-Michael Burmeister
In WFA D3 Southeast Region action, the “Clash of the Cities” rivalry series between two of the VERY best teams in the Upland South, two teams who are as good friends off the field as they are fierce rivals on it is renewed once more, but this time with higher stakes than ever…once more, Nashville’s Music City Mizfits (5-0, 5-0 D3) make the trip up I-65 to take on their archrivals, the Derby City Dynamite (3-2, 3-0 D3), both on pace to make the playoffs, and with the winner of this game gaining some serious ground in their drive to Colorado.
All-time series: Tied 2-2
Points: Dynamite 72, Mizfits 61
Last meeting: The Dynamite beat the Mizfits 28-6 in Louisville on June 9, 2018, completing their regular season sweep and closing both teams’ regular seasons.
Meeting of the year: First (They will play again in Nashville on June 8)
Thoughts on the Mizfits: Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the VERY best season this young Music City Mizfits team has ever had! Undefeated, untied and unscored upon thus far (outscoring opponents 158-0 in non-forfeit wins), the Mizfits have been CRUISING this year thanks to Tessa Ortiz-Marsh’s strong arm (114.6 rating overall), Shawnnette White and Stacey Dykstra’s all-around dominance (on offense and defense alike), topped off by Meria Jackson, Jamie Lock and Jasmine Taylor Brimm being three key reasons why no team has gotten a SINGLE point on the Mizfits this past season, and why this team is looking to bring Nashville its first-ever 11-woman national title! If they can keep that same energy in the big game against their rivals from Kentucky, it’ll go a LONG way towards ensuring that the road to Colorado Mines goes through Tennessee’s capital.
Thoughts on the Dynamite: Picking up where they left off last season, the Dynamite are proving why they’re one of the game’s rising teams, dominant against D3 opponents and strong and competitive even in close losses to D2 teams. A powerful, gritty team through and through, the “TNT Trio” of Nicole Lockett, Crystal White and Jamesha Reed all RULE the ground game with over 350 yards each and nine combined touchdowns, while the defense led by Angela Embry Jr., Veronica Sloan (with her WFA-leading 13 sacks) and Brittney Faye Brinson (3 INTs, one pick-six) doesn’t let ANY offenses get past ’em easily, outscoring D3 opponents 172-12 this season. They’re lookin’ ready to blast a clear path to Golden…if they can halt their Nashville rivals’ momentum with a win, that road to Golden’s gonna be headed right through the Gateway to the South…this game will be FANTASTIC!
The questions are: Will the Mizfits keep doing what they’ve done best so far, dominating their Louisville rivals en route to a national title run? Or will the Dynamite blast right through the competition again, pickin’ up the pace to bring the trophy back to their ol’ Kentucky home?