Supporting the Alzheimer's Association, the Manic Attackers are still gaining traction from last season with a solid mixture of rookies, newer skaters and their old guard, including Ying O’Fire, back from giving birth to her baby girl during the off-season.  For this team, there is no sign of weakness and winning is the only option. The text-in crowd votes showed the popular sentiment laying in these ladies favor in winning the entire evening.

The Double Crossers skated for the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago. The team is looking for some vindication after a lack luster season last year. With a pair of their hardest hitters in Norma Lee Wright and Georgia on Yer Behind opting for just the All-Star team, the Double Crossers have their work cut out for them.

Though the Double Crossers were trying to be a physical presence on the track, it was overshadowed by the intensity of the Manic Attackers defense. Impenetrable and unrelenting, Bork Bork Bork, Mo Vengeance, Lola Getz, Rose Feratu, Ruth Enasia, and anyone wearing electric blue and yellow was making it hard for the Double Crossers to negotiate the track.

That’s not to say the Double Crossers weren’t even there, with Nina Faile in the lineup after missing the 2011 season on injury, the prospects looked good. Combined with solid jamming from Abbey, Dani Get Your Guns, Sunshine N Painbows and rookie Teddy Slams there was a sprinkle of hope for the silent ninjas. As the bout continued on, though, the Manic Attackers threw blow after blow until there were only smoldering remains of the Double Crossers.

The Manic Attackers showed their true grit on the track. With a solid line up and a big bag of hard hits, they showed the Double Crossers their toughness and gave the rest of the league a taste of what this season will look like. The Manic Attackers won the bout with a score of 103-36. They went on to face The Fury while the Double Crossers went on to face the Hell’s Belles.

The first half of the bout saw KCRW slowly picking their way forward in points. With neither team clearly grabbing a firm hold to the top spot, it was anyone’s guess as to how the first half would end. It was a tied game after jam 10, with Zoe Trocious scoring the 3 points to even the score. But the last 10 jams of the half saw WCR only capturing 4 additional points while KCRW pushed ahead, gaining 17 points, to end the half 42 to 29 (Kansas City).

The WCR All-Stars came into the second half with a renewed spirit and brought the fight back the Kansas City. Just as KCRW picked away at the points in the first half, the WCR All-Stars began to chip away at KCRW’s lead with each passing jam. In jam 9, while KCWR was busy attempting a star pass, Athena DeCrime grabbed lead jammer status and  pushed the All-Stars into the lead by getting WCR 4 points, ending the jam with a score 60-57 (WCR).

The All-Stars kept mounting their points and widening the gap as the second half pushed on. But their momentum came to a halt. With12 minutes left in the bout, the tide turned as the All-Stars gained no ground for 7 jams. It didn't help that the All-Stars could not keep themselves out of the penalty box, which included the expulsion of Jackie Daniels with 3 minutes left to the bout. KCRW took advantage of the frequency with which the All-Stars were being sent to the box by claiming lead jammer status jam after jam, clawing their way back into the top position.

With recurring trips to the penalty box, coupled with the repeated claim of lead jammer by KCRW, the All-stars could not gain their footing and lost their chance at the Hydra Trophy. With a final score of 112-95, Kansas City moves forward to face their next opponent tonight while WCR celebrates a top-notch final bout and the end of their 2011 season.

Even though this was a loss, the bout was a wonderful display of the level of tenacity that WCR plays at. It demonstrated why the Windy City Rollers are a top derby team. Varla Vendetta, Yvette YourMaker, Athena DeCrime, Jackie Daniels, Wreck N Shrew and Zoe Trocious all displayed some great jamming when they cleared the pack. It was not just their speed, but also agilely jumping the apex, juking around a seemingly solid wall, and even a display of a “crazy octopus” move (as the announcers called it) which helped the All-Stars rack up points and maintain a close score for most of the bout.

Even with their defense spending a lot of time in the box, WCR’s blocking powerhouse made KCRW fight for their win. Bork Bork Bork, Ol' Drrrty Go-Go, Sargentina, Tori Adore, Jackie Daniels, Hoosier Mama, Amy Nonamey, Georgia on Yer Behind, Deb Autry and the rest of the All-Star defense built tough walls for KCRW to breech and hit hard at every chance. Even with a single blocker on the track at times, it was never an easy pass for KCRW. With great game play and sportsmanship (Hoosier Mama embraced opponent skater Kelly Young after a jam) the All-Stars can return to Chicago still feeling like champions as they set their sights on their 2012 season!

The bout was a blowout from the very beginning where the All-Stars scored 62 unanswered points before Barbie Bont could tally 3 points for her team. As the first half wore on, the All-Star blocking crew made mincemeat out of every jammer that was coming through the line, and handled the Tantrum's defense like they were sheep being lead to slaughter. As Wreck N Shrew, Athena DeCrime and Varla Vendetta were scoring at will, Sunshine N Painbows and Hoosier Mama were taking liberties with the Tantrum's defense. The half ended with the All-Stars up 110-12.

There was no change of pace for the second half, even as Barbie Bont pulled off a grand slam in the first jam. It didn't do much to sway the All-Stars as they continued on their scoring run strafing the scoreboard with grand slam after grand slam. The point scoring was merciless, and, to the Tampa Tantrum’s defense, Tampa took it in stride. Both teams threw everything they had at each other, including the All-Stars jamming veteran Tori Adore in her last bout as a Windy City Roller. At the final whistle, the score was set at 196-42 and Tampa was sent home to lick their wounds.

Georgia on Yer Behind was awarded player of the game.

The All-Stars aren't done yet! The WCR All-Stars have their sights firmly set on Denver as they head to the WFTDA Championships, which begin on Nov 11!

At the end of the bout, WCR was behind the 8-ball and fell to a determined Kansas City team by a score of 111-92.  The UIC Pavilion transformed into the Terror Dome, where two teams would enter but only one would leave.

The first half was nothing short of a disaster for the WCR All-Stars.  Kansas City came out swinging from the onset and didn't let up.  KC jammer Kelley Young (skating under her real name) scored a grand slam in the opening jam.  It was immediately apparent to the WCR team and its fans that this #1 South Central regional team was here on serious business and looking for a win.

Athena DeCrime answered back with 10 points two jams later, gaining an early lead over Kansas City.  Ol' Drrrty Go-Go and Yvette YourMaker owned the front of the pack for the jam and made scoring rather easy for Athena DeCrime.  Penalties became an issue for both teams and the lead fluctuated back and forth during the first half.

There was nothing on the WCR bench that could stop KCRW from scoring at will in the first half.  Behind the speed and talent of Hall Balls and Kelley Young, KCRW was mounting a monstrous attack against WCR and had them rocked back on their heels.  As the penalties mounted for WCR, so did the points against them, and their chances for bouncing back hung in the wings somewhere between a miracle and raw talent.  As the whistle blew at the end of the first half, an unheard-of hush fell over the crowd as the score was set at 78-18.

With the start of the second half, an all-new WCR team came out of the locker room.  The bout turned into a barn-burner where jammers Jackie Daniels, Wreck N Shrew and Zoe Trocious took the fight back to Kansas City.  Sargentina stepped up her intensity and was landing hard hits alongside teammates Georgia on Yer Behind and Hoosier Mama.  WCR jammer, Varla Vendetta, was trading blows with KCRW jammers and adding to the physical presence of the team as the bout rolled on.

In the 6^th jam of the second half, Ol' Drrty Go-Go, Bork Bork Bork and Sargentina were zeroing in on the KCRW jammer, Case Closed, creating opportunities left and right on the track.  The blocking crew was making holes for jammer Varla Vendetta, who scored a much needed 15 points.  With just over 18 minutes left in the bout, WCR was closing the gap on Kansas City and the crowd was starting to erupt inside the UIC Pavilion.  In two jams, WCR scored 22 unanswered points and the score was set at 93-61 in favor of KCRW.

The intensity kept growing in favor of WCR and the entire venue was on fire.  Not only was the WCR bench swarming with activity, the fans were behind their team and helping the motivation develop at an alarming rate.  With only minutes left in the bout, WCR jammer Zoe Trocious took to the track against KCRW’s Track Rat in a deciding moment in the bout.  As the jam continued on, Zoe Trocious got lead jammer as Bork Bork Bork dropped Track Rat to the ground.  The building came alive and the crowd was ready to witness an explosive comeback by the WCR All-Stars.  The excitement grew as Track Rat was sent to the penalty box and a power jam started for Zoe Trocious and company.  At the end of the jam, Zoe Trocious has scored a much-needed 14 points and the score was 95-83, still in favor of Kansas City, but there was light at the end of the tunnel.

As the bout neared the end, both teams cranked up the intensity and it was an all-out foot race to the end.  It was a 10-point game at one point, and it looked like a miraculous comeback for WCR.

If it there were a moment in time where people should be biting their nails and pulling out their hair it was in this bout.  There wasn't a moment safe for blinking during the second half where WCR brought the game back to Kansas City and almost stole a win away from a gladiator of a flat track derby team.  The ladies in blue and white were holding hard with solid blocking and fancy navigation by their jammers, but KCRW kept the speed up, and the momentum shifted in their direction.  When the smoke cleared, WCR lost by a narrow margin, with the score set at 111-92. Though it was a loss, this bout was the best home game of the All-Star season hands down and there was no shortage of action from both sides of the scoreboard.

Bruz-Her from the Kansas City Roller Warriors won player of the game.

WCR faces off next against the Tampa Derby Darlins at UIC Pavilion on October 22.

The WCR All-Stars came out firing from both barrels and never let up on the San Diego team.  Even as they mounted penalties landing their jammers and steadfast blockers in the penalty box, WCR wasn’t going to give San Diego any room to breathe.  The points margin was so incredibly large before the end of the first half, there was no real chance for a comeback in the cards for the Wildfires.

San Diego brought a physical game, but they couldn’t match the point scoring of Wreck N Shrew, Yvette YourMaker, Varla Vendetta, Athena DeCrime and Beth Amphetamine.  Scoring wasn't WCR’s only strong point for the evening.  Hoosier Mama, Sargentina, Norma Lee Wright and Georgia on Yer Behind were making small work of the hard-hitting San Diego defense.  It was an all-out battle in the first half with San Diego making it a point to target the WCR jammers, but little could be done to keep their scoring at bay.

Tori Adore and Karmageddon were making their presence known on the track as well, and with Mya Ssault being called up from the Second Wind there was nothing stopping the All-Stars from skating all over San Diego for the evening.  If scoring mercilessly were illegal, the Windy City Roller’s All-Stars would be serving consecutive life sentences.  Their blocking crew would be sent to the big house for aiding and abetting their jammers.  WCR’s speed, strength and intensity towered over San Diego in the first half giving them an insurmountable lead and spanning a one hundred point scoring gap.   As the whistle blew to end the half, WCR was up 113-13 over San Diego.

The WCR All-Stars didn't let up in the second half, and second-year skater Bork Bork Bork was paramount in helping not only keep the San Diego jammers at bay, but whipping WCR jammers into scoring and lead jammer positions.  To say each lady on the team pulled her weight is a terrible understatement.  From Yvette YourMaker scoring 23 points out of the gates in the second half, to Sargentina and Karmageddon recycling San Diego jammers, the night was full of strength and surprises.

Athena DeCrime, Varla Vendetta, Yvette YourMaker and Wreck N Shrew were scoring powerhouses in the second half, and as WCR went over the 200-point mark, there was no looking back for the merciless menaces in black.  These ladies had a routine and a team so tight you couldn't squeeze an inch of air through it.  With 13 minutes left in the bout, WCR jammer Beth Amphetamine went down after a pile-up before turn three and sustained a concussion.  The bout continued after she was helped to her feet by the medical staff and WCR maintained their intensity and attack, showing no mercy for a team clearly rocked back on their heels.

As the bout pressed on, WCR bench coach Nina Faile regaled the crowd and the visiting team with a solo saxophone rendition of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper.”  As she was being wrangled off the track, the crowd came to their feet and applauded her efforts to bring light to a serious tail kicking.  Every song from DJ Danger that came after the incident had an ‘80s ring to it and kept everyone in the pavilion pleased as WCR continued to open can after can of “Whoop Ass” on San Diego.

Birthday girl and WCR blocker Hoosier Mama played out the last jam and scored 9 points for her team before the final whistle was blown.  Fans of the Windy City Rollers went to a derby bout on Saturday and a scoring frenzy broke out.  The only thing bigger than the scoring gap is the immeasurable expanse of the universe.  Though there was no lack of fight on either side, the Windy City Rollers All-Stars came out on top with an insurmountable score of 255-22.  WCR goes on to play Kansas City on September 10^th at the UIC Pavilion.  Player of the game went to Wreck N Shrew who scored 60 points to help her team to their win.

The lead went back and forth in the first few jams, partially because of excellent jamming and blocking and partially because of early major penalties.  Zoe Trocious, Varla Vendetta and Beth Amphetamine were all in top form right from the beginning.  Steel City had a jamming clan that was impressive as well behind ‘snot rocket science, The Shocker and Hurricane Heather.

As the half continued, Steel City brought out some serious hitters like Athena and Bonecrusher to stave off the speed and agility of Zoe Trocious who was skating through the pack like a bolt of lightning.  Yvette YourMaker and Jackie Daniels were the snipers for WCR, pinpointing and taking out calculated targets.  Sargetnina and Hoosier Mama were making waves and destroying the beefed-up power potential of the Steel City team.

There were some massive blows traded on the track between both teams.  WCR’s Deb Autry took out Athena, allowing Varla Vendetta to score nine points in the 6th jam but not after Varla Vendetta was taken to the floor by Steel City’s Bonecrusher.  In the 9th jam, Damage Dahl laid an impressive hit on WCR’s Georgia on Yer Behind.    Both teams were working to prove they were mightier, but WCR came out on top at the end of the first half.  Ol Drrrty Go-Go was laying heavy hits on the Steel City jammer line, laying ‘snot rocket science out in the last jam of the half.  ODG’s hard hitting stopped ‘snot rocket science dead in her tracks and allowed Jackie Daniels to score two grand slams before the whistle.

It was a mashed up mess of twisted steel in the first half.  Steel City brought some serous poundage with them in the form of Bonecrusher, Athena and Damage Dahl and they really smashed the tar out of WCR but not before the ladies from Chicago took a scoring run from hell to them.  All things considered, the first half was a well matched, back-and-forth measured only by the hit-by-hit excitement and white-knuckle intensity brought by both teams.  WCR went to the locker rooms up 70-38.

Steel City came out in the second half with an apparent answer to WCR’s scoring and blocking.  Behind ‘snot rocket science and Hurricane Heather they were chipping away at the WCR lead.  Both teams wanted a win and neither side was relenting.  Norma Lee Wright made her presence felt in the second half taking The Shocker out in the 27th jam.  WCR was a recycling machine and ODG and Georgia on Yer Behind were at the head of that campaign.  Zoe Trocious still had the jets through the second half and kept the scoring going along with Beth Amphetamine, Varla Vendetta and Athena DeCrime.

Sargentina also jumped in on ecycling duty and was wrecking balls all night long.  Hoosier Mama was helping out and punishing the Steel City jammer pool from start to finish.  Towards the end of the bout, though, it turned ugly for WCR.  Continuous major penalties were slowing their scoring and allowing Steel City to mount some points behind The Shocker and ‘snot rocket science.  By the 35th jam, Steel City was down only by 20 points and quickly it was anyone’s game.

By the last two jams, Varla Vendetta and Jackie Daniels, behind the blocking of ODG and Hoosier Mama, were able to get WCR the win and took Steel City out with a score of 147-117.  WCR was in danger of losing the bout towards the end, but teamwork and solid strategy calm helped them claim victory.  Steel City didn’t go down without a fight, though, and their ‘never say die’ attitude kept them close through the end.   Varla Vendetta was awarded Player of the Game for the Windy City Rollers All-Stars.  WCR takes on the San Diego Derby Dolls on August 27th at the UIC Pavilion.

Double Crossers staked out Cruel Whip and Breaker Breaker.

The Fury initiated Beaux Dozer, Brooke Fly, Mimi MeOW, Lynn E.R. Aggression, and Rusty Razorskates.

Hell’s Belles seduced Minerva Damage and Eat My Schwartz.

Manic Attackers committed Katzen Jammer, Meanie Baby, and Outlaw.

Additionally, congratulations to the following All-Stars for taking the Travel Team Only status:

Beth Amphetamine (Manic Attackers)
Georgia on Yer Behind (Double Crossers)
Norma Lee Wright (Double Crossers)
Sargentina (The Fury)
Tori Adore (The Fury)

2012 will also bring newly-elected captains to the mix.  Your 2012 Home Team Captains are:

Double Crossers – Joanie Utah & Abbey
The Fury – Kola Loka & Poppy Spock
Hell’s Belles – Mya Ssault & Deb Autry
Manic Attackers – Mo Vengeance & Bork Bork Bork

2012 already looks to be a treat!

Gapers Block

Windy City Rollers' Set for Ivy King Cup Championship

After a grueling season, the Windy City Rollers are ready to kick it Thunderdome style. At the Ivy King Cup Championship this Saturday, June 18, two teams enter; only one team leaves (or rather, leaves with the coveted cup). This year, it's down to The Fury and the Manic Attackers, two teams who are maintaining their reps as hard-to-beat skaters.

Read the article!

RedEye 6/13/11

Windy City Rollers: Ivy King Cup Championship

The Fury and Manic Attackers try to batter their way to a roller-derby title. They were kind enough to wait until the Stanley Cup finals and NBA Finals were over before stealing the championship spotlight.

Examiner

Windy City blows into Cincinnati Part I

It was hot, it was sticky and it was miserable in the Cincinnati Gardens on Saturday, but there was roller derby and in fact one of the very best teams in all of WFTDA came to town; #9 in the world and #1 in the North Central division the Windy City Rollers.

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Windy City blows into Cincinnati Part II

The main event of the evening was a WFTDA sanctioned bout between the Cincinnati Black Sheep and the Windy City Rollers’ All-Stars. Windy City owed this victory to their defense, Cincinnati’s blockers were unable to help out their jammers, and instead the jammers looked to be flying solo and fighting for their lives. The final score Windy City 178, Cincinnati 83.

Read the article!

In the second bout Saturday night at UIC Pavilion, the Manic Attackers took on the Double Crossers.  With their spot in the Ivy King Cup secure due to The Fury’s victory over the Hells Belles in the first bout of the evening, the Manic Attackers looked to build momentum heading towards the championship.  For their part, the Double Crossers looked to end the season on a positive note, despite the fact that they faced a tough uphill fight without a number of their key players including Captain Georgia on Yer Behind, Sassy Squash, Indycent, and Berg.

The Manic Attackers got off to a fast start as Bork Bork Bork, Amy Nonamey, Mo Vengeance, AliSin Chains, and Tamikaze frustrated the Crossers jammers and opened holes for Manic jammers Wreck N Shrew, Zoe Trocious, Beth Amphetamine, and Thieven’ Tyler.  By the fifth jam, the Manics had built a 39-0 lead on rookie Thieven Tyler’s nine point jam.  The Double Crossers refused to go quietly into the night, however, and on the next jam, Crossers Captain Julia Rosenwinkel picked up a grand slam on nice offensive blocking from the Crossers pack.  Abbey then picked up another four points for the Crossers in the seventh jam to give them hope.

Despite inspired and determined play from the Double Crossers pack including Karmageddon, Norma Lee Wright, Joanie Utah, Tina Flay, Miss D. Meaner, Sunshine N Painbows, and Teriyaki, the Manics reasserted control of the pack and built an 80-9 lead by the fourteenth jam.  In the fifteenth jam, rookie Crossers jammer Dani Get Your Guns picked up lead and three points despite starting the jam in the box behind strong defense from Karmageddon, Sunshine N Painbows, and Tina Flay.  To make the Crossers struggle more difficult, the jam ended with Karma injured and out of the bout on a big hit from Wreck N Shrew.  The Crossers did not score again in the first period and the Manics built a 93-12 lead by halftime on strong jams from rookies Bellatrix Lapain and Thieven Tyler.

In the second period, the Manics picked up where they left off, extending their lead to 135-12 by the fourth jam.  The Double Crossers continued to trade vicious hits in the pack with the Manic blockers, and their hard work paid off with their Julia Rosenwinkel and Dani Get Your Guns picking up points in the fifth, eighth, and tenth jams, including a 14-point jam from Julia.  The Manic depth took its toll over the course of the bout, and they were able to jam most players on the team, getting points from veteran pack players Val Capone, Bork Bork Bork, and Tamikaze, and rookies Boo Meringue, Beaster Bunny, and Lola Getz.  With the clock at zero, the Manics prevailed by a score of 238-35 and set the stage for the upcoming match-up with The Fury for the Ivy King Cup.