It was the Windy City Roller's final night at the climate-subservient Cicero Stadium. There they ruled undefeated for three years, taking all comers. Somehow, right up to the end, they were still able to lure teams into the WFTDA equivalent of the Black Hole of Calcutta, even though they were compelled to dress in the asbestos-infested 19th-Century furnace room and coal chute. Starting next month, the derby moves on to the UIC Pavilion. Compare, if you will, the Pavilion's 10,000-fan seating capacity to the Stadium's ability to seat up to three comfortably (here I am referring to the brown couch by the men's room).

As if to emphasize the need for expanded crowd capacity, a roaring standing-room-only crowd was shoehorned into the beloved old gray barn for the big sendoff, filling the sweat gutters and putting the gargoyles on maximum disgorge levels. Suddenly, I remembered how punishing these muggy summer nights could be.

Farewell, Cicero Stadium! How we will all miss your middle-stall glory hole!

Still, the Kansas City Roller Warriors strutted confidently into that forbidding fortress on Laramie Avenue. WFTDA ranks them number one in the nation, and they boast two of the fleetest women on wheels in Snot Rocket and Xcelerator. But even more striking to the casual observer was the toughness of this squad. For warm-ups, they took turns knocking each other down and jeering. A few of their big blockers failed to make the journey: Annie Maul and Xavia. Those who did make it: Red Ripper, Rita Ploy, Dominant Jean and Ivanna Klobber sat in the stands ready to cheer on their warriors! To keep things sporting, the WCR spotted them one of their key jammers, Athena DeCrime, who was banished to some awful wedding in some godforsaken hole somewhere.

But of the ones who made it, I can say they were sufficiently scary-looking as to move me to physically quake in dread. Team captain Brüz Her looked fresh and relaxed on her return from her tri-state killing spree. And Bad Omen #999 compelled me to spontaneously recall a vividly traumatic prepubescent nightmare where an evil witch gnawed off my right leg.

By the time I was coaxed out of my hidey hole under the bleachers, I was treated to a soaring version of the national anthem by the gifted a cappella group Lake Shore Jive.

But what about the match?

Well, the bottom line is Windy City handily controlled the pack, the lead and the game, much to everyone's astonishment. With their new portable skate court in place to dispel those doubters who would attribute their record to their slick skating surface, WCR displayed outstanding blocking, remarkable pack cohesion and speed-speed-speed -- the Warriors never even got close. Xcelerator was held to a mere six points, trumped handily by Eva Dead's 64 rack-up, Kola Loka's 32 points, and Shocka Conduit's 24. WCR's defensive line, held by Malice w/Chains and enforced by Megan Formor, was further solidified by the best play this reporter has seen from Nina Millimeter in the pivot position and Donna Party as her leg-woman.

Though Kansas City started well enough, and went several jams with no penalties where WCR put a few butts in the boxes, the Warriors simply could not get on top of WCR's pack speed and defensive cohesion. KCRW ran lineups that digressed from the tight, two-jam-in-a-row blocker rotations familiar to anyone who attended 2007's now legendary tournaments [the Dust Devil and Texas Shootout]. They seem to be schooling some newer players and resting their most well-known jammer, Snot Rocket, who put in an appearance under the helmet star only twice in this match. These strategic decisions will perhaps hit pay dirt in the future. But tonight, it was all KCRW could do to wrest their jammers from the back of the pack while WCR lapped them for grand slam after grand slam.

WCR also appeared to outstrip KC in the smarts department, jamming defensively in close situations and killing penalties, even several on their jammers, without so much as a worry line in show. The Warriors, on the other hand, seemed to have a surprising amount of trouble commanding the pace of the pack, choosing to give chase rather than hang back and try to take advantage of the 20-foot rule when it came time to give their jammer assistance in defeating the gauntlet of the gals in white.

The Warriors started to put together a comeback late in the game (they are known for their thrilling rallies), grabbing lead in several of the last 12 jams. If the game was an hour or two longer, it may have tightened up; however, Windy City managed to sandbag things and burn off the last few minutes of the game.

Final Score: Windy City Rollers 155 – Kansas City Roller Warriors 39.