Girls Gone Wild

 

Written By: Wreck T. Fire

On March 16 in Bradenton Florida the Palm City Punishers visited the Bradentucky Bombers for a spring break "Girls Gone Wild" derby battle. The Bradentucky Bombers are in their second season of derby and and the Palm City Punishers were having their first regulation match as a travel team. These two squads missed facing each other in the Sunshine Skate 2008 tournament in February and this match was highly anticipated by both squads.

The first period saw Bradentucky take the lead and hold it but Ft Myers never let it get more than 11 points away from them. The point differential was constantly between 3-11 points with Bradenton holding the lead through out the first period. Both teams played consistently well and never gave the other an instant to catch their breath. The first period was like a warm up because the next two periods were very different.

The second period was much more exciting. The Bradentucky ladies came out strong and hard playing very physical and hitting hard. Both teams seemed to have learned a lot and used their experience in the tournament earlier in the year to play some very smart derby. Both teams built walls and used positional blocking to keep the other team from scoring but they also made holes for their jammers to snake through the pack and run up the score. The hits were solid and the jammers were scoring and calling off the jam at the right time keeping the other team from scoring, but these teams seemed to be almost evenly matched, the score was never more than 8-10 points apart, a gap easily made up in one good jam.

The final period was intense. Both teams were exhausted, bruised and beaten up but not broken, neither was ready to concede to the other. The Bradenton girls continued to hit and pound the Ft Myers squad but the Palm City Punishers were not going out with out a fight. The penalties were racking up on both sides with both teams ending up at skating with out a jammer for as major penalties were not in short supply. Neither team could leverage the power play to pull ahead enough to lock in the victory and the final score at the end of regulation was 75-75!

The tie breaking final two minute jam was just as exciting as the rest of the match. It was obvious that both teams were exhausted and the final jam was skated on nothing but adrenaline and heart. The final score was 81-83 with Ft Myers taking the victory.

Bradentucky’s skaters of note were Busty Bruiser who injured herself early in the match but kept skating (and skating well) until the end, Gigi Ramone who was the top jammer for her team and Poison Apple who was one of if not the top blocker for the Bombers, just ask anyone from the Ft Myers team. The victorious Palm City Punishers had their fair share of mentionable players as well starting with the Alexorcist blocking her heart out, Bad Briehavior who seemed to be everywhere on the track at once, Kim Bong Ill who showed incredible determination and conviction at the end of the bout and Velvet Revolter who was injured in the second period but made her presence known while she was there.

The rematch is April 20 in Ft Myers and it promises to be an exceptional match with the Bombers seeking redemption and the Punishers trying to repeat their success at home. If you can make it to this match I can bet you will not be disappointed. Congratulations to the Ft Myers Palm City Punishers for their first official victory and keep it up Bradentucky you have shown a lot of improvement and I know good things are in your future. Both of you played with heart and conviction and it was inspiring to watch you both.