Even though a quarter of the women’s DI clubs are still awaiting their first league match, which will occur this weekend, the first-round results are already insinuating which teams are looking tough.

After winning the DI championship last year, San Diego left the CR1 for bigger challenges in the Women’s Premier League. The Surfers’ vacancy was welcome news to Seattle Breakers and Belmont Shore, who provided San Diego their toughest competition in league last year. Seattle began its league campaign with a 46-12 drubbing over rival Emerald City Mudhens last weekend.

Belmont Shore hasn’t played yet, and nor has ORSU, which dropped down from the WPL after two difficult seasons. One can be assured that ORSU will be looking to re-establish itself, and they have the personnel to accomplish such a goal. With Eagles Sharon Blaney, Lisa Butts and Beckett Royce, along with Te Awhina Ho Che, Liz Kilgore, Ramey Marshall and Jenny Menke, ORSU will put up an intimidating 22.

Both the CR2 and CR3 have aligned with its west coast counterpart, and have combined its pre-existing territories and conferences into one league in which every team plays one another once. No more crossover games or regional championships.

In the CR2, the only other change was the replacement of Wisconsin with St. Louis, which debuted with a 29-0 win over Denver Black Ice. Also notable was Chicago North Shore’s 23-8 loss to Chicago. North Shore finished #3 in the country last year, and opened up last season with a 16-13 loss to crosstown rivals. But there’s no home-and-away in 2011, so North Shore won’t have the opportunity for revenge the way they did in 2010.

Glendale got started off on the right boot, beating the Austin Valkyries 32-12 in their opener. The Raptors have been on a roll of late, coming off a summer in which the team won the Club 7s plate and heading into the fall with a competitive DII side. Glendale has attracted former and current Eagles Hannah Stolba, who was instrumental to the 7s Plate Championship, Tyra McGrady, Kitt Wagner and Jill Potter, all of whom will play their first 15s season with the Raptors.

The CR3 saw the biggest point differentials last weekend, with last year’s finalist, Atlanta, and NOVA banking those honors. The Harlequins traveled to Philadelphia for a 56-5 victory, while NOVA hosted Boston for a 53-10 win. Both squads boast a litany of big names – from Atlanta’s Heather Hale, Patty Jervey and Pat Neder, to NOVA’s Beth Black, CJ Hildreth and Lauren Hoeck – that will aid in the teams’ dominance of the region.

The two teams face off this Saturday in what could very likely determine who assumes and holds the region’s top seed.

Newcomer Albany, which won the 2010 DII Club Championship and replaced Orlando, did well in its opener against Providence. The Knicks just lost 12-7 against a team that went 3-0 through last year’s northern conference, and earned a bonus point for their efforts.

This is what the standings look like now and what’s on tap for this weekend:

CR1
Nor Cal TT v Belmont Shore
San Francisco Fog v Seattle
Tempe v ORSU
(9.11) Emerald City Mudhens v San Francisco Fog

CR2
Glendale v Chicago North Shore
Austin v Chicago
Detroit v Denver

CR3
NOVA v Atlanta
Philly v Albany
Providence v Village Lions