Jersey Shore and Boston B-Party Recap
An excellent showing this weekend for the travel teams of Providence Roller Derby, the Rhode Island Riveters and the Killah Bees! The Riveters defeated the Jersey Shore Roller Girls All-Stars 256 to 44. The Killah Bees lost to the Boston Derby Dames B-Party 161 to 148.
The first in a series of upcoming double headers for Providence, Saturday’s games in Narragansett started off with a match-up between two A-travel teams, the Riveters and the Jersey Shore All-Stars. The game unfolded without too many surprises given the teams’ rankings (Providence is currently ranked #13 in the East to Jersey Shore’s 23rd). Despite missing the reliable stylings of veteran blocker Cleo Patronize for the second time this season, and losing transfer charmer Milla LowLife midway through the first half due to injury, the Riveters’ defensive walls still proved too strong for Jersey Shore’s…situation. The game also marked the grand return of glam-thug Trophy Knife after a years absence from the roster, and noteworthy reliability from Ruca A. Salt, Hit and Run Paulene and everyone’s favorite breakout bundle of speed, Small Wonder.
The real show of the evening was the second bout, pitting Providence’s Killah Bees, our B-travel team, against Boston Derby Dames’ B-travel team, the Boston B-Party. Boston took the lead early and held it for the first five or six jams. After a wise time-out midway through the first period called by rookie Bees Coach OCDeliah, the Bees worked the clock to their advantage, forcing fast jam starts by positioning themselves on their knees immediately in front of both jammers, a strategy called “jammer line starts” popularized last year by trailblazers Gotham Girls Roller Derby. The Bees controlled the back of the pack for the rest of the first half, making up a fifty-point deficit to take the lead at the half.
Momentum changed again when Bees jammer Rhoda Perdition was sent to the penalty box in the first jam of the second period. Taking advantage of that power jam, Boston also adapted their pack play to the Bees strategy, earning them a string of lead jammer calls and control of the score. Again the Bees clawed their way back to within fighting distance bolstered by the pack leadership of veteran Riveter/Bee swing players as well as new additions Citizen Toxie, transfers Luce Cannon and Smoke ‘N Mirrors, and returned PRD alumna Jean Harlot. Rhoda Perdition found redemption in the last jam of the game, a power jam to Providence’s advantage. Her scoring passes brought the Bees back to within 14 points of clinching it! We’ll get you next time Trebek….
The Riveters play next May 5th at the Thayer Arena in Warwick. The Bees play next on April 28th in New York.
