Seattle's hard-charging Rat City Rollergirls all-star travel team surprised the competition at the Western Regional Tournament earlier this month, sweeping its matches to become the top-ranked team in the western half of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.

The 14 players from Seattle beat the undefeated reigning national champion, the "Texecutioners," from Austin, Texas. The victory qualified Rat City to compete for the national title in September.

Rat City Rollergirls is a four-team league in its third season of busting heads on wheels at the Everett Events Center. The all-star travel team is made up of members from each team: Derby Liberation Front, Grave Danger, Throttle Rockets and Sockit Wenches.

Information: ratcityrollergirls.com.