MDC Preview: Pioneer Valley @ Harm City

By Justice Feelgood Marshall, Last updated Fri Aug 13 2010 5:37pm

HAGERSTOWN, MD -- As the Men's Derby Coalition season enters its homestretch, Baltimore's Harm City Homicide tries to keep their championship hopes alive this Saturday when they host the Pioneer Valley Dirty Dozen for their second of two meetings this year.

This bout will be covered via live textcast. Join us at 6:30pm Eastern (3:30pm Pacific) for the opening expo of PVRD Women of Mass Destruction vs DC Capitol Offenders, followed by the men's bout at approximately 7:30pm Eastern (4:30pm Pacific).

Homicide is 2-2 on the six-game MDC season, having beaten Connecticut twice and lost a game against Pioneer Valley and New York. 0-4 Connecticut has been eliminated from contention for the championship. New York is currently 3-0 while Pioneer Valley is 2-1, but their records are currently up in the air as their July 24 bout had to be called off due to venue failure at halftime. Pioneer Valley led that game 55-33 at the break, threatening to hand New York their first loss ever, but the teams have yet to schedule a method of resolving the game.

In their previous meeting, Pioneer Valley used a big halftime-spanning 40-2 run to defeat Harm City by approximately that margin, 117-73. That 44 point victory may become a factor if Harm City defeats Pioneer Valley this weekend -- if they split their season series and end up with the same overall record, the point differential in their games will be the tiebreaker. If they win by less than 45, Homicide does have another potential path to qualifying for the championship, but at a minimum they'd need to beat still-undefeated New York to get there. A loss for Homicide here would all but guarantee a Pioneer Valley - New York championship game on October 17.

The all-time record between these two teams stretches back to 2007; PVRD has won 3 out of 4 meetings, with two of those bouts coming down to a last-jam conclusion (one for Harm City, one for Pioneer Valley.) Pioneer Valley has been a traditionally shorthanded team, but 2010 additions Mongo, Mars Travolta, Damage, and Grizzly Adam have finally allowed PVRD to play with a full 14; Homicide has been playing short for most of the season and will suit up 10 players for this one.

Before the men's bout there will be a 40 minute expo with the women's side of PVRD, Western Mass Destruction, going up against DC b-team the Capitol Offenders.

1* Sin Diesel // CH4 Carnage Asada // 7 Quad Almighty // 010 Abe Froman // 24 Locke Ness Tomster // 427 Gearhead // 523 Virginia Slim-Lohan // 1300 Solo // 1618 Magnificent Bastard // 1954 Justice Feelgood Marshall

12 Velawesomeraptor // 24 Wrench // 30 Grizzly Adam // 42 Snidely Rinkrash // 49 Bazooka Joe // 71 The Rev // 78 Davy Jones (captain) // 82 Mongo // VF-84 Will Jettison // 113v Dr. Spankenstein // 242 Damage // 615 Mars Travolta // 1955 Rollin' Redshirt // 1993 Jurasskick Park