WFTDA 2011 East Region Playoffs Day 1 Wrap Up

by Mya Bloody Valentine

Kicking off a weekend of fast, hard-hitting action in Baltimore, the East Region’s top four teams each secured a spot in the semifinals on Day 1 of Nightmare on 95.

Co-hosted by the DC Rollergirls and Charm City Roller Girls, the East Region Playoffs kicked off the WFTDA Big 5 tournament season, and featured the first U.S. tournament appearance by the London Rollergirls.

Each of the region’s top four teams, Gotham Girls Roller Derby, Philly Rollergirls, Charm City Roller Girls, and Steel City Derby Demons advanced to Saturday’s semifinals. Top seeded Gotham faces #4 seed Steel City, while #2 Philly Roller Girls will face #3 seed Charm City Roller Girls.

All teams will continue play through the weekend, with non-advancing teams playing for rankings in the "consolation" rounds.

East Region Playoffs Day 1 Results

• Dutchland Derby Rollers (#8) 198
  Maine Roller Derby (#9) 117
  Dutchland Derby Rollers advanced to play Gotham later in the day; Maine Roller Derby will move to the consolation round, playing Boston (#4) Saturday.

• London Rollergirls (#10) 160
  Carolina Rollergirls (#7) 67
  In London’s first appearance in a stateside WFTDA tournament, the team offered up the day’s only upset. London advanced to play Philly Roller Girls (#2); Carolina Rollergirls will face Montreal Roller Derby (#5) Saturday.

• Steel City Derby Demons (#4) 134
  Montreal Roller Derby (#5) 88
  Steel City Derby Demons head to the semifinals Saturday to challenge #1 seed Gotham Girls Roller Derby; Montreal will play Carolina (#7) in the consolation round.

• Gotham Girls Roller Derby (#1) 100
  Dutchland Rollers (#8) 0
  Despite a win in Round 1, Dutchland made the controversial choice to forfeit to Gotham (#1) in Round 2; Gotham instead played two 30-minute scrimmages against Maine and Carolina, and will face Steel City (#4) Saturday; Dutchland will play the winner of Carolina Rollergirls vs Montreal Roller Derby. The score for this bout will be recorded as Gotham 100 - Dutchland 0.

• Philly Roller Girls (#2) 140
  London Rollergirls (#10) 53
  Philly will face Charm City (#3) in the semifinals; London will play the winner of Maine Roller Derby vs Boston Derby Dames.

“After that first game, now we’ve got nothing to else to prove this weekend," said London team captain Kamikaze Kitten. “We just want to learn to play better roller derby so Europe plays better and we can keep coming back [to the tournament].”

• Charm City Roller Girls (#3) 191
  Boston Derby Dames (#5) 88
  Tournament co-host Charm City faces Philly in the semifinals; Boston will play Maine Roller Derby (#9) Saturday.

“It was finally good to put the Charm/Boston rivalry to rest,” said Rosie the Rioter, team captain. “It has been a little bit of a monkey on our back but now we’re moving on to the big ape of Philly and we’re looking for a win.”

View score updates and event information at http://nightmareon95.com.

Full recaps and analysis are available at http://www.derbynewsnetwork.com.

Come back to wftda.com tomorrow for Live Day 2 action!