Saturday night, the hometown Classic City Rollergirls are set to battle their counterparts from Chattanooga, and for familiar reasons, they have their work cut out for them.
Chattanooga bested Classic City last season, 128-107. This season the Tennessee team is off to a 1-1 start, having split a home-and-home series with the Bowling Green, KY-based Vette City Vixens. Led by standout blocker Tasty Murder and a pair of high-powered jammers, Gisselle Bludgeon and (recent Knoxville transfer) Drop Dead Gorgeous, the road team looks to improve their record and, at the very least, preserve their No. 122 WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) ranking.
The 2014 campaign has already proved trying for our local ladies in green and black. The Division III team recently endured a crushing 420-64 road loss to the Palm City Punishers/Ft. Myers Derby Girls, traveling nearly 600 miles to tangle with the Division II opponent consistently ranked in or near the WFTDA Top 50. The brave CCRG squad was overpowered and outmatched by the south Florida juggernaut, but the experience should pay dividends in the future.
“CCRG is constantly going out on the road and challenging themselves,” says veteran roller derby trackside bout announcer Brent Muffburger, adding, “They were the first out-of-state team to travel to FT. Myers and play the Palm City Punishers.” Bottom line: “We got beat by experience,” says first-year assistant coach Rocksteady.
All the excitement of selling out the Classic Center Arena in their January 18th debut at the venue has been somewhat tempered by the harsh learning experience in Florida and the early season loss of several front-line skaters. Flagpole addressed the history of attrition plaguing the league in our CCRG Season Preview, and thus far 2014 hasn’t been the season to buck the trend. 2013’s “One To Watch” Slainbow Brite, 2013’s “Most Feared” Luxfurious and the much-improved Kru$ha will not be available this weekend when the No. 176 WFTDA ranked Rollergirls lace up the skates against Chattanooga. “It’s always hard to lose skaters, especially skaters that are good,” admits Rocksteady.
Regardless, this weekend’s CCRG roster is ready for a team that probably represents their most consistent, but never bitter, rivalry. “No matter what, we always play Chatty,” laughs decorated vet Elizabeth Impaler. “It’s always been a back-and-forth series—and after these hard-fought, close bouts, we have the best afterparties.”
Buy tickets for Saturday’s bout here.
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