Brewcity Playoff Recap: Crazy Eights 61, Maiden Milwaukee 55 || Shevil Knievels 73, Rushin’ Rollettes 72
Posted by Geoffrey Saucer on December 13th, 2007
FRANKLIN, WI — 
Despite tepid first halves of play, Milwaukee’s Brewcity Bruisers wrapped up their season semi-finals in dramatic fashion. League cellar dwellers the Shevil Knevils marked their first victory in two seasons of play, holding off a final jam push from the powerhouse Rushin’ Rollettes 73-72. In the other semi, the Crazy Eights avenged an earlier season loss to Maiden Milwaukee with a 61-55 win.
Another capacity crowd braved bitter cold and a snowy forecast to pack the bleachers at Franklin’s Milwaukee County Sports Complex indoor facility. Maybe the weather was on everybody’s mind, but the crowd and all four teams were slow to respond to the playoff nature of the night’s bouts. Both the Rushin’ Rollettes, short several of their key skaters, and the Shevil Knevils traded points during their first half with the Rollettes gaining the advantage 38-37 at the half. The Eights and Maiden Milwaukee skated with more enthusiasm, and a very defense-oriented half ended with the Crazy Eights also holding a one point lead, 34-33.
Maiden Milwaukee’s Rejected Seoul makes her way past the Crazy Eights. Photo credit: Mr. Michael D.
Skating the jammer duo of Smirk Savage and Fly Girl, the Rushin’ Rollettes got serious about winning in the second half. With eleven minutes remaining, the Rollettes had built up a thirteen point lead. In jam eight, Smirk was sent to an already full penalty box, and in the confusion of mass penalties, the Shevil Knevils’ Rejected Seoul tied the game at 53. The crowd began to wake up, and the two sides responded with hard, physical play that had been missing to that point. While the hits kept the Rollette jammers down, Trash Talkin’ Tina and The Eviscerater both scored grand slams for the Shevil Knevils, giving them a 66-59 lead with two minutes remaining.
In what looked to be the final jam, Punch Kisser took the lead over Smirk. Punch Kisser scored a clean four, but she didn’t call the jam. Smirk scored four and then Punch Kisser called the jam, leaving the score 70-63 with less than a minute left. With a two pass lead, Punch Kisser’s could have just skated the jam out to a win. Brew City game rules dictate that the jam clock supersedes the game clock, so the final jam continues even after time expires. A called jam would result in a Rollette timeout and one final stab at the win.
But things became very confusing as the first semi-final bout ended. Someone, either the officials or the Rollettes, called a timeout with 0:45 remaining. The clock kept winding down until it stopped at 0:18, and no one on the floor noticed. There would be one more jam.
The Rollettes skated work horse Fly Girl against Trash Talkin’ Tina. With the lead, Fly Girl scored a grand slam on her first pass through, and in the open looked over the jam clock and the pack behind her. She was obviously tired from the night’s effort, but was looking for the gas to make it through one more time. She made it through for four, and should have called it. A few more seconds elapsed, and then the jam and the game came to an end. The math from the stands added up to a 72-70 win for the Rollettes, and that’s what the scoreboard said for a few seconds. But the board quickly changed again. Somewhere in the dramatic last jam, Tina had scored three of her own, and the Shevils won the game, 73-72.
The Shevil Knievels and Rushin’ Rollettes line up for a late-game jam. Photo credit: Mr. Michael D.
Watching the end of the first game from the sidelines, the Crazy Eights and Maiden Milwaukee joined in the hugs and congratulations after the final score was posted. As a league, all the players skate together, and the Shevil Knevils’ first win ever was cause for a group celebration. Who knows … maybe the Shevils had a little help from their recently departed namesake.
The two other semifinal teams skated with renewed energy, but the game remained tight for the first five minutes of the second half. With the Crazy Eights jammer in the box, Maiden Milwaukee took a 48-41, only to see their jammer head to the box as well. After eight jams and with 6:38 left, the Crazy Eights had come back to hold a slim 53-52 lead. Jam number nine featured a tremendous eight player pile-up. Remarkably (and fortunately!) everyone was able to get up and finish the jam. The Crazy Eights were able to tweak out points in tight jams, and grew their lead to 61-55. With two Eights skaters in the box, Rejected Seoul closed the gap to 63-59 with one minute remaining.
Jamming for Maiden Milwaukee, the Romaniac played to the crowd, as she had done all night and all season long. This rookie skater, the twin sister of Rat City’s Comet Atcha, shows great talent as both a pack player and jammer as well as great derby attitude. But kudos aside, the Crazy Eights didn’t care about her attitude. Romaniac grabbed the lead, closely shadowed by the Eights’ The Mechanic. Both defenses bottled up and laid out the opposing jammers as they came through to score, and after time ran out, no one in the crowd knew who had won. As with the first semi-final, the crowd had to wait for the final tally and then some. In the end, the Crazy Eights were headed to the finals with the Shevil Knevils with a 66-62 win.
The second Brewcity season comes to an end on Saturday, January 26th — the 2-2 Crazy Eights go up against the 1-3 Shevil Knevils for the 2007 season championship, while the 3-1 Rushin’ Rollettes will have to settle for a shot at third place against the 2-2 Maiden Milwaukee.