One Hour To Go: MIR Attempts Perfection Saturday Night Vs. CRRG: Heldorados

Sixty Minutes. Three thousand six hundred seconds.

That is how much time it will take to answer the biggest question of the 2011 campaign so far: Will the Mid Iowa Rollers, who remain undefeated after seven bouts, finish the season at a perfect 8-0

If they are to do so, they will have to up-end the Helldorados of the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls league. The two teams met in an absolute scorcher of a bout on June 12th at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. MIR emerged the victor thanks to last jam heroics by Jammer/Blocker Mizz Lolli Pop Ya and stalwart blocking which cut off Helldorado jammer Sin D Whop Her from scoring.

Such has been the life of the Mid Iowa Rollers as of late, with three of the last four matches being decided by 10 points or less. Their pursuit of perfection thus far seems to contain as many thrills, nail-biting moments and near escapes as an Indiana Jones movie.

"I can't remember seeing a really close bout before this year," said MIR Assistant Coach Big Truck, who has been with MIR for over two years. "I mean one after another..."

MIR players attribute a myriad of reasons for their untarnished run thus far. For one thing, there are more derby girls in the Mid Iowa Rollers league than in previous seasons where the team merely consisted of nine girls skating all the time. In particular, rookies Deja Deadwards and Vyolent Grimm have seen regular playing time this season.

But they are not the only new blood that went to battle wearing the MIR colors this year. Other rookies include rollin MO monroe, Sugar Kaned, Tulsa Tararyz, and Snot Face, have also seen action in the oval. According to jammer/ blocker Mizz LolliPopYa,  all of the new talent has the entire team up their performance.

Mizz LolliPopYa believes the previous Mid Iowa Rollers season, which was longer and had the Des Moines-based team playing national talent as the Capital City Crushers (Topeka, Kansas) and the Minnesota Rollergirls All-Star Team, prepared the team for this season. At times the previous season apparently was a lesson in the school of hard knocks. In particular Mizz LolliPopYa remembers losing to Minnesota by about 100 points.

"We are so much more than a team, we are a family that would do anything for each other," said blocker Pleasant Hill PunisHER. "We have grown so much from last year and it is hard to imagine that it can get any better than this."

MIR Blocker Eastside, credited more team cohesion, a dedication to derby fundamentals, and learning how to analyze the teams they are playing and use their weaknesses against them. When the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls: Helldorados step into the oval at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines on Saturday, the Mid Iowa Rollers are in store for a challenge in finding weaknesses. With top class Jammer/Blockers such as Rockabelle, Ali AssassinateHER, GI Jane, A Few Screws Lucy and Krash Sanders, MIR will have to run a fierce gauntlet to achieve its perfect season.

First year MIR Blocker Vyolent Grimm admits there is some added pressure going into this bout with perfection on the line. Yet at the same time she has confidence that MIR will emerge victorious.

"We've pushed ourselves hard to be where were at and I think that drive to not give in is a big part of why we've done so good," Vyolent Grimm said. "We're not willing to allow ourselves to stop or slow down, we play hard until the end. I think any extra pressure will just fuel the growing strength that we've displayed all season. They push us we push back harder, you know."

As for Eastside, the pressures associated with Saturday night lie with performing well for the expanding MIR fanbase.

"I don't want to let them down," she said. "I know what I have to do and I am prepared to do it."

Will MIR go 8-0? Will the pressure get to them? What do the Helldorados have in store for them? Beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, all will be revealed in three thousand six hundred seconds.