In a reverse of last years WFTDA tournament, the East took 3 of the 4 final spots represented by Philly, Windy City, and GOTHAM (dum dum dum). Only Texas survived from the West, although the B.A.D. gals gave Philly a run for the money. Last year only Carolina made it from the East with Texas, Rat City, and Kansas City from the West. It has been clear that the East was no longer the weaker division, and this has been made clear at the Northwest Knockdown. Here's a snapshot of yesterday's action.
Windy City (E2) v. Rat City (W3)My pre-season champion prediction was Rat City. I expected that they would be hungry to avenge thier loss to Kansas and prove they could play without the massive fouling problem that sometimes troubles them. They also would have "home court" advantage, as I expected a massive turnout in Portland. Well...not so much.
Rat City jumped out ahead in the first jam 12-4. Then a combination of Windy City prowess and Rat City fouling resulted in a 33-0 run in the next 8 jams for Windy City. Unlike the Western Regionals, where Rat City did pretty well in staying out of the penalty box, they seemed to self-destruct early. Windy City took advantage, including a 13-0 jam by Shocka Conduit in the 3rd jam. Rat City finally had 8 more in the 10th jam, where there was no lead jammer, and they had a power jam for a portion. After 10, it's WCR 37, RCRG 20. The trend continued. Windy City played well. Rat City self-destructed. Kola Loka (WCR) added a 10-0 run in the 12th, and 15-0 in the 14th. While Shocka (WCR) was 4-0 in the 13th. Injury was added to this 29-0 run against Rat City when Femme Fatale was ejected for the bout after the 13th jam. After 14 jams, it's WCR 20, RCRG 66. Rat City finds some solace with a 14-4 run in the last two jams by Carmen Getsome and Ann R. Kissed to close it to WCR 70, RCRG 34 at half time.
With the start of Period 2, it didn't take long to see that RCRG had not shaken off whatever was in thier heads from Period 1. Constant penalty box action, and Windy City put the hammer down. It was WCR 135, RCRG 55 after the 10th jam of P2. The MASSIVE RCRG crowd was stunned and the very vocal and energetic WCR fans were going wild. Chants of "Windy City Rocks" would ring out. Also, in the 8th jam, Kola Loka tied the tournament scoring record set at Western Regionals (Kamikaze Kim & Snot Rocket), by going 25-0. Windy City owned this and went 87-29 in P2. Home court was no advantage for Rat City, and they seemed to have lost the discipline they showed at the Western Regionals. Windy City advances to play Texas.
Philly (E3) v. B.A.D. Girls (W2)A game of two halves. The first period saw Philly getting the jump on the B.A.D. Girls ("We're nice" from thier headbands). An 8-0 by Mo Pain (Philly) in the first jam, then 10-0 by Mo agains in the 4th, and Philly had jumped to a Philly 28, B.A.D. 9 lead. Scoring would slow for the next several jams as Teflon Donna, Mo Pain, and Shenita Stretcher scored 19 for Philly, as Liza Machete, and Kit Turbo added 5 for B.A.D. Philly builds the lead up in Jam #11 with Mo Pain on a 14-0 against Brawlen Angel (B.A.D.). Then back to trade offs for the rest of the period. By the end of P1 (18 jams), it's Philly 75, B.A.D 44. With Pia Mess fouling out in the 15th jam.
Bay Area turned it around in the second. Locking Philly up defensively they only allowed 32 second half Philly points. As the B.A.D. girls kept Philly's scoring controlled, they crawled back into it, reducing the lead to Philly 94, B.A.D. 68 after 10 jams, and then after 19 jams and only time for one jam left, it's Philly 103, B.A.D. 84. Philly just needs to prevent a massive jam by B.A.D and they should have it. Guess what. Mo Pain lines up against Kit Turbo (in her final bout). Both jammers get through and Kit is the Lead Jammer. B.A.D. controls when this jam will end. At some point, Mo is sent to the penalty box and Kit Turbo lights off. She has a power jam to finish this bout. As Kit calls off the jam, the scoreboard shows 103-103. Kit had scored 19 points. The announcers were shouting to wait for the update as any points from Mo had not been posted yet. After a very long pause as the officials reviewed everything, they confirmed Mo had 4 points before going to the penalty box. Philly dodges a BIG bullet, and wins Philly 107, B.A.D 103. Philly advances to play Gotham, in a repeat of the Eastern Semi-Final action.
Texas (W1) V. Windy City (E2)This is another crazy bout. These two teams were very evenly matched and it showed. The largest point differential was 15 points for the whole bout, and neither team kept a double digit lead for more than one jam. While Rice Rocket (TXRG) scored first (2-0), Eva Dead (WCR)responded with a 12-0 jam in the second jam. The fight was on, as the teams were tied at 13 by Jam #4, and no score in Jam #5. Lucille Brawl exploded for 14-0 in Jam #6 for the biggest Texas lead of the bout. Windy City responded by turning a power jam into 9 unanswered points by Shocka Conduit. Jam #8 goes 8-5 for Texas and ends in a Jammerless Jam as Rice Rocket and then Kola Loka visit the Sin Bin. After 10 jams, it's Texas 39, WCR 29. Texas would build the lead to 13 points after 12. Then Windy City clawed back, holding Texas to only 4 points for the remainder of the period. Meanwhile, Kola Loka, Eva Dead, Athena DeCrime, and would each get Lead Jammer and add 11 points to close it to 4 points, Texas 45, WCR 40. Kola Loka would put WCR ahead to end the period in the 17th, with a 9-0 power jam, while Morphine cooled her jets in the box. It's Texas 45, WCR 49 at the end of one. This could go either way.
Windy City came out in the second and extended their lead. An early 11-0 jump over the first two jams created thier largest lead of the bout, 15 points. Texas responded with a 12-3 jam that had no Lead Jammer between Rice Rocket and Shocka Conduit. Ying O' Fire adds 2 for WCR in the 4th jam and it's Texas 57, WCR 65. Texas gets Lead Jammer for the next three jams and re-takes the lead including a 10-2 run by Rice Rocket. It goes back and forth for a couple of jams, and Texas is ahead by only 2 after the 10th P2 jam, Texas 78, WCR 76. Texas extends their lead in the 11th with a 5-0 run by Rice Rocket. Windy City would then control the jams with Lead Jammer status for all of the remaining regulation jams. While Texas has a 5-4 jam in the 12th, WCR would close over the remaining jams. Taking advantage of power jams in the 13th and 14th, Eva Dead and Kola Loka close it to Texas 88, WCR 86. No score in the 15th. Malice With Chains jams for the first time for WCR in the 16th against Lucille Brawl. Malice has Lead Jammer and is victorious with a 5-3 jam to tie it up at 91. There is time for only one more jam in regulation. Rice Rocket for Texas and Kola Loka for Windy City are on the line. Shortly into the jam Rice Rocket is sent to the Penalty Box and Kola has power jam. Texas swarms on Kola and she finally emerges with Lead Jammer status and calls it. Regulation is over, and it's a tie. Overtime jam, and Texas starts with thier jammer in the box. After a pause to ensure it's all sorted out. Kola lines up agains for WCR, and Rice Rocket is still in the PB. In overtime jams, scoring occurs with the first pass and Kola whips through the pack. Rice Rocket emerges and gets through for some points, and is then sent to the PB again. Kola ends up with 19 to Rice's 4, and WCR wins in overtime, Texas 95, WCR 110. WCR advances to the championship bout.
Gotham (E1) v. Philly (E3)So far Gotham has shown why they are called the "Beast Of The East" with what can only be called a dismantling of Duke City. Philly played Gotham to a final jam in the Eastern regionals and have an oppurtunity to exact revenge. What can I say. Gotham is on a mission. Similar to the Duke City bout. Gotham disrupted the Philly defense throughout the bout while Bonnie Thunders, Suzy Hotrod, and Cheap Skate show why they are considered some of the best jammers around. Gotham takes the lead from the first jam following thier usual rotation of interchanging Bonnie and Suzy with spots by Cheap Skate and sometimes Fisti Cuffs (Yeah Fisti!). Philly could not score until the 5th jam in a power jam situation, making it Gotham 14, Philly 5. No score in the 5th. Gotham added 13 points over the next 5 jams, and held Philly scoreless until jam #10 where Philly finally had 5 more points. This would be the second of only three jams where Philly scored in the first period. It's Gotham 27, Philly 10. The Gotham machine then went into gear, and scored in every jam but two of the remaining 19 jams. Gotham would add 56 points. Philly had a 9-0 jam by Mo Pain in jam # 13 for the last scoring they would see. At the end of P1, Gotham 83, Philly 19.
Gotham continued the onslaught in the second period. Philly was held scoreless for the first 11 jams of P2, finally scoring 3 points in Jam #12 of P2. Meanwhile, Gotham had built the lead to Gotham 168, Philly 22. Philly continued to fight and had small scores by Mo Pain, Teflon Donna, Robin Drugstores, and Shenita Stretcher, adding 18 points through the 16th jam. Philly was also able to work Gotham into a no scoring dry spell over jams 11 to 15. Small scoring for both teams to wrap it up, with the final Gotham 189, Philly 52. Gotham dismantles Philly almost as efficiently as they did Duke City, and Gotham advances to play Windy City for the Championship. It's a repeat of the Eastern Regionals matchup.
Today starts with Philly v. Texas in the grudge match. Then, we'll see if WCR can figure out how to stop the Gotham Beast. Look for the live feeds at DNN:
http://www.derbynewsnetwork.com/leadjammerSorry 'bout any typos, but got's to go. Derby awaits.
Don B.
