LOCALS HEAD INTO PLAYOFFS WITH EIGHTH SEED!

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Bout Announcer

(PART ONE OF A TWO-PART SERIES)

After all the long-term planning, preparation and practicing -it’s almost time for the post-season.

And for the Arch Rival Roller Girls’ All-Stars, the long wait is nearly over – yet, the journey is just beginning. ARRG will have a chance to show the other squads of the WFTDA North Central region what it’s made of.

ARRG begins its playoff journey in less than two weeks at the WTFDA North Central playoffs – entitled “Monumental Mayhem” – held October 7-9 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN.

In the nationwide playoff system, each of the four WFTDA regions holds a weekend tournament featuring the top ten-ranked teams in their respective region. The top three finishers at each of the four region playoffs advance to the WFTDA 2011 Championships, held November 11-13 in Broomfield, CO.

In their first round match-up at “Monumental Mayhem,” ARRG – ranked eighth in the North Central – faces #9 Chicago Outfit on Friday, October 7.

As one of 28 teams in the North Central region eligible for post-season play, ARRG’s invite was satisfying enough. Through hard work and determination, the rollers from the Gateway City were able to steadily climb in 2011 to secure a post-season berth.

ARRG’s playoff journey in 2011 actually began in September 2010. At last year’s North Central region tournament, Arch Rival – then ranked eighth – went winless in the post-season, finishing tenth.

No doubt, the frustrations experienced at last year’s tourney provided enough incentive for ARRG to refocus, regroup and reorganize its methodology in 2011.

The task would not be easy for ARRG. A pre-season ranking of #11 in the North Central immediately saw the locals on the outside looking in. The rapidly-shifting parity of the region added obstacles for a potential return appearance.

Fortunately for ARRG, it was challenge that was immediately accepted and inevitably executed, as the All-Stars – who finished WFTDA-sanctioned bouts with a record of 8-3 – had one of its most-productive and successful regular seasons in franchise history.

“I feel like this season we have really dialed up the intensity,” said ARRG All-Star blocker Eli Wallop of the team’s progression.  “The expectations were a lot higher. Everyone focused on developing their own personal game. We’ve been pushing one another to get better.

“I think the increased speed, the increased aggression and the increased competition has done great things for our team.”

ARRG’s reigning MVP is direct in her statements. Yes, the 2011 regular season saw ARRG methodically chip away at the other teams of the North Central in order to gain a top-10 ranking.

The 2011 regular season saw the locals post impressive victories over higher-ranked teams and commanding wins over lower-ranked teams in the region, which resulted in a North Central region record of 7-2.

First, a recap of the 2011 season for the ARRG All Stars…

FEBRUARY 5: NAPTOWN 152    ARRG 105

The locals’ season opener saw them in front of their largest crowd ever – a sold-out Indiana Convention Center in front of over 3,500. The bout against the hardest-charging team in the North Central – ranked fourth in the upcoming tournament – gave a glimpse of what to expect in 2011. The “pink and black attack” avenged a large deficit from the onset and finished the first half up 67-60. Indy went on 35-0 early in the second half to stop the momentum and cruise to victory. South City Shiner paced ARRG with 55 points.

MARCH 19: PIKES PEAK 101    ARRG 155

A long trip to Colorado in March netted an impressive win over a legacy team in the West Regional, ranked #10 at the time. The 54-point road win – which evened the WFTDA-sanctioned season record at 1-1 -let those know in the WFTDA that this was a team that was progressively improving in a short amount of time.

APRIL 23: DEMOLITION CITY 68    ARRG 197

The locals continued their play in the North Central against one of its newest-sanctioned members. The squad from Evansville, IN was no match for ARRG as the locals raced out to a 97-31 lead at halftime. ARRG would post 100 points in the second half to pick up their second straight win and even its North Central region record. Downtown Dallis netted 82 points for ARRG while Mighty Mighty Boston collected 53.

MAY 14: ARRG 147 OHIO 69

ARRG’s first home bout of 2011 saw them paired up in a competitive match-up against a team at the time ranked one spot behind in the rankings. At first, it seemed that ARRG -ranked tenth at the time of the bout – was in a funk as Ohio bullied its way to a 49-40 lead at intermission. The two would be tied at 59-59 with 20:00 remaining. ARRG went on a 30-2 run in the next six minutes to gain the advantage. A tired and short-handed Buckeye team was unable to keep pace as ARRG outscored Ohio 127-20 in the second half to pick up its third straight victory and improve to 2-1 in the region. Dallis scored 56 while Boston contributed 49.

MAY 21: ARRG 129 CHICAGO OUTFIT 72

Arguably ARRG’s most intense bout of 2011 took place on the opening day of the Midwest Brewhaha Invitational in Wisconsin. At the time of the bout, the #9 Outfit were one spot ahead of ARRG in the region’s rankings. After being in a donnybrook in the first twenty of the bout, St. Louis went on a 28-0 run in the first half’s waning minutes and posted a 75-30 lead at the half. A stubborn blocking wall held the Syndicate at bay in the second half and preserved a 57-point win, which opened the eyes of those who followed the national derby scene. Dallis scored 45 while Shiner contributed 23 in ARRG’s fourth win a row, boosting the team’s record to 4-1.

MAY 22: ARRG 147 BURNING RIVER 87

ARRG started day two at Brewhaha in a bit of a lull against then-ranked #15 Burning River. In the early-morning match-up, Cleveland’s best built up a 34-12 lead twelve minutes in. Aggressively, ARRG would tie the score 48-48 with 8:00 left in the first half. St. Louis would keep Burning River scrambling for the remainder of the half to lead 77-53 at intermission. ARRG went on a 22-0 run to start the second half and never looked back. The 60-point win enabled the locals to finish Brewhaha undefeated and extend the overall win streak to five bouts.  Boston finished with 76 points while Dallis added 35.

JUNE 11: ARRG 181 NORTHSTAR 40

ARRG returned home to post a victory that sent a shock over the North Central region. Northstar – at the time ranked #7 – was a squad that was going through a restructuring process. Capitalizing on a line-up that was short on firepower, ARRG jettisoned early. After netting a 58-23 lead at intermission, St. Louis would post a 47-0 rally in the second half’s early stages to skewer the Minnesotans. Thanks to the blocking schematic up front, ARRG outscored its region counterpart 123-17 in the second half to pick up its sixth straight win and improve to 6-1. Boston scored 77 points for ARRG while Dallis netted 55 and Shiner contributed 31.

JULY 9: CHICAGO OUTFIT 164     ARRG 104

ARRG ventured into Chicagoland looking to sweep the regular season battle against its North Central rival. However, the hosts delivered the same first-half punch that was conversely delivered in their inaugural match-up. Thanks to a 37-0 first-half run, the Syndicate took a 76-43 lead into intermission. ARRG would never be able to tap into the insurmountable lead and would inevitably fall by 60 points, thus breaking a six-bout win streak. Dallis scored 48 to pace the locals, who fell to 6-2 with the loss.

JULY 16: ARRG 137 GRAND RAGGIDY 59

ARRG returned to Midwest Sport Hockey one week later to face a North Central squad that was also reloading and rebuilding. The locals raced out to a 38-1 lead over the then-ranked #14 team in the North Central. St. Louis held a 51-30 lead at intermission. With a 52-0 run in the second half’s first five jams, ARRG pulled ahead and outscored the Grand Rapids’ rollers 86-29 in the final frame to snatch its seventh win in 2011 and improve their North Central record to 6-2. Boston scored 64 points while Dallis netted 32.

AUGUST 13: KANSAS CITY 146    ARRG 80

The All-Stars went cross-state to face the top-seed in the ultra-competitive South Central region. Kansas City, the defending region champs, exploded out of the gates due to its superior firepower.  A 46-0 rally early in the first half helped the Roller Warriors build up a 91-31 lead at the break. ARRG tried to keep up pace but the deficit was too much to make up. A late ARRG rally kept the match somewhat respectable. Boston finished with 39 to lead ARRG, who fell to 7-3 in WFTDA-sanctioned bouts.

AUGUST 20: ARRG 297 SIOUX FALLS 18

A rebound – and then some! One week later, ARRG returned to home cookin’ and posted its most lopsided victory in franchise history against the #16 team in the North Central. The locals posted the most points scored, the fewest points allowed and the largest margin of victory in its franchise’s WFTDA-sanctioned history. An unprecedented 96-0 first-half rally set the tone in this one. Up 137-4 at the break, ARRG outscored Sioux Falls 160-14 in the second half to finish the regular season 8-3 overall and 7-2 against North Central foes. Four ARRG skaters scored over 50 in the bouts, with Dallis leading with 77 points, followed by Boston’s 73.

In all, 2011 provided quite a turnaround for a team that finished 2010 with a record of 5-12.

So what was tantamount to the turnabout? There have been changes to the operation of the ARRG All-Stars in 2011 involving both the veterans and the younger crop of talent that has resulted in the upswing.

Infusion of new blood – As pointed out last week, ARRG has been blessed with the solid play of its first-time rookies, specifically May Require Stitches, Shimmy Hoffa and Stabby McCutcha. All three brought prior skating experience, which amped up the level of play at the blocking position. Add to that the progression of first-time All-Star Boston, who blossomed as a top-flight jammer, and Smarty McFly, who brought her “street smarts” to the flat-track.

Impact of the transfers – Although they were late-additions to last year’s travel squad, both Chewblocka and Party Foul found significant responsibilities at the blocker position with a full travel season under their belts. This would lead to more balance in the pack rotations.

Repositioning of veterans – Some inside and outside of ARRG nation might have questioned the decision of moving 2010 scoring leader Artemischief into a blocker position to begin 2011. In hindsight, this movement actually provided great results. It added another layer to the blocking rotation and it kept one of ARRG’s smartest skaters out there for numerous jams against tough competition.  Artemischief’s move to the front wall provided the space for Dallis and Boston to excel at jammer position. The movement of The Educator to a more predominate role of blocker also provided another solid skater up front without sacrificing scoring.

Less time in the “sin bin” – Late-bout penalties were cause of numerous setbacks in 2010. That was heavily slashed this season. Also, ARRG was able to capitalize on numerous first-half power jams in 2011, resulting in quick early sprints that evolved into comfortable leads.

Returning veterans’ smarts – No one questioned the workload of multi-year vets Wallop, Mayor Francis Slayer and South City Shiner, who continued their consistently solid level of play. One more year of seasoning resulted in productive years for all three.

The braintrust on the bench – Regardless of the sport, it’s often advantageous to have numerous sets of eyes assessing the game play and to provide guidance as time progresses. This eliminates the burdens associated with a one-person coaching staff. ARRG brought to the table in 2011 a very solid and diverse set of bench coaches, each with their own specialties. Magnum P.I.M.P. – a lynchpin of the STLGatekeepers, the MRDA’s #1 team – returned to the fold full-time in 2011. Hi-Refinition, a highly-respected official who knows the in’s and out’s of the sport, brought invaluable knowledge to the bench. High Pains Drifter, another officiating vet and key figure in local men’s flat track derby, contributed in numerous aspects. And Grave Danger, while nursing injury in the first-half of the travel season, brought her knowledge to the youngsters. This quartet divvied responsibility well and provided the “voices of reason” that assisted the progression of the squad.

As one can see, it’s not just one factor, but many that were instrumental in ARRG’s upswing in 2011. Although ARRG finds itself entering the North Central playoffs with the exact same seed as 2010, one will have to admit that the squad looks very promising to eliminating the setbacks experienced in the post-season one year ago.

The pieces of the puzzles are there. It’s a matter of making them fit perfectly in Indianapolis, which is precisely the modus operandi of ARRG in less than two weeks.

NEXT WEEK IN PART TWO OF OUR SERIES: We’ll look at the other nine squads on quads competing at “Monumental Mayhem” and what to expect from ARRG in its first-round round “rubber match” against Chicago Outfit.

ARRG TO APPEAR AT GROVEFEST THIS WEEKEND!

The Arch Rival Rival Roller Girls will be performing exhibition bouts at the sixth-annual Grovefest, held this Saturday in the Grove neighborhood of St. Louis.

ARRG will perform a pair of exhibition bouts in the parking lot of The Gramophone (4243 Manchester, St. Louis). The exhibitions take place at 4:30 pm and 8 pm. Admission is $5 for each 40-minute bout.

Grovefest is a FREE yearly and uniquely fun, edgy neighborhood street festival featuring live music, live and interactive art, fashion shows, tattoo competitions, street performers, and of course, local food and drinks of the Grove’s and St. Louis’s finest establishments.

To find out more about Grovefest, go to this link RIGHT HERE!

ARRG ROOKIE RIVALS FALL IN ST. CHARLES

(ST. PETERS, MO) The ARRG Rookie Rivals – the league’s developmental squad of unrostered skaters – fell to the St. Chux Derby Chix Hells Belles 173-48 at Matteson Square Garden Saturday night.

The Rookie Rivals fell to 2-2 in 2011. We’ll keep you up to date on any future bouts with this promising group here at archrivalrollergirls.com!

OLY ROLLERS WIN WFTDA WEST REGIONAL

(PORTLAND, OR) In the second of four WFTDA regional playoffs, the Oly Rollers defeated Rocky Mountain 143-106 in the finals of the West Regional “Bridgetown Brawl” on Sunday.

With their finishes, both teams gained a berth to November’s WFTDA 2011 Championships in Colorado.

Joining the two in the upcoming national finale will be Rose City (Portland), who defeated Rat City 186-134 to claim third place.

The WFTDA post-season continues with the third stop on the four-region playoff circuit, the South Central playoffs. “Show Me Derby-Q” begins this Friday in Kansas City, MO.

The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest in ARRG news/information.

“ROOKIE OF THE YEAR” BALLOT HAS THREE SOLID FINALISTS!

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Announcer

I’ve wanted to write this column for awhile, but I felt the need to withhold it until a certain deadline had passed.

Every year, the Arch Rival Roller Girls hold their league awards ceremony. The event is designed to award recognition to the skaters, officials and volunteers who make this well-oiled machine operate efficiently, both on- and off- the flat track.

Well before the event, league members can nominate candidates in numerous categories. Some – such as “Blocker of the Year,” “Jammer of the Year” and “Team MVP” – pertain specifically to on-track achievement for both individual teams and for the league as a whole.

Others are comical in nature – such as “Best Rack” and “Best Booty.” And yes, neither of those categories has to do with BBQ ribs and pirate’s treasure, respectively.

To be nominated for any category is a reward well-deserved – it means that someone within your sisterhood thought that you should be recognized for your achievements.

Once the nomination process has concluded, three finalists in each category are presented for the final vote. Once eligible to vote, a person who works within the infrastructure of the league is able to fill out their ballot.

I’m honored to be one of those voters. I’m usually pretty confident in the choices I make and it doesn’t take me long to fill in the boxes, although it’s a little awkward for this married father of two to make his selections for “best booty and rack.”

Bet then I reached the category of “ARRG Rookie of the Year” and time suddenly stood still.

To be eligible for “Rookie of the Year,” a current ARRG-rostered skater was not a member of an intraleague squad the prior season.

Now that the deadline for voting has passed, I can now reveal who the finalists are.

All three skaters who made the finals fit into that category perfectly and there are plenty of similarities to be found within the trio.

The three finalists for 2011 ARRG Rookie of the Year are, in no particular order:

May Require Stitches

Shimmy Hoffa

Stabby McCutcha

One can immediately see where this would make voting difficult – for all three are well-deserving of the award.

Stitches

Hard to believe, but yes, all three were not members of their respective local squads one season prior.

All three were instrumental to their squad’s growth and development during the 2010-11 season and will be important cogs in future seasons.

All three are outstanding blockers and have increased their track time while simultaneously decreased their time in the penalty box as the season progressed.

Hoffa

All three worked hard to earn a spot on the “ARRG All Stars” travel team this season and delivered solid results to justify their inclusion to the squad.

All three possess the capabilities to be a future team captain or co-captain.

All three are active in promoting the league that they hold true to their hearts.

The portfolio runs deep for all three – they’re all just that darn good.

McCutcha

But just don’t take my word for it. There are many others who feel the same way I do.

“Hoffa has just been invaluable,” says ARRG veteran blocker Grave Danger. “It’s hard to think of this as her rookie season because she has been skating for so long. To see her put forth the effort and step up, it has been amazing.”

Truth be told, as soon as she mentioned her All-Star teammate, she was quick to point out that Hoffa’s fellow rookies – Stitches and McCutcha -  had also equally made great strides in 2011.

“Their execution was top-notch,” said Danger. “They both came in with the skating experience, with their hockey stuff and their quick juking.”

“They’re great team players and I’m honored to be skating with them.”

The inclusion of the rookies to the All-Star travel squad has also effectively modified the game plan of the veterans in preparation against the hard-charging leagues of the North Central region.

“Our focus in practice has been on developing footwork and speed and to be able to catch-up to the skill level of those who have long-term skating histories coming into derby,” said ARRG 2010 MVP Eli Wallop of the skill sets of McCutcha and Stitches.

“The new blood on the team is definitely responsible for upping the ante.”

Like the others, the decision was difficult for this voter. And as I thought it about it more, it became tougher to make my selection.

I tried to put “X” in all three boxes that were displayed in my online ballot. The set-up of the ballot prohibited me to do that.

Conversely, I tried to leave all three boxes blank, representing an “abstention” in voting, which would symbolize a three-way tie. Unfortunately, the set-up of the online ballot wouldn’t allow that either.

So I had to sit back, reflect and swish around in my mind where I wanted my one lone vote to go. I thought about the progression of the athlete as the season progressed, the commitments made to the league off-the-track and the future potential of said skater to the progression of the league as a whole.

The winner of the category will be announced at ARRG’s league ceremony held in late-October.

And I don’t think anyone would be surprised – or disappointed – if a tie occurred…even perhaps a rare three-way tie.

If these three talented rookies represent “the future of ARRG,” then the league is going to be in very good shape for years to come.

ROOKIE RIVALS PLAY IN ST. CHARLES THIS SATURDAY!

The ARRG Rookie Rivals – the league’s developmental squad of unrostered skaters – will be back in action this weekend as they face the St. Chux Derby Chix Hell’s Belles.

The bout – part of a doubleheader night of St. Charles derby action – takes place Saturday night at Matteson Square Gardens Tri-Plex (3051 Industrial Park Place West, St. Peters, MO).

Tickets are $10 at the door. Children 10 and under get in free. Save $2 on admission price by purchasing an advance ticket online at THIS LINK RIGHT HERE. Doors open at 5:15 pm, action begins at 6 pm.

Originally scheduled as the opener to Saturday’s doubleheader, the Rookie Rivals/Hell’s Belles match-up now moves into the main event slot as a result of a scheduling kerfuffle involving the original opponent for the St. Chux Derby Chix.

However, SCDC has turned a negative into a positive. The opening bout will feature an exhibition “mash-up” featuring skaters from the St. Chux Derby Chix, the COMO Derby Dames, the Cape Girardeau Roller Girls, the Springfield (MO) Roller Girls and the River Valley Roller Girls of Arkansas.

Meanwhile, the Rookie Rivals (2-1) are looking for their third straight win in the headliner. After suffering a May setback against the CoMo Derby Dames Wreckoning Crew, the rookies posted solid wins in July against Dark River (177-59) and Chicago Outfit’s C-team (180-71).

Look for the future of ARRG to make a statement against the future of St. Charles County derby. It should be a fun event. We’ll see you in St. Peters this Saturday!

GOTHAM WINS WFTDA EAST REGION PLAYOFFS

(BALTIMORE, MD) Eastern top-seed Gotham Girls Roller Derby – featuring former ARRG-Star Davey Blockit – defeated the Philly Liberty Belles 252-97 Sunday at the championship bout of the 2011 WFTDA East Region playoff.

The top three finishers at “Nightmare on 95″ advanced to the 2011 WFTDA Championships in Broomfield, CO.

Joining Gotham and Philly will be Charm City (Baltimore), who defeated Steel City 189-94 to capture third place.

Three more WFTDA region playoffs are to be held in the upcoming weeks. Up next is the West Region playoff – “Bridgetown Brawl” – which begins Friday in Portland, OR.

The ARRG All-Stars – seeded eighth in the North Central region playoff – faces ninth-seeded Chicago Outfit in the opening round of the North Central Region playoff, entitled “Monumental Mayhem,” held in Indianapolis October 7-9.

NEXT WEEK IN THE ARRG NEWSCENTER: The post-season journey of the ARRG All-Stars begins in short time. In the first of a special two-part series, we’ll look at the progression of the squad in 2011 and look at the contributing factors that resulted in a turnaround travel season.

The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest in ARRG news and information.

ST. CHUX HANGS TOUGH DESPITE 138-98 SETBACK!

by the Grand Poobah, with statistical information by Hells LaBelle

(BALLWIN, MO) In a Saturday night battle of flat-tracking Chix, the squad from St. Louis County upended its St. Charles County counterpart.

Capitalizing on a 46-0 rally late in the first half, the Saint Lunachix – ARRG’s developmental franchise – defeated the St. Chux Derby Chix 138-98 Saturday night at “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby” at Midwest Sport Hockey in front of 650.

The event raised money for the West County EMS and Fire Protection District. All proceeds from ticket sales went directly to the District’s community outreach programs.

The 40-point victory netted the Lunachix (10-1) their sixth straight victory. The process, however, would not be easy as its rival from the west would cause fits throughout the night.

After an opening scoreless jam, the Saint Lunachix posted a 9-pointer from Morgan LeFaetal to give the host squad an early edge. Two jams later, EnYa Nightmare collected nine of her own to extend the lead to 18-0.

SCDC broke into the scoring column at 21:15 as jammer G.I. Jamie utilized a powerjam, cutting the gap 20-4. Vixen TaGetcha followed with four more for the visitors, whittling the Lunachix lead down to 20-8.

Feeling the SCDC heat, the Lunachix went on a 19-1 run in the bout’s next three jams. Nightmare’s baker’s dozen was followed by two from LaFaetal and four from Munchausen by Foxy. Thanks to the mini-rally, the Saint Lunachix rolled out to a 39-9 lead midway through the first half.

Jamie would keep SCDC within striking distance. A seven-point jam collected at the 12:50 mark narrowed the lead to 43-16.

The latter stretches of the first half would see the Saint Lunachix blocking schematic literally extinguish the SCDC offense, which resulted in a huge rally. LaFaetal’s three-pointer at 9:20 was followed by Foxy’s 18-point strike, which extended the lead to 64-16.

Utilizing the front wall provided by Vandetta Vango, Shell Shoxx, Joanie Rollmoan and a host of others, LaFaetal added nine points two jams later, Foxy posted four and a rare donning of the star by Science Friction yielded other nine.

The well-oiled Lunachix machine seemed to be firing on all cylinders as the nine-minute 46-0 rally extended the lead to 85-16 with 3:45 remaining.

Bruised, but not broken, SCDC would net the final three jams of the first half. TaGetcha and Jamie each scored three down the stretch to finish the first thirty of play.

And although SCDC found itself in a 90-22 deficit at intermission, the quick sprint at the end provided a foreshadowing of things to come…which made for a very interesting and intense second half.

Following LaFaetal’s half-opening five-pointer, SCDC rookie Spider Monkey would counter with five of her own, pushing the score to 95-27.

Like a pair heavyweight prize fighters, both teams would collect hard-earned points with the next two jams. The end result saw the Saint Lunachix hold on to a 112-38 lead with 22:15 remaining.

Then like an electrical surge, SCDC struck with a charge on the next jam that shocked the hosts. SCDC capitalized on a perpetually-filled Lunachix penalty box and by utilizing the three-skater advantage, Jamie collected a 23-point powerjam for SCDC. The high-voltage attack whittled the Lunachix lead down to 112-61 with 20:15 remaining.

The Lunachix held SCDC at bay as the second half progressed, thanks in part to blocking by Ginny Beastly, Boom Boom Pow, The Forecloser, Biohazard Betty and the earth-shaking hits by rookie Rhino Might. In the process, the Lunachix would maintain their cushion and possess a 123-68 lead with 11:00 left.

And just when things looked in complete control for the hosts, the hard-charging bunch from St. Charles County struck again.

Using the front wall of Sonic Crush, T. Tally Ho, Whip L’Ash and Bobbi Slamher, SCDC scored 14 points from TaGetcha with 9:50 left to cut the gap to 123-82.

Time, or least what little was left, became the deciding factor in the bout. As SCDC continued to valiantly scrap, the Saint Lunachix provided enough firepower to seal the victory. Nightmare’s eight-point tally with roughly 5:00 left extended the lead back to 40+ points.

SCDC outscored the Saint Lunachix 76-48 in the second half, but the huge halftime advantage helped ARRG’s developmental squad pick up the 138-98 victory.

Nightmare paced the Lunachix with 55 points, while LeFaetal and Foxy posted 37 and 36, respectively. The victory netted double-digits in the win column and put the proverbial cherry on top for blocker Joanie Rollmoan, who officially retired from ARRG post-bout after serving six seasons with the league.

G.I. Jamie topped SCDC scoring with 56 points followed by TaGetcha’s 28. The scrappy bunch from St. Chuck – now 6-3 – held their own with the hosts and continued to show their steady improvement as a franchise. Expect this squad to impress down the road.

UNOFFICIAL SCORING

ARRG SAINT LUNACHIX: EnYa Nightmare 55, Morgan LeFaetal 37, Munchausen by Foxy 36, Science Friction 8

ST. CHUX DERBY CHIX: G.I. Jamie 56, Vixen TaGetcha 28, Flash 9, Spider Monkey 5

In the opener to “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby” featuring members of the ARRG All-Stars, the Five Alarm Black Belles defeated the Screaming Pink Sirens 70-55.

Equally divided in talent, this exhibition bout provided multiple reasons that this collective group of skaters should open some eyes at the upcoming WFTDA North Central region playoffs come October.

Black Market Baby’s eight-point opening jam gave the Sirens a quick 8-0 advantage. The Belles chipped away at the lead and pulled to within 10-6 six minutes in.

The Educator scored nine for the Belles on the next jam – resulting in a lead change – which now saw the Belles on top 15-14.

The Sirens would counter with the blocking of Chewblocka, Eli Wallop, Party Foul and a host of others, which helped BMB score four with 8:00 left in the first half. This resulted in another lead change and gave the Sirens an 18-16 lead.

The Educator’s eight-point tally with 1:30 left in the half regained the advantage for the Belles, who finished the opening frame leading 25-23.

The opening stages of the second half saw the Sirens screaming, resulting in a 17-1 rally. Jammer South City Shiner posted an eight-pointer three jams in to help the Sirens grab a 33-27 lead. Downtown Dallis’s two-pointer, Party Foul’s four and an additional three by Shiner extended the Sirens’ lead to 42-27 midway through the period.

The blocking schematic of the Black Belles – which included Artemischief, Grave Danger, Mayor Francis Slayer, Smarty McFly and Stabby McCutcha – stifled the streak, close the gap and inevitably provided the muscle to regain the advantage and eventually the win. Thanks to the wall up front, EnYa Nightmare netted a 20-pointer for the Belles, who now sported a 52-46 lead with 5:00 remaining.

The Belles outscored the Sirens 45-22 in the second half to pick up the victory. Nightmare paced the Black Belles with 28 points while Shiner led the Pink Sirens with 27 points.

The ARRG All-Stars – seeded eighth in the WFTDA North Central region – now collectively continues its preparation for the post-season playoff. ARRG (8-3) faces #9 Chicago Outfit in the opening round of Monumental Mayhem on Friday, October 7.

We’ll have a special two-part feature tracking the ARRG All-Stars’ journey in 2011 and its push in the post-season here in the ARRG Newscenter beginning Monday, September 26.

UNOFFICIAL SCORING

FIVE ALARM BLACK BELLES: EnYa Nightmare 28, The Educator 23, Mighty Mighty Boston 19

SCREAMING PINK SIRENS: South City Shiner 27, Black Market Baby 12, Party Foul 8, Downtown Dallis 7, Morgan LaFaetal 1

On behalf of the Arch Rival Roller Girls, we would like to thank the West County EMS and Fire Protection District for their participation in “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby.” Their co-operation and commitment to the promotion, marketing and presentation of the event resulted in a very successful night of women’s flat track roller derby for both ARRG’s loyal fan base and for a new audience experiencing the sport for the first time.

Once again, 100% of the ticket sales from the event went directly to the District’s community outreach programs. We thank you for your patronage and your support of the District!

NEXT WEEK IN THE ARRG NEWSCENTER: Life is filled with difficult choices. In most cases, we’ve got two options to pick from. But what if the process involved a third element of equal value? An A, B or C scenario where no option is greater than the other? Such is the case of a recent category in ARRG’s yearly awards ballot. All three finalists were equally deserving of a nomination and all three are worthy of taking the honor outright. That makes the final selection really difficult for the ‘ol Poobah and for others. Next week, we’ll see just how tough it can be for the league to decide ARRG’s 2011 Rookie of the Year.

The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section for the latest in ARRG news and information.

DOUBLEHEADER BENEFITS WEST COUNTY EMS & FPD!

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Announcer

It’s a derby twist to a common saying that is associated with a simple fire safety technique.

This Saturday night, the Arch Rival Roller Girls and the West County EMS and Fire Protection District present “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby!” – a special night of flat-track action that benefits the District’s community outreach programs.

Photo Credit: Lynn Terry

In the main event of Saturday’s doubleheader, ARRG’s Saint Lunachix (9-1) battles the St. Chux Derby Chix (6-2). Prior to that bout, there will be an exhibition featuring members of the Arch Rival Roller Girls’ All-Star travel squad, divided up evenly into the “Screaming Pink Sirens” and the “Five Alarm Black Belles.”

The action takes place at Midwest Sports Hockey at Queeny Park (570 Weidman Rd., Ballwin, MO). Doors open at 6pm. The first bout begins at a special early start time of 6:30 pm.

Tickets on bout night at the door are $15 each, cash only. Children 10 and under get in free. Save $5 this week on tickets purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets by going to this link RIGHT HERE. Advance tickets are also available from the West County EMS and Fire Protection District. 100% of ticket admission sales from the event go directly to the District.

Note from the Poobah: You can see both the Saint Lunachix and the St. Chux Derby Chix tussle in a live pre-bout tug-o-war this Wednesday on “Fox 2 News at 9 AM” on KTVI, Channel 2.

Both teams featured in the main event of “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby” are looking to successfully continue their respective journeys travelled in 2011.

Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell

Sporting a 130-103 victory over Kansas City’s Plan B last month, the Saint Lunachix are aiming for double-digits in the win column in the match-up with SCDC.

Their offensive output has been nothing but stellar in 2011, outscoring their opponents 1537-918. They’ve eclipsed the 200-point mark three times this season.

Most impressive about this squad this season has been its ability to post solid wins with a perpetually shifting line-up. There is a lot of depth in this franchise and this Saturday, it will once again feature a balanced mix of veteran skaters and promising up-and-comers.

A major component of the offense can be found at the jammer line. Whereas most travel squads implement a rotation of three jammers, the Saint Lunachix have consistently this season featured a rotation of five.

This has been arguably key in the Lunachix’s nine victories – they haven’t had to solely rely on one jammer for the bulkload of the work.

Morgan LeFaetal, Munchausen by Foxy and EnYa Nightmare have been consistently high in their scoring output. Look for all three to make a statement early. Also Boom Boom Pow and Rhino Might, both finishing their first seasons as Lunachix, have posted career numbers.

Up front, look for blockers Biohazard Betty, Vendetta Vango, The Forecloser, Ginny Beastly, The Oregon Betrayal, Joanie Rollmoan, Science Friction and Shell Shoxx to make an impact.

It’s a squad that looks to put an exclamation point to the end of a successful season.

However, the task won’t be easy as they face a St. Charles County squad who has also reached unprecedented heights in 2011.

In only their second full season as a travel franchise, the St. Chux Derby Chix has posted six solid wins over comparable competition. Benchmark victories for SCDC this year include Twin City Derby Girls (Champaign, IL), Southern Illinois, Cape Girardeau and Western Kentucky.

And what was once a franchise just happy to have a bout a few years back has now blossomed into a team that needs to be feared.

Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell

“The St. Chux Derby Chix are a tough, hard hitting defensive-oriented team,” says SCDC bout announcer Magilla Guerilla. “Determined and gritty, the girls have shown a tenacious knack for ignoring how a match-up might look on paper by playing together and executing their game plan. With their roster at its peak, they’ve dominated play, putting up impressive victories. ”

They also bring a lot of scoring to the flat-track dance, averaging 150 points per bout.

According to Guerilla, fans should look for perennial MVP and last season’s workhorse G.I. Jamie, SCDC’s leader in points and minutes logged as jammer. Complimenting the vet is the rapidly-improving Vixen TaGetcha and Grey Goose O’Flyen, who personifies the heart of this squad.

“However, don’t be surprised to see the very intriguing newcomer Spider Monkey take the jam line as well,” adds Guerilla. “She is a slippery jammer that is hard to knock off her skates, while also displaying a natural instinct to find the smallest crack in a pack’s defense and burst through to daylight. She is a player to watch this season and beyond.”

Many of last year’s standouts still remain as the core of the 2011 edition of SCDC. According to Guerilla, their packs are anchored by hard-hitting captain Bobbi Slamher and the powerful Sonic Crush.

Once again, another new Chix – one with size and speed – adds depth to the blocking schematic.

“Bursting on to the scene this year to compliment her teammates’ style is Whiplash,” says Guerilla. “(She’s) a blocker with jammer athleticism that meshes perfectly with her physical teammates.”

Add one more additional “x-factor” to the Chix/Chix mix. Current ARRG referee and STLGatekeeper S.WiiTooth runs the bench for SCDC. In addition to being a top-notch skater and one who is familiar with the Lunachix line-up, he possesses a very smart, tactical approach to the game, which might give the visitors an edge.

You can bet that this scrappy bunch from St. Charles County would love nothing more than to post a historic victory over their St. Louis County counterpart Saturday night. Expect fireworks in this one!

“While the St. Lunachix will be yet another challenging opponent, the defensive style of SCDC should keep them in the bout,” predicts Guerilla. “Even in their losses this season, SCDC were never blown out of the building and if they can avoid any late costly penalties, the finish could be very exciting.”

Saturday’s undercard bout will feature a 40-minute exhibition with the ARRG All-Stars, currently ranked eighth in the WFTDA North Central region.

Picking rosters for the “Screaming Pink Sirens” and the “Five Alarm Black Belles” was not easy. The league wanted even distribution of players for both sides, and when every skater is by definition an All-Star, figuring out who goes where can present a challenge.

The Screaming Pink Sirens will feature Downtown Dallis and the Educator – both high-octane scorers – at jammer. Veteran blockers Mayor Francis Slayer, Eli Wallop, Grave Danger, Science Friction and Smarty McFly will provide the wall up front.

The Five Alarm Black Belles will counter with South City Shiner, Mighty Mighty Boston and Black Market Baby at the jammer line. Look for Chewblocka, Shimmy Hoffa, Artemischief and Party Foul to lead the blocking battalion.

Pride’s on the line in this one. Don’t expect these athletes to hold anything back in the exhibition!

Speaking of pride, the Arch Rival Roller Girls are honored to have the West County EMS and Fire Protection District as the signature sponsor for Saturday night’s event. This year, the District has provided service for the Arch Rival Roller Girls at league bouts at Queeny Park. They are always quick to the call for an injured skater.

Photo Credit: West County EMS & FPD

However, the District’s work goes well beyond the derby community.

Established in 1908, The West County EMS & Fire Protection District is a career department providing EMS services, fire suppression, multi-hazard rescue services, code enforcement and prevention education to several municipalities and unincorporated areas within west St. Louis County, Missouri.

The District handled over 4,800 calls for service in 2010, 75% of which were Emergency Medical Services.

Photo Credit: West County EMS & FPD

Outreach is also a top priority of the District. Community events and training held throughout the year by the District include blood drives, CPR classes, Community Emergency Response Team training, fire extinguisher classes, child safety seat checks, disaster preparedness classes (both corporate and residential), burn prevention programs, adherence to seat belt laws, education regarding medication compliance, fall prevention and cooking safety.

The District also hosts other annual events such as back-to-school programs, the Fall Festival, Santa at the Fire Station, bicycle safety events, attendance at summer camps and holiday visits to senior centers.

Photo Credit: West County EMS & FPD

Funding for the district’s community outreach program is imperative to its success. Marketing and incentives are built into each of these events to maximize attendance and participation.

The district’s goal is to continue its community outreach program thereby reducing instances of preventable injuries and the loss of life and property.

Once again, 100% of all proceeds from admission ticket sales will be donated to the West County EMS & Fire Protection District to benefit their community outreach programs.

There’s plenty of excitement to be found off the flat-track as well on Saturday with a special charity raffle drawing benefitting Responder Rescue Inc. – a new and exciting non-profit organization founded to assist colleagues from area Fire and Police Departments along with EMS Workers who are coping with severe injuries or illness. Stop by the raffle table and see what you could win!

There are also special limited edition photographs on sale featuring Saturday’s skaters for $10 each. All proceeds from the sales of photographs benefit the West County EMS & Fire Protection District community outreach programs.

And Saturday’s doubleheader, stop by Iggy’s Mexican Cantina (13645 Big Bend Rd.) for our official post-bout after-party. There will be drink specials and live music for all to enjoy. Remember, there’s no cover to join us at the after-party!

Those who participate in derby and those who protect our safety always make it a priority to give back to the community. Here’s a chance for you to give back as well with your attendance.

We’ll see you Saturday night at Midwest Sport Hockey for “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby!”

NEXT WEEK IN THE ARRG NEWSCENTER: Who lit the flat-track on fire and who got snuffed out? We’ll have a full recap of “Stop, Drop and Roller Derby!”

The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest ARRG news and information.