(PHILADELPHIA, PA) For St. Louis-based Arch Rival Roller Derby, they can say they finished 2017 with a “W.”
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
This follows their 220-160 victory over the Crime City Rollers in Sunday afternoon consolation play at the Division 1 championships for the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) held at Liacouras Center.
ARCH, who finished their extremely competitive season 8-5, sprinted quickly out of the gates by netted the first nine lead jams of the contest. This resulted in a 37-0 launch that was highlighted by Reptar’s nine-pointer in Jam 8.
Malmo, Sweden based Crime City, who eyed revenge after a loss to ARCH in May, quickly sliced the deficit as Hanna P’s 18-4 rotation claimed with 17:00 left in the half that made the score 41-18.
St. Louis maintained a 20-point cushion as the period progressed and possessed a 59-39 lead with ten minutes left.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Crime City then went on a huge surge and posted a 33-12 collection over the next two jams that resulted in a lead change. With a 20-4 strike from Curly Haar followed by a 13-8 jam from Prince Sofia, the Swedes flipped the scoreboard to their favor 72-21 with 6:15 remaining in the half.
After ARCH’s Bricktator collected a three-point pass in Jam 17 that gave the edge back to St. Louis, Crime City grabbed the half’s third lead change at the four-minute mark with Hannah P’s 13-4 rotation that made the score 85-78.
Arch Rival regained their composure and barreled back to the charge. Anchored by blockers Salty, Cloak N’ Drag-Her, Smarty McFly and Grant, Annie Swanson’s 18-point jam with 2:45 left handed the lead back to St. Louis, 96-85. Bricktator added the three on the half’s penultimate jam that pushed the score to 99-85.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
In the period’s final rotation, Crime City’s King K scored nine imperative points as Arch Rival clung onto a 99-94 edge at intermission.
Both teams traded points in the opening stages of the second half as St. Louis maintained a 108-104 lead after four jams.
ARCH then claimed two sizable scoring runs that widened the differential. First up was a four jam, 26-0 rally, highlighted by Swanson’s baker’s dozen in Jam 6, that pushed the score to 134-104 with 19:00 left in the game.
Then following a 10-9 ARCH rotation in Jam 9, St. Louis produced a 37-0 rush that sealed victory. With stellar blocking by K. Woodward, Shear Ra Powers, Shimmy Hoffa and CupQuake combined with a 19-pointer from Reptar scored with 12:30 left, Arch Rival widened their lead to 181-104.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
A pair of 14-pointers from Swanson and Bolt Action down the stretch complimented ARCH’s dominance. St. Louis’ 121-66 second-period performance resulted in the 220-160 victory and a 2-1 finish at the WFTDA D1 International Championships.
Swanson topped ARCH scoring with 67 points followed by Reptar’s 55.
Arch Rival now returns to their three-team, local campaign, presented in conjunction with their “brothers,” GateKeepers Roller Derby, that launches Saturday, December 16 at Ballwin, Missouri’s Midwest Sport Hockey.
Season passes for the seven-event series are $70 and come with a complimentary t-shirt. To purchase season passes or discounted individual game tickets, go to THIS LINK.
For more information on ARCH, go to their official website.
ARCH INDIVIDUAL SCORING: Annie Swanson 67, Reptar 55, Bolt Action 45, Bricktator 22, Vicious VanGoGo 15
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.
