NEW YORK, NY -- In the first game of an interleague doubleheader, the Brooklyn Bombshells and Montreal Roller Derby’s All-Stars, The New Skidz on the Block, battled it out to the last jam, but Brooklyn took it in a thrilling finish, 90-85. In the second game, the Manhattan Mayhem cruised to a 95-48 victory over Providence Roller Derby’s travel team, the Rhode Island Riveters.

Brooklyn 90, Montreal 85


2008 hasn’t been the kindest year to the Brooklyn Bombshells. Winless for the regular season and saddled with injuries, the Bombshells fielded a roster of only 10 skaters, two of whom (Julietta Vendetta and Carebear Scare) are recent transfers who guest-skated for Brooklyn until they receive their formal team placements before the 2009 season. Nevertheless, the sailorettes were eager to face Montreal in the first international matchup in GGRD history. Montreal’s New Skidz on the Block is in its second season of competition, and imported a full roster of 14.

Brooklyn’s Lil’ Red Terror started the bout at the jammer line against Montreal captain Georgia W. Tush. Red sped through the pack and around again before Tush could escape the Bombshell blockers, scoring a quick 5-0 grand slam. Montreal’s Iron Wench answered with 4 points in the next jam to Aunti Christ’s 3 points, but Brooklyn already was starting to pull away as the score stood at 18-12 after 5 jams. In jam #6, Ani DiSpanco continued her amazing recovery from injury, putting 15 points on the board as Montreal’s Beater Pan-Tease sat out a minute in the box. Brooklyn’s resulting 21-point lead would be their largest of the evening.

The rest of the 20-minute first period continued with Montreal and Brooklyn trading lead jammer status and scoring small 3 or 4 point jams. However, the last jam of the first period was a devastating exception. Facing off at jammer against Ani DiSpanco, Montreal’s Iron Wench scored a whopping 25 points as Brooklyn filled the penalty box. Montreal’s blockers separated the two remaining Brooklyn blockers on the track, surrounding them and slowing them down as Iron Wench breezed through the pack again and again. The once-sizable Brooklyn lead was now nonexistent, and the half concluded with Montreal leading, 55-46.

In the second period, the Bombshells fought back, keeping Montreal within striking distance. Brooklyn’s walls of blockers proved to be an effective defense, corralling the Canadians for several scoreless jams. As the clock ticked down, managers T-Stop Tornado and Casey Strangle knew they had to use their time wisely to plan their final strike.

With a mere 7 seconds on the clock and the score 83-79 in favor of Montreal, Brooklyn called a time out, ensuring that a last jam could be squeezed in. The Bombshells assigned the star to Ani DiSpanco, as Montreal hoped for another big jam from Iron Wench. Brooklyn’s Hela Skelter, Papierschnitt, and retirees Lil’ Red Terror and Chassis Crass held Iron Wench back long enough for Ani to obtain lead jammer status. Iron Wench managed to break through the pack and come back around to score two points, but was sent to the box for a major cutting the track penalty. Ani took the opportunity to score 11 points before two minutes ran out, sealing the Bombshells’ 90-85 victory.

Brooklyn / Montreal Stats

The MVP for Montreal was Iron Wench, whose 25-point jam and 55-point scoring total in 10 jams certainly earned her the honor. Other jammers for Montreal were Georgia W. Tush with 12 points in 7 jams, Beater Pan-Tease with 8 points in 2 jams, Izzy Skellington with 4 points in 2 jams. Lyn-dah Kicks and Wrath Poutine also made cameo appearances at jammer.

Aunti Christ garnered the MVP honor for Brooklyn, scoring 18 points in 4 jams but also demonstrating her blocking chops with 4 takedowns (1 on the jammer). Ani DiSpanco was the Bombshells’ scoring leader, with 29 points in 8 jams. Lil’ Red Terror (22 points, 7 jams) and Papierschnitt (21 points, 6 jams) rounded out the Brooklyn jammer lineup. At blocker, Montreal’s Lil’ Mama was a standout, as well as Izzy Skellington.

Brooklyn pivot Hela Skelter had a field day with 10 takedowns, 5 of which victimized the jammer. The aforementioned Aunti Christ and Raggedy Animal also successfully targeted the Montreal skaters. On a sentimental note, this bout marked the end of the skating careers of two original Gotham Girls, Lil’ Red Terror and league founder Chassis Crass, both of whom will be sorely missed.

Game 2: Manhattan vs. Providence

The Manhattan Mayhem has been riding high since their season-ending victory against the Brooklyn Bombshells. However, they faced Providence with their star jammer, rookie Em Dash, sidelined with a knee injury. Providence (ranked #23 in the WFTDA) sought to tune up their game before heading off to Eastern Regionals in just a few weeks.

Manhattan’s Polly Gone toed the line next to Providence’s Baby Fighterfly in the first jam. Polly busted her way through the pack to obtain lead jammer and scored a grand slam as Mayhem blockers kept Baby surrounded.

Up next were Fisti Cuffs for Manhattan and Hysterica for Providence. Fisti got lead and Hysterica was sent to the penalty box on a major cutting the track infraction, which allowed Fisti to score two grand slams, bringing the score to 15-0, Mayhem. Jetta Von Diesel put Providence on the board for the first time with a 4-4 tie in the 3rd jam. But from the beginning, this bout was all Manhattan, as Mayhem jammers obtained lead jammer in 8 out of the first period’s 11 jams. Fisti Cuffs closed out the first half with a 15-0 jam over F’Shizzy Borden as F’Shizzy waited out a minute in the penalty box, bringing the score to 60-27 at the break.

The second half was much like the first, with Manhattan jammers going for multiple scoring laps while Providence jammers were stymied by the Mayhem’s strong defense. Penalty trouble plagued Providence, with Trophy Knife making 4 visits to the penalty box (3 in consecutive jams) and others doing time, leaving the Riveters short-handed more often than not. Manhattan held Providence scoreless in 6 of the period’s 11 jams. Again, the story was all about Manhattan, showing their multiple strengths with a rotating cast of jammers filling the void left by the injured Em Dash. In the end, Manhattan dominated this 40-minute face-off by a score of 95-48.

Providence / Manhattan Stats

Hysterica led Providence’s jammers with 22 points in 7 jams, followed by Baby Fighterfly with 9 points in 6 jams, DaSilva Bullet with 8 points in 3 jams, Jetta Von Diesel with 6 points in 2 jams, and Craisy Dukes with 3 points in 3 jams. F’Shizzy Borden jammed once but did not score.

For Manhattan, Polly Gone was the scoring leader with 29 points in 8 jams, followed closely by Fisti Cuffs, who scored 28 points in 4 jams. Sweet Sherry Pie (16 points, 3.5 jams—GoGo BaiBai successfully passed the star to Pie early in the second half), Straight Razor (10 points, 2 jams), GoGo BaiBai (9 points, 1.5 jams), Lucille Ballistic (3 points, 3 jams), and Megahurtz (0 points, 1 jam) all made appearances at the line.

Retiring skater Regïna DenTata finished her derby career at jammer in the final jam of the evening. MVP Craisy Dukes, Burnin’ Helen, and Trophy Knife were all blocking standouts for Providence. Manhattan blockers of note were MVP Fisti Cuffs, GoGo BaiBai, Surly Temple and retiree Marlene Speedtrich, who displayed some of the best blocking of her career. Overall, the entire Manhattan team demonstrated their cohesiveness, fueling speculation that they will be the Gotham home team to beat in 2009.

Only one more game remains for Gotham Girls Roller Derby’s home season—the championship bout on October 25. The Queens of Pain take on the 2007 champion Bronx Gridlock as Queens guns for their 3rd overall title and Bronx tries to make it two in a row. Before that, though, the Gotham all-stars will be looking to repeat as Eastern Region champs at the WFTDA Eastern Regional tournament in Madison, WI from October 10-12.

Photos: BrendanMC