PHILLY, DETROIT, K.C. BATTLE LOCALS IN 2-DAY DERBY TILT!
by the Grand Poobah
(ST. LOUIS, MO) This coming weekend, the local flavor of flat-track roller derby reaches unprecedented heights as four nationally-recognized all-star teams compete in a two-day invitational in St. Louis.
And when all is said and done, one team will be considered the “queens of the mountain.”
The Arch Rival Roller Girls host the inaugural ARRGageddon Invitational - this Saturday and Sunday at the All-American Sports Mall (11133 Lindbergh Business Ct., St. Louis, MO).
Click The Image To Find Out More About This Inaugural Event!
Alongside the ARRG All-Stars, travel teams from Philadelphia, Detroit and Kansas City will compete in WFTDA-sanctioned action during the two-day, six-bout invitational.
Here is the rundown for ARRGageddon:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 14
6:30 PM - ARRG All-Stars vs. Philly Liberty Belles
7:55 PM - Philly Liberty Belles vs. Kansas City Roller Warriors
9:15 PM - Detroit Derby Girls vs. ARRG All-Stars
SUNDAY, AUGUST 15
11:00 AM - Detroit Derby Girls vs. Philly Liberty Belles
12:20 PM - Kansas City Roller Warriors vs. Detroit Derby Girls
1:40 PM - ARRG All-Stars vs. Kansas City Roller Warriors
Doors for each session will open 30 minutes prior to the first bout.
Tickets for ARRGageddon are $15 for each day, or for even a better derby deal, buy a two-day pass for $25. Online tickets are still available this week at Brown Paper Tickets or at the door on bout days.
All four teams competing at ARRGageddon have already earned post-season berths in their respective WFTDA regional tournaments next month, so this weekend could possibly provide a fair barometer for the squads by skating in three highly competitive bouts within a 17-hour time span.
St. Louis’ best on quads, seeded eighth in the North Central regional, returns to the track since a 127-75 win over Duke City (Albuquerque) on June 5.
ARRG (5-5) has won three of its last four bouts. In the process, the team has developed into a well-oiled machine, outscoring its opponents 501-399.
Artemischief
Perennial all-star jammer Artemischief paces ARRG offensively. Her 258 points scored in eight 2010 WFTDA bouts includes a 51-point performance against Duke City. Jammers South City Shiner (244 points) and Enya Nightmare (195 points) have had personal-best seasons as well as mid-season call-up Black Market Baby (152 points), who scored a career-best 54 points against Burning River in May.
Complimenting the “fab four” are an experienced set of blockers, including multiple-MVP winner Eli Wallop, Grave Danger, Downtown Dallis, Morgan LeFaetal, Punches Pileup, Davey Blockit, and mid-season Buckeye State transplant Chewblocka.
Controlling the pace for the ARRG All-Stars are veteran pivots Mayor Francis Slayer and The Educator.
The weekend will be a true test for the locals, as they battle three squads who have high seeds in their respective post-season tourneys.
PHILLY LIBERTY BELLES
This arguably could be the most impressive squad ever to step quad into the All-American Sports Mall.
Seeded second in the extremely tough East Regional bracket of the WFTDA tourney, Philly sports a 7-3 record heading into ARRGageddon.
In July, the Liberty Belles thumped Steel City 161-63.
The month prior, Philly swept all three of its bouts at the East Coast Derby Extravaganza - a 119-106 win over Western powerhouse Denver, a 110-89 victory over North Central top seed Windy City and a 203-98 thumping over San Francisco’s Bay Area Derby Girls.
Shenita Stretcher, Gloria Grindem, Elle Viento, and Persephone contribute to Philly’s solid jammer rotation.
Saturday’s ARRGageddon opener will be the first-ever meeting between ARRG and the Liberty Belles.
DETROIT DERBY GIRLS
This will be the first action in eight weeks for the Motor City powerhouse, currently seeded second in the WFTDA North Central regional tourney.
In June, Detroit (7-1) steamrolled over North Central Rival Grand Raggidy 230-37. Three weeks later, the squad continued their undefeated month with back-to-back wins over Madison’s Dairyland Dolls (139-114) and Milwaukee’s Brewcity Bruisers (195-47).
Detroit looks to avenge a 129-69 loss to Philly in May.
Captain Racer McChaseHer, the league’s 2010 MVP, leads the charge for DDG. Jammer of the Year Sista Slit’chya carries the bulk load of the offense, while blockers Cookie Rumble and Fatal Femme lay down the foundation up front.
In January 2009, ARRG travelled to Detroit and were handed a 153-91 loss.
KANSAS CITY ROLLER WARRIORS
The 2007 WFTDA National Champions head into ARRGageddon with a 3-2 record, a very misleading record at that.
The North Central regional tourney’s third-seeded team is the winner of two straight: a 201-104 win over the DC Rollergirls in June and 352-25 win over Northwest Arkansas last month.
Yep, you read that right….352-25….in one bout.
All-Star Kelley Young (a.k.a. Snot Rocket) recently rejoined the league after a two year sabbatical and made an immediate splash, posting 56 points against Charm City in her return bout.
Bella Fire, Ruth Canal, Dominant Jean, and Hall Balls contribute to the jamming rotation for Kansas City.
KCRW last visited the All-American Sports Mall on March 7, 2009 and posted a 89-80 win over ARRG.
No doubt, this weekend should provide plenty of top-notch excitement for the fans, as all four teams expect the momentum of the weekend to carry over into the post-season.
Four teams arrive…which one will survive? We’ll see you trackside!
(Editorial Note: ARRG’s 5-5 record includes a 139-110 win over the Chicago Outfit, a closed-to-the-public bout held on March 7 in St. Louis. As this was a private bout, it was not reported here at the website earlier this season. However, the bout was considered a regulation bout, thus, it is now included in ARRG’s overall record…or at least in the articles I write.)
ADDED 8/10/10: ARRG is proud to announce that St. Louis’ own Steve Ewing will sing the National Anthem at Saturday night’s session. Ewing was the golden voice of nationally-renowned rock/ska/reggae group The Urge, who nationally toured in the 1990’s with artists such as 311, Korn and Incubus. With alternative favorites such as “Jump Right In” and “Too Much Stereo” in his portfolio, Ewing continues to entertain audiences today with his latest release “Zodiac”. Find out more about Steve Ewing RIGHT HERE!
Unable to make ARRGageddon? Keep up to date on all six bouts with ARRG’s Smarty McFly and others with LIVE textcast coverage on the Derby News Network. Click HERE for LIVE coverage.
The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section next Monday for a recap of ARRGageddon…you know, the two-day event you’re attending this weekend…..
