ToRD Playoff Preview: Betties vs. Gores

#4 Smoke City Betties (0-3) vs. #1 Gore-Gore Rollergirls (3-0)

On Saturday, October 2^nd, ToRD’s 2010 playoffs get under way with a rematch of last year’s championship final between the defending champion Gore-Gore Rollergirls and last year’s runner-up Smoke City Betties. But this matchup has had a much different build up than last year’s hotly contested final. Since that Saturday night last November, these teams have gone in much different directions. The defending champion Gores completed their second consecutive unbeaten season and seem confident about defending their championship. The Betties, on the other hand, have had a much different 2010, and stagger into the playoffs after going winless so far this year.

The Betties veterans have been key all season.

YEAR IN REVIEW: Smoke City Betties

In 2009, three years of hard work toward developing the sport in this city culminated in a spot in the championship bout for the Betties. It was a high point for a team who’d had to watch the Gores and Chicks Ahoy! dominate the early days of ToRD’s history. Coming up short in the final, the Betties began a process of rebuilding with hopes of a potential championship somewhere down the road. Led by a core of veterans including Memphis Kitty, Hot Roller and Pretty Peeved, it was a very inexperienced Betties lineup that went 0-2 at the Beast of the East, including a lopsided loss to the Chicks. Clearly, this group of rookies only recently drafted to the team would have to endure its share of growing pains before it could pull itself back into contention.

The Betties rookies have been forced into key roles

The 2010 season became a season of rebuilding for this Betties squad, who under the bench guidance of Mia Culprit and Quickdraw charged into every bout prepared and ready to play their hearts out. A series of big losses over the summer never dimmed the spirit of the team, and late in the season, it became evident that this team was learning: the progress could be seen in almost every jam. A few veterans stepped up into key roles in 2010: Lacy Brawler proved a dependable work horse on the track, and Lady Scorcher led by example, stepping into whatever role needed filling (particularly evident in the final game of the season against the Chicks). The rookie squad also saw leaders emerge. In a forward-thinking move, Sail Her Poon was named co-captain and proved that the decision was justified with her play on the track from jamming against the Gores or working the pack against the Chicks. But others too have stepped up into pivotal roles, Genuine Risk in the pack, Mouth of the South with her jammer assists and Tropic Thunder with the star have provided depth for the Betties lineup, while others have shown tremendous improvement from their first bouts to their most recent. 

Despite the struggles this season, the Betties have all the potential to once again rise to the top. If this new generation of Betties can pull through these growing pains, they’ve got all the pieces in place for a bright future.

2010 SMOKE CITY BETTIES

(Current Rollergirl.ca ranking: 20^th among hometeams, 32nd overall)

Smoke City Betties 11 vs. Thames Fatales (FCRG) 38 (@ Montreal/Beast of the East)

Smoke City Betties 15 vs.  Chicks Ahoy 89 (@ Montreal/ Beast of the East)

Smoke City Betties 58 vs. Gore-Gore Rollergirls 248 (ToRD regular season)

Smoke City Betties 53 vs. Death Track Dolls 213 (ToRD regular season)

Smoke City Betties 14 vs. Slaughter Daughters 248 (RVRG) (@ Rideau Valley)

Smoke City Betties 42 vs. Chicks Ahoy! 266 (ToRD regular season)

2010 ToRD Recrod: 0-3

2010 Exhibition Record: 0-3

The Gores have won two of three ToRD championships

YEAR IN REVIEW: Gore-Gore Rollergirls

The Gore-Gore Rollergirls have had a big part in writing the early history of ToRD. The Gores have reached the final in each of the league’s first three season, their only loss coming at the hands of the Chicks Ahoy in the 2008 final. Last year the momentum of a year-long unbeaten streak propelled them back to the top when they won their second ToRD championship. So far in 2010, they’ve picked up where they left off. Coming off a 4^th place finish at the Beast of the East (their only losses coming to Montreal’s Les Contrabanditas and Les Fills du Roi), the Gores rolled through another unbeaten season, running their current ToRD unbeaten streak to seven games. Part of the reason for the success of this squad has to do with how unchanged the core of this team has remained. Led once again by the steadying presence of bench-boss Reverend Ramirez, the Gores remain a unified and focused group.

Molly Boom has had a great season pivoting

In the one-sided opening bout of the regular season, the Gore-Gore Rollergirls took the opportunity to mix-up the lineup from its usual formation, deploying different players in roles that they often hadn’t played. The experiment seemed to work well at the time, but as the season wore on and the challenges grew stronger, the Gores slowly reverted back to the team that had already had so much success: It’s hard to fix something that isn’t broken. Having a formidable three-jammer rotation of Bambi, Dust Bunny and Lunchbox (who finished with the 1st, 2^nd and 4th highest JQ ratings) at the back essentially creates the pack strategies that you’ll employ: Get out of the way and make sure you take the other team with you. Led by the excellent pivoting of Brim Stone, Junkie Jenny, and Molly Boom the pack has managed to do just that all season. The return of veterans Foxy Sinatra and Kandy Barr (who both took a year off) filled out a lineup already deep with capable, experienced players. Not that the Gores lack for impressive rookies either. The stability of the team has allowed this year’s crop of newcomers a great opportunity to integrate and learn without pressure. Santa Muerte has provided a physical and energetic presence to the pack, while Hurlin Wall stepped in almost immediately to provide a level of positional blocking well beyond her limited experience.

2010 GORE-GORE ROLLERGIRLS

(Current Rollergirl.ca ranking: 5^th among home teams, 11^th overall)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 43 vs. Derby Debutantes (GTAR) 20 (@Montreal/Beast of the East)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 17 vs. Les Contrabanditas (MTLRD) 63 (@Montreal/Beast of the East)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 45 vs. Green Mountain Derby Dames (Vermont) 22 (@Montreal/Beast of the East)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 1 vs. Les Filles du Roi 65 (MTLRD) (@Montreal/Beast of the East)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 21 vs. Les Contrabanditas 91(MTLRD) (@Montreal/Beast of the East)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 248 vs. Smoke City Betties 58 (ToRD Regular Season)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 124 vs. Chicks Ahoy! 80 (ToRD Regular Season)

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 133 vs. Death Track Dolls 54 (ToRD Regular Season)

2010 ToRD Record: 3-0

2010 Exhibition Record: 2-3

The Gores dominated this season's regular season bout between the two teams

WHAT TO EXPECT

With the finals more than a month away, don’t expect either of these teams to hold anything back. Expect the Gores to come out hitting hard and dominating the pace and formation of the pack to provide their jammers with the space (or pace) they need. The Betties veterans will lead the attempt to wrestle some sort of control of the pack away from the Gores. Expect to see some great pivoting battles up front as the veterans battle each other. While the Gores jammers prefer the open spaces and gaps that allow for them to deke their way through, the Betties will need to protect their jammers and give them all the aid they can in getting through the pack. The Gores are an explosive team and the Betties cannot allow for them to build up too much of an early lead. Lead jammer status will be hard to come by in this one for the inexperienced Betties, so their jammers will have to be aware of their defensive responsibilities as well.

Realistically, a victory by the 4th place Betties would represent one of the great upsets in ToRD’s history. But it is the playoffs and anything can happen. If the Gores come into the bout thinking that they’re getting a simple tune-up for the championship, they just may be surprised.

As usual, the bout is at The Hangar on Saturday night. Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are available online or at a number of Toronto retailers. Check out ToRD.TV for interviews, boutcasts and video recaps.

Weekend Recap: Chicks beat Dolls in another classic

The Death Track Dolls 109 vs. The Chicks Ahoy! 121

During the final few jams of ToRD’s second regular season bout on Saturday night, the skaters on The Death Track Dolls’ bench looked on in stunned disappointment. With a full penalty box, the Dolls could do little more than watch as The Chicks Ahoy! skated out the final few jams mistake free and took the 121- 109 victory; an anti-climactic ending to what had been another classic bout between these two evenly matched teams.

Demolition Dawn continued her progress as a jammer for the Dolls.

Despite missing top jammer Candy Crossbones, the Chicks! were able to put together the kind of sustained offensive attack that eluded them at times last year. Mach Wheels led the way, taking the first jam and not giving up many lead positions after that. Off-season acquisition Crimson Shivers made her ToRD jamming debut in the bout joining Kari-Mia Beere, Fireweed, Dolly Destructo and rookie Marmighty in a multi-faceted Chicks’ offense. The Chicks! were able to jump out to a quick lead early, but the first half was like a tug of war with each team fighting for every single inch of track space. The lead changed many times, but no team was able to run away with it. Land Shark, Demolition Dawn, Betty Bomber and rookie SlamWow responded at the jam line for the Dolls, though it would be blocker Audrey Hellborn who would pull off the most stunning jam in the first half. With Nasher the Smasher expelled for the period (after five trips to the box), and the Chicks running into penalty trouble, the Dolls pulled off a perfectly executed power jam; Hellborn used a controlled and slow-moving pack to her advantage, showing endurance and fight in a 24 point burst that allowed the Dolls to pull ahead 76-58 at the half.

Nasher the Smasher was a physical menace all night (especially for the Dolls' jammers)

The blockers took over in the second half, a much scrappier, harder fought period that saw the Dolls’ scoring slow down considerably (from 76 to only 33 points). Big defense from Mega Bouche, Hoff and Nasher the Smasher (who seemed to be either wreaking havoc on the track or sitting in the box all night) paced the pack for the Chicks while Bomber, Jubilee and Panty Hoser led the push back. In a night of big hits and thrilling jammer take outs, Betty Bomber’s thundering, second-half blow to Kari-Mia Beere may have been the shot of the night. But in the end, the Dolls (trying to push forward with banged up jammers Demolition Dawn and Land Shark) could not sustain the offensive attack that had been so effective in the first half.

Mach Wheels was dangerous whenever she was on the track.

It was the most consistent and well played bout of 2010 for the Chicks who managed to remain more disciplined in key moments and delivered a balanced attack in both halves. The Dolls continue their steady development and put together an even more well-rounded and consistent effort than they did in their two-point loss last year. Mach Wheels was sensational for the Chicks, while for the Dolls both Audrey Hellborn and Betty Bomber showed that they are triple threats who should be watched closely as 2010 progresses. It was another extraordinary bout from these two squads: Both teams left it all on the track, and the crowd in The Hanger was appreciative. One can only hope that they meet again further down the road toward the 2010 championship. Watch highlights, interviews and layer9’s boutcast at ToRD.TV.

A Busy Weekend Ahead

It’s a busy Saturday night coming up in Easter Canadian roller derby with bouts in Kitchener, Hamilton,the GTA and Montreal! Fresh from a strong offensive performance against MTLRD’s Contrabanditas, Tri-City Thunder are playing their first home bout of the season this Saturday against Roc City’s Roc Stars (Rochester, NY). In Montreal those same Ditas will be in tough against defending champs Les Filles du Roi. In Hamilton, the much improved Death Row Dames host Thames Fatales in what could be an excellent bout. And finally, in the GTA, The Rollergettes take on GTAR’s Chrome Mollys (coming off of handily winning their debut bout 190-49 last weekend against Ottawa’s Bytown Blackhearts).

Demolition Dawn continues to progress as a jammer for the Dolls.

2010 Season Preview: The Death Track Dolls

Death Track Dolls 2010

RECORD	Points For (Per Game)	Points Against(Per Game)	Plus/Minus	Margin of Victory	Margin of Loss
2009: 0-3	248 (82.67)	360 (120)	-112	–	54 (3)

*Lifetime: 2-7 regular season; 0-1 in playoffs (semi-finalists in ’08)

*Vs. Chicks (’09): 0-1 / Lifetime: 0-4 (including ’08 semi-finals)

THE DOLLS’ 2009

Essentially, the Death Track Dolls had a cut-and-paste lineup in 2009, consisting of members of three teams (the ’08 Dolls and members of the contracted DVAS and Bay Street Bruisers) with a healthy dose of rookies thrown into the mix. Despite an inspired quarterfinals appearance at The Beast of the East, the Dolls had a rough start to ToRD’s home season with one-sided losses to the Betties and the Gores. But something started to happen to this team by the end of 2009, a core leadership group had emerged and the players rallied around them, culminating in a strong finish to the

Co-captain Betty Bomber is a potential triple threat in 2010

season (coming up just short against the Chicks Ahoy! for third place).

VETERANS/RETURNING PLAYERS

Led by captains Betty Bomber and Dolly Parts’em, a strong core of returning veterans anchors the 2010 Dolls. Original Doll Bonky Kong is back for a fourth season in the skull and bow, while track menace Audrey Hellborn has looked her usual destructive self in pre-season play. Seka Destroy and Land Shark (both got lots of preseason experience with CN Power), long serving Lucid Lou and Sue Saint Marie round out the veteran core of the team. Last year’s rookie standout Panty Hoster leads a solid sophomore contingent of Downright Dirty Dawson and Lucky Slamrock back to the track. While two players (Jubilee, another original Doll, and Monichrome) are returning after long absences (including a devastating injury for Chrome). Demolition Dawn represents the only off season acquisition, but it has proven to be a popular one for the Dolls and completes the much needed depth at leadership.

ROOKIES

With top choice in the 2010 draft, the Dolls look to bring another solid class of rookies to the track. Potential triple threat NutMeg, the quick and tough SlamWow, and positional players Speedin Hawking and Sinead O’Clobber round out the rookie class for 2010. With a much more stable core in place, this year’s baby Dolls will be able to develop at a more pronounced pace providing a much more solid base for the future.

BY POSITION

Second-year player Panty Hoser is emerging as a strong pivot.

Pivots: After a rookie year in which she was thrown into every position in every situation, Panty Hoser has emerged as a strong pack leader; with solid positional play and excellent track vision, Hoser could be the pivot of the future (and the present) for the Dolls. Potential triple threat Betty Bomber can also be relied upon at the front of the pack, while her co-captain, the steady Dolly Parts’Em, will undoubtedly take her turns with the stripe. In her return from injury, Monichrome could also be relied upon up front, and while it’s only early in the season yet, rookie NutMeg may have the presence to take on this important role.

Blockers: The 2010 Dolls have their share of big hitters. When she’s at her best, Audrey Hellborn may have the most devastating hip in ToRD, while Betty Bomber and Seka Destroy can throw their shoulders around when necessary. The return of another original Doll, Jubilee, provides the Dolls with even more toughness in the pack. Positionally, Downright Dirty Dawson was solid on the line during the 2010 preseaon, and rookie Speedin Hawking looked good in a bout in Kitchener recently. Again the veteran core (Bonky, Lucky, Lou, Sue) will be relied upon to keep things tight and together in the pack.

Jammers: Land Shark had a breakout season in 2009, providing a reliable presence with the star and putting up huge numbers in the process (especially impressive when you consider that the Dolls were a last place team). Being the only remaining core jammer of the three who started 2009, it looked as though Sharky would be leading a rookie group this season, but Demolition Dawn has made a return to the jam line with great success thus far in 2010. Rookie SlamWow rounds out the jammer crew and with such an experienced twosome ahead of her, will be able to develop at a

reasonable pace this season. Betty Bomber and Audrey Hellborn can provide backup when necessary.

Demolition Dawn and the Dolls leave their mark at the Beast of the East

SEASON OUTLOOK

Veteran bench boss Big Chees will get help trackside this season from Sonic Doom, another track rat who is making the transition to behind the bench in 2010, and they will lead the Dolls into the season of the great unknown. The Dolls could easily finish anywhere from second to last this season, but regardless, could provide a serious threat come the playoffs. The key against the Chicks Ahoy! in the season opener is pack control. The Chicks have a strong, aggressive pack and rely heavily on the “hit and run” offence; if the Dolls can remain disciplined and wrestle away control of the pack, they certainly have the fire power to keep up.

See the full roster here. For a more in depth look at the roster, visit the Dolls’ website.

For a visual preview, watch layer 9’s coverage of last year’s epic clash between the Chicks and Dolls (October 17^th, 2009: Chicks 92 vs. Dolls 90).

Weekend Recap: Gores beat Betties in ToRD Season Opener

Brim Stone kicked things off jamming for the Gores

Smoke City Betties (58) vs. The Gore Gore Rollergirls (248)

It was a raucous crowd that greeted the Smoke City Betties and the Gore-Gore Rollergirls as they entered the track at The Hangar on Saturday night in a ToRD house league showdown. The two teams fed off this energy, storming out to high-scoring, wide-open jams (12-8 after 2) with neither team taking a firm lead. Eventually, a polished-looking Gores team settled in and began to chip away until Dust Bunny blew the game open with 9 points in the fifth jam that increased the lead to 21. The Gores never looked back from there on their way to a statement-making 248-58 victory.

Gores’ rookie Hurlin’ Wall holds Bettie’s rookie Titmouse in the pack

As she did at the Beast of the East, Brim Stone (last year’s ToRD Award winner for top pivot) got things started at the jam line for the Gores, but instead of settling back into her role at the front of the pack, she joined (almost equally) a solid four-jammer rotation with Lunchbox, Bambi and Dust Bunny. This allowed each of them to play a more consistent role in the pack as well, and they did so to great effect. Memphis Kitty kicked things off for the Betties, but the veteran jammer, along with Pretty Peeved and Lady Scorcher in particular, ended up supplying a steady, experienced presence to the pack. That left the attack up to the rookies led by Sail Her Poon who, in a  game full of rookie standouts, stood out most of all. She jammed more than any other player in the bout (taking 34% of her team’s jams), and fought with the Gores’ more experienced jammers to the end, improving as the game progressed and managing to put up decent  numbers in the process (including a 2.43 points-per-jam average). Poon was backed up by a handful of other rookie jammers but the majority of the load was shouldered by Platinum Bomb and Tropic Thunder; a threesome that could certainly form the core of the Betties’ attack this season.

Lady Gagya had a big night in the Gores’ pack

This refusal to give up seemed to be inherited by all the Betties, and despite the mounting point differential, never looked out of it on the track, and continued to battle jam after jam: the score didn’t reflect the spirit of the bout (acknowledged by a crowd that stayed until the end). Based on flashes of sound pack control early on, and the confidence of the young jammers, the Smoke City Betties looks like a team that knows what it has to do; now it’s just a matter of doing it. Despite also having a number of rookies in their lineup,  the experience of the Gores was the difference in this one, and they ran a much smoother bout. With Brim taking on more of the jamming for the Gores, Junkie Jenny and Molly Boom stepped up and wore the stripe for the majority of jams. Lady Gagya continued her outstanding 2010 with another solid performance, and she and rookie standout Hurlin’ Wall (who was a literal wall at the back of the back) were a big part of the sometimes stifling Gores’ defense.

The team stats tell the story: the Gores’ jammers recorded a 76% lead percentage and scored 6.5 points a jam, remarkable numbers that speak to a consistent, all-around effort. ** Keep an eye on my ToRD Stats Page for updated stats all season. Visit ToRD.TV for highlights, interviews and layer9’s boutcast.

ANOTHER BUSY ROLLER DERBY WEEKEND!

It was another busy weekend for roller derby in eastern Canada with three other cities playing hosts to big bouts. In London, the Thames Fatales played their first home game of the season, hosting the Nickel City Knockouts (QCRG Buffalo) in what by all accounts was an exciting night. After Nickel City tied the game in the final jam of the bout (137-137), Thames Fatales won it in overtime 148-145 (you can watch highlights and skater interviews here). There was yet another double header in Montreal this weekend. For the third consecutive year the Boston Derby Dames sent the B-Party to take on a MTLRD home team, but for the first time, MTLRD won as La Racaille cruised to a 155-54 victory at Arena St Louis. In the other half of the double header, Les Contrabanditas continued an impressive start to 2010  with a 159-82 win over the Tri-City Thunder. And finally, in Nepean the Rideau Valley Roller Girls’ home teams built on strong performance by the Vixens in Montreal last weekend as both teams managed huge victories at home with the Slaughter Daughters defeating the Derby Debutantes (GTAR) 211-48 and the Riot Squad defeating The Rollergettes 132-31.

2010 Season Preview: Smoke City Betties

Smoke City Betties 2010

RECORD	Points For (Per Game)	Points Against (Per Game)	Plus/Minus	Margin of Victory	Margin of Loss
2009: 2-1	260 (86.67)	251 (83.67)	+9	18.5 (2)	28 (1)

* Lifetime: 5-4 regular season; 0-2 in playoffs (semi-finalists in ’08, finalists in ’09)

* Vs. Gores ’09: 0-2 (including championship) / Lifetime: 0-4 (including ’08 semi-finals, ’09 finals)

THE BETTIES’ 2009

On July 19^th of last season, the Smoke City Betties won a gritty, defensive, low scoring battle against the Chicks Ahoy! (68-61) and finally broke the two year stranglehold that the Chicks and the Gore-Gore Rollergirls had held over ToRD. It was a team-defining victory that propelled an experienced Betties team all the way to their first appearance in the championship. Add that result to a third place finish at the Beast of the East and it was the Betties most successful season to date. Statistically, the Betties also had a successful season finishing second in most categories (tying the Chicks in points against and finishing third to them and the Gores in average margin of loss).

Memphis Kitty will play a key leadership role in 2010

VETERANS/RETURNING PLAYERS

No team changed as much as the Betties did this past off season. With retiring skaters and team-to-team player movement, the Betties don’t have nearly as many returning veterans as the other teams in the league. Hot Roller, Memphis Kitty, Pretty Peeved and Lacy Brawler make-up the returning core of the 2009 finalists; Second-year players Lady Scorcher and Rage Virus, former Gores, shifted to the Betties after gaining valuable experience in their championship run and will be expected to take on a leadership role with this young team.

ROOKIES

With so few veterans, the 2010 Smoke City Betties are mostly built up by an exciting group of young skaters (an astounding ten skaters will be making their ToRD debuts in 2010). So much of the Betties’ season hinges on how well (and how quickly) this group can gel. Many of the rookies (including Sail Her Poon, Tropic Thunder, Mouth of the South, Platinum Bomb and titmouse) gained valuable experience at the Beast of the East against strong opponents.

BY POSITION

Rookies like Platinum Bomb will be relied upon to play big roles

Pivots: Look for the veterans to step up at this position, and expect to see Hot Roller, Lady Scorcher, Lacy Brawler and Pretty Peeved take their turns with the stripe. The quickly evolving role of the pivot in flat track derby means that the steadiness of a more experienced player can make all the difference. As the season progresses, some of the rookies will inevitably begin to step up and take on this all important role.

Blockers: Given the lack of returning players, the rookies have no choice but to shoulder a lot of the load in the pack. P Doddy and Grim Avenger also got valuable track time at the Beast, but fans of ToRD will quickly get to know the names of Genuine Risk, Diva Zapata, Sin D Drop-Her as well, as they will have to be relied upon to eat up a lot of track time.

Jammers: Long-time standout Memphis Kitty will lead a rookie group of jammers in the Betties’ offense in 2010. Sail Her Poon took a lot of jams with the star at BOE, while Tropic Thunder also looked good against much more experienced competition. Tropic Thunder also registered a good performance in this preseason’s Rookies (’09) vs. Fresh Meat (’10) scrimmage. Following Kitty’s lead, these two young jammers could become key pieces of the Betties’ offense this season.

SEASON OUTLOOK

A superfan and a former champ will be running the bench for the Betties this season: ToRD track rat Quickdraw joins Mia Culprit (ToRD vet and winner of The Boot in 2009 with Gores) as the new (rookie) bench managers of this young team. The Betties open their season against the Gores and will be in tough against a team that looks poised to defend its championship. And while 2010 could end up as a rebuilding season for the Betties, this promising collection of rookies provides the foundations for a bright future.

See the full roster here.

For a visual preview of the season opener, watch layer 9’s coverage of ToRD’s 2009 championship game (Gores 128 vs. Betties 88).

RECORD	Points For (Per Game)	Points Against (Per Game)	Plus/Minus	Margin of Victory	Margin of Loss
2009: 2-1	260 (86.67)	251 (83.67)	+9	18.5 (2)	28 (1)

Lifetime: 6-5 (Semi-finalists in ’08; finalists in ’09)

Vs. Gores (’09): 0-2 (including championship) / Lifetime: 0-6 (including ’08 semi-finals, ’09 finals)

THE BETTIES’ 2009

On July 19^th of last season, the Smoke City Betties won a gritty, defensive, low scoring battle against the Chicks Ahoy! (68-61) and finally broke the two year stranglehold that the Chicks and Gores had held over ToRD. It was a team-defining victory that propelled an experienced Betties team all the way to their first appearance in the championship. Add that result to a third place finish at the Beast of the East and it was the Betties most successful season to date. Statistically, the Betties finished second in most categories (tying the Chicks in points against and finishing second to them in average margin of loss).

VETERANS/RETURNING PLAYERS

No team changed as much as the Betties did this past off season. With retiring skaters and team-to-team player movement, the Betties don’t have nearly as many returning veterans as the other teams in the league. Hot Roller, Memphis Kitty, Pretty Peeved and Lacy Brawler make-up the returning core of the 2009 finalists; Second-year players Lady Scorcher and Rage Virus, former Gore-Gore Rollergirls, shifted to the Betties after gaining valuable experience in their championship run and will be expected to take on a leadership role with this young team.

ROOKIES

With so few veterans, the 2010 Smoke City Betties are mostly built up by an exciting group of young skaters (an astounding ten skaters will be making their ToRD debuts in 2010). So much of the Betties’ season hinges on how well (and how quickly) this group can gel, but there is no doubt that this will be a rebuilding year. Many of the rookies (including Sail Her Poon, Tropic Thunder, Mouth of the South, Platinum Bomb and titmouse) gained valuable experience at the Beast of the East against strong opponents.

BY POSITION

Pivots: Look for the veterans to step up at this position, and expect to see Hot Roller, Lady Scorcher, Lacy Brawler and Pretty Peeved take their turns with the stripe. The quickly evolving role of the pivot in flat track derby means that the steadiness of a more experienced player can make all the difference. As the season progresses, expect to see some of the rookies begin to step and take on this all important role.

Blockers: The rookies have no choice but to step up and take on a lot of track time. Fans of ToRD will quickly get used to the names of P Doddy and Grim Avenger also got valuable track time at the Beast, but get to know the names of Genuine Risk, Diva Zapata, Sin D Drop-Her as well as they will have be relied upon to eat up a lot of track time.

Jammers: Long-time standout Memphis Kitty will lead a presumably rookie group of jammers in 2010. Sail Her Poon took a lot of jams with the star at BOE, while Tropic Thunder also looked good against much more experienced competition. Tropic Thunder also looked good in this preseason’s Rookies (’09) vs. Fresh Meat (’10) scrimmage. Following Kitty’s lead, these two young jammers could become key pieces of the Betties’ offense this season.

SEASON OUTLOOK

A superfan and a former champ will be running the bench for the Betties this season. Quickdraw takes the helm of his first team in 2010, joining Mia Culprit (ToRD vet and winner of The Boot in 2009 with Gores) as bench managers of this young team. The Betties open their season against the Gores and will be in tough against a team that looks poised to defend their championship. And while 2010 could end up as a rebuilding season for the Betties, with such a promising crop of rookies the foundations for a bright future seem to be in place.

See the full roster here.

For a visual preview of the season opener, watch layer 9’s coverage of ToRD’s 2009 championship game (Gores 128 vs. Betties 88).

2010 Season Preview: The Gore-Gore Rollergirls

Gore-Gore Rollergirls 2010

GORE-GORE ROLLER GIRLS 2009

RECORD	Points For (Per Game)	Points Against (Per Game)	Plus/Minus	Margin of Victory	Margin of Loss
3-0	347 (115.67)	233 (77.67)	+114	48 (3)	– (0)

* Lifetime: 9-1 regular season; 3-1 playoffs (champions in ’07, ’09; finalists in ’08)

* Vs. Betties (’09): 2-0 (including championship) / Lifetime: 4-0 (including ’08 semi-finals, ’09 finals)

2009 was a banner year for the Gore-Gore Rollergirls, who went undefeated for the season (including pre-season) and capped it off with their second ToRD Championship (in their third consecutive trip to the final). They also dominated in every single statistical category, registering a plus/minus that was an astonishing 105 points higher than the second place score. The team’s average margin of victory was also an amazing 48 (well ahead of the Betties’ 18.5).

Foxy Sinatra returns in 2010

VETERANS/RETURNING PLAYERS

Fortunately for fans of the Gore-Gore Rollergirls, the core of last year’s championship team has returned to defend The Boot, and they will once again be led by bench manager His Unholiness, The Reverend Ramirez. Along with the veteran leadership provided by the likes of Brim Stone, Junkie Jenny and Dust Bunny, two legends of the past, Kandy Barr and the big-hitting Foxy Sinatra (check out her monster blocker stats from 2008), return in 2009 after taking hiatuses. Molly Bloom, Lady Gagya, Bambi and Lunchbox all put in strong performances at this year’s Beast of the East and look like they haven’t lost a step heading into the regular season.

Santa Muerte made the Nerd's shortlist for breakout player at BOE '10

ROOKIES

Despite the number of returning players, the Gores will be incorporating a number of rookies into the lineup this season as well. Santa Muerte, Aston Martini, Gamma Rei, Miss Kitty La Peur, and Hurlin Wall all gained valuable experience at this years’ BOE. In particular, Hurlin Wall and Santa Muerte stood out with their composure and comfort in the pack and could receive a lot of track time during this title defense.

BY POSITION

Pivots: Brim Stone and Junkie Jenny are going to be relied upon heavily this season to carry the load at the front of the pack, but their experience and knowledge of the game will help a young pack develop quickly. Lady Gagya has looked strong since opening the 2010 preseason with CN Power against The Rideau Valley Vixens, and her stabilizing presence and ability to clear big holes could see her sharing the pivot responsibility this season.

Blockers: Kandy Barr and Foxy Sinatra will undoubtedly need some time to return to their form of two season ago,

Lunchbox had a breakout season in 2009

but could become key players in the pack as the season progresses. Lady Gagya and Molly Boom both made huge leaps in development during the preseason, and along with returning skaters Monie Darko, Motley Cru-ela, and Bella Clava, will be expected to lead the way for the Gores. Santa Muerte looked absolutely fearless at the BOE, and as her timing on the track improves, could be a true menace in the pack.

Jammers: No fan of Toronto Roller Derby will be surprised by the Gores’ jammer lineup for 2010. And really, if it isn’t broken…The 1-2-3 combination of Dust Bunny (2009 ToRD Award winner for best jammer), Bambi (2008 and 2009 JQ leader), and Lunchbox (who had a breakthrough season) dominated in 2009 and will once again be relied upon to lead the offensive charge. While it’s true that no other team can boast a jammer lineup as intimidating as this one, this strength is also its weakness. The Gores don’t have any jammers beyond their big three. Brim Stone has proven more than capable, but her ability as pivot cannot be replaced, and of the rookies, only Santa Muerte took a turn with the star at BOE. So an injury to one of these three could be potentially devastating for the Gores.

Gores receive The Boot at the end of the 2009 championship

LOOKING AHEAD AT 2010

The Gores open the season with a rematch of the 2009 championship, but it is a far different Smoke City Betties lineup than the one that played for The Boot last November, and considering the history between these two teams (the Betties have never beaten the Gores), they shouldn’t pose too much of a threat to the Gores’ early season aspirations. Things might get interesting with a vastly more experienced Chicks Ahoy! (the Gores’ foes in the ’07 and ’08 finals), and a quickly improving Death Track Dolls later in the season. The key to a successful title defense will rely on the jammers staying healthy, and the young pack coming together as a unified front. Despite the challenges and difficulties of defending a league championship, the Gore-Gore Rollergirls look like they have the tools and the determination to do so.

See the full roster here.

For a visual preview, watch layer 9’s coverage of ToRD’s 2009 championship game.

Weekend Recap: Boston ends Montreal’s winning streak

Boston Massacre (# 3) 111 vs. Montreal (# 9) 58

In a truly extraordinary display of tactical roller derby, the Boston Massacre (one of the original WFTDA leagues) came to Montreal and put an end to a remarkable seven game winning streak by the precocious New Skids on the Block with 111-58 victory at Arena St. Louis on Saturday night in a WFTDA sanctioned, Eastern Region bout.

The first half was a strategic masterpiece as both teams fought  for control of the pack. LCD and Maura Buse led the charge for the Massacre pack, with ample help from Harley Quinn and Ivanna Shankabitch, while Jess Bandit and Cheese Grater led the Skids’ packs. No team could take a clear advantage in the first as the score see-sawed early on, punctuated by neutralizing jammer battles between Georgia W. Tush and Krushpuppy, and especially Montreal’s Iron Wench and Boston’s Claire D. Way who both jammed beautifully (often to stalemates) in the first half. Boston managed to inch ahead just slightly, 46-38 by the break.

Early in the second half Boston’s experience began to make a difference. Their stifling pack (amazingly paced defensive jams, lightening fast recycling up front) slowly began to wear down the Montreal players who, lately, have been more accustomed to being the ones doing the stifling. A few well-orchestrated power jams allowed the Massacre to open up a wider gap and once they’d gained control, were able to maintain it through to the end as rare penalty woes for Montreal kept them from mounting any sort of comeback.

It was clear that as far as the Skids have come in 2010, there is still an experience disadvantage that can only be overcome with time, but this was in no way a demoralizing loss for Montreal. Only eight months ago Montreal lost to this same Boston team by one hundred points; four months ago  they lost by a similar score to Charm City (Baltimore). What this improved result announces is that this is a Skids team that deserves attention, and come the fall and the WFTDA Regionals, a team that cannot be taken lightly.

Rideau Valley Vixens 63 vs. Les Sexpos 136

In the opening bout of the double header at Arena St. Louis, the Rideau Valley Vixens–in their inaugural season–came to Montreal to play in their third bout of 2010. After suffering a one-sided loss to ToRD’s CN Power early in the year, the Vixens made adjustments and began to refine their game leading to a much better result against Steel City’s B team. Les Sexpos also opened up 2010 with consecutive losses, but were coming off of their most definitive victory ever, showing a form that they would bring into this bout as well, controlling things in a 136-63 victory.

Any notion of an overwhelming Sexpos win were put to rest early on as the Vixens showed that they have very clearly learned from their defeats; a renewed focus on positional play and pack control led by the excellent Semi Precious (and aided gamely by Surgical Strike, Screaming Meanie Massacre, Big Block and others). K-Dawg (despite some penalty problems), and Ninja Simone continued their emergence as top pivots, while rookies That’s What She Said (jamming) and Waxey McBush (positional blocking) had solid outings and that speaks to the bright future of this ever-improving Sexpos squad. A key jammer battle all night was between the Vixens’ Soul Rekker and the Sexpos’ Mange Moi El Cul, while Squarrior, Hymen Danger and Hustle Rose all had solid bouts doing double duty in the pack and with the star. Ripper Apart, Sister Disaster and DDT all fought through jams for the Vixens, but the Sexpos were eventually able to wrestle control away from Rideau Valley and cruised in the later stages of the bout to a 73 point victory.

Both bouts were boutcast live on ustream and have been archived here.

AND IN OTHER NEWS…

Hammer City’s Eh! Team continued their 2010 WFTDA season, traveling to Milwaukee to take part in the annual MidWest Brewhaha.  They faced a tough Grand Raggidy team on the opening day falling 160-69, and then followed that with another loss to Ohio 139-61 to fall to 0-4 in their 2010 season. Hammer City has a big schedule lined up for 2010 and are not backing down from any tough bouts, taking the lead, perhaps, from Montreal’s New Skids on the Block who took on (and lost to) any and all comers in their first season leading to a huge leap in ability and an improved 2010. It should be a fascinating season for Hammer City as they continue to develop into a top-tier team.

Coming up: season previews of ToRD’s Gore-Gore Rollergirls and The Smoke City Betties in advance of their May 29th season opener.

Weekend Preview: Huge Eastern Showdown in Montreal

Skids line up against the CN Power at the Hangar in Toronto.

New Skids on the Block vs. Boston Massacre

It used to be that The Boston Derby Dames would send The Boston B Party (the league’s second travel team) north to beat up on a Montreal home team every once in a while. Then, last season, Les Contrabanditas pushed back, and lost by only one point on a controversial final jam (the jammers, coincidentally, were Killary Clinton and Georgia W. Tush). Nonetheless, it was clear that things were changing.

Fast forward a year and Montreal‘s New Skids on the Block are the fastest rising team in WFTDA and it’s the 3rd ranked Boston Massacre heading north for the third annual match-up between these two roller derby powerhouses.

Having combined pack isolation and trap strategies with an attention to fitness that is unparalleled, the Skids have put together a seven bout winning streak against WFTDA opponents (nine overall) in 2010 including two impressive, one-sided victories over teams ranked well above them in WFTDA’s Eastern Region. These two victories over Dutchland All Stars (186-65) and the 6th ranked Carolina Rollergirls (135-29) have positioned the Skids as a team to be taken seriously in the east. A victory Saturday night, and they would have to be considered a contender.

FIVE KEYS TO A SKIDS’ VICTORY

Lady J pivots as the Skids' pack forms a box around Terminal City jammer Luludemon.

1) Pivots need to control the pack. Montreal’s strength lies in its ability to dominate with pack advantages and especially while on power jams. They have a lot of skaters who can wear the stripe, but watch especially for FDR‘s 1-2 punch of Jess Bandit and Lady J to lead the packs. They have jammers who can skate two full minutes at top speed; if you can keep the pack moving at a leisurely pace, that’s a lot of points. 2) Triple Threats have to be threatening. Geargia W. Tush and Cheese Grater can and will do it all, and they are now complemented  by Smack Daddy who has been a force all over the track in 2010. 3) Ewan Wotarmy has to play like an army. And is more than capable of doing so.  Big jammer take outs defensively and long, fast jams offensively will be key on Saturday. 4) Iron Wench needs to play like the Iron Wench. She is able to single handedly take over a game with a single, explosive jam. Deadly on power jams, almost impossible to take down, and unfailingly disciplined, the Wench could be the difference. 5) Stay out of the box. The New Skids on the Block have an incredibly deep line up (Lyn-dah Kicks, Romeo, Wrath Poutine, Nameless Whorror, Trash N Smash, Bone Machine… well, here’s the lineup), and if they can keep putting out full, consistent lines, they can very easily wear an opposing team down.

A year ago I wouldn’t have thought I’d say this, but I think it’s too close to call. One thing for certain, it will be one of the best roller derby bouts yet played north of the border.

Les Sexpos vs. The Rideau Valley Vixens

Many roller derby fans concluded that MTLRD’s recent dominance at the Beast of the East had a lot to do with the rise of the Skids, but I would argue that the development of the Sexpos is what is actually bolstering up the rosters of the Montreal home teams.The emergence of players like Ninja Simone, Beats Per Minute, K-Dawg and  Striking Viking (to name just a few!) has come as a direct result of the increased play and experience gained from playing with the Sexpos, and gives the depth to the home team rosters that really sets them apart.

The Sexpos, in only their second year of existence, have quietly developed into a solid team in their own right, and are  coming off of a 213-59 dismantling of the Dutchland Blitz. The Vixens are a new travel team formed as part of the Rideau Valley’s expansion this season (following the development of a second home team, The Riot Squad), and are off to an 0-2 start in their inaugural season. They suffered a one sided loss in their first bout (199-149 against ToRD’s CN Power), but had a much closer battle with Steel City’s B-Unit in their last outing. The Vixens will need to keep up with well-controlled packs and contain well-practiced jammers to keep this one from getting out of hand.

You can catch both bouts of this Saturday’s double header on MTLRD’s ustream channel.

The Jammer Quotient: A Look Back at 2009

Championship Poster 2009

The 2009 season was one of change and growth in ToRD: a new home at the fan-friendly Hangar in Downsview Park; a new generation of skaters; a realigned, four-team league; a renewed focus on CN Power; and finally, a team ready to challenge the two-year dominance of The Gore-Gore Rollergirls and the 2008 champion Chicks Ahoy!. The Smoke City Betties rode the confidence of a 3rd place finish at the Beast of the East ’09 to a 2-1 regular season. Most importantly, the Betties’ second victory (a chippy, defensive 68-61 victory over the Chicks) qualified them for a shot at the boot against the 3-0 Gore-Gore Rollergirls. The Death Track Dolls’ rebuilding process began to show some progress at the end of the 2009 when they lost the most hotly contested bout of the season 92-90 to the Chick’s Ahoy!, whose 1-2 record wouldn’t allow them to defend their championship. The Gore-Gore Rollergirls would complete an unbeaten 2009 with a definitive 129-88 victory over the Betties in the final. (*The rating in parentheses is adjusted to reflect the score out of 50)

ToRD’s 2009 JAMMER QUOTIENT

Jammer	Total Points	Points Per Jam	Plus/ Minus	Jam %	Lead %	JQ
Bambi (GGR)	10	6	N/A	8	8	32 (40)
Lunchbox (GGR)	9	9	N/A	6	6	30 (38)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	8	3	N/A	9	7	27 (34)
Land Shark (DTD)	7	2	N/A	10	3	22 (28)
Mach Wheels (CA!)	3	5	N/A	2	10	20 (25)
Memphis Kitty (SCB)	6	7	N/A	5	2	20 (25)
G-Force! (CA!)	4	10	N/A	0	5	19
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	1	8	N/A	0	9	18
Sista Fista (DTD)	5	0	N/A	7	1	13
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	3	0	N/A	3	4	10

 

One of the keys to the Gore’s dominance in 2009 was their advantage at jammer. With only three jammers playing almost 100% of their jams, the three pronged attack of Bambi, Dust Bunny and Lunchbox gained a lot of experience and became more comfortable than any with the star on their helmets. Bambi built on her record setting 2008 season with another impressive JQ of 32. Dust Bunny (who’d finished first in 2007 and second in 2008) slipped to third in 2009, nudged down a spot by her Gore teammate, Lunchbox, who broke out in a big way in this, her second season. Another second-season jammer, the Death Track Dolls’ Land Shark, also turned a lot of heads, leading the way for the quickly improving Dolls. The rest of the top ten was rounded out by seasoned veterans like Mach Wheels, Memphis Kitty and G-Force. Dust Bunny, Jewel Kicker and Candy Crossbones remain the only jammers to be ranked in the top 10 in each of ToRD’s first three seasons.

Below is the category by category breakdown of each of the four stats used to determine the 2009 JQ.

TOTAL POINTS

Bambi put up 11 more points than the 2nd place jammer.

 

Jammer	Total Points
Bambi (GGR)	123 (10)
Lunchbox (GGR)	112 (9)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	110 (8)
Land Shark (DTD)	97 (7)
Memphis Kitty (SCB)	91 (6)
Sista Fista (DTD)	77 (5)
G-Force! (CA!)	58 (4)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	56 (3)
Mach Wheels (CA!)	56 (3)
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	53 (1)

The top four here mirrors the top four overall JQs. Bambi leads in this category for the second year in a row, and the high scoring Gore-Gore Rollergirls’ jamming trio takes the top three spots; they were the only jammers to record over 100 points. Veteran skater Memphis Kitty had an impressive season in 2009 and was a key part of her team’s run to the final.

POINTS PER JAM

G-Force! is the only player in 2009 to average more than 3 points per jam.

 

Jammer	Points Per Jam
G-Force (CA!)	3.05 (10)
Lunchbox (GGR)	2.67 (9)
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	2.65 (8)
Memphis Kitty (SCB)	2.53 (7)
Bambi (GGR)	2.51 (6)
Mach Wheels (CA!)	2.43 (5)
Marvel S. Maven (SCB)	2.4 (4)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	2.2 (3)
Land Shark (DTD)	1.98 (2)
Slaughter Lauder (SCB)	1.9 (1)

G-Force had a rebound year jamming with the Chicks!, and was a dependable jammer throughout the season, as was evident in her leading the league in points per jam. Overall, the numbers in this category took quite a drop when compared with 2008. In the ’08 season, two jammers averaged over 2 points per jam, while 7 averaged at least 3. In 2009 two of the top ten didn’t even averaged over 2, showing a trend in lower scoring bouts.

JAM %

Land Shark jammed more than any other jammer in '09.

 

Jammer	Jam %
Land Shark (DTD)	36 (10)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	34.4 (9)
Bambi (GGR)	33.78 (8)
Sista Fista (DTD)	30 (7)
Lunchbox (GGR)	29 (6)
Memphis Kitty (SCB)	26 (5)
Dolly Destructo (DTD)	25 (4)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	22 (3)
Mach Wheels (CA!)	17 (2)
Kari Mia Beere (CA!)	15.44 (1)

Land Shark took over from another former Doll in this category (Sista Fista, who finished fourth this year) to combat what would have been even more Gore dominance. Land Shark came over from DVAS in the off season, and built on an impressive Beast of the East to complete what may have been the breakout season of the ToRD in 2009.

LEAD %

Nasher the Smasher helps Mach Wheels gain a step on Bambi and take the lead.

 

Jammer	Lead %
Mach Wheels (CA!)	78 (10)
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	70 (9)
Bambi (GGR)	63 (8)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	60 (7)
Lunchbox (GGR)	59.52 (6)
G-Force! (CA!)	58 (5)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	47 (4)
Land Shark (DTD)	45 (3)
Memphis Kitty (SCB)	44 (2)
Sista Fista (DTD)	41 (1)

Mach Wheels set what appears to be an unbeatable standard in this category. Anything over 60 is something to strive for (Mach lead this stat in 2008 with a 61%), but a 78% is a truly remarkable accomplishment, and a percentage that I don’t think will challenged for a ling time to come. Mach Wheels’ control and patience on the track is second to none, and her ability to lead the way 78% will probably not be topped in 2010.

* All stats are official ToRD stats and were confirmed and completed (where necessary) by video analysis from the footage taken by the always dependable layer 9.

* Complete blocker stats are unavailable for 2009.

* Next Week, in anticipation of the 2010 season opener, keep an eye out for preseason previews of the Gore-Gore Rollergirls and the Smoke City Betties.

ToRD Takes on Tri-City

Motorhead Molly takes the outside; Dyna Hurtcha looks for the jammer take out.

PSYCHEDELIC MELTDOWN (@ Kitchner, Ontario)

Game One: Chicks Ahoy! (ToRD) 63 vs. Vicious Dishes (TCRG) 121

With injured players Mach Wheels and Marvel S. Maven looking on from the bench, the Chicks got off to a quick start against a nervous looking Dishes team that was playing in front of a sell-out crowd in its new home (the Arena St. Louis-like Activia Sportsplex). 2009 Rookie of the Year Kari-Mia Beere and veteran jammer Candy Crossbones (who scored an early grand slam) led the attack with much strong support from Fireweed, while Nasher the Smasher (whose absence was felt at the BOE) returned to add more power to an already deep pack.

Once settled, The Vicious Dishes soon began to display the improved patience and pack control that had led them to such success in the early part of the season, and a  double grand slam by Lippy Wrongstockings paced the Dishes as they took the lead and pulled ahead.  As has been the story in recent bouts, the Chicks Ahoy! once again found themselves in penalty trouble. In what may have been the turning point of the first half, following a well executed panty pass between the pivot Mega Bouche and an exhausted Fireweed, Bouche got called on an inadvertent cutting major and was sent off, giving the home team a power jam. Motorhead Molly also had some big jams for the Dishes who took nearly a 50 point into half time (77-28). Dyna Hurtcha was a physical, and effective  jammer in the second half for the Chicks, but the continued penalty problems never allowed them to stage any sort of comeback. The Chicks were obviously frustrated over some of the calls being made and let their displeasure be known; it was the penalty problems that kept them from gaining any sort of pack consistency or advantage.

Skate Pastor looks to avoid Mega Bouche.

In a year when derby is seeing the emergence of a more clearly defined management role on the track for the pivot, Jill Standing looks as comfortable as any at the position and she and the other Dishes pivots (including Meg N Plead) led the pack offensively through key power jams as well as they did defensively during pack  disadvantages. Greta Garbage looked good in the pack too and had a key jammer take out early in the first half. Barleigh Legal gave the Chicks’ jammers (particularly Candy Crossbones and G Force) a hard time all night, and whether it was blocking positionally or delivering big hits, she was often a dominant presence on jams.

Speedin Hawking holds the Tramps' jammer as the Dolls clear the inside line for Demolition Dawn.

Game Two: Death Track Dolls (ToRD) 101 vs. Venus Fly Tramps (TCRG) 89

The second bout of the night was a much closer and more exciting match up featuring two teams with nothing to lose, and both came out swinging. The Dolls entered the track with a swagger that was missing at this year’s BOE, and led by the return of Demoliton Dawn as a key jammer got out to an early led. She was also key defensively too, capable of reeling in the opposing jammer and forcing a call on those occasions when she didn’t take the lead. With an injury to star jammer Land Shark, rookies Slam Wow and Nut Meg took a lot of jams with the star on and looked comfortable  even against the more experienced Tramps’ jammers (including Kitty Krasher, Konky and Cell Block Bettie). Betty Bomber continued her rise as a triple-threat contender and  had some key jams to help the Dolls pull out to a 55-35 point lead at the half.

One of Audrey Hellborn's many big hits on the night.

The Tramps came out determined in the second half and slowly chipped away at the lead. Leigh-zzie Borden did double duty in the pack and jamming, and as a whole, the Tramps came together to take advantage of a penalty troubles by the Dolls, even pulling ahead by as much as ten points at one point. The Dolls managed to stay within reach and took a key timeout after a long string of penalties threatened to frustrate the team. Second year stand out Panty Hoser continued her strong play at pivot in the second half, while Monichrome also looked comfortable on the track considering she was playing in her first regulation bout in almost a year. Betty Bomber put in some determined jams including a key power jam with the Tramps clinging to a slim lead and only eight minutes remaining.  But it was the physical play–led by Audrey Hellborn, Seka Destroy and Jubilee–that would be the difference in the end. A string of huge jammer takeouts by a determined Audrey Hellborn late in the bout was key in fending off a final charge by the home team. The Dolls were able to pull away in the final few jams to claim their first victory since the 2009 BOE. (Keep an eye out for the video footage from layer9)

A BUSY DERBY NIGHT IN CANADA

It was a busy night for Eastern Canadian roller derby as five leagues had teams involved in bouts, none more important than the second half of the double header in the Montreal. The 9th ranked New Skids on the Block continued their seemingly inevitable march up the standings in WFTDA‘s Eastern Region, posting their second consecutive lopsided victory (186-65) over a team ranked ahead of them in the standings. The 8th ranked Dutchland All Stars provided a scrappy challenge for the Skids and their physical play and fast packs managed to frustrate Montreal’s potentially stifling pack management, and kept them to within 30 at the half. The win was the Skid’s ninth in a row. The evening in Montreal began with a frighteningly efficient 213-59 victory by the Sexpos over the Dutchland Blitz. Just when you thought there was only one dominant travel team in Montreal to worry about… (Watch the archived boutcasts on Montreal’s ustream channel.)

Forest City’s Thames Fatales also scored a lop-sided victory over an American opponent with an impressive 169-35 road win over Toledo’s Glass City Roller Girls. Hammer City kicked off its 2010 season with the Hamilton Harlots redeeming a first round elimination at a this year’s BOE with a  158-106 victory over BOE quarter finalists the Death Row Dames.

In an attempt to keep track of all the Canadian roller derby results this year, I’ve created a results page. It isn’t fully complete and I would appreciate any additions, corrections, etc.