(47) Ohio Roller Derby Launches Season Against (62) North Star Roller Derby
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03/16/2018 In Previews, Talk Derby To Me By HardKore

(47) Ohio Roller Derby Launches Season Against (62) North Star Roller Derby

Ohio Roller Derby will open their thirteenth season on Saturday, March 17th, against North Star Roller Derby (Minneapolis, MN) here in Columbus at the Ohio Expo Center. The two teams have met only twice before, most recently in 2012, when Ohio pulled off a 149-101 road victory at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Though six years have passed, a few OHRD veterans from that roster remain, including Amy Spears, Bigg Rigg, Kitty Liquorbottom, Paige Bleed, and Zee “Loraine Acid” Gulertekin.

The All Stars return to their home track at the Ohio Expo Center after a long hiatus from competitive play following their appearance at the 2017 WFTDA Division 2 Playoffs in Pittsburgh, PA, last August. Ohio went 1-2 at the tournament: after a difficult first game defeat by frequent opponent No Coast Derby Girls (Lincoln, NE), they pulled out a decisive victory over Treasure Valley Roller Derby (Boise, ID) and lost by only a handful of points to European powerhouse Bear City Roller Derby (Berlin, Germany). In the months since, Ohio skaters have quietly and consistently put in long hours at practice, patiently rebuilding the charter team and honing themselves for the challenges of the coming season.

North Star has pared down their travel team schedule considerably in recent years, as their robust home team season fills much of their calendar. The Supernovas boasted a 3-1 record in sanctioned play in 2017, but the upcoming match up against the Ohio All Stars will be their first game since last April. Bringing a veteran group that includes long time skaters ShE.Coli, Misa Ornery, and Scarlet Raven, North Star will look to make the most of the trip with a next-day closed game against neighboring Gem City Roller Derby (Dayton, OH).

The Ohio charter has undergone considerable change since the end of the 2017 season, as much of the starting line retired following playoffs. Chainsaw and Elektra Magneto will lend their talents on the bench coaching this season rather than the track, and fans of big hits will miss powerful blocker Slammerhead. Absent from the jammer rotation are Gorges Curves, Lora “Outa My” Wayman, Val Holla, and Blitz Lemon, who broke the all-time league scoring record with 170 points against St. Chux Derby Chix in 2017. Following a year of reffing and the birth of the newest member of the OHRD family, seasoned jammer & pivot Kitty Liquorbottom is back in the green and black, as is KloverKill, who spent 2017 coaching and recovering from injury. Returning from last years postseason roster, Bigg Rigg, BrussKnuckles, Kelsey Khaos, Paige Bleed, TactiGal, and Zee “Loraine Acid” Gulertekin are the heart of a strong veteran core, captained by Betty T. KayO and Pain Train. Experienced Gang Green skaters Jessica Rabid, Kruel-Aid, Sarah Sexton, and Vyles bring depth to both the blocking and jamming rotations as they step up to bolster the charter team.

Doors open to the public at 4 p.m.; the Ohio Roller Derby All Stars will take on the North Star Supernovas at 5 p.m., followed by Ohio Roller Derby Gang Green versus the North Star Northern Lights around 7 p.m. Season passes, pre-sale tickets, and group sales are available online at ohiorollerderby.com/tickets through Friday, March 16th. The season opener traditionally sells out, so be sure to order tickets in advance. The 2018 Ohio Roller Derby roster is already one to watch and you won’t want to miss a minute of the hard-hitting action!

Photo by Joe Mac.

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