SCENE REPORT: Old Capital City vs. Cedar Rapids Rollergirls-Bombshell Cartel

One of the surest indicators that roller derby has arrived as legitimate sport is that the teams and the women who compromise them are subjected to the same unwritten laws of sport.

One particular rule that stood out to me as I was watching the Old Capital City Roller Girls take out the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls-Bombshell Cartel, 271-84. That rule is unless you put together a team of all stars who have already proven themselves excellent players, you will have to build from scratch. Usually that will mean significant defeats until team cohesion develops.

The exception is if you are dealing with a situation where every single team is brand new and/or starting at the same time.

Neither was the case in Iowa City on Saturday.

I refer of course to the Bombshell Cartel, the "B" team (how I loathe that term, being a veteran of many "B" teams myself) in the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls league. A few players from the Helldorados, the "A" team of the league played last night on the Cartel, but the chemistry was not there between the players. This presents an even bigger problem if you are facing a battle tested squad like Old Capital City on their home turf.

The early minutes of the bout saw the Cartel running into each other, falling and  causing sizable gaps in the blocking pack for Old Cap jammers such as Left 4 Deadwards, Ophelia Fracture and the incomperable Gladi8her to exploit. In particular, Deadwards scored a double grand slam in one of the earliest jams which proved to be a coming attraction for the rest of the night.

It did not help that Old Capital City were incredible form. First, the defense. I had heard rumors about Bat R Up, Old Capital Captain, from some of the other Derby girls that played Old Capital. I won't repeat them verbatim here but the general gist was that she hits opponents

It did not help matters that, on this night, Old Capital City had an extremely stingy defense. Heading into the bout, after talking with some of acquaintances in the derby scene, I was looking forward to watch Old Capital City Captain Bat R. Up at work. Her reputation was one of a hard hitter with wits to match.

Few things in life come as advertised, Bat R. Up is one who does. First she literally stands head and shoulders above all others, which could introduce the element of intimidation in her opponents. If that didn't, the pure FORCE that she delivered with every hit and block, would. It would, however, be foolish just refer to Bat R Up as just an aggressive force. Watching her lap around the track, often in the middle of the pack, I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. Here was a strategist- almost a chess player. One could sense she was already three moves ahead of her opponents and her hits and blocks were designed to take out a possible scenario that hadn't occurred.

Pure brute force would also be a poor way to describe Bat R Up, because those words depict an abandon of control. Bat R. Up, during numerous points in the bout, seemed to stop on a dime wait for an opponent to arrive in just the right spot and take them. Hers is a force that is premeditated and measured, yet devistating.

To be continued...