Sacramento, CA

by Jezebelle Z. Bub

The Kansas City Roller Warriors (seed 8, rank #33) from Kansas City, Missouri kicked off the international 2014 WFTDA Division 1 playoffs with a battle against the New Hampshire Roller Derby’s Skate Free or Die All-Stars (seed 9, rank 34) from Nashua, New Hampshire. The two opponents met last year in Richmond for the D1 Playoffs, where Kansas City dominated New Hampshire, 272-123. This year, New Hampshire tightened the points spread, but was still defeated, 178-94.

Starting off, New Hampshire’s jammer Swirko took the lead, but Kansas City put up a strong defense that would last the game. Next jam, it’s Kansas City’s Peter Babreil who takes the lead, sending New Hampshire’s jammer to the penalty box.

Back in the lead for another jam, Babriel effortlessly slides through the New Hampshire blockers, hiking up the points for Kansas City— but she is stalled by New Hampshire blocker Decker.

Although Babriel gets a penalty, the Kansas City blockers do their job and give New Hampshire jammer, Chicana Bruzya, a hard time collecting any points at all. Another power jam in New Hampshire’s favor gives Swirko a chance to nab four points, 41-15.

For a third time, Kansas City jammer hits the box, but Game Ovaries doesn’t budge past the Kansas City wall in the 30 seconds it take Babriel to return to the track.

Then it was New Hampshire’s turn to send jammer Swirko to the box, leaving New Hampshire to benefit from a power jam, climbing the score up to 60-17. Next Chicana Bruzya and Game Ovaries took a stab at closing the point gap, 63-45. New Hampshire fans went wild as the point differential thinned.

In the last jam of the first half, Kansas City’s jammer Enigma zig zagged through the pack to gain lead status, but was called to the box for a penalty at the same time as New Hampshire’s jammer Prissassin. Although Enigma hit the penalty box first, she missed the penalty box entry and had to yield the box to Prissassin, skating around the track again before she could serve her time in the box. At halftime, Kansas was in the lead, 77-49.

The second half started with Kansas City jammer Dr. Dread taking the lead, New Hampshire’s jammer right behind her. Dread calls off the jam quickly, but not before both score, bringing the score to 80-52.

Twenty minutes into the second half, Swirko stepped up to the line to take advantage of a power jam in New Hampshire’s favor. After her initial burst through the pack, Swirko battled those blockers for her chance at some points. The walls held, and the Kansas City blockers high-fived each other after their latest jammer barricade.

“Our defense was amazing. I was happy with my blockers. They were doing a lot of anchoring with one person backwards and holding,” said Dr. Dread. “I’m very excited, obviously nervous, I have never played Gotham before. I’m sure we will learn a lot.”

New Hampshire jammer Swirko admitted that the Kansas City defense this morning was a definite strength.

“Kansas City is really good at sitting on you and not giving you a lot of room to juke around. I know I would get like stuck on someone’s back. and had a hard time getting around. It was usually when I was stuck on a three wall with a brace. They did a really good job of that.”

The game ended with a tight defense on both sides. Kansas City jammer Dread goes to the box leaving Ovaries time to rack up the last few points, but Ovaries gets held up by Kansas City blockers Ram Ram and Tuff Noogies. Dread returned to the pack and got through before Ovaries had a chance to turn the scales. Then, with minutes left in the game, Dread earned another penalty and trip to the box for back-blocking.

Kansas City Roller Warriors will take on Gotham Girls Roller Derby today, Friday, at 4:00. New Hampshire will play once more in Game 8, Saturday afternoon.

Final Score:

Kansas City Roller Warriors 178
New Hampshire Roller Derby Skate Free or Die All-Stars 94