What’s the Highest Single Game WFTDA Score Ever? Victoria v Bay April 2016

Our site didn’t exist during the Big O in April, but an important milestone was reached that weekend that still hasn’t been passed or marked — Victorian Roller Derby put up a 1277.94 WFTDA score against Bay Area beating them 324–35. That score represents the highest WFTDA score ever.

To put this in perspective, until the 2015 season no team had put up a 1,000+ WFTDA score. daveInci covered those 1,000 scores for the 2015 season, and although weights increase with increased amounts of leagues (making this easier to achieve as time goes on), Victoria absolutely decimated the highest previous high mark Rose City set against then #3 ranked Bay Area of 1140.71 in June 2015 beating them 247–70.

To the best of my knowledge, only 5 teams have ever scored over 1,000 — Gotham, Victoria, Rose, London and Angel City.

In order to reach 1,000 points a team would have to play an opponent with a weight of at least 3.34 (100% total points). Only the top 20 teams currently carry that weight. In order to pass a score of 1277.94, a team would need an opponent with a weight of at least 4.26 (100% total points). Only the top 10 currently carries that weight. Against the current highest weight — Gotham at 6.88 — you would need to score about 62% total points to beat this mark set by VRDL. Beat Gotham, and with 62% total points. Absurd.

We know more leagues being added will make this more attainable so in tracking the highest ever score — or best game ever within the WFTDA scoring system — fans may want to add on more context; how many leagues existed at the time, how far it was ahead of the previous high, and how many months that record was able to stand. No matter how you add it up though, this is an absolutely amazing feat that speaks to the value of defence (point denial) and the strategies VRDL use to maximize total points. This result against Bay Area has seen their 2016 scoring average climb higher than Gotham and currently less than 10 points separates these teams in the rankings, with those margins closing.

Perhaps less impressive, but still mind blowing, VRDL also set the single game record for largest point differential this year as per Flat Track Stats — crushing Chikos 921–2 (+919) in unsanctioned play earlier this month. The previous record was set by Team USA over Team Norway in 2014 854–6 (+848). We’d love to get our hands on the stats sheets for that game because it is nearly impossible to score 921 points in a 60 minute game of roller derby.

Playoffs and Champs will increase the opportunity for this single game WFTDA score to be passed, but I fully expect this score to hold up through 2016. It is more likely to be broken in a situation similar to this year — a top ten team trending downward at the start of the year with a great weight and lots of injuries and roster turn over. Still, it is just as likely that if anyone breaks this record it will be VRDL itself.

Gotham has looked solid in their rebound year, and Rose City and London have more depth in their jammer rotations, but stats like this put a lot of weight behind the argument that VRDL are the real favourites for Champs this year. I am sure they would rather have a Championship than hold this single game record, but until that day comes, this has to feel pretty nice.