Preview: #8 Texas @ #2 Oly & #6 Rat City

By Justice Feelgood Marshall, Last updated Fri Jun 4 2010 4:12pm

OLYMPIA, WA / SEATTLE, WA -- This weekend sees the potential for a few different kinds of derby history being made as the originators of the modern flat-track game, Texas, head into the Pacific Northwest as the latest to take on on a multi-game challenge against tough area teams. Texas will take on Oly on Saturday night and then go up against Rat City on Sunday afternoon.

When Texas clashes with Oly on Saturday night, it'll be memorable for at least two reasons. Not only is it a rematch of the 2009 WFTDA championship bout, where Oly took the crown by putting Texas down by a final of 178-100, it's also an opportunity for Oly to tie one of the young sports' major records. They're 17-0 in WFTDA sanctioned action since their first organization bout in January 2009, and a win here would tie the 18-wins-in-a-row record set by Gotham from 2007 to 2009.

Texas is likely in no mood to hand it to them, though. In addition to revenge for being denied the title in 2009, they're looking to bounce back after recently suffering the largest defeat of their six-year interleague history when they went down 163-64 to Rocky Mountain last month. Though they're still officially #1 in their South Central region, that loss dropped them to #8 in DNN's unofficial national Power Rankings, while Oly officially holds #1 in the West via WFTDA and #2 nationally via DNN.

Major factors Desi Cration, Bullet Tooth Tracy and Vicious Van Go-Go have all left Texas since the 2009 campaign, though they have picked up a very effective young transfer from Tucson in Luce Bandit. On the opposing bench, Oly has recently added a vet from Minnesota in Harmony Killerbruise, who is being worked into an already very strong Oly jammer rotation that includes the 2009 DNN reader's choice Jammer of the Year in Atomatrix, alongside Tannibal Lector, Femme Fatale and Heffer.

Sunday afternoon's clash between Rat City and Texas is notable for being the fifth installment in one of derby's classic rivalries. Narrowly matched and occasionally controversial meetings late in the 2006 Bumberbout, 2007 Western Regionals and Nationals, and 2008 Western Regionals all ended in bouts decided by no more than 12 points. Though much of the personnel has changed over the years, there's still a unique sports feud here, and the teams remain closely ranked on DNN's new unofficial Top 25, with Rat City at #6 and Texas at #8.

(Oly and Texas rosters below reflect 20-skater charters; only 14 will skate in each game.)

02 Shortcut // 03 Olivia Shootin' John // 9 Babe Ruthless // 11 Misti Molotov // 18 Shank // 19 Molotov M. Pale // 21 Rita Menweep // 22 Morphine // 33 Luce Bandit // 40 Bloody Mary // 52 Ruby Wring // 56 Lucille Brawl // 66 Amy Collins // 76 Curvette // 86 The Killa' Sal Monella // 90 Acute Angel // 100 Crackerjack // 333 Dilla // 360 The Angie-Christ // 1889 Belle Starr

2 Sassy // 03 Atomatrix // 5 B Tease N // 9 Tannibal Lector // 18 Femme Fatale // 22 Riot Girl //27 Trickk Tracy // 29 Rettig to Rumble // 38 Deadly Aim // 75 Harmony Killerbruise // 300 Hard Times // 1964 Mary Stoppins // 2TON Heffer // 2X Scara ta Death // 4X4 Wheel Her // 9MM Clitty Clitty Bang Bang // TKO Punchin' Judy

00 Kamikaze Kim // 2 Carmen Getsome // 0 Ann R. Kissed // 6 Anya Heels //247 Hard Cora // 22 Jalapeno Business // 76 Juliet Bravo // 60 Katarina Whip // 73 Primp Daddy // 31 ReAnimateHer // Sirius Mischief // 3000 Valtron // 21 Wile E Peyote // 18 X-Khan