Come Forward and Be Tested

by Power Drop
photos by Brad Johnson

It's clear that the Angels of Death have become the measure for all in the Memphis Roller Derby. Each of the other teams sees a session with the AODs as a test of where they stand within the framework of MRD.

The PrissKilla Prezleys met the Angels of Death for such a trial in the January 5th bout, the third of the 2008 season. In this match, both teams were skating twelve players, four more than the PKPs were able to use against the AODs in their last meeting. This time, the PKPs had their basic unit complete with the face-painted Envie joining the mix.

Chica Bandita, the co-captain of the PKPs, did not skate; therefore, a creative line-up adjustment was put into place. Official Lee Hated, the head coach, rotated pivot Bella Trixx into the jammer position, hoping to make up the 30% scoring that Chica typically contributes. In the end, jamming only four times, Bella finished the night as the top scorer for the PKPs with 16 points (42% of their total points), 10 of which were scored in a single jam. She was also in the top three in terms of whips and advantageous blocks along with Blown Fuse and Susan 4a Bruisin.

The Angels were effectively at full strength, missing only Manda Malice, and determined to generate another win. Lil' Cinner led the AODs in scoring with 62 points; their highest scoring jam of the evening was a whopping 18 points. Over the course of the bout, Memphomaniac contributed 21 points and Gwen Reaper 15. Brooken Bones and Cat Claus were working closely as a tandem front door to the pack; some of the PKPs who were attempting to skate extremely low in order to avoid the Angels' brutal blocks were bounced around like they were in a human pinball machine. Brooken Bones gave 14 of the 27 whips accrued by the Angels and was one of the top three blockers, the others being Cat Claus and The Victator.

The score was 75 to 26 at the end of the second period but there was no sign of resignation in the play of the PKPs, in fact, they gave a final push for pride. The Angels amplified their play up at this point, as they always do, by using their remaining reserves of energy, guile and even penalties; this is a hallmark of most championship teams. The best example of this happened with approximately three minutes left in the game when Hustlin' Flow took lead jammer for the PKPs. Memphomaniac lambasted Flow and skated off to the penalty box. No one received any slack, did not expect any, and there would be no quarter given. Although the final score of 117 to 38 made it seem as if the AODs slaughtered the PKPs, the actual match told another story of intensity, passion and endurance-a true battle royal. A close look at the stats shows near equal blocking and penalties for each team.

Gazing into the crowd, one could clearly see a group of new faces intently watching the match, as if predators gauging their prey. This was the Houston HaRD Knocks All-Star Travel Team, who would be engaging in an early morning scrimmage on the following day with the MRD Travel Team, now known as the "Memphis Hustlin' Rollers," composed of players from all four of MRD's teams. The HaRD Knocks attendance might explain the lack of injuries and player ejections in this bout, as members of both the PKPs and AODs looked ahead to their next challenge. MRD can demonstrate civility, occasionally.

Jonjitsu, the head coach of the Angels, said he felt comfortable with his team's position in the upcoming season. Although the 2008 Memphis Roller Derby is in full swing, bout three seemed like an "old school learning session" where the teacher, in this case the Angels of Death, had only one use for the yardstick-skate up and take your licks.