Roller Derby Report: Spring Massacre in Ogden

Ogden's O-Town Derby Dames kicked off the 2009 Utah women's flat-track roller derby season Saturday night at the Eccles Conference Center with Spring Massacre 2--no, no one quite remembers when Spring Massacre 1 happened, either, so don't sweat it.

A few hundred curious Ogdenites, derby diehards and their kiddies came to see the Graveyard Dolls take on the Bloody Marys for two 30-minute periods; if the OTDD can draw this kind of crowd consistently, the only obstacle they'll be facing in the future is the OE's $4.50 cans of beer (seriously, $4.50).

That, and their still-rookie-level skills: The O-Town Derby Dames (formerly the Davis Derby Dames) are still a baby league, about three years behind local roller-derby originators the Salt City Derby Girls on most counts. But, the potential is there; impressive jamming/scoring and blocking strategies by both teams show they've been working hard since 2007's Spring Massacre 1 (yeah, I just remembered it).

In the end of a tight, back-and-forth bout, the Bloody Marys beat the Graveyard Dolls 83-71. The next OTDD bout happens, unfortunately, the same night the Junction City Roller Dolls (Ogden's other derby league) launch their season on April 11--in Layton, so probably no bout-hopping. Choose wisely, NorUtah derby fans.

A few Spring Massacre 2 bout pix: