Duluth, MN

by Shelly Shankya

In a brawl for bronze, the St. Chux Derby Chix (1) of O’Fallon, Missouri rolled to the line against the Big Easy Rollergirls (3) of New Orleans, Louisiana and dominated the ladies from NOLA in Game 16 of the international 2014 WFTDA Division 2 Duluth Playoffs.

Photo by Jeff Higgins

The first half was a tale of power jams and penalties, largely in favor of the St. Chux Derby Chix. In fact, Big Easy jammers handed St. Chux five power jams, compared to St. Chux having only one penalty to kill. During the power jams, St. Chux blockers Whip L’ash and Stabby McCutcha worked in tandem to clear the track and give the greatest advantage to their jammers. Likewise, the Big Easy Rollergirls suffered 26 penalties to St. Chux’s 14 penalties, and St. Chux used that skater advantage to rack up points.

As the minutes of the first half ticked off the clock, St. Chux used its official review to question a potential jammer penalty. The non-call stood, however, as the ladies skated into halftime. St. Chux led the Big Easy Rollergirls 133-52.

The skaters from Big Easy showed renewed vigor coming out from halftime, but jammer penalties continued to plague the skaters from New Orleans. It wasn’t until 12 minutes into the second half that Big Easy was able to put up points on the scoreboard, while St. Chux jammers used the four power jams in that time to score nearly 60 points.

St. Chux used its second timeout after Big Easy scored in an attempt to shift the team’s momentum, and indeed it did shift. With only 15 minutes remaining in the game, Big Easy had already given six power jams to the ladies from Missouri, 11 total power jams for the game as Big Easy jammer Abeata Applebum came desperately close to fouling out, with six penalties. Fouling out with 11:46 left, however, Big Easy blocker Lacy Underalls left the track.

Despite giving up two power jams in the second half, St. Chux Derby Chix continued to dominate the scoreboard and the track, extending its lead over Big Easy Rollergirls. St. Chux won the game 295-84 to the Big Easy Rollergirls, after a last-minute, 34-point jam by St. Chux jammer GI Jamie.

Final score

(1) St. Chux Derby Chix placed 3rd
(3) Big Easy Rollergirls placed 4th