The Sarasota Roller Girls vs Atlanta's Toxic Shocks (No Frills Just Skills)

"Ten points," was all Sarasota Roller Girls' founder Redneck Ophelia could say after her team's brutal defeat at the skates of Atlanta's Toxic Shocks.  Losing to any team by (10-283) is difficult to wrap your head around, even if they're nationally ranked, and your league's brand new.  Ophelia shouldn't worry though, it was this wild disparity between the teams that made the bout so exciting to watch.  Gone was the predictable "who will win?" question.  Tonight queries such as, "will Sarasota score before Atlanta breaks 100?" reigned supreme.

It seems foolish to mask this rout as anything but, so here are the more salient points:

1.)  Atlanta's Toxic Shocks came to play.  Disregarding the skill discrepancy, the Toxic Shocks hit Sarasota with every variant of pack manipulation a team can know.  Burning through Sarasota's power jams by racing around the track, single file, daring Sarasota to catch up.  Watching Shocks' blockers Alassin Sane, Queen Loseyateefa, Chopper Bleed, and Hellena Bomb'em Slaughter demonstrate speed skating to everyone at the Stardust was humbling indeed.

Atlanta hit the other end of the spectrum for their own power jams.  "Goating" a Sarasota defender to drive up the score.  

2.)  Atlanta maximized all their scoring opportunities.  Running every jam out to the full two minutes during the bout's second half.  Giving each jammer the maximum time to score, while speeding up the bout considerably.  Eliminating all the down time (a regulation thirty seconds) between each jam.

To their credit, Sarasota never backed down, no matter how outgunned they were.  Jammer Wreckin Havoc showing no fear in repeatedly engaging a Desi Scarnaz, Jackie O'Sassin, Queen Loseyateefa wall.  Havoc'd take a hard hit, fall down, and rise back up ready for another shot.

This "never say die" attitude spread to the crowd, which erupted when Wreckin Havoc finally scored.  Judging solely by the cheers, you would have thought Sarasota was winning every time they scored.  Even when Aireal Assault or Cuteney CutThroat didn't score, just made lead jammer, the crowd would go wild.  

MVP's were awarded to Atlanta's Amelia Scareheart for her amazing ability to hit low, and Sarasota's Lady Bomb for giving lumps just as readily as she received them.  The jamming MVPs went to Atlanta's Harper Lethal for her relentless scoring, easily skating back-to-back jams, and Aireal Assault, whose three point jam amounted to nearly a third of Sarasota's final score.