SALT CITY ALL STARS SMASH COLORADO
by JEN PHILION (AKA: LADY SHATTERLY
The all-star Salt City Shakers team, made up of skaters from Salt City Derby Girls league, earned their first win of the season June 12, topping the Colorado FOCO league's all-star team, the Kung-fu Donnas of Girls Gone Derby from Fort Collins, 135-91.
“We knew going into the game that FOCO was a high-scoring league,” said Shakers coach Eric Kraan (aka El Brujo). “So we focused on a defensive strategy to try to throw them off their game.”
It worked.
The teams, unfamiliar to each other, were also facing another challenge: they were playing their first bouts under the new national Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) set of rules, which took effect in early July. Rule changes include differences in scoring and penalty enforcement, forcing leagues to not only adapt, but to learn new game strategies.
“Some of the changes, especially in scoring, are huge,” said Kraan. “Our jammers in particular had to go into the game with their heads up and know everything that was going on around the track.”
Jammers learned quickly to capitalize on the new Not on Track rule, or NOT points. Usually, jammers score a point for each person they pass on the opposing team. Under the old rules, when opposing players were in the penalty box, jammers only got credit for passing those players after they made their way through the entire blocker pack.
Now, jammers earn those NOT points when they pass the first opposing player in the rear of the pack—meaning that points now depend on how many players the opposing team has in the 'sin bin,' or out of play behind the pack from a fall. Passing only one player can immediately earn a jammer two, three or four points.
As the action started on Saturday, it quickly became clear that the Donnas had two players to guard against: Urrk’n Jerkn’ and Booty Blockya, a formidable jammer and blocker. Through the first jams, both teams battled to establish control of the pack and the game. The Donnas showed a surprising ability to shut down N.O.S., the Shakers’ leading scorer.
Unfortunately for the Donnas, the Shakers had two strong lineups in contention, and every advance in points by FOCO and Urrk’n was met with a charge by jammer Lady Shatterly and her strong group of blockers: Violence Vicksen, Lady Octane, Dirty Pirate Hooker and Movin’ Violation. (the creative names of skaters add to the fun of the action)
The bout remained deadlocked through the first 10 jams, with the Donnas leading 37-36. Then N.O.S. broke through with a 10-2 jam, followed three jams later by Lady Shatterly’s 14-0 score that put the Shakers up by 19 points.
At halftime, with a 76-63 lead, the Shakers were frustrated by the many penalty calls and still debating some of the rules changes. Captain Lady Shatterly called for the team to focus: “We are winning this game. We are playing well. Don’t worry about the penalties or the refs. Just stay focused, play smart defense, and we have this in the bag.”
The Shakers followed that advice effectively, holding the Donnas to 11 points in eight of the first nine jams of the half. The Donnas sent Urrk’n in to counteract Lady Shatterly with some defensive jamming, but that sprung N.O.S. free to rack up two 10-0 jams.
The hard-hitting Donnas racked up many defeating penalties, often sitting two blockers in the sin bin at a time, and the Shakers took advantage to steadily build their lead. As they counted down to their first victory of the season, the ever-growing home crowd of fans came to its feet to help the Shakers celebrate the 135-91 win.
Next Saturday, July 19, the Salt City Derby Girls return with SLDG action at the Olympic Oval, as the Bomber Babes and Death Dealers, both undefeated this season, face off in a rematch of last year’s SCDG championship bout.
The action should be one of the most exciting bouts of the season so far.
GAME STATS:
Salt City Shakers Leading Scorers
N.O.S. 81, Lady Shatterly 50
Penalty Leaders
Lady Octane, five times in the box; Dr. Pain and Medusa Damage, four times
FOCO Kung-fu Donnas Leading Scorers
Urrk’n Jerk’n 56, Skater Baiter 18
Penalty Leaders
Buster Hiney, nine times in the box; I’ll Bruisa Peach, eight times; Ghetto Gorgeous seven times