The Mid Iowa Rollers (6-0) and the Old Capitol City Roller Girls (5-1) face the toughest examination of the their respective standards in bout that is sure to capture the attention of many Iowa derby fans on Saturday.
It's enough to drive a knowledgeable Iowa roller derby fan wild with the match up possibilities. MIR's vaunted power trio of jammers cTAL faTAL, Mizz Lolli Pop Ya, and Fanny Firestarter going head to head with the pulverizing Old Capitol City blockers, including Toxic Sugar, Animal Mother, and lead by menacing Bat R. Up who is continuing to cement her status as the most feared blocker in the state. Old Capitol City's sublime jammers, including Gladi8her, one of the fastest in the state, and Left 4 Deadwards, pitted against the tenacious defense of MIR, including Pleasant Hill PunisHER, Eastside, Anna Killakova and Vyolent Grimm.
MIR, the only undefeated team remaining in the state this year, enters this bout after an intense and emotional bout against the CRRG: Helldorados, where MIR Jammer Mizz Lolli Pop Ya racked up a clutch four points on the last jam of the match securing the Rollers undefeated season.
"I think we are all excited about being undefeated, but we focus on each and every game," Mizz Lolli Pop Ya said in anticipation of the Saturday bout. "We never go in assuming we will win. We know just as well as anyone that it only takes one game to send that title running."
The Rollers have been incredibly busy in the last month, playing five bouts in six weeks. According to MIR Jammer cTAL faTAL, Mizz Lolli Pop Ya and blocker Vyolent Grimm have played in all of the games. cTAL faTAL herself has played in four bouts in five weeks.
"There are advantages and disadvantages of playing so much," she said. "My biggest problem is that I think about derby 24/7 now... seriously 24/7."
While fatigue has a distinct policy of coming into play tomorrow night, the Mid Iowa Rollers have been virtually clean on the injury front, the only exception being Sin DeRolla, out from Saturday's match with a collar bone injury.
The Old Capitol City Roller Girls take the oval tomorrow at Hy-Vee Hall with two weeks rest after their 303-69 trouncing of the Stateline Derby Divas of Beloit, Wisconsin.
They also have a few of players out for the Saturday night bout. According to Furyis Jorge, who herself has been sidelined most of the season, herself, blocker Hitzy Blonde (who is recovering from knee surgery) and jammer Shelby Flyin' (compound dislocation of her finger) will miss the MIR bout.
Many Old Capitol City players were on hand at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids for the MIR-Helldorados bout.
"I thought MIR did a fabulous job holding a front wall--when they were in the front they kept an amazing pack pace that allowed their jammer to make laps super fast," Furyis Jorge said. "However, as soon as they lost that front wall their strategy seemed to fall apart; the pack pace zoomed, players came off the line, and general pack awareness was lost. Truth be told, this only happened a handful of times. For the most part they held tight to their strategy."
Furyis Jorge said the key to victory in the bout lies in OCC's pack awareness.
MIR's Pleasant Hill PunisHER listed her teams priorities as teamwork, reading the other team and listening to their coaches. For her part, she is excited about the upcoming showdown at Hy-Vee Hall.
"I have been looking around, reading articles and see that Bat R Up is going to fun to be up against," Pleasant Hill PunisHER said. "I love a good challenge!"
Hy-Vee Hall is located here:
Less than 24 hours.....I am so excited.
ReplyDeleteWe will miss seeing you tomorrow, but have a great night and thanks for such a great article!! PunisHER