Rosebuds roll to 4-0 over Galaxy Girls 190-92

All season long, the Rosebuds have displayed an impressive array of both offensive and defensive weapons, confounding their opponents with dazzling pack work, jammers both strong and speedy, and a seemingly unwavering focus on the track.  The Galaxy Girls have also been an incredible, physical presence able to strike quickly and take advantage of opportunities.  Saturday was no different.

It started off with the Galaxy Girls being blanked over a period of 5 jams.  Lilly Lightning, Dislykher and Flyin' Hawaiian could not seem to find the combination for the wall safe that was the Rosebuds' pack. With Lilly Lightning on the receiving end of some "love" from the referees, the Buds found themselves with multiple power jam opportunities and bolted to 31-5 within the first few minutes of the bout.

And that was not about to stop.  The Galaxy Girls found themselves either chasing the Buds' jammers and forcing early call offs, or being forced to call off their own.  Neither team seemed to be able to get much when both jammers were on the track. 0's, 3's and 2's dotted the score sheet, but when opportunities arose, the Rosebuds were able to capitalize in grand form, posting up multi-pass jams.  They just weren't seeming to give the Galaxy Girls those same opportunities.

Jam after jam, these two teams were battling in the pack, holding back jammers and each other, pulling out every stop (I even saw some interesting use of trickery, faking out a blocker who had been hit out of bounds by pretending to be the one who did the deed).  It was an amazing display of blocker prowess.  Galaxy was beginning to slowly claw back the points until about half way through the first half when the Girls gave up a 20 point power jam which put the Rosebuds up by 47 points.  The battle continued, but the Buds were on top 87-43 at the half.

The second half saw more of the same tough, physical play as the first.  The Galaxy Girls were fighting hard and matching the Rosebuds point for point.  In fact, until the last few minutes of the game if you took into account only the second half, Portland only had a 1 point advantage (44 - 45).  The last four jams saw the Galaxy Girl jammer in the box, allowing a 58 -8 point romp by the Rosebuds.  When the final whistle blew, the Buds took the first lap with the scoreboard reading 192 - 90.

Three cheers for Portland -

Sumthang Sassy- This skater was amazing on the jammer line.  With 2, 20+ point jams to her credit, she contributed in a very big way. 

Jesus Feist - While she did get a good power jam with 15 points of her own, Jesus was, as usual, a force in the pack.  With opening for her jammer and multiple assists, as well as big hits, Jesus gets the second cheer.

 Tempest Fuget - Always a force in the pack, Tempest was off particular note as a leader amongst blockers.  With multiple stops and big hits to her credit, she is my pick for the third cheer

Three cheers for Seattle -

Rosie D Kreamher - Two shoulders, no waiting.  One jam saw her sweep left and remove half the Buds' blocker corps, then sweep right and remove the other half.  Holy wow, this girl can hit!

Evil O - Also a force ion the pack with jammer stops and big hits of her own, Evil O deserves some serious recognition.  Her ingenuity should also be recognized.  the second cheer goes to Evil O!

Beatin' Bambi - In a game that did not see a lot of bright spots for the Galaxy jammers, Bambi seemed to have the Buds' number.  An 87% lead jammer rate (7 of 8) definitely earns her the final star for the Galaxy Girls.

NOTE!

The I-5 Roller Girls pulled out a tough bout against the Reservoir Dolls 163 - 141 to gain a solid hold of second place for the season. Congratulations, I-5!

It's almost July! SO MUCH DERBY!

Last weekend, there was an awesome bout between the Portland Rosebuds and the Reservoir Dolls. While I was not there, someone else was and wrote an awesome article about it.

That bout set up this weekend's A team bouts so very nicely!  With three teams (I5, SDB and the Rosebuds) completing their divisional play schedules this weekend, the picture in July is beginning to take shape!  remember that the tournament in July is seeded based on the rankings in the regular season with the first place team getting a bye in the first round.

First up is the Rose City Rosebuds v SDB Galaxy Girls.  The Buds are going into this weekend 3-0 in A team play (and undefeated in all play this season... 5-0?).  Galaxy has lost one game, against I-5, right at the beginning of their season putting them at 2-1.  Should they win against Rose City, both teams will be at 3-1.  But that's not all!

I-5 is travelling down to Eugene this weekend to play against the Reservoir Dolls themselves.  Also at 2-1, an I-5 win there along with an SDB win would give us a three way tie for first, meaning the tie-breakers agreed on at the beginning of the season would take effect.

But what if I5 and SDB lose?  Then we have a two way tie for second (with both teams at 2-2), with a potential three way tie when the Dolls finish off their season at the end of June against Kitsap.

So, in short, there are a lot of fun scenarios heading into July.  This weekend is going to be one to watch!  I will be at the SDB v Rose City game, through I wish I could clone myself and be in both places this weekend.  It's going to be exciting!

As if that weren't enough Junior derby for the weekend, Port Scandalous Roller Punks are taking on the Cherry Bomb Brawlers from Spokane in Port Orchard this weekend.  Right, I need 3 of me?  No, 4.  My own SJRD girls are participating in a 15 minute positional expo at the OWRD bout on Sunday.

Oh, and just because, here's an awesome video Jesus Feist made.

I5 B's win on the road against Lilac City Pixies 285-131

Photo by Bradley A Bartlett

Written by Shannon Green

The I5 Rollergirls traveled to Spokane to play against the Lilac City Pixies in their very first travel team bout of the season. The Pixies were very excited to represent east of the mountains and took their mission seriously. They faced a tough team but proved to be up for the challenge by leaving it all on the track.

Both on the track and off, each of these teams exuded good sportsmanship and positive attitudes.  Their strong communication and cohesiveness really stood out. 

I5’s persistent jammers and stand out blockers, such as Karmic Death, SyRum and Little Miss Chaos as well as big hitters Barbie Brutal and Helle Diablo proved a formidable foe.

Despite I5’s early lead the Lilac City Pixies did not give up, they fought hard throughout the entire bout bringing a strong defense and a great scoring run by Pulchritude Punk who gained lead jammer status and made a good comeback with multiple scoring passes on a single run.

Photo by Bradley A Bartlett

The Pixies held I5 to a 67-84 second half score. All in all, the Pixies put up a tenacious fight! They had a good mix of new and experienced skaters who communicated well in the pack. They put together some tough walls and delivered hard hits to the I5 jammers, throughout the entire bout making the I5 team step up to the challenge every time they stepped on the track.

In the end, the I5 B’s took the victory lap with a final score of 285-131

Three cheers for Lilac City

Tap Out-She played a strong first half and earned herself the MVP. She gained lead jammer status on several of her jams and battled her way through multiple walls.

Ferjinja-Also a strong jammer for Lilac City Pixies, she proved to be a strong fighter with endurance to withstand multiple jams for her team.

Feisty-This blocker was everywhere, great lateral movement and communication skills combined with the ability to make solid hits on the jammer on almost every run made her stand out as leader in the pack. She is a force to reckon with.

Three cheers for I5

Maky Splatterhead A solid jammer who made several multi-pass jams with remarkable endurance to not only jam a total of 8 jams but also score 85 points for her team 26 of which were in one scoring run.

Tiny Terror- She was able to gain lead jammer in every one of her jams and put up a solid 70 points for her team. She found her holes and even delivered some solid hits in the pack.

Re Pound Skull- A fantastic blocker with multiple big hits and holes made for her jammers. She has great pack awareness and timing along with solid hitting skills that her allowed her jammers to slide by on a friendly side.

Rosebuds move to 2-0 record, win 180-130 over KDB



Photo by Axle Adams

Sunday before last, I once again found myself on the ferry headed to Sk8 Town in Port Orchard.  This time, I was headed over to see two of my favorite squads battle it out: a revitalized Kitsap team and the Rose City Rosebuds in what promised to be a great game.  I was not disappointed.

The dancing started before the first whistle, and didn't stop.  That's right, this bout had 100% more dancing.  I ask you, who can possibly be disappointed by that?!

And there was roller derby!

Photo by Axle Adams

The Rosebuds came out quick, hitting for a quick 9 points before KDB found their footing... and find it they did, outscoring the Buds 19-3 over the next three jams on the back of a 15 point power jam effort by Punches and Cream.  They would maintain it for three more jams before the Buds put on a power jam clinic of their own and seized the lead back 34-30.

Not satisfied with a four point lead,  they widened thing up against Kitsap for a further 4 jams while the Kitsap jammer racked up three separate penalty minutes. At the end of the 14th jam they had completed a 7 jam, 53-5 run.  KDB managed to claim a few points back, but the penalty minutes had hurt them badly.  At the end of the half, the Buds stood tall, 80-50.

The second half started and it was quickly clear the Buds were firing on all cylinders as Jesus Feist snagged lead in the first jam over a stymied Punches and Cream and put up two grand slams the hard way, lapping the full pack.  Two jams later, her sister, Foxy Shazam, decided that her sister's feat looked pretty fun and put up one more 5 pointer, but  Red Rager had managed to break through the pack and forced her to call it after gaining only four on her second pass.

From here on out, it was a slugfest.  Once again, jammer penalties took their toll on the Kitsap team, allowing the Rosebuds to widen the lead to as much as 70 points.  Kitsap took advantage of some last minute penalties on behalf of the Buds, but they were unable to overcome the gap.  The final whistle gave the victory to the Portland Rosebuds, 180-130.

Three cheers for Portland -

Jesus Feist - She straight out lit up the stats at this game:  jamming, blocking, and dancing.  While I have lost my notebook containing the game's notes, I can recall that she led the entire game in blocker stats (openings and stops with a good smattering of assists).  And in her jamming stats and the grand slams opening the second half, and she has earned her cheer in spades.

Foxy Shazam - With an impressive 71% lead jammer rate and over 30 points to her credit, Foxy Shazam was a force to reckoned with when she had "the star upon hars."  For her jamming awesomeness, Foxy gets cheer number two for the Buds!

Little Bo Weep - 55 points, multiple non-penalty grand slams and getting through the pack to force the call off when you don't get lead?  That's a damned fine jammer in my book!  Little Bo Weep has proven herself wortthy of cheer number three!


Three cheers for Kitsap -

Gaines Slayer - Once again, I lost my notebook for this game, but 888 was a number I was writing next to quite a lot as I kept the blocker stats.  She's got hit after hit, and she doesn't seem to be likely to be played out of them any time soon.  It's a thrill to watch as she sets up and lets the blockers fly, all in the name of getting her jammer through for the score.

Punches N Cream - In a game that saw half of the Kitsap jammers held below ten points for the game, TKO managed to rack up 38 points in four jams, averaging 9.5 points per jam. That takes some serious effort.  Punches definitely wins cheer two for KDB!

Red Rager - While also garnering her share of the blocker stats, it is her 20 point power jam at the end of the game which brought her team back from a 70 point deficit which earns her this final star.  Can you say triple threat?  I knew you could!

Coming soon!  I5 B team played a couple of games recently against the Spokane Pixies and the Port Scandalous roller punks.  Stats have been retained and are being scoured.

Also of note!  The I5 v Reservoir Doll game April 28th has been cancelled, I await word on the rescheduled date.

Photo by Axle Adams

Featured Skater for April 2012 - Jesus Feist!



Jesus Feist gives a whip to Foxy, Photo by Axle Adams

Jesus Feist lit up the actions list last game, and every game I have seen her in so far this season.  Always a blocking powerhouse, her knowledge of derby has grown by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years.  At 15, she looks to be a feared force in the pack for the Rosebuds for quite some time to come!

At the Big O, I had the opportunity to announce with Mike Chex, who declared Jesus Feist to be one of the smartest derby players he has seen.  I must agree.  She has an uncanny ability to stop on a dime, predict where the jammer will be, and help her team get there as well. 

Photo by Axle Adams

Ms Feist kindly agreed to answer some questions, so without further ado, I give you Jesus Feist!

NWJRDBlog: At what age did you start skating?
JF - My first practice was on March 7th 2010. I was 13.

NWJRBlog: So what brought you to roller derby?
JF - My mother Darcie McIntosh, did merch for RCR home team the Break Neck Betties back when the league was in its 1st or 2ond season. She is also friends with former RCR skater Rita Riot. The first bout I ever saw was on June 23 2007. I remember really liking it, but I don't think I ever saw myself playing the sport. Derby wasn’t brought up much after my mom stopped working merch. Until a former classmate and new neighbor (Cheese Grater of Despair) brought up she skated for the Rose City Rosebuds! I knew then that I wanted to join along with my sister Sydney McIntosh (now known as Foxy Shazam). On the day of tryouts, I was really scared and even decided I wasn’t going to skate once we got out of the car. My sister and Grater found me skates to borrow that day and practically forced me on the track. Getting on the track that day despite my fear, was the smartest decision I have ever made.

NWJRDBlog: Before roller derby, did you have any experience playing any other sports? Or did you follow any other sports?
JF - Oh boy did I ever! About 3 or 4 years B.F. (Before Feist) I attempted to play Soccer, Basketball and Volley Ball. To say the least...none of them worked out. I think the main reason I didn’t stick with any of the other sports was the lack of community. We didn’t work as a family or even a team. It was mostly about egos. There was the star player and that was it. The Rosebuds have been my family since day one. They taught me no matter what stepping stone you are at in your roller derby carrier you are an important part of the team. I remember after my first day A-Shock came over to me and gave me a huge hug and told me how excited she was that there team was getting more new girls. That was when I knew I would be skating till I died.

NWJRDBlog: What are some of your favorite memories about skating with your team?
JF - A memory I will carry forever was getting the opportunity to travel with my team to Denver CO, to play the Rocky Mountain Roller Punks! It was such an honor to travel so far with the people I love so much, to play the sport we all live to play. Being able to meet and become friends with skaters our age from further away from our state was unreal. We created new sisters that weekend that we will have forever! Another would be after the I5 vs Rosebuds Bout at WWS 2012. Watching the last jam from the bench and seeing everyone in the building jump up in pure jubilation at the last seconds upon seeing we had won. That feeling right there is beyond anything I have ever experienced. That bout was one of the best bouts you could ever have the honor to skate in.

NWJRDBlog: Who are some of the skaters, junior or otherwise, you look up to?
JF - This one is going to be hard... I look up to so many skaters worldwide. But I have a special place in my heart for my lovely ladies on Rose City! I think the skaters I look up to the most would be my coaches! I am so thankful for every skater that dedicates time to help our Jr teams grow stronger and smarter on the track. Other skaters I look up to a lot would be Cadillac #V8 and Hurricane Skatrina #82 for their physical and just overall amazing blocking skills. As well as Scald Eagle #50 for her heart stopping footwork and agility on the track! I hope to one day have the pleasure of skating alongside these fabulous women!

NWJRDBlog: Which is your favorite team to play against and why?
JF - I don’t know that I have a favorite. I enjoy skating with and against everyone! Though I really like seeing how our team plays against I5 throughout the season. Its always a challenge, you never know what the end score will be when we face each other in battle. Also the girls on that team are just such sweethearts!

NWJRDBlog: I think many people have seen your movies on Youtube. Any plans for a new feature?
JF - Oh man are we really going to break into this youtube thing? Ha-ha :) Yes for those who haven’t seen Ms. Jesus at her finest, I like to dance, and I dance a lot! So much that I decided to leave the camera on one day and crank the radio. This resulted in something so ridiculous that I said “Why not embarrass yourself further and put these videos on Youtube!” As far as a new feature goes, I think more Con Bro Chill and 80’s music videos. That’s the stuff that really gets me dancing!

NWJRDBlog: When you're not doing derby, what do you do for fun?
JF - Well, like I said before, I really like to dance! Belly dancing, and hoop dancing have been something I have been trying to tackle for the past year now. Both are a lot of fun!

NWJRDBlog: What advice would you give skaters just starting out in Jr. Derby?
JF - To every new Jr skater or girls who are thinking of entering the beautiful world of the derbz, first things first, to all those who don’t think they can do it, DONT GIVE UP! This sport is full of so many talented skaters that got where they are now because of years of training! As much as you think Bonnie Thunders was born with a set of mini skates laced on her feet, you are wrong. It takes time, and remember, everyone learns at different paces! Once you reach your skating goals, SURPRISE there will be more to learn! The most important thing is (drum roll)...have fun! It might sound cliché, but really it’s so much easier to learn when you’re in a good mood, and what gets a bigger smile on your face that dancing? Really dancing makes everything better. Keep skating and keep dancing!

Photo by Axle Adams

~ Jesus Feist ;)

Bout preview: KDB vs Rosebuds 4/15/2012

This Saturday, I will be going to bed early. Why??  Because I have to catch the ferry at 8:30 in the morning... to go see the Kitsap Derby Brats defend their home turf, Sk8 Town in Port Orchard, against the the girls in purple, the Rose City Rosebuds! 10:00 am will find me with a clipboard and notebook in hand, ready to watch the action as Red Rager and Scream Cheese battle it out in the pack to give their jammers an opening.

Known for some fierce, smart and physical play, the Rosebuds are going to be a formidable foe.  With one win under their belts against the dominant I-5 Rollergirls, the Buds will want to roll back south with a 2-0 record.  Very heads up play and teamwork in the pack allowed them to shut down their previous opponent, and I will be looking for that to happen again.  Of course, they may have a little more trouble against a larger, more physical team.  Whereas I-5 relies more on speed and finesse (as befits the stature of a lot of their jammers), Kitsap seems to be going more for the Rosebuds style and bringing on the hits.

The Kitsap Derby Brats are really gelling as a team this season, and showed marked improvements between their game against SDB and I-5.  I look for them to continue that trend and give Portland as good as they get in the pack.  In the end, I think this one is going to come down to stamina and penalties.

Ones to watch -

Jesus Feist - I have been very impressed with Jesus thus far this season.  She has got some of the smartest play I have seen and is seemingly expert at causing misses and drawing cutting penalties through her very quick stops.

Mad Medic - This KDB senior is in her last season in Junior Derby, and the experience she has on  the track is translating into some seriously scary skills.  She tends more toward the stops than the big hits, and is a crucial force in KDB's pack.

Kitsap Roster:
AliSin Wonderslam, Champ Pain, Chewbecca, Gaines Slayer, Kae-oss, Krissy Karnage, Little Mean Sunshine, Mad Medic, Punches & Cream, Red Rager, Stabby Gabby, T Pain, Whamsday Adams

Alternates: Battle Kat and Carma Kick Sass

Rosebuds Roster:
Scream Cheese, Eve Iscerate, Root of All Evil, Bleeda Ford, Vanilla Distract, Cheese Grater of Despair, Tempest Fugit, Medulla OblonGotchya, Little Bo Weep, Shank You very Much, Foxy Shazam, Slamnesia, Jesus Feist, Painbow Frights

Alternates were not declared on the roster I received from Portland

Also This Weekend!

The I5 Roller Girls B team is heading to Spokane to bout against the Spokane Pixies!  Look for a guest blogger to bring a recap of that bout! 

I am looking for folks to bring more coverage of the B team and independant junior bouts going on here in the Northwest, because they need some blog love, too!

Featured skater for March: Red Rager!

Red Rager, Photo by Eric Korn

Welcome to the first featured skater article for 2012!  For March, the skater I have chosen is one I have watched develop for the past few years, and who I think has a very bright future in derby, both junior and beyond: Kitsap Derby Brats’ Red Rager.

Red is a leader on her team, offering some intense and intimidating blocking in the pack and acting as a tough, physical jammer when the demand arises.  She was definitely part of Kitsap’s successes last Sunday against I-5.

She also has been spending some time coaching for the Kistap Tootsy Rollers, teaching the next generation of Kitsap superstars.

I had a chance to send Red some questions, which she graciously agreed to answer.  Thanks, Red, and I look forward to see you skating against Portland!

NWJRDBlog:  At what age did you start skating?
RR:  I started when I was thirteen, almost fourteen, in November of 2009 is when I went to my first derby practice and started to really roller skate. It was right after the movie Whip It came out, and I saw the Slaughter County Halloween bout which is what really spiked my interest.

NWJRDBlog:  Before roller derby, did you have any experience playing any other sports? Or did you follow any other sports?
RR: I used to play soccer for a couple years but had to take some time off because of an injury. When I found derby I was already looking at other sports, like football and wrestling to join. It was by chance that I saw Champ Pain at the Slaughter County bout and she told me about Jr. Roller Derby.

NWJRDBlog:  What are some of your favorite memories about skating with your team?
RR:  My first practices are some of my favorites; I could barely skate and looked like a new born giraffe on ice. Then when I finally got the hang of staying up, I was whaled on by all the veterans and they never let up, but they made me who I am and wouldn't change that. There was also a bout last season where our team was skating against I-5, we were so in sync that we felt unstoppable, we lost but we sure played our hearts out. Whenever our team plays well and we can put up a fight against any team those are my favorite memories.

NWJRDBlog:  Who are some of the skaters, junior or otherwise, you look up to?
RR: I look up to any well playing, sportsman-like skater who plays for the love of the sport. I look up to the people who love to play.  Rollen Dirty from Slaughter County was someone I admired before she retired, and Darth Maulher also from Slaughter, she’s unstoppable.

NWJRDBlog:  Which is your favorite team to play against and why?
RR: I would have to say I-5 because they are such a challenge. They pull strategies and plans out of who knows where and it makes us have to rethink our own plans and really live in the moment. They really put us to the test and help us better ourselves. We're also starting to catch up, so watch out! KDB is always ready. ;)

NWJRDBlog:  I noticed you were working with the Tootsie Rollers at the bout last weekend.  What's your favorite part of coaching?
RR:  I love spending time with the girls; they are the highlight of my day. Thunderstuck is a really great coach for them and working with other KDB Brats is really fun. When the Tootsies can pull off what we've been teaching them (like the snowplows and falling small) I'm really proud of our girls and that’s the best feeling.

NWJRDBlog:  When you're not doing derby, what do you do for fun?
RR:  Mostly homework, I have a lot of art projects do and I try to finish those, but my friends and I really like to knit. I'm kind of a hermit and I don't like to leave my house but when I do I like to thrift shop or go to dollar skate night.

NWJRDBlog:  What advice would you give skaters just starting out in Jr. Derby?

RR:  Don't be afraid of the sport, you are the only one holding yourself back. Take chances and treat this sport like any other sport you would play, with respect.