Preview: #3 Texas @ #4 Denver

By Moonzirra, Last updated Tue Mar 8 2011 4:17pm

BROOMFIELD, CO --  In this historic double-header, new defensive strategy will meet the old school of hard knocks as Denver meets the founders of modern flat track derby, Texas, for the first time. Texas finished second in the 2009 WFTDA Nationals with a championship-bout loss to Oly, while Denver took third place in the tournament by knocking off cross-town rivals Rocky Mountain; currently, DNN's unofficial Power Rankings have Texas at #3 in the nation and Denver at #4. The second bout will feature the undefeated Bruising Altitude (the Denver Roller Dolls JV team) against the O-Town Derby Dames (Ogden, Utah).

DNN's live video coverage of this bout is sponsored by Sin City Skates. Join Hurt Reynolds and Jim "Koolaid" Jones for the live call starting at 7pm Mountain time (9pm Eastern, 8 pm Central, 6pm Pacific) on Saturday, May 8th.

Denver won a bid to the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) national championship for the first time in 2009. Texas were the first WFTDA champions in 2006 and have not missed a bid to the national championship tournament in the last four years. Texas has experience but they're facing some notable roster changes which leave them without standout blocker/jammer Rice Rocket, fearsome blocker Bullet Tooth Tracy, former captain Desi Cration and veteran jammer Morphine.

There is still ample talent on their roster which includes sisters Crackerjack and Lucille Brawl and seasoned jammers Bloody Mary and Olivia Shootin' John, the Texas 2009 “Rookie of the Year” The Angie-Christ. They also sport a new transfer from Tuscon Roller Derby, Luce Bandit -- the first graduate of a junior derby league to join all-star play. Coming off of their two-loss 2009 season (only losing to current WFTDA champions Oly and the 2008 WFTDA champions Gotham) and two easy wins in 2010 over the Dallas Derby Devils and Assassination City Roller Derby, they appear to be ready for derby with altitude.

Denver grabbed international attention with their controversial and effective strategic play. Described by the Derby News Network as having “tremendously demoralizing defense, spectacular pack awareness, and a killer jammer attack,” Denver has made very minor changes to their roster since the 2009 season. Quick and agile jammers Julie Adams and Heather Juska return with a defensive pack that demonstrates almost telepathic cohesion and strong control. The slow pack play technique that Denver has developed and perfected can utilize power jam situations for big jam margins. In the 2009 season, Denver were defeated only three times despite a challenging Western Regional tournament. Two of those losses were at the hands of the WFTDA 2009 champions, the Oly Rollers. The first bout against the Oly Rollers was a heartbreaking 2-point loss in Olympia.

Despite the fact that Denver and Texas are in different regions, this bout could still impact regional rankings later for the tournament portion of the season. Regional rankings will be calculated at the end of June. One criterion for regional rankings in WFTDA is that a charter team must play two WFTDA-sanctioned bouts against teams within their own region. Texas will provide a rematch opportunity for the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls (whom they defeated at the 2009 National tournament) the next day in a closed sanctioned bout. They also have a chance to improve or maintain their ranking with a bout against the Charm City Roller Girls (Baltimore, MD) in June.

Denver will have opportunities to move ahead if they defeat Western Region rivals Duke City (Albuquerque, NM) next weekend in an away bout and the Rat City Rollergirls (Seattle, WA) at the 1STBANK Center on June 12th.

Deirdre Sage #5 // Vicky Cruz #9V // Danica Doležal #10 // Julie Adams #19 // Monica Carson #20 // Natalie Meagher #33 // Alaine Olthafer #36 // Gabrielle Begeman #90 // Tracy Akers #99 // Heather Juska #303 // Kim Wilms #311 // Jessica Rivas #350 // November James #357 //  Teresa Rusk #911 // Caitlin Preston #1055 //  Ariel Quigley #1982

Babe Ruthless #9 // Belle Starr #1889 // Bloody Mary #40 // Crackerjack #100 // Curvette #76 // Luce Bandit #1934 // Lucille Brawl #56 // Misti Molotov #11 // Molotov M. Pale #19 // Olivia Shootin' John #3 // Rita Menweep  #21 // Ruby Wring #52 // Shank #18 // The Angie-Christ #360