Weekend Preview: Smoke City Betties vs. The Death Track Dolls

From the archives! Dolls and Betties line up in 2008.

Death Track Dolls (0W 1L  -12) vs. Smoke City Betties (0W 1L  -190)

In the first bout of the season with direct playoff implications, the winless Smoke City Betties and Death Track Dolls will play to avoid falling to 0-2 and a potential fourth place finish in the regular season. When these two teams met in 2009, the outcome was a confident 117-87 victory by the Betties, who were just beginning their march toward a shot at The Boot. I wouldn’t count on a similarly one-sided bout on Saturday. While the core of that Dolls team will take to the track on Saturday, as seen in their season opener, this Betties team will feature a far different lineup. Both teams are well aware of the importance of the bout and will need little inspiration to get up for this one.

KEYS TO VICTORY

Smoke City Betties

1. Veterans provide leadership: This is a team short on experience, but there is a leadership core, led by original Betty Memphis Kitty who played a little bit of everything last bout, that has been through a lot with this team and will be determined to rebuild the squad. Hot Roller, Pretty Peeved, Lacy Brawler and Lady Scorcher are all experienced pack players who will be called upon to keep things together in the pack while the rookies adapt. It is a capable core, and could potentially form a sold power line.

Sail Her Poon had an impressive debut against the Gores

2. Skaters keep their hands clean: With a team stocked full of rookies, there are bound to be mistakes in the pack, and the key will be to not become frustrated by them. While penalties will stack up eventually, it is the bench’s responsibility to be keenly aware of the numbers and avoid putting experienced players in vulnerable situations. Mia Culprit has the experience and Quickdraw brings the presence to this year’s bench.

3. Sail Her Poon steps up: That’s a whole lot of pressure to heap on one rookie! But Pooner has given no reason to believe that she is not capable of stepping up. A dominant presence for the Betties against the defending champions Gore-Gore Rollergirls (putting up big jammer numbers in the process), she didn’t look out of place as part of the Vagine Regime’s all-star lineup at the recent Clam Slam. Poon will need to lead the way for the number of rookies who will be forced into key roles. Platinum Bomb, Mouth of the South and other jammer Tropic Thunder all played big roles in the season opener will need to do so here too.

Death Track Dolls

1. Jammers dominate the bout: Word on the track is that key jammer Demolition Dawn will be out of the lineup for the Dolls, meaning that a lot of pressure will be on the remaining jammers to pick up the slack. Despite boasting all-star jammer Land Shark, the Dolls don’t actually have a lot of depth in the position. This bout will provide a huge opportunity for the Dolls to give valuable track time to promising rookie SlamWow, and expect Betty Bomber and Audrey Hellborn to put in some time with the star as well. While these two are valuable pack players, they are both more than capable of taking a lap or two with the star.

Audrey Hellborn scored a remarkable 24 point jam in the Dolls' season opener.

2. Blockers stay unified: While the Dolls have players capable of making game-changing assists and jammer-jarring hits (Bomber, Audrey, Seka Destory and Jubillee, come to mind), the key will be for the Dolls pivots to make sure the pack doesn’t get too loose and is unified in its strategy. With Dolly Parts’em still on the sidelines, the stripe will rest on the helmets of Panty Hoser and Monichrome to provide the steadiness and leadership on the track.

3. The team will need to be consistent: The Dolls have proven better than most teams at digging themselves out of holes; the problem has been that the holes are sometimes too deep. A calm, focused bench and steady track leadership will be key in keeping the team balanced in its attack and committed to the cause. Big Chees, the veteran Dolls bench boss, has been joined by Sonic Doom this year and it has been a positive pairing this season.

WHAT TO EXPECT

While each team had a disappointing Beast of the East, the Dolls have gone 1-1 since, and their loss to the Chicks Ahoy! was a nail-biter. The Betties have only had one test since, and it was a stiff one, but they performed and battled admirably and will only get better as the season goes on. While the outcome can’t be called for certain, one thing that you can be certain of is that both teams will be putting in more than a full effort come 7:30 on Saturday night.

Doors at The Hangar open at 6:30pm. Buy tickets online or at one of the many ticket outlets in the city.

Watch the boutcast of last year’s bout by layer9.

ON THE ROAD?

That’s no excuse not to catch roller derby this weekend, and oh boy you have options! The emerging Tri-City Thunder host the Queen City girls from Buffalo, while the GTAR’s Derby Debutantes host the Rollergettes, and if you’re heading south of the border, why not head to Utica to cheer on the Rideau Valley Vixens.

Weekend Recap: Thames tame Debs

Thames Fatales 205 vs. Derby Debutantes 64

GTAR‘s Debutantes hosted cross-province rivals Thames Fatales at Ted Reeve Arena in Toronto on Saturday night. In a scrappy, sometimes contentious bout, Fatales ended up pulling ahead for a 141 point victory over their big city opponents.

There was a tight start to the bout, with both teams jockeying for position and points. Five minutes in and the score was 9-8  for the home team. After the Debutantes pulled ahead a bit more, Thames went on a power jam in what would prove to be a pivotal moment in the first half. Down 17-9, the Thames pack took over the jam, isolating and then trapping a Debutante while Sufferjet flew around the pack, picking up a double grand slam to give the Fatales their first lead of the bout. It was a lead that they would not relinquish.

Killson and Bruise Berry Pie battled all night

Killson proved to be an uncontainable force for the Fatales in the first half, engaging in some great battles with Getcha Kicks and Canadian Psycho (who was solid in the first half for the Debs), and Piepshow stepped up to join the Fatales’ jammer rotation, but the real difference in this bout was in the pack, and the control that Thames was able to wield over it. Mirambo was excellent as pivot all bout, leading the way physically and positionally, getting some big jammer take outs and setting some devastating traps.  Bruise Berry Pie tried to respond for the Debutantes and engaged with Anya Face in some of those great pack battles. By the end of the half it was already clear that Commiekaze is a viable triple threat for the Forest City team and was instrumental in their 105-42 lead at the half.

The Debutantes came out flying to start the second half with Bruise showing a frightening intensity in the pack and going shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip with Mirambo on more than one occasion. Leather Locklear also stepped up with some big hits and capable leadership with the stripe,  Getcha Kicks kept fighting and LeeWay Wreck’em put in her time with the star; Canadian Psycho is emerging as a key player for the Debs. But the storyline played out much the same way in the second half. The Debutantes simply couldn’t contain Killson and her triple grand slam to make it 170-60 sealed the deal for the Thames Fatales.

Mirambo and Anya Face keep a close eye on Getcha Kicks

Bruise exited the defeat in style (with an ejection late in the bout), and while the Debutantes still show signs of great improvement, it was the Thames Fatales who were shining brightest on this night. Only two months on and this team barely resembles the one that went to Montreal for this year’s Beast of the East. The pack control, the strong positional play (and the continued growth of Killson as a top jammer) show that this is a team that can not be taken lightly. Both of these squads are clearly headed in the right direction and their performances speak to the continued development of the sport in Ontario.

The Neon Army: Montreal's New Skids on the Block

And elsewhere in the roller derby community…

It was somewhat of a coming-out party for Montreal‘s New Skids in the Block in Philly this weekend as they and Hammer City‘s Eh! Team headed south for the 2010 East Coast Extravaganza. Despite playing with a roster of only 11 (and missing key players including Georgia W. Tush and Trash N Smash), the Skids tore through the weekend putting up the highest single game score, getting the largest margin of victory(261) and putting in the best defensive performance of the weekend in a thorough dismantling of the Dominion Derby Girls (288-27).  They had a much stiffer test against a much more controlled and experienced Tampa Bay team on Sunday. The bout had all the makings of a low scoring battle in the early going as the Derby Darlins matched Montreal’s pack control and jammer speed. Eventually though the persistence and conditioning of the Skids was the difference and they ended up pulling away for a 197-57 victory. Hammer City didn’t fair quite as well, but undoubtedly gained valuable experience in losses to a very good Dutchland team (132-79) and Suburbia (184-95).

All the action from the ECE was boutcast live and archived here by DNN.

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).

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.

Beast of the East 2009: Recap

Beast of the East 2009 (Poster)

The early days of flat track roller derby in Canada were dominated largely by the Hammer City Roller Girls and especially by the Hamilton Harlots. Late in the summer of 2006 the Harlots won the Betties D-Day, the first inter-city flat track derby tournament in Canada, with victories over Montreal and ToRD‘s Smoke City Betties. They would continue to lead the pace in Canadian derby by scoring a lopsided victory over MTLRD‘s La Racaille in the 2008 Beast of the East final. (Derby Luv has archived all of the results from 2008) But there was a definite shift in power during the 2008 season and although the Harlots, based on their previous record, would enter the tournament as favourites, no one was counting out any of the teams from Montreal or Toronto. One thing was certain, BOE 2009 would usher in a new era of competitive roller derby in Canada.

THE EARLY ROUNDS

Aside from an only slightly surprising Death Row Dames victory over Thames Fatales (23-19), the early rounds went mostly as expected. Massive victories by ToRD’s Gore-Gore Rollergirls (103-11 over Capital Carnage), Hammer City’s Harlots (69-6 against the GTAR’s Derby Debutantes), and MTLRD’s Les Filles du Roi (77-6 vs. The Death Track Dolls) and La Racaille (67-10 over the Bay Street Bruisers, in their last appearance as a team) established the early front runners.

ToRD’s Gore-Gore Rollergirls and Ottawa’s Capital Carnage ready to kick off BOE ’09

Despite opening losses, the Death Track Dolls and Rideau Valley’s Slaughter Daughters would battle their way through to the quarter finals with back-to-back must-win victories. One shocker could be the elimination of defending ToRD champs The Chicks Ahoy!, but they faced a tough draw, losing tight bouts to MTLRD champs La Racaille and Hammer City champs, the Harlots.

THE QUARTER-FINALS

One of the most anticipated quarter-final match ups never actually happened. The improved and determined Smoke City Betties were looking to have a big year in ToRD and were fired up for a quarter-final test against the Gore-Gore Rollergirls. Unfortunately, shaken up by the devastating injury to one of their star players, Desmond Deck-Her (check out her 2007 and 2008 jammer stats), the Gores pulled out of the tournament, giving the Betties a clear path to the semis. MTLRD’s Contrabanditas advanced with a hard-fought victory over the surprising Slaughter Daughters while the other bracket would see La Racaille trounce the Dolls and Les Filles Du Roi handle the Harlots in a classic, low scoring bout. The Harlots’ loss ending their bid for consecutive BOE titles.

THE SEMI-FINALS

In only a minor surprise, three of the four semi-finalists were from MTLRD, with ToRD’s Betties being the only exception. They’d put up a great fight against the Ditas, but for the second time during the weekend, the Montreal skaters in black overcame the scrappy Betties squad 33-23. In the other semi, the two finalists from MTLRD’s previous season met for the second time in the tournament. The first round meeting had been an instant classic, a back and forth battle that saw Les Filles pull it out in the end. It would be a different story in the semis as La Racaille pulled ahead early and could not be caught, holding on for a 38-20 victory and setting up an all Montreal final.

THE FINALS

Led by the likes of Trash N Smash, Ewan Wotarmy, and Georgia W. Tush, the Contrabanditas would throw everything they had at their league rivals. La Racaille would answer back with memorable jams from Izzy Skellington, Lyn-dah Kicks and, of course, the Iron Wench, while Wrath Poutine, Bone Machine, and  No Holds Bard held the pack. In the end, La Racaille just had too much fire power and won their first BOE championship 49-34.

THE NERD’S PICKS

Breakout Team: Slaughter Daughters of the Rideau Valley Roller Girls

Despite entering the tournament as relative unknowns, The Daughters would announce their presence in their very first bout pushing the highly favoured  Smoke City Betties to the limit before falling 32-24. They would go on to take their next two bouts with impressive victories over Tri-City’s Venus Fly Tramps (48-14) and Forest City’s Thames Fatales (68-28). Their tournament would end in the quarter finals, but not before Semi Precious, Dee Dee Tee, Sister Disaster, the awesome Soul Rekker, and their teammates made quite an impression.

The Dolls’ Land Shark calls the jam against The Vicious Dishes

Breakout Player: Land Shark (ToRD’s Death Track Dolls)

After a solid rookie campaign in 2008, there were high hopes pinned on Land Shark as she entered ToRD’s 2009 season.  She didn’t disappoint at BOE 2009 and was phenomenal in the Doll’s run to the quarter finals. Particularly, it was her 15 point jam at a critical point in the a tight, must-win bout against the Vicious Dishes that put the game out of reach and sent the Dolls into the next round. Her break-out performance at the BOE would be a springboard for a breakout season in ToRD that would see her nominated for 2009 jammer of the year.

Best Bout: Contrabanditas (28) vs. Slaughter Daughters (25)–quarter-finals.

This was a very tough call. The other nominees were both first rounders: La Racaille and The Chicks Ahoy! battled through the closest bout of the tournament (36-35, La Racaille), while La Racaille and Les Filles had the most skill-filled and exciting bout (43-35, Les Filles). The fact that these were both first-round bouts would be the difference in the end; I picked the Daughters-Ditas bout because no one expected it to be so close (or so exciting), and it took place in the sudden death, quarter-final round. Despite being over-matched, the Daughters refused to bend under the Ditas’ attack, and in the end came within three points of what would have been a monumental upset.

* Full BOE 2009 results are available here. Preview continues on Thursday.

* All photos were taken by Derek Lang; visit bagelhot for more information.

The Jammer Quotient: A Look Back at 2008 (1)

Mach Wheels vs. Bambi

ToRD‘s second full season saw the continued dominance of the Chicks Ahoy! (4-1) and the Gore-Gore Rollergirls (4-1). Needless to say, the jammers from these two teams enjoyed successful seasons as well, and the JQs reflect the differing offensive philosophies of the two teams. ToRD continued to be a six-team league, but by 2008 the disparity among the teams was becoming obvious.  It would be the final season for the DVAS (1-4) and the Bay Street Bruisers (0-5), although not for the skaters on the teams. In the end,  the Chicks took The Boot away from the Gores in an exciting, high scoring final(114-97). (*as with the 2007 calculation of the JQ, the plus/minus stats are unavailable, for 2008 meaning the highest possible JQ is 40, but I’ve added an adjusted score based on percentage for the top 5)

ToRD’s 2008 JAMMER QUOTIENT

Jammer	Total Points	Points Per Jam	Plus/ Minus	Jam %	Lead %	JQ
Bambi (GGR)	10	8	N/A	7	9	34 (43)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	9	4	N/A	7	8	28 (35)
Sista Fista (DTD)	8	1	N/A	10	6	25 (32)
Desmond Deck Her (GGR)	5	10	N/A	0	3	18 (23)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	7	0	N/A	3	7	17 (21)
Mach Wheels (CA!)	0	7	N/A	0	10	17
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	4	5	N/A	1	5	15
Aimee Zing (CA!)	6	9	N/A	0	0	15
Ce Four (BSB)	2	0	N/A	9	0	11
Dolly Destructo (CA!)	0	6	N/A	0	2	8
Shell B Felt (DVAS)	0	0	N/A	8	0	8

Bambi (who skated as Alicia Arsenic in 2007) had an amazing year, scoring a JQ of  34. Dust Bunny built on her success from the 2007 season by putting up strong numbers once again. But it was the Chicks Ahoy, led by Mach Wheels and another impressive year by Candy Crossbones, who put four skaters in the top ten. This reflects the strategies of the two teams that remain today. The Gores had a set line up of jammers (Desmond Deck Her and the emerging Lunchbox were the other two) while the Chicks were more democratic in their use of jammers, choosing to spread the workload over more skaters (a total of six Chicks’ jammers were eligible for JQ points). But it wasn’t all Chicks all the time as all four other teams had jammers in the top ten as well, led by the Death Track Dolls’ amazing west-coast import, Sista Fista. Sista  finished the season with the 3rd highest JQ and helped lead the Dolls to an impressive 4-1 record.

Below is the breakdown by category for rankings of each of the four stats used to determine the 2008 JQ.

TOTAL POINTS

Jammer	Total Points
Bambi (GGR)	286 (10)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	227 (9)
Sista Fista (DTD)	218 (8)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	160 (7)
Aimee Zing (CA!)	157 (6)
Desmond Deck-Her (GGR)	152 (5)
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	142 (4)
Lunchbox (GGR)	128 (3)
Ce Four (BSB)	125 (2)
Miss Tress Nightmare (DTD)	124 (1)

The top five in total points featured skaters from four different teams, with Bambi and Dust Bunny leading the way for the high scoring Gores followed by Sista and the consistent Jewel Kicker of the Smoke City Betties. Aimee Zing rounds out the top five, having completed her transition from blocker to jammer during the 2008 season. This would be the only category that Bambi, the jammer with the highest JQ, would lead. No skater would lead in more than one category.

Points Per Jam

Jammer	Points Per Jam
Desmond Deck-Her (GGR)	4.9 (10)
Aimee Zing (CA!)	4.24 (9)
Bambi (GGR)	3.92 (8)
Mach Wheels (CA!)	3.70 (7)
Dolly Destructo (CA!)	3.52 (6)
Candy Crossbones (DVAS)	3.16 (5)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	3.11 (4)
Lunchbox (GGR)	2.844 (3)
Mala Justed (CA!)	2.84 (2)
Sista Fista (DTD)	2.79 (1)

The points-per-jam numbers came down slightly from their stratospheric highs in 2007 with no one averaging more than 5 points per jam (three jammers averaged more than that in ’07). Desmond Deck-Her’s overall average may have dropped (from 5.24 in ’07), but her ranking jumped from third to first. She also had the biggest jam of the season (a monstrous 25 points) which undoubtedly helped her numbers. The Chicks more score-by-committee approach landed three skaters in the top five including Mach Wheels who jammed much more than usual in 2008 with very consistent results.

JAM %

Jammer	Jam %
Sista Fista (DTD)	38.42 (10)
Ce Four (BSB)	33.16 (9)
Shell B Felt (DVAS)	32.78 (8)
Bambi (GGR)	32.3 (7)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	32.3 (7)
Sue Saint Marie (BSB)	28.5 (5)
Land Shark (DVAS)	26.67(4)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	25.75 (3)
Miss Tress Nightmare (DTD)	25.12 (2)
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	22.17 (1)

For the second straight year a Doll led this category, as Sista Fista jammed an astonishing 38.42% of her teams jams. This was the most wide open category with members of all six teams in the top ten. Land Shark, another rookie stand out with a bright future, picks up her first JQ points. The Dolls, Bruisers, Gores, and D-VAS all had multiple skaters in this category. It is interesting to note that aside from Sista’s huge percentage, the average jam % was down from 2007 as more and more skaters become comfortable jamming.

Lead %

Sista Fista gets help scoring against the DVAS

 

Jammer	Lead %
Mach Wheels (CA!)	61 (10)
Bambi (GGR)	59 (9)
Dust Bunny (GGR)	58 (8)
Jewel Kicker (SCB)	57 (7)
Sista Fista (DTD)	55 (6)
Candy Crossbones (CA!)	53 (5)
Dyna Hurtcha (SCB)	52.17 (4)
Desmond Deck-Her (GGR)	51.61 (3)
Dolly Destructo (DVAS)	49 (2)
Miss Tress Nightmare (DTD)	47 (1)

Despite being better known now for her amazing assists and her nearly flawless positional blocking, in 2008 Mach Wheels was one of the most efficient jammers in ToRD ranking fourth in points per jam and first in lead %. Dyna Hurtcha, who would go on to win ToRD’s 2009 Triple Threat, was already putting up triple-threat-style numbers in 2008.  Dust Bunny continued to pad her career stats with yet another top three rank.

2008 Blocker stats are coming up tomorrow; next week a two part preview of The Beast of the East.

Blocker Stats: A look back at 2007 (2)

ToRD 2007 Championship Poster

In hockey they say that offense wins games; defense wins championships. In roller derby, you could say something similar: jammers win games; packs win championships.

Looking back at the blocker stats from ToRD’s 2007 season, the prevalence of members of the Chicks Ahoy! and the Gore-Gore Rollergirls speaks to the dominance of the two teams. The Gores’ Lock N Roll would prove to be the most dominant blocker in ToRD’s first full season, registering in the top ten in all four major categories including leading in total assists (19), and coming second in both total hits (109) and knockdowns (25). Her value to the Gores was evident also in the fact that she was on the track for 63% of her team’s total track time.

ASSISTS

Blocker	Assists
1. Lock N Roll (GGR)	19
1. Kinky K (DTD)	19
3. Foxy Sinatra (GGR)	18
4. Bones Brigade (DTD)	12
4. Midnight Snatch (DTD)	12
6. Nasher the Smasher (CA!)	10
7. Monichrome (BSB)	9
7. Tara Part (CA!)	9
7. Aimme Zing (CA!)	9
7. Rated R (DVAS)	9

The number of assists reflects a blocker/pivot’s total of whips, pushes and bulldozers. A couple of Gores held the top of the list, but the bottom half was dominated by the Chicks and Death Track Dolls. A lot of these names would become well known to ToRD fans in the coming seasons, with the Chicks blockers forming a sold core that continues to exits (for the most part) in 2010.

HITS

Blocker	Hits
1. Foxy Sinatra (GGR)	121
2. Lock N Roll (GGR)	109
3. Brimstone Cowgirl (GGR)	103
4. Bones Brigade (DTD)	91
5. Tara Part (CA!)	69
5. Mia Culprit (DVAS)	69
7. Sierra Hotel (CA!)	62
7. Junkie Jenny (GGR)	62
9. Chili Diablo (BSB)	61
10. Aimee Zing (CA!)	59

The amazing positional blocking and hitting of the Gores showed in the total hits category as they managed to lock up the top three spots. Brimstone Cowgirl makes her only appearance in these stats, but it’s a name that will become synonymous with solid blocking and confident pack leadership in ToRD. Tara Part had a solid showing too, part of a very consistent year for the Chicks’ blocker. The Gores’ Foxy Sinatra really ran away with this category, laying out more than double the number of hits than tenth place Aimee Zing.

KNOCKDOWNS

Blocker	Knockdowns
1. Chili Diablo (BSB)	26
2. Lock N Roll (GGR)	25
3. Dolly Destricto (CA!)	22
3. Foxy Sinatra (GGR)	22
5. Mega Mouth (CA!)	17
6. Mia Culprit (DVAS)	16
6. Midnight Snatch (DTD)	16
8. Sierra Hotel (CA!)	15
9.  Tara Part (CA!)	14
9. Nasher the Smasher (CA!)	14

While the Gores may have had more overall hits, the Chicks laid the most bodies down on the track accounting for five of the top ten spots in total knockdowns. Dolly Destructo, who also had a sold year jamming, shows up here, proving herself to be on of the most versatile ToRD players of 2007.  Mia Culprit made sure that the DVAS had representation in these stats also, showing up in three of the four categories.

KNOCKDOWN %*

Blocker	KD %
1. Chili Diablo (BSB)	43%
2. Midnight Snatch (DTD)	36%
3. BlacknBlue Barbie (DTD)	32%
4. Mega Mouth (CA!)	30%
5. Nasher the Smasher (CA!)	25%
6. Sierra Hotel (CA!)	24%
6. Creepella (CA!)	24%
8. Lock N Roll (GGR)	23%
8. Mia Culprit (DVAS)	23%
10. Tara Part (CA!)	20%
10. Coupe de Kill (GGR)	20%

*minimum 45 jams as pivot / blocker

Gore-Gore Rollergirls vs. Chicks Ahoy! in ToRD's 2007 championship bout.

The 0-3 Bay Street Bruisers’ Chili Diablo takes her second category, while two Dolls round out the top three. But once again the Chicks flexed their collective muscle in this category; of the five girls in green represented, Nasher the Smasher and Mega Mouth put up the biggest knockdown percentages showing that despite all of the changes ToRD has gone through in the three years since its inaugural season, some things have stayed the same.

2008 stats are on their way; Beast of the East review/preview still to come too.

Word on the track

Ewan Wotarmy lines up Lady Gagya; Rebel Rock-It attempts to cut through the pack (New Skids on the Block vs. CN Power 03/27/10)

MONTREAL HOTTEST TEAM IN  WFTDA?

In a Quad City Chaos preview I’d speculated that Montreal’s New Skids on the Block may have been the hottest WFTDA team in 2010. I was basing my statement on the fact that after opening 2010 with 2 tough losses to highly ranked WFTDA teams, the Skids have won their final five bouts by huge margins (not to mention a couple of one-sided victories against non-WFTDA teams). So, with all that in mind, are the Skids really the hottest WFTDA skaters in 2010?

According to the numbers on  flattrackstats.com (WFTDA points and 0verall rankings), there are four teams in the running, but I’m not going to count the Oly Rollers because their biggest leap in points actually occurred at the 2009 WFTDA Nationals (even if only reflected in the opening standings of 2010). So that leaves Montreal against the Bellingham Roller Betties and the Slaughter County Roller Vixens. In terms of point differential (flattrack stats uses a very precise, complicated and fascinating algorithm to determine its points; you can read all about it here), Slaughter County has made the greatest leap in 2010 (75.55 points). This is only slightly higher than Bellingham’s 65.89 point leap and Montreal’s 62.88 point leap. What is important to note though, is how each team’s ranking has changed. Bellingham has only moved 3 spots from 72nd to 69th overall (and upon further inspection, did so based not on their own victories, but on the losses of others). Similarly, while Slaughter County had the biggest points increase, they only  jumped 13 spots (70th -57th), and they too relied upon the losses of others (and their own losses to highly ranked teams), and one big victory over Central Coast. In terms of rankings, Montreal is the clear winner in this category, jumping a remarkable 24 spots so for in 2010 (from 58th to 34th, and 13th to 8th in the Eastern Region). More importantly, they did so based not on the misfortunes of other teams, but on the strength of their own victories. So what had begun as simple hyperbole, has turned out to be true: Montreal’s New Skids on the Block are indeed the hottest team in WFTDA.

(Check here for a recap of the Skids’ recent 3 game, east coast road trip).

OLY ROLLERS APPROACH ANOTHER LANDMARK

Speaking of hot teams! With their 170-119 victory over 11th ranked Madison, the top ranked defending WFTDA champion Oly Rollers took one more step toward a big record with their 14th consecutive WFTDA sanctioned victory. They are now only 4 wins away from Gotham‘s record of 18 strait victories; a two-year streak that ended last year. (The DNN roundup of Oly’s victory also includes a very good recap of the Hammer City-hosted WFTDA sanctioned bout between the Eh! Team and the New Skids on the Block prior to The Quad City Chaos.)

MEN’S ROLLER DERBY???

Although men’s bouts have been happening since the start of derby’s modern revival, and random teams having been popping up all over the place (including Western Canada), for the first time an organized league has been formed. The Men’s Derby Coalition (MDC) (featuring teams in Baltimore, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts) kicked off play on March 27th, 2010. (The Derby News Network provides a great season preview.)

DERBY SISTERS KICK OFF REGULAR SEASON EARLY

While most eastern Canadian leagues kick off their home leagues in May, the Tri-City Roller Girls are starting their season pre Beast of the East this year, on April 10th, with a bout between defending champs The Vicious Dishes and their Tri-City rivals The Venus Fly Tramps. Both teams will be looking to get some important game-practice in leading up to BOE 2010.

COMING SOON:

Look for a look back at Beast of the East ’09, a preview of BOE ’10, and team previews for the upcoming ToRD season.

Quad City Chaos: Recap

Defecaitlin fights through Terminal City's pack.

THE RESULTS

No surprises at this weekend’s Quad City Chaos, unless Montreal’s New Skids being even better than advertised could be considered a surprise. Montreal easily won the first annual Quad City Chaos invitational, posting lop-sided victories over all involved, including topping 200 points in two of their three bouts. CN Power (2-1) finished a strong second in the tournament, with Hammer City’s Eh! Team third after edging a game Terminal City squad in an exciting and closely contested conclusion to the tournament.

TEAM	WINS	LOSSES	POINTS FOR	POINTS AGAINST
New Kids on the Block (MTLRD)	3	0	597	126
CN Power (ToRD)	2	1	231	395
Eh! Team (Hammer City)	1	2	228	401
Terminal City All Stars (TCRG)	0	3	238	372

THE BOUTS

The bouts involving CN Power, The Eh! Team, and the Terminal City All Stars were all close, hard fought battles, with the teams often changing leads. The differences between these three teams were negligible at best, and you got the feeling that on any given night any one of these teams could prevail. That parity made for an exciting weekend and bodes well for the future of roller derby in Canada.

After a disorganized, and potentially jet-lagged opening half against the CN Power, Terminal City noticeably improved with each bout, often quickly adapting to the nuances of the eastern game and the strategies of the opposing teams.

Brim Stone and Perky Set at the top of the pack.

Skater for skater the girls from Vancouver matched up well. Despite the 0-3 record, The All Stars showed moments of brilliance over the weekend; at times this team was like a shape shifter, adapting to and countering strategies of other teams. They were capable of keeping Montreal under 200 points (160) almost solely due to their defense on power jams. Not wanting to get into a slow, strategic positional-blocking battle with the Skids, they instead elected to race ahead of the Montreal blockers and stretch the pack to encourage one on one battles. This also forced the jammer to work twice as hard, resulting in extremely fast-paced, low scoring jams.

The Eh! Team looked a little unpracticed at times this weekend, with loose formations and no answers to the pack strategies being employed by the Skids. But they had some great jamming and also improved with each bout and will undoubtedly use this weekend as a starting point for what should be a challenging but exciting WFTDA season.

Even missing a few star players, The New Skids on the Block look poised to make a breakthrough in WFTDA’s Eastern division. Almost militant in their preparation and surgical in the execution of strategy, Montreal constantly frustrated the other teams with a few different blocker traps (at the back and on the line), some well-timed and well-placed hits, and an almost unhitable arsenal of jammers. This is a team to watch in 2010, and, as long as the players stay healthy, should make its well-deserved debut in the WFTDA Regionals.

Collide-O-Skope Kid and Iron Wench at the line.

THE PERFORMANCES

Such a long tournament and there were so many amazing performances that it is hard to narrow down key players on each side. Terminal City’s Lambe Baste Her, Luludemon, and Roller Girl provided strong jamming all weekend, while Barra Couga was a tenacious thorn in more than a few sides. LA Gunns did not look like someone returning from a major injury and delivered some serious hits in the pack, and 8-Mean Wheeleer provided solid leadership.

For the Eh! Team, Carla Coma and Vicadoom continued to carry the jam load, but big hitter Bitchslap Barbie stepped in against TCRG and put up a lot of points in the victory. Perky Set battaled hard all weekend, and Lock N Roll made her return to The Hangar wearing a visitor’s jersey for the first time, and looked up to the tastk, even taking her turn with the star against her former CN Power teammates.

The New Skids on the Block simply had no weaknesses in its lineup. The Iron Wench continued to show that she is a world class jammar, with strong suport from Lyn-dah Kicks and Georgie W. Tush.  Jess Bandit proved that she can lead a pack with the best of them, and Ewan Wotarmy and Smack Daddy did double duty, providing solid pack blocking with some energetic jams.

THE HOME TEAM

Mach Wheels holds Avi Hater outside while Lunchbox takes the inside.

Any way you look at it, this was an extraordinarily successful weekend for the members of CN Power. They had an opportunity to test themselves against the best that the country had to offer and managed to grind out two impressive victories; perhaps more importantly, they faced intelligent, tough opponents with different strengths and weaknesses, which will undoubtedly teach them a lot going forward. While the two victories were important, the way they happened was potentially more so.

Feeling confident and urged on by the home crowd, CN Power came out flying in its opening game against Terminal City. Employing a strategy of slow packs and aggressive jamming (reminiscent of their victory over The Rideau Valley Vixens), the trio of Lunch Box, Land Shark, and Defecailtlin lead the team to a huge lead early against a bewildered, and unfocused Vancouver squad, taking a 40 point lead into halftime. But the second half was another story and the All Stars were like a different team–relentless defense, aggressive hitting, and defensive jamming all contributed to a much more competitive second half, and although CN Power held on for a 97-79 victory, they  paid a physical price for it in the end.

The effects of playing back-to-back bouts were obvious as the hometeam fell behind early against their provincial rivals from Hamilton (55-49 at the half). But CN Power, still stinging after a two year losing streak to the Eh! Team, sent a clear message in the second half: the team has come to play in 2010. With Defecaitlin seeing limited action due to injury, Bambi stepped up and provided key jams in the second half, and in a spirited effort, CN Power took the lead and held on for an amazing 89-87 victory.

It was a different story against the Skids. After an emotionally exhausting Saturday, CN Power was never really able to get anything going against the powerhouses on Sunday. Constantly frustrated,  CN Power did show signs of the potential for a stronger performance late: even in the face of such opposition, Lunchbox was her usual calm self and provided some much needed consistency at the jam line, and Land Shark displayed a new level of toughness mixing it up with (and even getting the better of ) Montreal’s super pivot Jess Bandit on a few occasions. CN Power also showed some ingenuity in the second half  including giving Montreal a taste of its own medicine with a well executed trap. But in the end the inability to defend against the power jam allowed the Skids to run up the score.

Brim Stone and Rebel Rock-It provided solid leadership up front all weekend and Nasher the Smasher, making her 2010 debut, also looked comfortable in the stripe. Mach Wheels continues to impress with her unbelievable control and poise and made more than her fair share of hilight-worthy assists on the weekend (including an impressive ‘waitress’ against the Skids).

PS: ToRD.TV LAUNCHES!

This weekend also saw the launch of ToRD.TV, a site dedicated to hilighting ToRD and its skaters. Keep an eye out for upcoming specials (interviews, bout hilights, etc…) from this weekend’s Quad City Chaos.