Des Moines, IA

By Shelly Shankya

No doubt most folks’ brackets were busted by the D2 Des Moines’s tournament Cinderella team, the Treasure Valley Rollergirls (#64, seed #10), and the busting continued in their bout against the Brewcity Bruisers (#44, seed #2) in Game 6 on Day 1. Treasure Valley used their relatively unknown status to break up the blockers and break the hearts of the Brewcity fans, winning 368-124.

By Shelly Shankya

Coming off of an upset win against seed #9 Tallahassee Rollergirls in Game 1 of the tournament earlier in the day, Dallas Derby Devils (#62, seed #1) had momentum to spare in their game against the tournaments #1 seed, the Fabulous Sin City Rollergirls (#43, seed #1). And Dallas’s Army of Darkness used that momentum to take an early lead, with a 20-point jam, forcing Sin City to rethink their defense early in the game. In the end, however, the ladies from Las Vegas gambled and won against Dallas, with a final score 299-95.

Game 4 was the first time rankings rang true at the D2 Des Moines tournament, as Blue Ridge Rollergirls (#48, seed #3) took on Duke City Roller Derby (#53, seed #6). Sure, there were moments when leads changed hands, but Blue Ridge, new to WFTDA in 2012, took home the win over Duke City’s Munecas Muertas 188-120.

Upsets became a trend at the Des Moines D2 tournament, as Jet City Rollergirls (#52, seed #5) winged past the women from Washington, DC Rollergirls (#49, seed #4) in Game 3. DC ended the game at 122, not even half of the points Jet City was able to stack up during the bout, 262.

While Omaha Rollergirls (#57, seed #7) drew first blood in the first game of Division 2 Playoffs in Des Moines, Iowa, it was Treasure Valley Rollergirls (#64, seed #10) from Boise, Idaho who took the game, with a final score of 222-93, and giving viewers at the Iowa Event Center their first upset of tournament season.