ECDX Preview: (18) Steel City vs (2) Rose

By Justice Feelgood Marshall, Last updated Sat Jun 23 2012 8:44pm

FEASTERVILLE, PA -- While both Steel City and Rose City have won four games this year coming into ECDX, their respective regional fortunes look rather different as Q2 comes to a close.

Live on WFTDA.tv at 5:00pm Eastern Saturday, June 23.

Rose opened their season with a three-point win over Windy City, but have since notched up more comfortable wins over Denver's Mile High Club, the always-tough Texecutioners, and the rising Houston to leave them with a 4-0 record for the year.

Steel City have a a 4-2 record for the year--but none of those wins have been against Championship level opposition. The closeness of Steel's wins and their two losses--against a Montreal roster that is short several key skaters since Steel City beat them twice in 2011, and a Naptown team that found itself on the wrong end of a 118-point deficit against Windy City--make it very likely they'll slip from #4 WFTDA in the East before tournament season. The Pittsburgh team will face an uphill struggle against a team that is arguably in pole position for the #1 ranking in the Western region going into Q3.

This will also be Steel's first ever sanctioned bout against a team from the West. Their only experience in the West comes from a single bout against Rocky Mountain in 2010. Three substitutes from Denver Roller Dolls donned the yellow and black to make up the numbers for Steel thanks to a significant number of injuries diminishing the Pittsburgh roster that weekend. This doesn't perturb Steel's captain Ally Mckill, though. They will be preparing for this bout like any other, she told DNN, stating: "our main focus is on making sure we are playing the best Steel City game we can, rather than worrying about what the other team is going to throw at us."

Team USA's White Flight and Wheels of Justice co-captain Soulfearic Acid are likely to be Rose's biggest scoring threats for the team from Portland. While Mckill acknowledges the threat posed by Rose, she says, "the keys to being successful in this game are really the same as any game: establish our game, and stay out of the freakin' box!"

Steel will also be missing some familiar faces this weekend, but welcoming one important skater back. Star blocker Athena, who has missed several games following a knee injury, is back on the roster. Another pack stalwart, Double Destroyer, is still on the injured list, and her loss will be felt even more keenly given the recent departure of longstanding jammer Mean Burrito. The Steel roster has also sustained close-season losses of a number of other key skaters to retirement and in-state rivals Philly Roller Girls. Steel is bolstered by Hard Times, a transfer from the Oly Rollers and Leannibal Lecter, a transfer from Little Steel Derby Girls, and sister to star jammer Hurricane Heather.

But does playing a team ranked 16 places above them in DNN's Power Rankings with a new-look team phase Steel? Not a bit. "No one should ever be discouraged by playing a team ranked above them, or discount a team ranked below them. Upsets can, and will, and do happen. Every game, every jam is a learning opportunity," concludes McKill.

Rose City has not responded to DNN's request for comment at press time.

Steel Line-upAlly McKill (Captain)// 'snot rocket science (Co-captain)// Athena//Cheeseburger// the Crippler// Dakota Slamming// Death Cake for Cutie// Hard Times// Hurricane Heather// J Bomb// Lady Vengeance// Leannibal Lecter// Madame Abagael//the Maestro //Sgt. Shocker

Bench Staff: BArf (coach/"A"), Brock Solid (bench manager)

2 French Tickler // 3B Texine // 5 Mel Mangles // 11 KicKassedy // 17h The Blast Unicorn // 20 SoulFearic Acid // 28 Minstrel Psycho // 31 Toxic Haste // 47 Penny Dreadful // 50 Scald Eagle // 54 White Flight // 66 Braidy Punch // 73 Frank N. Hurter // 81 Havana Goodtime // 94 Scrappy Go Lucky // 100 Mercy // 210 Heidi Go Seek // 360 Joyride // 934 JK Rolling // 1719 Scylla Devourer