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| Galaxy Girls v Kitsap Derby Brats. Photo by Eric Korn |
This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to announce the first bout of the 2012 NW Junior travel team bouting season... and what a start it was! Kitsap came out strong, posting up an impressive run of lead jammers in the first few minutes of the game. They blasted into the lead 20-11 before SDB managed to gain their footing and find their stride... and find it they did!
Behind the jamming of Enurgizer Bunny, Lilly Lightning and Flyin' Hawaiian, the Galaxy Girls managed an impressive 36-0 scoring tear in the next several jams. After that, Kitsap never really seemed to string together enough of a scoring advantage to really bring themselves back. By the end of the game, Galaxy stood triumphant with a 192-101 victory.
But sometimes, the scoreboard does not show everything. That can be especially true in Junior Derby. While, yes, the Galaxy Girls were able to outscore Kitsap, the girls in yellow showed some true flashes of brilliance which easily matched pace with their opponents.
Red Rager was a terror on the track. Both as a blocker and a jammer she was a force to be reckoned with. I don't have the stats (I was announcing), but when I saw her with the star on her head, she got lead. When I saw her in the pack, someone was falling down with a healthy dose of being hit. Add to that the jamming antics of Mad Medic and Kae-Oss, and a pack that was just plain FIERCE and you have a team that should never be counted out. They gave as good as they got, and they never stopped playing.
3 stars for Kitsap:
Red Rager - As I mentioned, she was awesome with a star on and without. Raw power unleashed.
Mad Medic - Every time she slapped the star on her head, she was going to score. Period.
Kae-Oss - The core of the Kitsap jammer corps, in my opinion. Her ability to whip past the Galaxy pack on the first pass was unparalleled.
3 Stars for Galaxy:
Random Max of Violence - While last year saw Max doing a lot of jamming, this game her major strength was in her pack work. Jammers hit the floor and holes were opened. Her heads up play definitely allowed the Galaxy Girls' jammers to have a major amount of success.
Lilly Lightning - When Lilly hits the floor as a jammer, you know there's going to be a lot of speed, a lot of agility, and a lot of high flying action. She did not disappoint. She made blockers miss left and right as she made her way through the pack, and her uncanny knack for find a lane on the inside where there shouldn't be one is near miraculous.
Flyin' Hawaiian - This girl is just plain awesome. Her hits are big, her jamming is excellent and her abilities just seem to be getting better with each season. At 14, she's got another 4 years before hitting the bigs. Look out, adult derby, and in the mean time? Junior derby definitely has got a star.
Next up is Galaxy Girls vs I-5 Roller Girls on February 25th at Southgate Roller Rink. This is going to be a double header with the B squads getting in the mix! And if you are at the Big O make sure to go see the challenge track! Reservoir Dolls and Rosebuds will be hitting it out as well as Lava City coming over to join in the fun. It will depend on my announcing schedule, but I definitely want to get a look at this squad, as we've never even really met!
