A rare “triple header” of derby between two cities takes place this Saturday as the primary travel squads of the Arch Rival Roller Girls and the St. Louis Gatekeepers compete in Cincinnati, OH.
In the main event, the Arch Rival All-Stars, currently ranked #21 internationally by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), tangles with #44 Cincinnati Rollergirls Black Sheep. Prior to that match-up, ARRG’s B-team, the Saint Lunachix, tussles with CRG’s Violent Lambs. The event launches with a men’s roller derby bout featuring the St. Louis Gatekeepers versus the Cincinnati Battering Rams.
The three-bout tilt takes place at the historical Cincinnati Gardens and begins at 3 p.m. Central.
(Note: LIVE free online coverage will be provided by ICRCTV, who will stream the women’s bouts beginning at 5 p.m. Central at the following Livestream link: https://new.livestream.com/icrctv.)
Arch Rival jammer Brickyard. Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The Arch Rival All-Stars (1-1) look to pick up its second straight win following Saturday’s 171-142 triumph over #33 Madison at Midwest Sport Hockey.
Trailing 111-110 with 12:00 left in the bout, Arch Rival went on a 33-14 rally over the next eight minutes to pull ahead.
“We struggled a little bit and had to tighten it up in the second half, but we pulled it off when it mattered the most,” said jammer IDA the Living Dead afterwards. “I loved how we really stayed calm on the bench with all the issues we were having. Everybody had a really good attitude.”
IDA will be joined in the rotation by Brickyard, who scored a team high 86 points against Madison, and veteran Mighty Mighty Boston.
Perhaps the MVPs of Saturday’s bout were the ARRG blocking schema that effectively shuttered Madison’s high-powered offense down the stretch. Blockers Party Foul, Eli Wallop, Mayor Francis Slayer, Rhino-Might, Downtown Dallis, Girl Fawkes, Tupac Shank-Her and Prof. Rumbledore will set the foundation, both offensively and defensively.
They collectively roll into the Buckeye State to challenge an improving team that is looking for a win in front of its faithful flock.
Cincinnati captain candyKICKass! Photo credit: Cincinnati Rollergirls
#44 Cincinnati Black Sheep (0-5) have seen numerous shifts to its roster since the beginning of the calendar year. Although they have yet to taste victory in 2014, this is a squad that is headed in the right direction.
“We have so many hard-working skaters fighting for the top spots on the charter,” said Cincinnati captain candyKICKass! “I’m really proud of the hard work and dedication that everyone on the team is taking this year, both on and off the track. Our veterans are getting smarter and more aggressive and our new Sheep have stepped up their game immensely.”
Jammers Wheezy, Sailor Scary, Ruthless Chris and Sprint Julep will handle the duties with the star on the helmet. Alongside candyKICKass!, blockers La Bruja and Nuk’em have impressed the locals and should provide plenty of hard hits.
If anything, this team has the right attitude and looks to impress a fan base that averages close to 2,500 at Cincinnati Gardens.
“The 2014 Black Sheep has the most heart and teamwork that I have seen in years,” said the CRG captain. “This year has been a year of tremendous growth for us.”
Historically against each other, Arch Rival holds a 4-3 edge, winning the last four meetings between the two. The Black Sheep can even the ledger with a win on Saturday.
“ARRG is always a team we love to play,” said candyKICKass! “We have always had a great friendship and rivalry with them. They are a smart and aggressive team, and we look forward to see who will win.”
Meanwhile, Arch Rival’s IDA knows that it has to play a solid sixty minutes in the visitors’ meadow in order for St. Louis to notch its second straight win.
“We’re just going to go out and play the best we can, play clean and score many more points than they do,” she said.
Saint Lunachix blocker Jamheiser Bush. Photo credit: Bob Dunnell
Meanwhile in the women’s B-team undercard bout, Arch Rival’s Saint Lunachix (0-2) tangles with CRG’s Violent Lambs.
This past Saturday, the Lunachix fell to Madison’s B-team, 148-101. Jammer Sleazy E paced the locals with 42 points. She’ll be joined in the rotation by Molecular Mayhem and AKA Rogue.
Much like its A-team sistren, the Lunachix are looking to shear the Violent Lambs with physical blocking.
“Plowing short and slow,” said blocker Jamheiser Bush, who picked up the MVP Blocker award against Madison. “Our focus in practice this week is working hard and maintaining our walls.”
Setting up the walls alongside Bush will be The Ginger Assassin, Grave Danger, M. Rhinehart, C. Coonrod, Science Friction, Party RockHer, Morgan LeFaetal, Artemischief and a host of others.
CRG’s Violent Lambs (3-4) are used to playing teams of different alphabetical configurations. The Lambs defeated the A-team of unranked Gem City, 202-192, at home on March 29 then fell to the Naptown Warning Belles B-team by four points the following day.
Tru D. Vicious, Hot Slice, Imma TattooHer, Jenocide and Skunna Hurt are projected to be in the starting jamming rotation while Annie Tomical, Cherry Choke, I, Caramba! and Poppy Chulo will start as blockers.
Leading off the St. Louis/Cincinnati triple bill is a tussle between two men’s leagues sanctioned by the Men’s Roller Derby Association (MRDA), the St. Louis Gatekeepers and the Cincinnati Battering Rams.
Last season, the Gatekeepers compiled an 11-2 record and placed third at the MRDA Championships in Sioux City, IA.
Saturday’s match-up with Ohio’s counterpart will be its first sanctioned bout of the season.
Numerous veterans return to the St. Louis roster, including co-captains Percy Control and Magnum P.I.M.P., Debaucherous Prime, Bled Zepplin, Wrecking Bill and a host of others.
The Cincinnati Battering Rams (1-0) is one of the newer additions to the 44-league MRDA. They began 2014 sanctioned play with 273-144 victory over the Chicago Bruise Brothers on March 1.
For more information on the Arch Rival Roller Girls, go to archrivalrollergirls.com.
For more information on the St. Louis Gatekeepers, go to stlgatekeepers.com.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
