Even early on in the LBRD's Big Red Party Bus, the excitement is palpable; though how much of that is drunken revelry is unclear.  I know that I am doing my part, both with the anticipation and the drunkeness. Tonight is the Semi-finals.  The Fourth Street Retro Rollers are taking on the newest team in the league, the Belmont Hot Broads.  Fourth Street placed third out of three last season, and well aware that losing tonight might bring the label of being a third place team.

They are going to need to fight, and hard.  Which ever team wins here moves on to play the Bixby Rollerettes, last years champs.  The Rollers' previous bout against the Rollerettes was a loss by quite a large margin, while the Broads' match against the Rollerettes was neck in neck.  But like in any great sporting match, speculation and conjecture mean nothing once the skates hit the track.  Estro, the Rollers' coach, was very disappointed with her team's record last season, and is hungry for a win. Tonight is the night to see if that hunger is enough.

Early on Fourth Street jumps to a lead, with a great play by Adollf Ace capitalizing on the early start.  Fourth street does not let up, as they continue to pound Belmont into the ground earning a 43 to 15 lead. A momentum shift happens, as Shananagins takes to a power jam.  But those hopes are shortly shattered as the Fourth Street Retro Rollers get the jump off the line each and every time, putting them in a place to score.  The Belmont Hot Broads strive to close the gap, but can't help as it widens to 73 to 27 with only ten minutes to half time.  The Hot Broads concentrate on defense during each of the Fourth Street power jams, a time when only Fourth Street is able to score points, but despite their ability to slow the pack down, the Fourth Street Jammer is able to skip past each time with a smile on her face.

The Hot Broads just aren't able to throw the hard hits that they need to keep the Retro Roller's in place.  As such they let the Rollers get into their heads; this early domination acting as a force against the Hot Broads to keep them from playing as they have in the past.

There is a slight morale victory as Inchie Lada is able to keep Estro Jen, arguable the Retro's best jammer and coach, behind her.  But with a half time score of 119 to 39, it is a victory in spirit only.  The Paper Planes play in the background as both teams adjust their strategy during the break.  Belmont Hot Broads really needing to bring it in this second half.

A strong start at the second half by Belmont comes to no avail, the Retro Rollers continue their domination.  A few calls against Belmont added insult to injury, with three Hot Broads, Cannon (a sub), Pigeon and Dangerous (both coaches), being ejected through out the second half. At twenty minutes til the end of the game the Retro Rollers held a one hundred point lead, seemingly solidifying a win. This is right around the time that I started to drink rather than watch, giving up hope.  The end of the game validating my desire to drink with a score of 199to 75, in favor of the Retro Rollers.  Giving them the chance to capitalize on the chance for the championship, against the first place Bixby.  Estro's hunger has paid off and they played a strong game with a solid defense, Flame Fatale and Adollf Ace stepping it up to score more than their fair share of points.  If they can keep up the solid defense and stop Bixby's offense, they are on their way to a Championship win. Long Beach Roller Derby championship game will be held December 9 th at the Queen Mary Dome.

__Kameron Thissell