Battle for the Boot 7: The 2013 ToRD Championship

History will be made at the 2013 Battle for the Boot. Regardless of the outcome in this first ever championship showdown between the Death Track Dolls and the Smoke City Betties, a first time ToRD champion will be named, added to the list that so far has included only the Gore-Gore Rollergirls (2007, 2009, 2010) and the Chicks Ahoy! (2008, 2011, 2012). It’s a historic moment in this early history of ToRD, representing the first true power shift in the league from the early consistent dominance of the Gores and Chicks (who also met in five of the first six championship games). The 2013 season and the 7^th Battle for the Boot represent nothing less the beginning of a new era in Toronto Roller Derby.

PAST

These two teams both have distinct histories. Formed in early 2006 in a pre-ToRD Toronto, the Smoke City Betties joined Hammer City, Montreal Roller Derby and Edmonton’s Oil City as the first wave of flat track roller derby in Canada and would form the pillars that would provide a foundation for the explosive growth of the sport in the country that would follow.

At the same time that the Betties exploded on to the scene, another team would rise in Toronto, the Terrors. Both the Terrors and Betties would see their numbers swell by the time that the Betties would host the first ever Canadian inter-league tournament, the Betties D-Day, in August 2006. Leading up to that tournament, the Terrors would split into four teams: the Chicks Ahoy!, the Bay Street Bruisers, The D-VAS and finally, the Death Track Dolls.

The Betties and the Gores face off in the 2009 Battle for the Boot. (Photo by Kevin Konnyu)

In the coming months, the Betties too would divide, giving birth to the Gore-Gore Rollergirls and the six teams in Toronto would unify to form Toronto Roller Derby. In 2007, the inaugural season, the Dolls would struggle, going winless, while the Betties competed but could not reel in the Chicks and Gores. It was a similar story in 2008 when both the Dolls and Betties would lose in the semifinals. Following contraction in 2009 (when the Bruisers and D-VAS were removed from the houseleague), the Betties surged while the Chicks stumbled and the Dolls slipped to last in the new four-team ToRD. Yet again, the Betties would find themselves held back by the team that had spawned from them, the Gores, in the Battle for the Boot 3. It was a historic loss for the team that would see the core of the squad gutted in the ’09-2010 off season and forced into a complete rebuild.

Since that time the fortunes of the Dolls and Betties has ebbed and flowed, with the Betties finishing last in the league in 2010 and 2011, and the Dolls stumbling to fourth in 2012. With losing seasons racking up and top draft picks coming their way, it was only a matter of time before the Dolls and Betties would emerge as contenders.

The Dolls dominated the regular season showdown between these teams, winning 265-63. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

PRESENT

Both teams entered 2013 with high hopes. After a two-year absence, the Betties returned to the ToRD semifinals in 2012 and hoped to build on that this season. The Dolls, on the other hand, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009, but drafted experience and had clearly built a base that looked ready to compete in 2013. While the Dolls got off to a better start, the Betties stumbled out of the gates, losing to the Gores and then suffering the team’s worst loss in history to the Dolls to close out the season. But both have also been on the rise: The Dolls clumsily defeated the Chicks to kick off the season, then lost to Forest City’s Timber Rollers (a WFTDA apprentice travel tram), before taking out the Gores and finally rolling into form against the Betties to clinch a spot in the final. The Betties looked lost at times this season, before finally coming together as a team in the semifinal and eliminating the Gores, ending the Gores’ six-year run as Battle for the Boot participants.

In short, both teams are peaking at just the right time.

FUTURE

After battling through injuries in 2012, Audrey Hellborn (right) is back menacing jammers in 2013. (Photo by Greg Russell)

The future is now for the Dolls and Betties, and there is no doubt that neither team is looking further into the future than this coming Saturday. The Dolls seem poised, riding a relentless pack and an untouchable four-jammer rotation, all indications point to this game being theirs to lose. Although they started strong, the Betties could mount little offense against the Dolls in their regular season showdown (only managing 22 points in the second half) and will need to find a way to produce some offense.

While both teams have a depth of experience on the bench, there are some key players to watch. The Dolls co-captains Scarcasm and Speedin’ Hawking have been leading excellent packs all season, and in the centre of it all has been Audrey Hellborn. Audrey was a dominant player in the league’s early history but a variety of injuries over the past few years have kept her out of the spotlight: in 2013 she’s roared back into the picture, and her relentless jammer killing has turned around jams and games. Also, the addition of transfer Rainbow Fight has given the Dolls a multi-faceted weapon to rely on. Rainbow has been incredible in the pack but has also put up jammer numbers (8.0 PPJ, 88% lead percentage) that have never been seen before.

Betties co-captains Hailey Copter (jammer) and Misery Mae (pivot) will need to have strong games for the Betties to succeed. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

For the Betties, the co-captains Misery Mae and Hailey Copter will be key. Hailey has struggled at times this season seeing her numbers drop from 2012’s career high 3.6 PPJ and 50% lead percentage to 2.6 PPJ and a 39% lead percentage this season (Slaptrick Swayze just inched out Hailey as the team’s leading scorer, 126-123, and will have to be strong as well). But Hailey clearly remains the heart and soul of the offense. Misery Mae, who was a key offensive blocker in the semifinal, will need to put in a similar performance in the champs if the Betties hope to crack the Dolls’ killer defense. And finally, Wolverina has emerged as a key triple threat for this team, and will need to provide go-to offense for the Betties while remaining steady in the pack.

* Get your tickets now for this historic showdown! They are available online or at a number of vendors in the city. Doors open at 6:00 PM and be sure to be there for the Toronto Junior Roller Derby exhibition. Opening whistle of the Battle for the Boot is 7:30.

ToRD: Final Regular Season Stats and Standings Update (June 2013)

Regular Season Standings

Teams	Wins	Losses	Pts. For	Pts. Agst.
Death Track Dolls	3	0	689	328 (+361)
Gore-Gore Rollergirls	2	1	643	418 (+225)
Smoke City Betties	1	2	402	527 (-23)
Chicks Ahoy!	0	3	282	743 (-461)

The Death Track Dolls finished at the top of the ToRD standings for the first time ever, while the Gore-Gore Rollergirls finished second overall after defeating the  Smoke City Betties to end the regular season (of course, the Betties roared back in the semifinals to eliminate the Gores). For the first time ever, the defending champ Chicks Ahoy! fell to last in the standings. Reflecting the roller derby community in general, scoring was up overall this season, with the Dolls setting a record for scoring (689) in the four-team era, and the Gores joining them as the first teams to score over 600 points in the course of a season. On the flips side, the Chicks became the first team to give up over 700 points in a season.

Jammer Quotient Top 10

The Gores’ Lexi Con is the first rookie to record the highest JQ Rating. (Photo by Greg Russell)

Skater	JQ
1. Lexi Con (GGR)	44
2. Raindbow Fight (DTD)	39
3. Santilly In Yo Face (DTD)	34
3. Taranosaurus Rex (GGR)	28
5. Getcha Kicks (DTD)	25
6. Slaptrick Swayze (SCB)	22
6. Udre (SCB)	22
6. Bellefast (DTD)	22
9. Hailey Copter (SCB)	15
10. R.I. Pink (GGR)	13

Gore-Gore Rollergirls jammer Lexi Con becomes the first rookie to pick up the top JQ rating in the league over the course of a season (excluding, of course, the 2007 season). It was a remarkable breakout season for Lexi, who joined the Gores whose offense had essentially been gutted in the off season; however, she faced a stiff, late-season challenge from transfer skater Rainbow Fight who put up absolutely remarkable numbers over the season, including leading the league with a record setting 8 points per jam and a jammer plus/minus of +194, and shattering legendary skater Mach Wheels’ 2009 lead percentage record  of 78% by a full 10% (88%). She accomplished this all while only jamming in 18% of the Death Track Dolls jams. While Rainbow may have been the most dominant jammer, it is hard to argue with Lexi’s top score as she was clearly the most valuable offensive asset to her team (despite her astonishing numbers, Rainbow was fourth jammer in the deep Dolls’ rotation, and second in scoring on the team). Lexi led the league in scoring and finished second in points per jam, jammer plus/minus and lead percentage.

Complete jammer stats and complete JQ breakdown here.

TEAM LEADERS

Death Track Dolls

Blockers

Track %	Plus/Minus	Assists*	Blocks*	Knockdowns*
Ames to Kill 45%	Rainbow Fight 280	Scarcasm/Audrey Hellborn 18	Audrey 36	Audrey  7

*incomplete stats

Jammers

Points	Points Per Jam	Plus/Minus	Jam %	Lead %
Santilly 211	Rainbow Fight 8.0	Rainbow 194	Santilly 28%	Rainbow 88%

Gore-Gore Rollergirls

Blockers

Track % (50%+)	Plus/Minus	Assists	Blocks	Knockdowns
Kandy Barr 53% / Junkie Jenny 51%	Purple Pain 186	Santa 29	Chronic 46	Chronic 8

Jammers

Points	Points Per Jam	Plus/Minus	Jam %	Lead %
Lexi Con 228	Lexi Con 6	Lexi Con 146	Lexi Con 28%	Lexi Con 76%

Smoke City Betties

Blockers

Track % (50%+)	Plus/Minus	Assists*	Blocks	Knockdowns
Misery Mae 50%	Laya Beaton 54	Tomy Knockers 25	Renny Rumble 34	Tomy/Renny 7

*incomplete stats

Jammers

Points	Points Per Jam	Plus/Minus	Jam %	Lead %
Slaptrick Swayze 126	Udre/Slaptrick 4.9	Swayze 52	H. Copter 33%	Udre 62%

Chicks Ahoy!

Blockers

Track %	Plus/Minus	Assists	Blocks	Knockdowns
Robber Blind 57%	Mean Streak -17	Biggley Smallz 36	Biggley Smallz 51	Emraged 10

Jammers

Points	Points Per Jam	Plus/Minus	Jam %	Lead %
Chevy 87	Chevy Chase-Her 3	Chevy -37	Rosemary’s Rabies 26%	Chevy 55%

LEAGUE PENALTY LEADERS

Chicks’ Robber Blind led the league in penalties but also in track time, balancing her pims per jam rating. (Photo by Greg Russell)

Player (Team)	Minutes
1. Robber Blind (CA!)	16
2. Furious Georgia (CA!)	14
3. Biggley Smallz (CA!)	12
4. Santa Muerte (GGR)	11
5. Tushy Galore (SCB)	10
5. Emraged (CA!))	10

*Battle for the Boot 7: The 2013 ToRD Championship goes this Saturday! The Dolls challenge the Betties for the boot, while there will also be a mini-bout featuring Toronto Junior Roller Derby. Check back for a complete preview on Thursday.

Canadian Power Rankings: June 1, 2013 (Second Quarter)

Canadian Power Rankings: June 1st, 2013 (Second Quarter)

TEAM (League)	CHANGE	NOTES (Rollergirl.ca /WFTDA rank)
1. New Skids on the Block (Montreal Roller Derby)	-	Still the best until someone can knock them off, and while CN Power pushed them to the limit in Montreal, the Skids put in strong performances in losses to Bay Area and Philly, and managed a big win over Santa Cruz. They also climbed two spots in the latest WFTDA rankings. (1 / 15).
2. Terminal City All Stars (Terminal City Roller Girls)	-	Terminal City clings to second spot despite slipping down into  WFTDA’s Division 2. Strong showings in losses to higher ranked Victorian and Sacred City allow them to hold their spot, despite the big loss to London and a so-so win over Silicon Valley. (3 / 43).
3. CN Power (Toronto Roller Derby)	-	CN Power is starting to play with a lot more consistency, but their impressive performances in losses to higher ranked Montreal and Cincinnati were not enough to pull them into second. (2 / 49).
4. Tri-City Thunder (Tri-City Roller Girls)	-	The Thunder finally started rolling at Spring Roll, losing to CT Roller Girls before pulling out a big, surprising victory over the Chicago Outfit. That victory allows them to hold on to their position. They still cling to a WFTDA Division 2 playoff spot as well. (4 / 56)
5. Rideau Valley Vixens (Rideau Valley Roller Girls)	-	The Vixens have not been able to build on their early season success and stalled somewhat in the second quarter losing to New Hampshire and narrowly defeating River City, which more than likely ended their chances at a WFTDA playoff spot this season. (5 / 73)
6. Belladonnas (Red Deer Roller Derby Association)	(unranked)	The Belladonnas finally got on the track in 2013 and they lived up to preseason expectations, surging into the rankings with an impressive tournament victory at Flat Track Fever (defeating Calgary, The Sugar Skulls and The Mindfox in the process). (8 / -)
7. Sugar Skulls (Pile O’ Bones Roller Derby Club)	-	The Regina skaters hold their spot after a solid performance at Flat Track Fever. They did manage a win over the Belladonnas in the preliminary round of the tournament, but Red Deer defeated the Sugar Skulls later in the tournament. (12 / -)
8. Calgary All Stars: Calgary Roller Derby Association	(unranked)	After years of rolling under the radar, Calgary has  stepped things up in 2013 and is one of the more exciting teams in Canada right now. They had a strong showing at Flat Track Fever and traveled to Saskatoon and defeated The Mind Fox despite missing key players. A team on rise. (13 / -)
9. The Mind Fox (Saskatoon Roller Derby League)	-3 (6th)	The Mind Fox exploded out of the gates in 2013, but as the season has progressed, the rest of the west has started to catch up and even pass them. They defeated E-Ville, but suffered losses to the Belladonnas and Calgary that have dropped them. (14 / -)
10. E-Ville Dead (E-Ville Roller Derby)	-	Despite rosters losses, this team keeps rolling along. They had a solid performance at Flat Track Fever (including trading wins with the Mind Fox) that has allowed them to cling to their Top 10 spot. (10 / -)

The main story may be that there wasn’t too much change in the Power Rankings this quarter (the Top 5 remains completely unchanged), despite the fact that two teams dropped out of the Top 10. The West Kootenay Kannibelles have been slipping since their peak at RDAC Westerns in 2012. The had a strong showing at Spokarnage, but against untested teams, and still are sitting on that loss to current #10 E-Ville. And due to some upheaval in Alliston (and a lack of action), the Misfit Militia have also slipped out of the Top 10. The recently separated from their league (the Renegade Derby Dames) to go it alone, and it remains to be seen how they will respond to this change. They did recently score a large victory over unranked Les Duchesses (Quebec), but their lack of action against top-level competition drops them.

Which, of course, means that we can say hello to two new teams. First off, Calgary enters the Top 10 in the 8th position. Formerly considered a “bubble” team, Calgary is the fastest climbing team in Canada right now and it seemed to just be a matter of time before they cracked this list. After years of relative competitive obscurity, it’s been fascinating to watch the rise. Also surging into the Top 10 are Red Deer’s Belladonnas. Despite a late start to 2013, they haven’t seemed to have lost a step from their strong 2012 and handily won Flat Track Fever. They followed that up with a thoroughly dominant performance against an overmatched St. Albert.

ON THE BUBBLE

Not too much shift here either. Forest City’s loss to Capital City, despite the fact that they were very shorthanded, means that the Timber Rollers fail to progress here, but their strong performances this season (including a recent win over Border City) keep them hanging out on the bubble. The West Kootenay Roller Derby’s Kannibelles fall from the Top 10 but remain on the bubble after their impressive performance at Spokarnage. Finally, the Hammer City Roller Girls continue their top season ever in the WFTDA (their three WFTDA victories this season represents a massive jump from the one they’d won in the last three years). Also quite tellingly, their B-team and Fresh Meat team have been putting in strong performances, speaking to an ever-strengthening base.

TEAMS TO WATCH

Word out of the west is that that Mainland Misfits’ Anarchy Angels (Cloverdale, BC) remain a team to watch: they went 2-2 at Spokarnage and soundly defeated The Raggedy Rollers. Out of the east, Capital City’s Dolly Rogers (Ottawa) have been slowly putting together a string of solid results and most recently defeated Forest City’s Timber Rollers to catch the attention of the rankings crew.

*These rankings were compiled by the Derby Nerd, Captain Lou El Bammo, Dick Pounder and Andi Struction.

*Read the Canadian Power Rankings preview and explanation here.

*Missed the first quarter Power Rankings post? Get caught up here.

-Respectful disagreement and debate is encouraged!-

Betties to Battle For the Boot After Semifinal Win Over Gores

Despite a strong start, the Gores could not hold off the determined Betties. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

It was a little bit of history in the making this Saturday at the Bunker as the Smoke City Betties defeated the Gore-Gore Rollergirls 128-98 in ToRD’s 2013 semifinal. It will be the first time that the Betties play for the championship since 2009, and will mark the first time in league history that the Gores will not contend for the boot, ending a truly remarkable six-year run. It was a fast, low scoring, high intensity game—arguably the best game in the league this season—that the Gores controlled early, but the Betties stuck around and showed a consistency that had been lacking all season and eventually wrestled away control and held on for the thrilling 30-point victory.

These teams took two very different paths on the road to the championship, with the Betties limping in to the playoffs after going a disappointing 1-2 on the season that included a massive 265-62 loss to the Death Track Dolls to end the regular season. The Gores, on the other hand, crushed Chicks Ahoy! to close out the season, putting up a record setting 323 points in the process. But all year the rebuilt Gores seemed to be playing well above expectation, ignoring the pre-season predictions of their demise, yet in the semifinals they seemed, at times, to be the inexperienced team many thought that they would be with such a new lineup. The Betties entered the season with high hopes that were quickly quelled by inconsistent performances that seemed to put a strain on the young team. At one point it didn’t look as if they’d be able to pull themselves out of it.

Led by R.I. Pink (who had 17 first half points), the Gores got off to a strong start. (Photo by Greg Russell)

The Gores are usually strong openers (they were only caught off guard on the opening whistle against the Death Track Dolls this season), and burst out of this one, catching a seemingly unprepared Betties team. 8-0 after the opening jam, the Gores took five of the first six lead jammer statuses to open up an impressive 21-0 lead, and over the opening ten minutes seemed in complete control of the game. The Gores, at this point, called a time out to talk things over, an intriguing move that would come back to haunt them later. In the immediate aftermath of the time out though, the Betties began to wake up.

Riding a string of three straight lead jammer pick ups, the Betties got on the board and started rolling. The first half was very clean in terms of penalties with both teams running into brief streaks of pack-penalty troubles, but the fact that there were (refreshingly!) no power jams made the game move quickly and kept the scoring down. With ten minutes remaining in the half, the Betties had fought back and a 26-8 run had them within 3 points.  The Betties earned seven of the final ten lead jammers to flip the board on the Gores and lead 63-40 at half.

Platinum Bomb (blocking Foxy Sinatra) had a strong game in the pack for the Betties. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

More importantly for the Betties was that it felt like they were in control emotionally and on the track. The Gores were often scrambling in the pack while the Betties saw season-best individual performances from usual stalwart Misery Mae, but also got a massive game from Platinum Bomb who had been out since the season opener and put in one of the stronger performances of her four-year career. The Betties played easily their best game defensively, and held the league’s leading scorer, Lexi Con, to just 4 points in the first half.

For the Gores, Foxy Sinatra was once again phenomenal (in the pack as usual, but she was also a strong performer with the star and finished second in team scoring with 21 points), and seemed to elevate her play in the absence of injured team captain Santa Muerte.  With Lexi Con neutralized in the first and Taranosaurus Rex in the second (no points in the second after 16 in the first), third-year jammer R.I. Pink stepped up and played what was arguably the game of her career and was the only jammer able to gain any consistency against the Betties’ packs putting up 17 points in the first half and 15 in the second to lead the team. The games leading scorer was the Betties’ Wolverina with 40 (she’s been on a tear since the Beast of the East), but they spread things around with four jammers registering at least 19 points.

The Betties’ Wolverina (battling with Purple Pain) was the game’s leading scorer with 40 points. (Photo by Greg Russell)

The first power jam of the game came on the fourth jam of the second half: on it, the Betties picked up 12 points to build their biggest lead, 80-51. At this point, the Gores found their form and played their best stretch of derby of the bout, matching the Betties in points and lead jammers (and on two jams, the teams traded jammer penalties to negate power jams). Arguably, the turning point came at the midway point of the second: with the Gores rallying and within 16 (96-80), they earned a lead jammer status only to get smacked with a jammer cutting penalty to send the Betties on a 13-point power jam. They grasped the momentum and after a scrambly two-minute jam, took the next three leads to build an insurmountable 124-87 lead.

As to be expected, the Gores fought tooth and nail to the very end, and actually managed to pick up the final four lead jammer statuses, but over that span only managed 11 points (to the Betties’ 4) and on the final jam, simply ran out of time—and with no time outs remaining (they used their final one with about 10 minutes to go) could do little more than wait for official word.

The Smoke City Betties will now meet the Death Track Dolls in Battle for the Boot 7: The 2013 Toronto Roller Derby Championship on June 15^th, a match that will crown a first-time champion regardless of who wins.

The D-VAS looked strong in their 2013 debut. (Photo by Joe Mac)

D-VAS DEFEAT SOUTH SIMCOE 200-142

The semifinal was prefaced by a showdown featuring ToRD’s farm team, the D-VAS (in their first public game of the season), hosting the South Simcoe Rebel Rollers in what was an entertaining (though penalty filled) game featuring a surprisingly high-level of play from both teams. The Rebel Rollers came out strong before the D-VAS roared back to hold on to an 81-72 point lead at the half. They led all the way through the second half to take the 58 point win.

The D-VAS were led by some strong play in the pack including getting a massive game from pivot Eskimo Jo, and strong performances from Honey Boom Boom and Hannibelle among many others. With the star, Lumberjack Flash was virtually unstoppable, Sneaky Dee got stronger as the game went on and Wackedher had a particularly strong second half. South Simcoe got strong play in the pack especially from Painkiller Jane and Psycho Magnet, and used a wide rotation of jammers led by the untiring Brand-Her. All in all, it was an impressive performance from both of these young teams.

***ToRD’s Battle for the Boot 7 will be on June 15^th at the Bunker. Doors open at 5 PM with Torono Junior Rolller Derby playing a mini-scrimmage at 6 PM at the championship game slated to stared at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available online or at a variety of vendors in the city.

Betties and Gores Meet in ToRD Semifinal

You can tell a lot about a team by studying its bench. At the recent Beast of the East, ToRD’s Smoke City Betties found themselves in a must-win elimination game against a very young Rouge et Gore team that was playing in its first tournament. It was a tight game, back and forth, and with about five minutes left, if you looked at the two benches, you would see a stark contrast. Without even watching the play on the track, it was obvious who was going to win the game.

While the Rouge et Gore bench was excited, congratulatory, cheering every moment, the Smoke City Betties bench was distraught, unfocused and argumentative: there was anguish on the faces of some of the skaters. Not surprisingly, Le Rouge et Gore won the game in the closing moments and eliminated the Betties from the competition.

Fast forward a month and the Betties are getting trounced by the Death Track Dolls in their final regular season game of 2013. It will be the biggest loss by the Betties since 2010, and the most points ever given up by a Betties team. But if you took a moment to look at the Betties’ bench during that game, it was apparent that something had changed. There were smiles on the bench, and calmness, and loud, vigorous cheers for every small victory—a lead, a stolen point, a nice block. It seemed an awful lot like in the face of their biggest defeat in a year that had started with such high expectations, the 2013 Smoke City Betties were finally pulling it together.

The Betties defeat by the Dolls was their largest loss in three years. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

The Gore-Gore Rollergirls bench, on the other hand, has barely ever looked different in the long history of the team, regardless of who was one it. More than any other team in ToRD, the Gores have an attitude and a swagger that transcends an annual roster and has resulted in the most consistent record in the league season by season. Through challenging seasons like the last and through rebuilding ones like the present, the Gores have always found a way to win and have found the attitude and confidence to push them through. It’s an almost inexplicable fact that has guided this team through three championships (2007, ‘09, ‘10) in six straight trips to the Battle for the Boot.

This weekend, when the Betties and Gores clash in ToRD’s semfinal, it will break a coincidental streak of facing off in the semifinals only in even years (2008, 2010, 2012), with the Gores winning all three previous semifinal meetings (not to mention a fourth playoff showdown—the 2009 Battle for the Boot).

The Gores have relied on veteran pack leadership to support a wide rotation of jammers. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

Last year, the Betties dominated the regular season showdown between the two teams only to fall to a resurgent Gores in the semifinal.  This year, when they met in the season opener, it was a fairly close matchup, marked by shifts in momentum (The Gores came out strong, the Betties rallied with the Gores eventually wrestling control back late in the second half). In the end, the Gores won 167-110.

The Gores have found success with a makeshift jammer rotation that is being built around the trio of Lexi Con, Taranosaurus Rex and R.I. Pink with contributions from many others throughout the lineup. Lexi Con has been particularly explosive in this, her rookie season and has led with the highest Jammer Quotient in the league for much of the season. Also, the Gores have done a great job of sprinkling their veterans throughout the pack lineups, propping up rookies who have developed steadily all year. The Gores looked simply dominant to close out the season, and will be riding the significant wave of momentum built from their record-setting 323-point performance against the Chicks Ahoy!

The Betties, on the other hand, have faced an unexpected level of adversity this season and while they have looked great for patches of time, have been unable to maintain a consistent level of play in 2013.  In their season-closing loss to the Dolls, they were able to come out and match the Dolls play for play through the first 15-20 minutes only to finally succumb to the relentlessness of the Dolls and fell out of the game significantly (going a 20 minute stretch without scoring at one point). The Gores have shown that they are more than capable of pouncing at any given moment, and signs of weakness or inconsistency from the Betties will be taken advantage of. Key for the Betties will be finding this consistency, and providing adequate support for their jammers against what can be a hard-hitting pack.

The Betties and Gores battle at The Hangar in 2010. (Photo by Kevin Konnyu)

The Gores and Betties are inextricably linked to each other in a relationship that predates ToRD and is indeed woven into the very fabric of Canadian Roller Derby. This will be the fourth semifinal and fifth playoff showdown between these two teams, with the Gores (actually an offshoot of the original Betties) having won all previous meetings. It’ll be a classic ToRD showdown with an opportunity to Battle for the Boot on the line.

* The ToRD semifinal will be prefaced with a  game between ToRD’s farm team, the D-VAS, and the South Simcoe Roller Rebels. Be sure to arrive on time to catch this game featuring ToRD’s future stars. Doors open at 5:00 PM, with opening whistle scheduled for 6:00PM. The Gores vs. Betties showdown will get under way at 8:00 PM.

* Tickets are available online or at a number of venues in the city.

Dolls, Gores Dominate in Season-closing Double Header

The Death Track Dolls were the last team in ToRD to never have Battled for the Boot. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

After six seasons, the Death Track Dolls are finally going to Battle for the Boot.

In a record-setting night, the Dolls entered their highly anticipated matchup against the Smoke City Betties with an opportunity to claim top spot in Toronto Roller Derby’s regular season and earn the all-important bye directly to the 2013 ToRD championships, and they did so in emphatic fashion, crushing the Betties 265-63 with what would turn out to be the second highest point total in league history; second to only the monstrous total the Gore-Gore Rollergirls were able to put  up in their 323-75 victory over the Chicks Ahoy!  in the regular season closer at the Bunker

Gores rookie Purple Pain and co-captain Kandy Barr contain Chicks rookie Mean Streak. (Photo by Greg Russell)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 323 vs. Chicks Ahoy! 75

Both teams entered their final games of the season missing key players, but as they have done for the past two seasons, the Gores defied the adversity they faced and simply overwhelmed the Chicks with stifling pack work and superior jamming. Both teams entered this season with significantly reworked rosters, but while the Gores maintained a broad core of veterans to build around (led by Santa Muerte, Chronic, Kandy Barr, Foxy Sinatra, Junkie Jenny), the Chicks were stripped down even barer than that, sporting ten new skaters on their roster. Add to that the early season losses of Roadside BombShel and Marmighty, and the focus of the season had to shift to building for the future.

The Gores took control early and never relented, and aside from a few moments late in the first half, were in complete control throughout. The turning point actually came early on. The opening jams were tight and fast with the Gores creeping out to a 3-0 lead, but then a 32 point jam (later corrected to 30) by Taranosaurus Rex (all on natural grand slams) made it 35-0 and essentially put the game out of reach.

Chicks rookies R2-Smack-U (right) and Smack Mia Round work together to contain the Gores’ Beaver Mansbridge. (Photo by Greg Russell)

Riding a steady stream of rookie jammers led by Kingston transfer BLackeyE, GTA transfer Rosemary’s Rabies (who had her strongest game for the Chicks and scored 24 out of 59 points in the first half), and rookies Heavy Knitter and Mean Streak, the Chicks ran into penalty troubles early and could never seem to get out of the cycle. The Gores, without Foxy Sinatra and Santa Muerta, looked to the remaining veterans for leadership and found it in spades. Riding a deep bench that included skaters Emma Dilemma and Gamma Rei, and supported by strong rookies Purple Pain and Full Deck, the Gores controlled the pack and on the strength of some phenomenal jamming (led at half by T-Rex’s 76 points), were in clear control at the break 174-59.

The second half started much the same as the first ended: strong play from the Gores paced by an excellent jammer rotation that is led by JQ leading Lexi Con, T-Rex and third-year skater R.I. Pink. The Gores held the Chicks to only 10 points over the opening ten minutes of the half and their relentless pack work kept the Chicks heading to the penalty box.

Gores jammer Taranosaurus Rex picked up 76 points in the first half. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

Missing key skaters Dyna Hurtcha, Kookie Doe  and Biggley Smallz, the defending champs rode veterans Robber Blind, Furious Georgia, Doris Doomsday and Tess D’Urb Evil, but the Chicks just did not have the depth of experience to compete. With so much track time and responsibility it wasn’t surprising that the vets eventually ended up in penalty trouble (Robber Blind fouled out late) which allowed the Chicks to give a ton of important track time to emerging rookies like R2-Smack-U, Joss Wheelin and Emraged who all seem to be thriving under the pressure.

The Gores needed some help from the Betties (that they didn’t get) to be able to compete for top spot in the league, but they certainly did their part and more in the victory (which set a record for highest point total in a game—it was the first time a ToRD house league team eclipsed the 300 point barrier), and will have to settle for second spot in the league and a berth in the ToRD semifinals. For the Chicks, an all-important rebuilding year comes to a close, and while it was a challenge for the three-time champs, with a base of emerging stars, the future looks bright.

ToRD scoring leader Santilly In Yo Face led another strong offensive performance from the Dolls. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

Smoke City Betties 63 vs. Death Track Dolls 265

The Dolls and Betties entered this showdown with a lot on the line: the Betties were looking to spoil the Dolls’ close-to-perfect season and throw the standings into turmoil, while the Dolls were looking to wrap up top spot. The tension was palpable at the start, and while neither team seemed hesitant after the opening whistle, neither team was able to shake the other over the opening twenty minutes of the half.

With jammer Bellefast out for the game, the Dolls slipped Rainbow Fight into the rotation with the league’s leading scorer Santilly In Yo’ Face and Getcha Kicks, and the trio dominated early. The Dolls kicked things off with seven-straight lead jams (and nine out of the first ten) but they couldn’t use the dominance in that stat category to pull ahead. It was the Betties who actually took an early lead on the strength of a 20-point power jam and held it until the seventh jam of the game when the Dolls crept ahead. The packs were even in the early going with the likes of Misery Mae, Tushy Galore, Tomy Knockers and Tropic Thunder able to match the Dolls deep bench (led by Scarcasm, Speedin Hawking, Ames to Kills and Audrey Hellborn—who had an incredible game in the pack, consistently devastating the Betties’ jammers) and the lead flipped two more times in the opening twenty minutes of the half.

Early on, the Betties’ packs were able to contain the Dolls. (Photo by Greg Russell)

But then, the Dolls took over. A 20 point power jam returned the lead to the Dolls and then the pack stepped up with stifling defense. The Betties simply didn’t have the depth of experience to compete against the depth of the Dolls who were able to track experienced line after experienced line and even held the Betties scorless on a power jam that extended over two jams. Led by 68 points from Rainbow Fight, the Dolls led 121-41 at the half.

The Dolls dominance continued to kick off the second half when they picked up five of the six lead jammers to start things off (and twelve of the first fifteen) and continued to hold the Betties scoreless over the opening ten minutes of the half (outscoring them 41-0) to truly put the game away. While the Betties relied on veteran leader Hailey Copter with the star, they used a broad rotation of SewWhat?, Udre, Wolverina (adding Laya Beaton and rookie Kil’Her at Large late), but none could find any sort of consistency against the Dolls’ pack work. The Betties managed only 22 points in the second half, while the Dolls pushed the pace and skated away with the surprising and impressive 202 point victory.

The Dolls stifling defense has become their trademark this season. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

The Dolls get a month off leading up to ToRD’s June 15^th championship. The Betties, who were preseason favourites to make their first appearance in the Battle for the Boot since 2009, will have a few weeks to reflect and build off of the loss before they have to face off against the Gore-Gore Rollergirls in the semifinal on May 25^th. It will be the second consecutive season that these two teams square off in the semifinal.

** The bouts were broadcast by Rogers TV. Tune in next Saturday (May 18^th) for a rebroadcast of the games.

Word on the Track: Busy Weekend for Canada’s WFTDA Teams; New Canadian Apprentice Leagues Announced

Montreal’s Iron Wench looks to get by Windy City’s Hoosier Mama in Montreal’s only loss of 2013. (Photo by Neil Gunner)

BUSY WEEKEND FOR CANADA’S WFTDA TEAMS

Two of Canada’s top three WFTDA teams are in action this weekend, but enter their games as underdogs, while the steadily rebuilding Thunder duel with an Eh! Team that is showing signs of finally turning the corner back into the competitive stream in a busy weekend of WFTDA action as teams tussle for position in the Division One and Two playoffs.

Coming off of a surprisingly hard-fought victory over regional rivals, CN Power, Montreal’s 17^th ranked New Skids on the Block (currently 6-1 in 2013) are heading on their first California road trip to take on Bay Area and Santa Cruz this weekend. First up, the Skids are in tough against B.A.D.’s All Stars in Oakland. Currently ranked 4^th in the WFTDA, Bay Area is 2-0 in 2013 including a hard fought, widely watched 29-point victory over Rose City (175-146). On Sunday Montreal will take on 62^nd ranked Santa Cruz in what should be a significantly easier bout. Santa Cruz has been busy this season, compiling a 6-1 record in sanctioned play, but the highest ranked opponent they’ve defeated is the 29^th ranked (and quickly tumbling) Arizona Roller Derby.

Toronto is coming off of its best game of the season (a loss to Montreal). (Photo by Sean Murphy)

49^th ranked CN Power is on the road this weekend as well, heading to Ohio to take on 38^th ranked Cincinnati in a critical showdown. Toronto’s CN Power, with a 3-5 record, has been somewhat inconsistent as of late (great victories or performances against Ohio Roller Girls, Queen City and Killamazoo are buffered by surprise losses to Rideau Valley and Grand Raggidy), but they are coming off of their best performance of the season against the New Skids on the Block in Montreal (a 210-121 loss) and will need the same sort of effort against Cincinnati this weekend. Cincinnati, who is holding on to one of the last Division One playoff spots) has burst put of the gates so far in 2013, compiling a 6-2 record, and they do have two common opponents with Toronto, the results of which point to a tight game this weekend: Cincinnati lost to Naptown by 147 points, while Toronto lost by 143; Cincinnati defeated Killamazoo by 109 points, while Toronto defeated Killamazoo by 94 points. It should be a great showdown, and will be streamed live online here.

Finally, the 133^rd ranked Hammer City hosts 50^th ranked Tri-City in a southern Ontario showdown that has the potential to shake things up considerably. The Eh! Team, once Canada’s top team, has been struggling to find its footing in the WFTDA. After starting the season 0-3, they recently picked up their first win of 2013, a 258-129 victory over Circle City. After surging up the WFTDA rankings over the past two season, the Thunder are also rebuilding in 2013 after some off-season transfers and retirements, and are 0-2 on the season suffering big losses to Montreal and Killamazoo.

WFTDA.TV RELEASES 2013 SCHEDULE

WFTDA.TV has released its complete 2013 schedule and it begins this weekend with the Texas vs. Rocky Mountain showdown live from Denver. While some of the highlights include London’s game against Rose City in Portland (on June 5^th as part of London’s West Coast roadtrip) and the East Coast Derby Extravaganza, WFTDA.TV has also announced that it will be covering both Division 2 playoff rounds.

While the majority of the broadcasts will be free (including the Division 2 playoffs), the same pay per view pay scale from 2012 will be in place for the Division 1 playoffs ($12 for the “regionals” and $20 for the championships or $50 for all five tournaments). There was some controversy around the pay per view model in 2013, but given the scope and quality of the broadcasts, it seems a small price to pay to watch the best roller derby the sport has to offer.

MUDDY RIVER, FOG CITY AMONG NEW WFTDA APPRENTICE LEAGUES

And finally, a slightly belated congratulations is in order for Moncton’s Muddy River Rollers and the Fog City Rollers out of Saint John who have officially begun their WFTDA apprenticeship.

The WFTDA recently released the names of its new batch of apprentice leagues and along with the Canadian and American teams named, the list also included teams from Argentina, Australia, England, Sweden, and Germany. Muddy River and Fog City have been leading the wave of Atlantic Canadian roller derby and finished 1-2 in last year’s RDAC Atlantic Championships. They both competed in the RDAC Championships in Edmonton this year as well.

** You can watch the Cincinnati vs. Toronto showdown here.