Photo by Ethan Trewhitt
Hello Derby Fans!
If you were still on the edge of your seat from the final game of last season, the first bout of this season didn’t disappoint. The weather outside was a little dreary, but inside the auditorium, it was supercharged with galactic action! The league debuted the new team in red, the Glamma Rays, against the green machine of the Toxic Shocks. Lead by all-stars Rebel Yellow and Afro Dykee, the Shocks were in the lead the majority of the first half, but in the last couple of jams, newcomers BB Hate and fan favorite Johnnie Knox’em scored just enough to give the Rays a one point lead going into halftime, 69-68.
The Rays kept the momentum going into the second half, where Hate Ashbury (returning from retirement) scored 20 points, just after Vanilla Rice got 19. Even with Shocks’ Square Ruthless putting up 16 against Hate, the Rays were starting to pull away. Some quick lead jam calls and tight defense by Witch Wae and Katya Slippin kept the Shocks within reach. In the 14th jam of the second half, Afro Dykee was able to pull out a 15-3 jam, putting the Shocks up by one. They never looked back, even with the Rays walls of Saikou and R2Death2, the Shocks were able to maintain the small lead and win by a mere 9 points, 172-163.
MVPs
Toxic Shocks MVP Jammer: Afro Dykee
Glamma Rays MVP Jammer: Vanilla Rice
Toxic Shocks MVP Blocker: Rebel Yellow
Glamma Rays MVP Blocker: Maul E. Cule
Photo by Ethan Trewhitt
Bout 2 was a rematch of the 2017 Championship, and you could tell by the looks on their faces, these teams meant business. If the first game of the night provided the energy and excitement, this second game would be showcasing the brutality of roller derby. The first jam of the night pitted Master Blazer of the Demons against Trouble MakeHer of the Stix, and it went for nearly 2 minutes before a lead jammer was declared. Slowly but surely, the Stix started adding points to the board, dominating the first half of the first half. Blocker powerhouses of Madditude Adjustment, Queen Loseayteefah, and Slams McKenzie held the Demon jammers to only 6 points through Jam 14. However, Demons blockers Cancer Candy and Arithrottle weren’t making it easy for the Stix jammers, and Candy had a devastating hit on Hermione Danger that gave the front row of the audience a first-hand experience at Danger’s crowd pleasing attitude. Human Missile Crisis open fired in Jam 15, scoring 24 points on the Stix, with Jean-Juke Picard following it up with 15 more, and suddenly it was anyone’s game. The half ended with the Stix in the lead 86-57.
Trouble came out of half time on fire, with 22 unanswered points for the Stix. But the Demons’ defense tightened up, lead by Erykah BaDoozie, Candy, and Rosie Derivator, and forced a record 9 star passes by the Stix in the 2nd half. The giant crowd of denim-clad fans cheered their team on while the players had knock-out hit after knock-out hit. The teams traded off lead and points throughout the rest of the game, but there wasn’t quite enough opportunity for the Demons to take back the lead. The Stix have set the bar high for this season again, winning 158-122.
MVPs
Denim Demons MVP Jammer: Thrash Ketchum
Apocalyptix MVP Jammer: Hermione Danger
Denim Demons MVP Blocker: Arithrottle
Apocalyptix MVP Blocker: Madditude Adjustment
Be sure to catch our next home game, February 24th at the Yaarab Shrine Center! The Denim Demons take on the Toxic Shocks and DSDG and the Rumble Bs mash up, school-yard style, for an all Atlanta Scrimmage that’s worth getting there early! Tickets are available HERE!
