Jacksonville, FL

By Lexistential Crisis

Denver Roller Derby (Seed 2) and Atlanta Rollergirls (Seed 4) fought for 3rd Place and a trip to the 2015 International WFTDA Championships. Denver has been to Championships for the past three years. Atlanta made it in 2012 and 2013, and both teams were eager to earn the chance to play at Championships again. Denver led the entire game thanks to strong defense, effective offensive blocking, and agile jammers. Atlanta stayed within striking distance of Denver for much of the game, but could not get closer than 22 points in the second half. Eventually jammer penalties caused problems for Atlanta and allowed Denver to expand their lead. They won by 91 points, earning 3rd Place and a trip to Saint Paul, Minnesota for Championships.

Photo by Louis Keiner

The first points of the game went to Denver in the very when Wilhelm scored five points in the first jam. Denver added to their lead in the following jams and by jam five the score was 29-11. Atlanta earned their first lead jammer status in the following jam. Wild Cherri, Axtual Malice, Switchblade Siouxsie, and Rudy Huxtabrawl maintained a dynamic wall that held back Denver’s jammer. Meanwhile Trouble MakeHer found creative ways to slip through the pack on one foot to score nine points for Atlanta. This narrowed Denver’s lead to only nine points with a score of 29-20. In the following jam, Atlanta earned lead again but lost it when Baller Shot Caller was called on a back block penalty at the start of her first scoring pass. Denver’s blockers jumped into help Sharpless break out of the pack and score 14 points. Baller Shot Caller was called on a cutting penalty when she returned from the box, so she started the next jam in the penalty box. This time Dew took advantage of a small, spread out pack to add 17 points to Denver’s lead. With 14 minutes left in the half Denver led 60-24.

Both teams continued to halt jammers with braced walls and slowly add points in the rest of the half. Atlanta adjusted their jammer rotation by moving Baller Shot Caller into the blocking rotation and adding Choke Cherry as a jammer. To end the half on a high note for her team, Slams McKenzie earned lead and scored 10 points for Atlanta in the final jam of the half. The halftime score was 90-58 in Denver’s favor.

Photo by Louis Keiner

Atlanta carried their positive momentum into the second half. In the first six jams of the half Atlanta’s jammer earned lead jammer status every jam. They lost this status twice when Choke Cherry and Trouble MakeHer received penalties in the second and fifth jams of the half, allowing Barrett and Wilhelm successfully increased Denver’s lead to 119-89 by scoring 13 and 16 points, respectively. With 16 minutes left in the game, Denver had another power jam opportunity that allowed Dew to score 10 points. Denver led by 50 points with a score of 142-92.

Their lead slowly increased until the final three jams where more penalty troubles allowed Denver to grow their lead to over 70 points. Switchblade Siouxsie took the star from Choke Cherry with under seven minutes in the game. She received a cutting penalty on her initial pass and started the next jam in the box. Upon returning to the track in the next jam she received a high block penalty and Dezellem added 14 points to Denver’s total. Afro Dykee earned lead in the following jam, but could only score two points for Atlanta. In the final jam of the game both jammers were stuck behind immovable walls until Dew found a small opening and earned lead. Akers, Salvador, Lorch, and Garton contained Choke Cherry while Dew carefully made her way through the pack three times to add a final 14 points to bring Denver’s final score to 198 over Atlanta’s 107.

Atlanta maintains their seeding as they finish 4th this weekend. Denver came in as the second seed but leaves in 3rd Place. In November they will play at Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota.

FINAL SCORE

Denver Roller Derby (#2) 198
Atlanta Rollergirls (#4) 107