of a perfect season thus far in a loss to Philly. Other than Philly, though, hardly anybody has been able to touch them. Charm City came the closest by playing a fierce last quarter to lose by 19 points in August, but the average margin of victory for WCR in 2009 has been 74 points, and WCR wasn't taking on slouches -- all of their opponents were top-25 teams.

With the exception of a loss to a since-depleted Carolina team back in June of 2008, Windy City has only lost to Philly (twice) and Gotham (twice) in the past two years.

Tournament history: Since 2007, Windy City's tournament road has almost always had a Gotham-sized wall at the end of it. WCR reached the finals of the 2007 Eastern Regionals and was stopped by Gotham there; they were one-and-done at 07 Nationals when they went up against Texas. In 2008, Windy City once again reached the finals of Easterns and lost to Gotham -- they got a chance at revenge six weeks later in the finals of Nationals, but for the third time Gotham was victorious. In WCR's three tournament matches with Gotham, they've lost by an average of 57 points.

Lowdown: Like all of the teams that have progressed to the point where they can take a regional championship, Windy City has turned re-engagement into an art form -- they're particularly effective at forcing a nearly-free jammer to get to the back of the line. WCR's team blocking has gotten so precise that they've coined their own name for it -- watch for their "Chicago typewriter" triple-hit, where a jammer unfortunate enough to get stuck on the outside of a turn trying to beat the last girl will receive three rapid-fire hard hits from the remainder of the WCR pack and suddenly have to start the pass all over again.

Players to watch: WCR has serious contrast in their jammer styles, as tiny Varla Vendetta and Shocka Conduit get support from tall and leggy Eva Dead, Athena DeCrime and the up-and-coming Ruth Enasia.

Windy City mainstays Malice With Chains and Megan Formor are both set to retire after Nationals, which will likely inspire even fiercer play from both of those already intense blockers. Watch for Megan's particularly impressive ability to point her skates away from each other and ride the curve to stay in bounds after hitting a jammer into the corners. Also in the pack, keep an eye on tough Hoosier Mama, a dangerous combination of raw power and agility for any jammer to contend with.

Road to the championship: Windy City's bye gives them Kansas City or Denver in their first bout; WCR thumped Kansas City badly the last time they met a little over a year ago, 155-39. Windy and Denver have not played before. If Windy City gets past their first test, they get it on with Oly, Detroit or their longtime nemeses Gotham in the final four.

Roster: Amy Nonamey 57 // Athena DeCrime 30 // Beth Amphetamine 98 // Blossom Bruiso 5 // Donna Party 1847 // Eva Dead 0 // Georgia on Yer Behind 70 // Go-Go Hatchet 17 // Hoosier Mama 219 // Malice With Chains 6 // Megan Formor 1980 // Mo Vengeance 22 // Nina Millimeter 9 // Ruth Enasia 81 // Shocka Conduit 15 // Tori Adore 19 // Varla Vendetta 25 // Wreck N Shrew 24 // Ying O Fire 777 // Yvette YourMaker 999