2019 Championships Game 2: Montréal v 2×4

Montréal Roller Derby (Seattle #2) v 2×4 Roller Derby (Winston-Salem #3)

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Tournament hosts Montréal Roller Derby (Seattle #2, WFTDA #9) of Montréal, Canada and 2×4 Roller Derby (Winston-Salem #3, WFTDA #10) of Buenos Aires, Argentina put the “international” in the 2019 International WFTDA Championships. Both teams, having to win in previous playoff games in Seattle, WA and Winston-Salem, NC, respectively, came into this high stakes game with the desire to advance to the next portion of the bracket. Not all who wanted to watch Champs today were lucky enough to get to do so.

Today’s game came down to two particular aspects of game play: track speed and penalties. Montréal came onto the tracking knowing that 2×4 would need to be quickly controlled, and Miracle Whips’s ability to use her lateral movements, juking left and right, finding tiny spaces to lead her team being awarded lead jammer twelve consecutive times in the first 13 minutes of play.

Falcon Punch had the highest point total of the game with 19 points in jam 5 with the help of a power jam in which 2×4’s jammer, Tropical Mecanica, was sent to the penalty box after being assessed a track cut. However, after being released from the box, Tropical Mecanica made quick work of the New Skids by sneaking four quick points with one of her trademarked apex jumps.

With a little more than 13 minutes in the first half, 2×4 playing hard put 20 total points on the board to Montréal’s 71. It really is a testament to how the New Skids’ offense and defense worked to lock down the jammers of 2×4. Miracle Whips, Scar2-BeatU, and Kaio-kensi all worked to run long jams and continue pushing the point spread. And showing off some amazing toe stop work.

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In jam 13, Badger was jamming for the New Skids when 2×4’s team captain, Chinaski knocked Badger out and pulled the skater from turn three all the way to behind turn four in every skater and referee’s favorite game of backwards roller derby. Badger managed to still score four points to Rayo’s five.

At halftime, Montréal’s New Skids led Buenos Aires’ 2×4, 126 to 58. This was due in large part to Montréal’s zone offense and controlling the pack speed. But perhaps the biggest surprise going into halftime were the penalties: Montréal had 21 and 2×4 had 24. Montréal, with a deeper bench were able to spread out the penalties whereas 2×4 having a smaller team had three players with five penalties each. Clearly, the game was approached differently in the second half. With the deeper beach, Montréal were able to put up 59 unanswered points.

During the second half, Falcon Punch was expelled leaving the New Skids to adjust their gameplay on the fly since they would no longer be able to rely on Falcon’s parsecs to seemingly make distance disappear. 2×4 then made their move by slowly chipping away at the point spread. Flo broke the century mark by putting up six points while holding Kaio-kensi scoreless. Then with just over 12 minutes left in the second half, Tropical Mecanica put up the second highest points in a jam with 18 of her own. This brought the score to 189 – 120 in favor of Montréal.

Unfortunately, 2×4 lost their team captain Chinaski, along with skaters, Perséfone, Maki Lombera, and Cureya due to fouling out. It is clear that Team Osom left it all on the track and met their own goals.

Montréal were also faced with foul problems which gave viewers a chance to see FR E SH A VOCA DO, a name on everyone’s lips, and Biggley Smalls jam.

Not to be outshown by the jammers today are Al K Traz and Magnum PEI who were able to lay some tough hits on 2×4 and assist their own teammates with whips around the inside and outside lines.

Post game, Scar2-BeatU and Biggley Smallz, fresh off their win in their hometown, were quick to praise 2×4. “We were working out our pack speed, it was a huge focus for us. We wanted to dominate every moment because we knew that they (2×4) would be feisty, and they were feisty.”

Biggley added, “Their jammer have fancy feet. And we knew we had to have fancy feet too.”

Rich Mahogany asked the two skaters what it was like to be playing in their hometown. Smiling Scar2 said, “There’s nothing like it. You can feel the area vibrate around you. You can feel it in your soul.”

Montréal advances to play Gotham Roller Derby Friday at 8:30 (EST). 2×4 will play again on Saturday against Texas Rollergirls at 1:30 (EST).

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