Both the Cherry Bombs and the Rhinestone Cowgirls entered Sunday’s night bout with a lot on the line.  The Cherry Bombs were seeking their first EVER undefeated season.  If the Rhinestone Cowgirls were able to pull off this victory, there would be a three-way tie for first place between the Cherry Bombs, Rhinestone Cowgirls, and the Hellcats.  The energy in the convention center was charged, and the crowd expected a great bout.
The first jam of the night featured a match-up that would be repeated many times:  Rocky Casbah versus Kategory 5.  Rocky scored two points, and Kategory 5 scored one.  The evenly matched skaters would battle it out in many very fast jams over the night.  Kate or Dye scored four points in the next jam to help the Cherry Bombs jump out in front.  A minor on Kategory 5 led to a pushcart penalty, in which the team of Rocky Casbah and Lucy Cannon took a point away from the Rhinestone Cowgirls.   A grand slam jam by Daisy Mae Damage put the Cherry Bombs five points farther ahead.  Lucy Cannon and Natorious skated a very close jam in which each scored three points.  The Cherry Bombs won both a pillow fight and a relay race to keep up their dominance of the penalties.  A very fast jam between Kate or Dye and Miss Canada was stopped when a fight broke out between Diablo and Polly Urethane (another recurring theme of the evening).  Kategory 5 scored three points in a jam against Rice Rice Baby.  On the reskate after a major penalty on Mummy Dearest, Kat 5 scored another three points to put the Rhinestones back into the hunt.  Two more points from Rocky Casbah brought the score at the end of the first quarter to Cherry Bombs 17, Rhinestone Cowgirls 5.

A couple of close jams started off the second quarter.  Kategory 5 sped to four points while Daisy Mae Damage picked up two right behind her.  Rocky Casbah raced to score two points over Rollergazm’s one point.  Mummy Dearest picked up another major penalty and on the reskate, Kate or Dye broke free to score a grand slam jam.  Ali Mony defeated Polly Urethane in an arm wrestle to break the Cherry Bombs’ streak of penalty victories.  Mummy Dearest jammed for two points for the Cowgirls.  After a couple of scoreless jams, Rice Rice Baby managaed to eke out one point for the Bombs.  Kategory 5 then blasted through the pack to pick up amother grand slam jam to end the first half.  Score at the half:  Cherry Bombs 27, Rhinestone Cowgirls 20.

The Cherry Bombs returned for the second half with renewed intensity and focus:  the Rhinestone Cowgirls had come back a bit too close for comfort.  Rocky Casbah scored two points and then quickly called off the jam before Kategory 5 could score.  Kate or Dye put up four points, and Rocky Casbah again scored four points while holding Kategory 5 to one  (a terrific takeout block by Honey Homicide was a huge help in that jam).  A minor penalty on Natorious drew a two lap duel penalty.  Moko Loco subbed in and skated against Honey Homicide.  Honey won using some clever strategy to take two points away from the Cowgirls.  After a one point jam from Daisy Mae Damage and another one point jam for Natorious, Kategory 5 picked up a minor penalty.  She also drew a two lap duel, which skated against Rocky Casbah.  This was much more engagement in this duel, which was ultimately won by Rocky Casbah.  Kate or Dye then scored four more points for the Cherry Bombs.  Cherry Chainsaw lost a tug of war penalty to Ali Mony.  Kategory 5 scored a point; Lucy Cannon scored two.  Cherry Chainsaw then beat the snot out of Rollergazm in a pillow fight (Cherry was looking furious before the fight even began.)  Rocky Casbah and Kategory 5 skated to another four/four draw.  It was also announced that Polly Urethne went over the 100 blocks for the season mark in this quarter:  CONGRATULATIONS Polly!  The score at the end of the third quarter:  Cherry Bombs 47, Rhinestone Cowgirls 24.

Daisy Mae Damage and Kategory 5 faced off to start the fourth quarter:  Daisy Mae scored three points, Kategory 5, two.  Rocky Casbah picked up another point for the Cherry Bombs.  Daisy Mae Damage scored two points over Mummy Dearest.  After a major penalty on Cherry Chinsaw (her third minor), neither skater was able to score on the reskate.  Moko Loco defetaed Honey Homicide in a pillow fight.  Kategory 5 scored four points over Kate or Dye’s two.  Rice Rice Baby scored another point for the Bombs.  Diablo was then ejected for getting another fight with Polly Urethane.  A couple more scoreless jams followed.  The final jam of the bout was between Daisy Mae Damage and Kategory 5:  each skater scored three points, bringing the final score to Cherry Bombs 60, Rhinestone Cowgirls 33.
This was great bout to watch.  Neither team let up in their intensity at any point during the bout.  The blocking and defense were fierce for both teams.  Rollergazm and Kategory 5 did very difficult duties for the Rhinestone Cowgirls by skating nearly every other jam in the second half.  The relentless offense and tough defense of the Cherry Bombs eventually wore down the Cowgirls.  Congratulations to the Cherry Bombs on their undefeated season!
The next bout will be between the Holy Rollers and las Putas del Fuego on Sunday, August 16.  See you at the Thunderdome!
Lady A