While some Minnesotans were tucked warmly away at their homes, North Star Roller Derby (NSRD) fans braved the chilly temps to pack into the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to watch two nail-biting games during the second bout of NSRD’s 14th season.
Violent Femmes vs. The Kilmores
From the first whistle at 6pm, both The Kilmores and the Violent Femmes fought smart and hard, each eager to score their first win of the season. The Kilmores were at nearly full-force with skaters who were sidelined by injuries during the season’s first bout joining the team on the track.
Throughout the bout, Violent Femmes’ veteran skater JacKILLope proved to be nearly unstoppable as she powered through on the lines. Despite trailing in points early in the game, The Kilmores blockers put a stop to many scoring passes, forcing their opponents to call off multiple jams.
Around 15 minutes into the second half, Sassberry, a skater in her second season, earned the first lead change of the game. She scored 16 points and brought The Kilmores into the lead with a score of 88 to 79. The Kilmores maintained the lead until the second-to-last jam.
With only 2 seconds left on the clock and a score of 95 to 92, Kilmores’ bench staff called a team timeout, giving them a final opportunity to retake the lead and the game.
In the final jam, as both teams cheered from their benches and the crowd roared from the stands, Violent Femmes’ blockers held Sassberry solidly behind the pivot line.
This allowed JacKILLope to get lead jammer and call off the jam, keeping the game at 95 to 92 points, with the Violent Femmes taking the win.
To amp up the crowd for bout 2 of the night, halftime band Hey Darling entertained the crowd. During the break, spectators also hit up the merch booth to buy the newest item: a skillfully crafted beanie hat adorned with skates, the NSRD logo, and an optional colorful pom for only an extra $5, the proceeds of which support NSRD’s travel teams, the Supernovas and Northern Lights.
Delta Delta Di vs. Banger Sisters
The second game of the night brought together Delta Delta Di and the Banger Sisters, each fresh off of a win from the season’s first bout and eager to remain the only undefeated team this season.
Banger Sisters’ Katarina Hit and Delta Delta Di’s Annaconda each took to the track as jammer to start off the first half, persevering through the first of many two-minute jams of the half. Delta Delta Di maintained a very narrow lead over the Banger Sisters for all of the first half, which ended with a score of 64 to 63 with Delta Delta Di ahead.
A lead change a few minutes into the second half brought the score to 73 – 70. The team’s blockers helped them hold onto the lead tightly until KILLroy from Delta Delta Di scored big a few jams later, bringing the score to 96 – 93.
The crowd experienced yet another nail-biter during this close and relatively low-scoring matchup. In the end, Delta Delta Di came out ahead with 112 points to the Banger Sisters’ 106.
Come celebrate the new year with more roller derby action on January 4, 2020 at North Star Roller Derby’s third bout of the season at the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Tickets can be purchased online in advance here or at the door. Doors open at 5:00pm and the first whistle is at 6:00pm.
If you are eager to strap on your own skates and hit the track, join us for our Spring Satellites Info Session on January 12, 2020 to learn more about NSRD’s rec league. Time, location, and additional information can be found on the Facebook event here or you can email skaterinfo@northstarrollerderby.com!