As the Sake Tuyas and Apocalypstix took to the track, the air thickened with competition. The Sakes were looking for a repeat of the season’s opener in which they defeated the Stix 192-126. The Stix were looking for redemption. Not only for the season opener, but their entire season. They had come within points of victory each game, but had lost their footing in the final minutes of every bout. The Stix where hungry for a win to finish their year, and the Sakes were anxious to leave them sitting in fourth place.
Apocalypstix jammer, The Boss, hit the pack hard at the first whistle, and slipped around Sake wrecking balls, Shannanigan and Whoa Nellie to earn lead jammer, but Sake jammer Wheelin’ Jennings was hot on her heals, and matched points with The Boss before the Stix jammer was able to call it. Sake powerhouse, Merchant of Menace, blasted through on the inside line to earn lead jammer in the second jam, leaving Stix jammer, Slams McKenzie, to fight and juke her way out from behind the seemingly never ending positional blocks and recycling hits the Sakes have mastered over the years. Sakes took the lead, but the Stix answered back with a jam which tied the score directly after. The two teams alternated lead several times before the half ended at a close Stix – 77, Sakes – 62.
The Sakes started with a boom in the second half, stealing the lead back again and keeping the Stix at a halt for the first couple jams, but the Stix defense hit back hard, shutting down the Sake jammers long enough for the Stix to regain lead. Even when Stix jammer penalties could have spelled doom for their chance at victory, Stix blockers such as Slamborghini, Axtual Malice, The Ruffian, and Madditude Adjustment worked together to kept the Sake jammers in check, allowing the Stix jammer to come out of the penalty box and score back some points that were lost.
With barely a minute on the clock the Sakes held the lead by a narrow two points. Fans were standing, cheering for their favorite team. “Let’s go Sakes!” was answered with a roaring, “Let’s Go Stix!” The Stix jammer took lead by fighting through on the inside line, and with heavy offensive work from her blockers, was able to gain the four points the Stix desperately needed to take the win. But the game wasn’t over. There were still seconds on the clock, which was all the Sakes needed to steal back the win. Stix jammer, Genie in a Battle, lined up against Merchant of Menace. The outcome of this grudge match weighed heavily on who would become lead jammer. As the whistle blew, Menace was trapped by the Stix blockers long enough, for Genie to take the outside edge, juking two separate attempts by Sake blockers to knock her out, and take lead jammer. Stix win 146 – 144.
Stix MVPs
Jammer – Slams McKenzie
Blocker – Madditude Adjustment
Sake MVPs
Jammer – Wheelin’ Jennings
Blocker – InSINerator
