PHILLY NETS TRIFETCA WITH DOMINATING WINS!
by The Grand Poobah (Statistical information provided by Hells LaBelle and Smarty McFly)
(ST. LOUIS, MO) This past weekend’s inaugural ARRGageddon Invitational featured four WFTDA teams that are poised to make an impact in the upcoming post-season in their respective regionals.
When the dust had finally settled after six high-impact bouts held in the span of 20 hours, Philadelphia proved to all in attendance that they are one team to be reckoned with come September.
The Liberty Belles - seeded second in the extremely tough East Regional - finished ARRGageddon with a 3-0 record, posting impressive wins over Detroit, Kansas City and the host Arch Rival Roller Girls.
Philly outscored its opponents 425-197 over the weekend and with the sweep improved its record to 10-3.
The Detroit Derby Girls, seeded second in the North Central Regional, took two wins at ARRGageddon - solid showings over Kansas City and ARRG - to improve to 9-2.
The Kansas City Roller Warriors‘ lone win over the weekend - a hard-fought victory over St. Louis in ARRGageddon’s finale on Sunday - was a bright spot in a 1-2 finish for Fountain City’s best. After the weekend, the team seeded third in the South Central Regional head into the post-season with a 4-4 record.
The Arch Rival Roller Girl All-Stars, the North Central Regional’s eighth seed, who on paper was an underdog going into the invitational against legacy teams with superior firepower, finished winless yet proved to all three teams - and the derby community - that they are a very dangerous team heading into the post-season run.
When concluded, all in attendance - and those within the derby community - would wholeheartedly agree that this weekend was a perfect primer for all the squads, who will use the weekend to strategize the perfect plan to potentially charge into the WFTDA Championships in Chicago in October.
ARRGAGEDDON SATURDAY
PHILLY LIBERTY BELLES 156 ARRG ALL-STARS 53
ARRGageddon’s opener featured a visiting team that was projected by this columnist last week to be “the best team ever to step quad onto the flat track at the All-American.” As advertised, it did not take long for the skaters from the “City of Sisterly Love” to bring that prediction to fruition.
The Liberty Belles went on a 24-0 run midway through the first half, thanks to a 15-pointer notched by Philly sparkplug Mo Pain immediately followed by a 9-pointer from veteran jammer Gloria Grindem, to pull out to a 47-14 lead.
Following a four-pointer by ARRG’s Enya Nightmare, the Liberty Belles went on a 29-0 barrage, which featured a 13-point jam by Elle Viento followed by a 12-pointer by Mercedes Bends.
At the halftime break, Philly posted a 90-32 lead.
Philly kept the pressure going in the second half. Bends would score another triple grand slam midway through the period en route to a 62-21 second-half showing by the Liberty Belles - and inevitably the 103-point margin of victory.
Philly was propelled by seven different skaters in the scoring column - five who scored at least twenty points. Jammers Pain and Teflon Donna paced the Liberty Belles with 30 points apiece while Bends added 28.
ARRG was lead in scoring by Artemischief’s 27 points while Nightmare added 12.
PHILLY LIBERTY BELLES 149 K.C. ROLLER WARRIORS 55
Despite playing back-to-back bouts, Philly was ready to pull out a trump card in ARRGageddon’s bout two - and in the process throw a little misfortune towards Kansas City.
Both teams battled early as both teams exchanged leads. KCRW sported a 19-17 lead twelve minutes into the first half.
Then Philly sent jammer Miss Fortune - sight unseen in the earlier bout against ARRG - to the line. She made the most of opportunity - scoring 25 points to give the Liberty Belles a 42-19 lead.
Philly would continue its “jammer by committee” to stretch out to an 80-35 lead at the half.
And when one thought that the fatigue factor of playing two bouts straight would affect the Liberty Belles, Philadelphia would continue to punish KC in the second half. Teflon Donna would post a 14-point jam early in the second half to pace the Belles, who would go on to outscore the Roller Warriors 69-20 in the second half to pick up the win.
Viento would score 40 points to pace Philly in the victory, followed by Persephone’s 35-point tally and Fortune’s 30-point contribution.
Kansas City was paced by Track Rat’s 28 points, followed by Dementia’s 17.
DETROIT DERBY GIRLS 195 ARRG ALL-STARS 65
Saturday evening’s finale at ARRGageddon featured rivals in the North Central Region, and an early first-half explosion propelled Motor City’s finest to victory.
Following an early 3-pointer by ARRG’s Artemischief, Detroit - chomping at the bit with its first game of the invitational - would upend the locals with back-to-back mega jams. DDG MVP Racer McChaseHer would notch a 23-pointer followed by 19-pointer by Effin Money to pull out to a 45-3 lead.
ARRG would find themselves behind the 8-ball for the remainder of the half - which saw Detroit with an 88-33 lead at intermission.
A barrage of scoring in the second half - including multi-point jams by McChaseHer and Money - would allow Detroit to outscore ARRG 107-32 in the second half to give Detroit the lopsided win.
Racer McChaser would have a career night for Detroit - scoring an invitational best of 65 points - followed by Money’s 55.
Artemischief would lead ARRG in scoring with 39 points, followed by Black Market Baby’s nine.
ARGGAGEDDON SUNDAY
PHILLY LIBERTY BELLES 120 DETROIT DERBY GIRLS 89
In Sunday morning’s opening tilt, Detroit looked to avenge a 60-point setback earlier this season against the Liberty Belles. Unfortunately, the rematch at ARRGageddon - albeit closer - netted the same result in the record column.
Mo Pain’s opening jam netted Philly a 12-1 lead. The Liberty Belles would then go on a 17-0 stretch later in the half to pull out to a 33-11 lead.
Detroit, however, would refuse to throw in the towel. DDG would whittle away at any Philly advantage as the half progressed, pulling to within 14 points deep in the first half.
The Liberty Belles would go back to its lynchpin, Teflon Donna, to pull ahead for the remainder of the half. Donna’s 9-pointer with 5:00 remaining followed by another 9-pointer at the end of the half resulted in a 70-34 lead for Philly at intermission.
Play was pretty much even in the second half. In fact, Detroit outscored Philly 55-50 in the second frame. Yet, the halftime lead was insurmountable for Motor City, who dropped a 31-point loss in the conclusion of the Liberty Belle trifecta.
Philadelphia was paced by Mo Pain’s 25 points, followed by Persephone’s 23.
Teflon Donna topped the scoring for Detroit with 36 points, followed by Racer McChaeHer’s 34.
DETROIT DERBY GIRLS 138 K.C. ROLLER WARRIORS 109
In what would become ARRGageddon’s most competitive match-up, a pair of legacy teams brawled to a 1-point differential at the end of the first half. Kansas City sported a 58-57 lead at intermission.
KCRW would grab the first six points of the second half until Detroit’s Racer McChaseHer scored an eight-pointer to give Detroit a 65-64 lead.
Leads would be flip-flopped as the half progressed. Detroit posted a 78-77 with 18:00 left.
Detroit would then go a 22-7 run to pull out to a 100-84 lead six minutes later. DDG Jammer Sister Slit’chya would net a 15-point mega jam with 7:00 remaining to extend the lead to 119-87.
DDG would go on to outscore KC 74-52 to pick up its second win at ARRGageddon.
KANSAS CITY ROLLER WARRIORS 135 ARRG ALL-STARS 95
In the final bout of ARRGageddon, two teams who had not tasted victory yet during the weekend put on one of the most hard-hitting, dramatic bouts ever held at the All-American.
ARRG drew first blood as Artemischief scored a bout-opening seven-pointer to give the locals a 7-0 lead.
KCRW would answer with back-to-back lead jams by Jade Lightning and Bella Fire. The three-pointer and nine-pointer respectively gave the I-70 counterpart a 12-7 lead five minutes in.
Both teams did their best to outmuscle each other as the half progressed. But at the 18:00 mark, KC’s Fire lit the All-American on fire with a 15-point tally - which gave the Roller Warriors a 45-15 edge.
Kansas City would stretch out to a 67-19 lead approaching the final third of the first half…and all seemed hopeless for ARRG.
But then something happened - as things often do in derby - that shifted momentum.
ARRG would go on a 41-13 run to finish the final ten minutes of the half. Artemischief would post a nine-pointer deep to pull ARRG within 20 at the half, which saw KC sport an 80-60 edge at intermission.
Both teams would trade points as the second half started, until KC started to “feel it,” as the Roller Warriors would go on a 45-19 sprint at the 10:00 mark. Bellafire and Ruth Canal’s 8-pointers would extend Kansas City’s lead to 125-75.
Kansas City down the stretch - and much to its credit - decided to use the clock to its advantage as the half progressed. By slowing down the pace and using lead jammer status to chew up clock time, KC would maintain its overwhelming lead. With the Roller Warriors utilizing clock management, ARRG would see few opportunities to score.
It might have not been pretty to the ARRG contingent, but one would have to agree that it was effective for Kansas City.
Even though ARRG outscored KC in the bout’s latter stages, the large lead was too much for the locals to upend.
KCRW would outscore ARRG 55-35 to pick up its lone victory at ARRGageddon, and finish its regular travel team season record at 4-4.
Kansas City was paced by Belle Fire’s 38 points followed by Ruth Canal’s 35.
ARRG - whose record dropped to 5-8 following ARRGageddon - was led by Artemischief’s 46 points followed by Enya Nightmare’s 24.
NOTES FROM THE POOBAH
Truth be told, the Arch Rival Roller Girls - in its five years of existence - have never created and implemented an event like this before. Although the league has hosted travel team bouts in the past, this was the first time that the league had attempted an invitational that spanned numerous bouts on consecutive days.
That being said, one would have to agree that this inaugural event was a shining moment for the league.
On behalf of the Arch Rival Roller Girls, I’d like to thank all of those who participated, volunteered and watched this first-time event. Without your help and support, none of this would have been possible.
ARRG would like to thank the Philly Liberty Belles, the Detroit Derby Girls and the Kansas City Roller Warriors for their participation in this event. Your professionalism throughout the weekend - albeit in the warm confines of the All-American - was very much appreciated. All three squads are solid representatives of the WFTDA and we wish the best of luck to all three in their future endeavors at the upcoming WFTDA regionals.
I’d also like to acknowledge the officials - skating and non-skating - who participated at ARRGageddon. These hard-working, derby-lovin’ professionals volunteer their time to oversee and regulate the action on and off the track. They never receive enough credit - your participation is very much appreciated.
ARRG would like to thank the sponsors of ARRGageddon and for their support over the weekend: Mamacita’s, CheapTRX, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Aries, Lockton, Onesto’s Pizza, Qdoba, Nadine’s , Rockstar Skates, Cupcake Britt, Richard Roberts Jewelry, Dirty Derby, TOKY, the Zombie Squad, Petra Café and Hookah Lounge, Tripp Company, Kodama Akido, Abbie Takes Pictures, Clear High Speed Broadband, Dead Girl Designs, The Rock, Hip Check Designs, Sinners, Chiro and Muts-n-Stuff. If you could do a favor for ARRG Nation, when you visit these businesses in the future, let them know that you appreciate their support of the Arch Rival Roller Girls.
ARRG would also like to thank the local media outlets who gave exposure to this event, including KTVI-TV, The Riverfront Times and 106.5 FM the Arch. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.
As a personal note, Hells LaBelle and I would like to thank the visiting announcers who provided commentary to ARRGageddon: D’Nouncer Duane from KCRW, Big Poppa Razzi from DDG and Mizz Communication, who travelled all the way from Colorado to call the action for Philly. Your professionalism is greatly appreciated and best to luck to all your teams in the future.
As a whole, it turned out to be a very rewarding experience for the St. Louis derby fan! Once again, we thank you for your patronage and support on a very monumental weekend!
ARRG ALL-STARS BATTLE NORTH STAR THIS SATURDAY
PRE-REGIONAL SHOWDOWN PITS NORTH CENTRAL RIVALS
A primer for ARRG’s post-season push in the upcoming WFTDA North Central Regional takes place this Saturday as the ARRG All-Stars travel to Minneapolis to face the North Star Supernovas at the Lakeville Hasse Arena.
The WFTDA-sanctioned bout will be part of a historic night for Minnesota derby as this will be the state’s first-ever intergender co-hosted event. Prior to the women’s bout, the STL Gatekeepers - St. Louis men’s roller derby franchise - battle the Twin City Terrors.
The ARRG/North Star match-up provides plenty of intrigue, as both could potentially meet each other in post-season play. ARRG - seeded eighth in the regional - faces the team ranked two spots higher.
ARRG remembers the Supernovas well. They met at the North Central Regional last year, where Minnesota’s best posted an 85-43 victory.
North Star (4-3) has travelled a similar journey as ARRG in 2010. By competing nationally against top WFTDA squads, the Supernovas might not have the record they had wished for. Nonetheless, the on-track experience has resulted in nothing but positives for this aggressive team.
The Supernovas return to the track following a 148-68 loss to the Brewcity Bruisers in mid-July. In June, the squad won both of its bouts at the East Coast Derby Extravaganza - a 99-70 win over Carolina and an impressive 105-69 victory over Nashville.
Four-year vet MEDUSA is the one jammer to watch for North Star. She contains explosive quickness and rarely makes mistakes. Jammer Jawbreaker - a transfer from the Minnesota Rollergirls with 5+ years of flat-track derby experience - has had a very successful scoring season in her second year of play with North Star. North Star’s 2008-09 MVP Jammer Katarina Hitt also provides plenty of excitement. Plus, there’s additional scoring punch from the wonderfully-named Marshmallow Assassin.
This is projected to be the biggest derby crowd in Minnesota state history - hence the change to a larger venue. A statement would be made if the Gateway City’s best - female and male - could go 2-0 in the “City of Lakes” this Saturday night!
ARRG TO APPEAR AT DOWNTOWN STREET FEST FRIDAY!
Those unable to make the trip to the “Mill City” can still see the Arch Rival Roller Girls this weekend as ARRG will make an appearance at the 2nd Annual Midtown Alley Street Fest, set for this Friday in St. Louis.
The Midtown Alley Street Fest features free live music from six area bands as well as great food from nine midtown restaurants. (Poobah note: In fairness, I’m not going to pimp any one band or restaurant over the other because - quite honestly - they’re all pretty good!)
The event takes place on Friday, August 20 from 4-11pm in the 3000 block of Locust in midtown St. Louis.
ARRG skaters are schedule to ask “St. Louis-based” trivia questions to street fest patrons…questions that could net prizes.
For more information about the Midtown Alley Street Fest, check out their website RIGHT HERE!
MORE LOCAL DERBY ACTION THIS WEEKEND!
There’s even flat-track action to catch this weekend in the area - featuring two teams that have a close association with ARRG.
This Saturday, the St. Chux Derby Chix from St. Charles face the Twin City Derby Girls of Champaign/Urbana this Saturday at the Omni Sports Complex (4160 Ehlman Drive, St. Charles, MO). Doors open at 7 pm. Bout time is 8 pm. Tickets for this event are $10 each, but you can save $3 by ordering online at Brown Derby Tickets.
The St. Chux Derby Chix - competing in its inaugural season - battled the Arch Rival Roller Girl Rookies earlier this summer and were impressive in its showing. The Twin City Derby Girls have already sold out its bouts on home turf in its inaugural season.
Both squads have assisted ARRG at their home bouts this season, have participated in practices with ARRG skaters and - most importantly - have effectively built the sport from the grass roots level in a short amount of time.
There’s a lot at stake for these up-and-coming franchises. Without a doubt, this will be a highly-competitive bout. ARRG encourages you to attend!
The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this area on Mondays for the latest in ARRG news/information.
