Weekend Recap: Dolls Play with Betties

Death Track Dolls (1-1) 213 vs. Smoke City Betties (0-2) 53

It was yet another beautiful night for  roller derby at The Hangar on Saturday as ToRD’s two winless teams lined up against one another in a battle to stay out of last place in the league and avoid a playoff bout against the first place team. Despite another scrappy performance from the young Smoke City Betties, it was the more experienced Death Track Dolls who delivered two halves of consistent, balanced attack and were eventually able to overwhelm their opposition. In the end, the Dolls would put up one of the great results in their history, becoming only the second ToRD team to put up 200 points in a bout, and skating away with the  impressive 160 point victory.

Audrey Hellborn brought her usual intensity to the jam line

Both teams seemed weary early on as they each looked hesitant off the line. Due to some timing issues with their jam calls, the Betties were not able to take advantage of the slow start for the Dolls. It was Seka Destroy, with a massive jammer take out on rookie jammer titmouse in the 3^rd jam, who finally woke up the Dolls. Led by excellent pivoting from Panty Hoser and big hits from Seka and Bonky Kong, there were times in the first half when the Dolls seemed in complete control of the packs. On the jam line though, Sail Her Poon led her contingent of rookie jammers (titmouse and Tropic Thunder anchored by veteran Memphis Kitty) to a lot of leads early on, only to be caught and sometimes outscored by the Dolls’ jammers. Despite the control, it wasn’t until late in the half that the Dolls began to distance themselves. Captain Betty Bomber (who along with Audrey Hellborn took on a larger jam role in the absence of Demolition Dawn) put in two huge jams late (including a 14 point power jam), helping the Dolls open up an 86-28 lead at half.

Land Shark and Memphis Kitty race for the lead

As it went in the opening bout of the season, the Betties refused to succumb to the pressure. Playing as if it were tied, the Betties veterans Lacy Brawler, Pretty Peeved, Lady Scorcher and Hot Roller stepped up their play and brought the intensity of their rookies (Sin D Drop-Her stood out in the second) along too. Despite the effort and determination, it was not to be. The Dolls were more than willing to step up their game. Jubilee pivoted admirably in place of the injured Dolly Parts’em, while Downright Dirty Dawson had the best bout of her career, mixing it up in the pack and looking strong positionally. Land Shark (who put in her second straight dominant performance–on top of last week’s Clam Slam) neutralized Sail Her Poon in the half (although Poon would exact some level of revenge on Sharky with a big jammer take out late in the half). Also building on her Clam Slam performance, Monichrome took some physical jams with the star in the second, and SlamWow (who saw limited jammer action in the first half), had the most effective stretch of jamming of her young career, rattling off three straight lead jams early on to help solidify the Dolls’ lead. As the bout wore on and the lead increased, things got a little looser on the track and penalties started to build up on both sides and both teams started to give their rookies some valuable experience (two skaters, the Dolls’ Sinead O’Clobber and the Betties’ Genuine Risk were making their ToRD debuts).  But in the end the Dolls would not be denied and were able to run away with their first victory of ToRD’s 2010 regular season. Add this to the seesaw bout against the Chicks, and the Dolls have announced that they are a team to watch this season.

Try-City Thunder hosted QCRG's Lake Effect Furies

Two WFTDA Apprentice Leagues Battle it out in Tri-City

In what by all accounts was a physical, defensive battle (read about it here), the Tri-City Thunder continued their impressive 2010 season with a low scoring 72-51 victory over Buffalo’s Lake Effect Furies (QCRG). In the end, the stellar pack control of the Thunder proved the difference. In another cross-border bout, the ever-improving Rideau Valley Vixens headed south to take on the Utica Roller Girls and were bad guests as they spanked their hosts 153-55. This Vixens squad has come a long way since their inaugural game back in February.