Vs.

Last year, new Tucson Saddletramp and FTW jammer Betty Anarchy/Huckle Betty attended her first Tucson Roller Derby bout- the Black and Tan.

The annual Black and Tan bout pits Tucson Saddletramps- TRD’s travel team- against eachother in something like a scrimmage, except with more preparation, intensity and different uniforms.

This Saturday at Bladeworld, Betty will be a participant, playing in the Black and Tan bout, her first game with the Saddletramps.

“It feels awesome,” she said.

There’s eight new players on the Saddletramps, including potential alternates, on the roster- which last time I checked was at 15 but on the TRD site is up in the 20s- and the new crop of Tramps expressed gratitude and excitement over being able to skate with the veterans.

“It’s a complete dream come true,” said Saddletramps’ blocker Kassi Nova/Tumbleweed.

Peaches Rodrigues/Liberty Valencezula said she couldn’t wait to play her first game against her mentor Deadlock Doe in the Black and Tan bout, not to mention skating this season alongside her “heroes” Aja Consent/Hoot ‘N Annie and Bolshe Vixen/Randi Canyon.

Oh and also: “I can’t wait to play Texas,” Valencezula said.

Blocker Dot Stoevsky/West Nile Iris said she’s looking to learn as much as she can from playing different teams across the country as well as with different teammates and bringing that knowledge back to the Iron Curtain. Also, she looks forward to “playing Texas.”

Seriously, please do.

The Texas Roller Girls have left a bad taste in the mouth of the Tucson Saddletramps, not to mention Tucson in general, after taking first place at the national Dust Devil tournament this year. The Saddletramps placed second in the nation overall at the Dust Devil and the general consensus seems to be that of revenge.

First though, there’s the Black and Tan bout, of which each girl obviously said she favored her team, but that which none said was going to be an easy game.

“I’ve heard it’s really brutal,” Valencezula said.

Pick

If Deadlock Doe plays, I would put money on Tan. If not, this one is too close to call.

This is also a good opportunity to size-up the current Saddletramp crop and how they work together as a team- err, teams.

Again, here are the two team rosters for Saturday:

Black Team
Jezze Jamez (Jezzebelle)
West Nile Iris (Dot Stoevsky)
Randi Canyon (Bolshe Vixen)
Wild Bella (Bella Russkia)
Sloppy Flo on the Range
Sweet Tooth (Polly Graf)
Nockka Ho Down (Barbicide)
Liberty Valencezula (Peaches Rodriguez)
Hoot’n Annie (Aja Consent – injured, not skating)

Tan Team
Tombstone Teri (Dirty Teri)
Eli Wallop (All Night Dinah)
The Bad (Doris Badenov)
Fisti the Kid
Hard Anya
Tumbleweed (Kassi Nova)
Sassy Sue
Huckle Betty (Betty Anarchy)
Deadlock Doe Holiday (probable)

The Black and Tan bout happens at Bladeworld, 1065 W. Grant Road, Saturday at 7 p.m. Music comes courtesy of Fourkiller Flats and DJ Buttafly. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 day off, check out here for more info.