The Black Widows vs the Cigar City Mafia (Red, White & Bruised)

Red, White & Bruised, last Saturday's roller derby bout, served as a historic milestone for the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins. The Black Widows, hot off their win against the Switchblade Sisters, were looking to remain the league's longest running, undefeated team. A Cigar City win would make history securing the Mafia a spot as Tampa's winning-most team. Throw in an equally historic first Tampa Bay Derby Chicks bout at half time and you have almost too much history for one night!

With so much at stake, it's only natural that I would miss most of the first half. A mistake that I would immediately regret when I saw the score was (47-63), Mafia's lead, at half-time. Cigar City was bringing it and winning!

First things first, shades of their last bout, the Black Widows were down a player again for this bout. Last time they were missing defensive mastermind Bettie Kruger, this time offensive wunderkind Little A was nowhere to be found. Same as with Kruger's absence, this here substantially changed the make-up of the match.

Of course, taking on a team boasting veterans Bettie Kruger, Luce Gearz, Eliza Lot, Spank Sinatra, Anita Bopabitch, and Rojo Grande; all of whom are cognizant of, and already reacting to, A's absence, is no small feat in and of itself. Let alone ultimately succeeding to the tune of (103-116).

Facing a 16 point deficit at the second half's start, the Black Widows quickly made up for lost time. Hitting the Mafia with the one-two punch of Rojo Grande followed by Anita Bopabitch, the Widows put themselves within nine points of the upstarts in just two jams (55-64).

Sure, the Mafia was doing its best to stay ahead. A Leia Flat grand slam here, a few big Punkin blocks there, but it was still the Widows who were running things. For it was that old, familiar, sixth pack member, penalties, that was holding the Mafia back.

Cigar City gave up two power jams due to cutting penalties, i.e. two opportunities to extend their lead uncontested. Allowing the Widows (Captain Bettie Kruger, Rojo Grande) a bigger opportunity than skaters of their calibre need to upend the bout. Clean-up (power) jammer Spank Sinatra would've easily given the Black Widows the lead if not for some pivotal Punkin blocking (82-89). It was the Mafia's bout to lose, and the Widows knew it.

One Mafioso who wasn't prepared to throw in the towel was Lunch Lady. Who, as the scores got closer (88-92), started turning in swift, four point jams to help her team rebuild momentum. With a resolve that was unshakable, no matter how many times Thea Nihilator or Bettie Kruger hit her. Even pulling a few plays out of the Little A playbook when Lunch Lady waited for the opposing jammer to enter the pack, then sprinting in behind them; utilizing her vast array of hops, leaps, and sidesteps (94-106).

Lunch Lady's jams set the Mafia up for the win, and Leia Flat sealed it. All the countless write-ups about how dangerous of a jammer Flat's becoming culminating into one jam. Where she takes the lead as the Widows' jammer is knocked out of bounds; cutting on reentry. Leaving a racing Flat to extend the Mafia's six point lead (102-108) into a 13-point lead with just 2:08 remaining in game time (103-116).

Another quick Lunch Lady dash through the pack later, and the CIgar City Mafia becomes the second team in Tampa Bay history to hand a defeat to the Black Widows! Ending one-and-a half seasons of speculation and terror amongst everyone about how long the Widows would dominate. Leaving just one quesion: could it be done again in the Championship come November?

(MVP honors tonight going out to Bad Credit and Tara Fire for their blocking prowess (Black Widows and Cigar City Mafia respectively) and Anita Bopabitch and Leia Flat for their contributions to their teams' scores.)

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