WFTDA Preview: Maine @ Providence

By Xena Paradox, Last updated Tue May 12 2009 12:03pm

PROVIDENCE, RI – On Saturday, May 9, the Maine Port Authorities (officially ranked #9 in the East region by WFTDA) take to sea and head down the New England coastline to battle the Rhode Island Riveters (WFTDA East #7) at the RI Convention Center.

The Port Authorities started this season 0-2, losing to top-ten teams in the Boston Massacre (128-24) and Charm City All-Stars (157-52).  But as any derby veteran knows, big losses can be quick teachers, so Providence may see a strong defensive front wall and quick changes in pack speed during this Saturday’s bout.

Olive Spankins and Killer Quick have traditionally been the Port Authorities’ go-to jammers, with Jacked Rabbit having also been a primary point producer in the Charm City bout. All have significant speed and able to pass on the outside. Expect to see well-timed offensive hits from blockers Lois Blow (the MVP from the Boston-Maine bout), Breezy and The Mom Bomb, as well hard hits and positional blocking from Punchy O‘Guts and Miss Creant.

The last time Maine faced Providence, in April 2008 in Portland, Maine, the Port Authorities won by 11 points in what, at the time, was a major upset -- it was Maine's first bout as a member of WFTDA and Providence was then officially ranked #14 in the nation. But that proved to be the beginning of a rough patch for Providence, as they dropped 4 of their next 5 bouts in 2008.

The Rhode Island Riveters started this year with a tough opponent in Charm City, losing 171-76, although 18 minutes into the first half, the score was tied and the Riveters held on, going into halftime with only a 35 point deficit.  Alas, Charm City’s ability to fine-tune pack speed as if it were an LP on a disc-jockey’s table along with strong positional blocking proved too much for the Riveters.

Last month saw the Riveters take on HARD’s Nuclear Knockouts, a team that has been decisively knocking out (almost) every opponent since September 2008; their only loss in that strength was to the busy Charm City a month earlier (143-62).  It was a close bout, with the lead trading hands a few times before ending up with the Riveters, who won 102-82.

Both 2009 bouts have shown the Riveters to be a stronger and tighter team than the one that skated at Eastern Regionals, perhaps proving that 2008 was indeed a rebuilding year. The 2009 roster contains the same core as 2008, which no doubt, will only get stronger as we get closer to regionals.

Craisy Dukes and Hysterica! are two of the most experienced jammers in the northeast and will likely be getting more experience tonight. Trophy Knife is a fast and very pack-aware blocker who gets where she needs to be. Lotta Pain is back, joining a crew of hard hitters in Bleeding Rainbow, Hot Sauce and Shelby Brusin’. Jetta von Diesel is a small one, but her size doesn't make her any less difficult to get around as a blocker. And the powerful blocking of relatively recent addition Kid Ace was a bright spot in the rough Eastern Regionals for PRD.

This is one of the key bouts that will help determine their seeding for regionals -- particularly for Providence, as this is the last time they play before WFTDA voting for tournament seeding begins in July. Maine has two more outings before then, taking on Dutchland and #3 Philly.

9 Alice Rumbledore // 1000 Baby Fighterfly // 00 Bleeding Rainbow // 5 Craisy Dukes // 40 F'Shizzy Borden // 101 Hot Sauce // 42 Hysterica! // VR6 Jetta von Diesel // 225 Kid Ace // 64 Lotta Pain // 90 Rhode Kill // 8 Sass E. McNasty // 2 Shelby Bruisin // 401 Trophy Knife

86 Breezey // 82 Daisy Cutter // 10 Itsy Bitsy Fighter // .22 Jacked Rabbit // 42 Jones N // 78 Killer Quick // 4'11" Lois Blow // 44 Miss Creant // 20 The Mom Bomb // 43 Olive Spankins // 17 Patty O’Mean // 4 Eyes Punchy O’Guts // 610 Fist City Kitty // 007 Vexacious D