WFTDA Preview: #20 Steel City @ DC

By Justice Feelgood Marshall, Last updated Sat Feb 13 2010 6:20am

WASHINGTON, DC -- At the same time as Charm City and Montreal are battling up in Canada, the US capital will see an Eastern Region clash of its own. Two teams that look to be on their way up the regional rankings face off when DC hosts Pittsburgh's Steel City.

The last time Steel City and DC faced each other was in a consolation bout at the 2009 WFTDA Eastern Regionals, where DC kept it close for the first 20 minutes at 39-34 but was then buried under a torrent of offense from the Pittsburgh team. The blowout found SCDD nearly quadrupling DC with a final of 222-56.

DC hasn't played since, although Steel City had two head-turning bouts left in their 2009: first, they pulverized a tough Philly b-team, the Independence Dolls, by a remarkably similar final of 222-57. Secondly, they sent an A/B mixed squad back down to Carolina in December and very nearly emerged with a win over Carolina's all-stars, falling just a point short at 144-143 after a frantic Carolina comeback. On the strength of those two showings, Steel City entered DNN's unofficial Power Rankings at #20. All in all, they had a very successful 11-3 run in 2009 as an all-star crew.

Steel City's absolutely a team to continue watching this year, as they've got a combination of lockdown positional defense, tremendously hard-hitting blockers (particularly the alarming Athena), and blazing speed from Hurricane Heather and Snot Rocket Science on the jam line. In their Eastern Regionals bout against Dominion, SCDD also showed off some impressive jammer-defense skills, able to re-absorb opposing jammers back into the pack after they'd finally fought their way to freedom.

DC's up-and-down 2009 saw then go a middling 4-5, although 4 of those losses were triple-digits blowouts. DC brings back a crew of fairly experienced veterans, although they've lost a key player for 2010 in the retired X-abitchinest. Fortunately they've still got the services of Hoova Dayum, who made serious blocking impressions at the regionals. Also particularly dangerous in the pack are Gun'Her Down and Condoleezza Slice. DC did seem hampered a bit last year by having a jammer lineup almost completely comprised of light, slim skaters -- time will tell if that's still an issue, with dr. SKabs, Marion Barrycuda, Lenore Gore and Lois Slain having to rely considerably more on their speed than their strength.

A home team opening bout will have the Cherry Blossom Bombshells up against Scare Force One.

Battery Operated 2AA // Soledad 3 // Roller Rage Rosie 27 // Lois Slain 30 // Gun'Her Down 50cal // ShREDica 76 // dr. SKabs 89 // Condoleezza Slice 202 // Marion Barrycuda 311 // Hooah!Girl 1775 // Lenore Gore 1831 // Free Radical 1884 // Guantanamo Babe 1959 // Hoova Dayum H20

Damage x0x0 // Shocker 2p1s // Hurricane Heather 5 // Snot Rocket Science 6 // Athena 7 // Cheeseburger 8 // La Diabla 13 // Mel Practice nc17 // Ally McKill 25 // Dresta Kill .50 // the Crippler 58 // Bonecrusher 82 // Girl Rolla Warfare 412 // Pinky 500