Thursday, March 12, 2009

Déjà Vu: NEO Demolishes Demolition City

Evansville, Indiana (3-7-2009)- The first game of the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls' first season last year was an away game in Evansville against Demolition City Roller Derby. That was such an amazing first game, for both new leagues, that it set the paradigm for what DCRD would strive for the rest of their home season. They won the game in an overtime jam by three points. The intensity was so overpowering that everyone thought it'd be impossible to recreate, but hoped to make happen again. Well, lightning did strike twice, although this time with different results. NEO beat DCRD in regulation play by two points: 102-100 in the bout dubbed Repeat Offender.
Last year both leagues were brand spankin' new and had never played a real game against another team. In the eleven months between the bouts, both teams have matured remarkably. The wet behind the ears, wobbly packs of yesteryear were replaced with machines of Swiss precision. The jammers were faster and stronger. The hits were harder and more strategically placed. In short, this was storybook roller derby.
The event was a double header with DCRD's B team, the Destruction Dames taking on the Circle City Socialites of Indianapolis. By comparison, this was watching a peewee football game open up for the SuperBowl. Neither team was amazing, but each team had its moments and players that show promise. The Destruction Dames had a couple of players from last year's A team on the roster to lead the newbies. This has to be the underlying reason the score was a washout. The scoreboard didn't even have the technology to extend past 199, and the Destruction Dames went well past that mark. The Socialites stayed in the lower double digits and after awhile the crowd was growing numb to the slaughter. The Socialites have a great coach, but they need a lot of practice to be able to compete and hold their own against any formidable foe.
And now the main event. From the first jam to the last, these girls were on fire. Shelby N. Pain from DCRD was as instumental this year as last. She was given an MVP by NEO as the player that gave them the most trouble offensively and defensively. She is a scoring machine that is fun to watch. Jetsy Rockette was versatile as well and having won the game for DCRD last year, she would have surely done the same this year given the chance. Clara Plegic was not to be outdone in the competition of "who can land the hardest hit" and from seeing her last year to this year, I'd have to say she's the most improved skater.
NEO's Phantom Fox, the sweetest girl you'll ever meet, demonstrated how a smile can be deceiving. She racked up 33 points for the evening and set the pace of the game by getting 23 of those in the first six jams. Chrissie B. Hynde did her best to match Phantom's prowess with her 27 point contribution and continues to be a veritable force in any position on the track. Taking Names had the most jammer take-outs, and even without a complete stat sheet to look at, I'd have to say she had the most penalties for NEO. As for DCRD, it's hard to say. Maully Olly Oxenfree did her best to make the refs earn their stripes. She was ejected from the first period for excessive trips to the penalty box and didn't slow down for the second period. She may commit a lot of penalties, but she also hits like 808 beats: consistant and hard.
NEO skated into the last jam with a 12 point lead and almost blew it by calling a time out. Under the current rule-set, if there is less than 30 seconds on the period clock before a jam, another jam will not start, i.e. game's over. Had NEO let the clock run out, the game would have been 98-86. But team captain Taking Names called a time-out for team regrouping and that forced one last jam (the period clock won't start again until the whistle that starts the pack). DCRD, much like they did last year, pulled it together and did phenomenally in the crunch. Shelby N. Pain scored 14 points, but NEO's Twin Pistol , despite DCRD's strong defense, managed to get 4 points in there as well, keeping NEO just 2 points ahead. When the tally was reported, only about 14 girls cheered, everyone else felt wronged in some way. But in my opinion (which most often doesn't count) it only sets the stage for next year. Will there be a rematch? And if so, who will come out on top? We can only wait and see. But rest assured that I'll be there to report the story to you. Keep rolling true believers!

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