Author’s Update – Wednesday, 9:40 pm: The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) on Wednesday afternoon released its latest rankings. The St. Chux Derby Chix climbed ten positions and are currently ranked #53 internationally. All league rankings listed in the following preview, published Tuesday morning at archcitysports.com, reflect the positions the respective leagues held prior to the Wednesday afternoon rankings release.
The St. Chux Derby Chix, currently ranked #63 internationally by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), has certainly experienced its share of thrills in its five-year history. This weekend, they might arguably experience its most nail-biting yet.
SC/DC hosts “Skate to Thrill,” a two-day, 10-team invitational, slated for Saturday and Sunday in Wright City, MO at The Wheel (305 East South First St.) Fifteen WFTDA-sanctioned games are presented (eight on day one, seven on day two) during the course of the weekend. Start time for each day is 9:30 a.m.
The Pack In Black (3-0) faces higher-ranked opponents with each respective flat-track battle. SC/DC competes against WFTDA #54 Paper Valley (1-0) Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Then on Sunday, St. Chux tangles with #59 NEO Roller Derby (2-2) at 11 a.m. before concluding the two-day event with a 6:30 p.m. match-up against #44 Ft. Myers (1-0).
Looking at the SC/DC agenda signals one thing: no softies are scheduled…and they prefer it that way.
“The (organizers) that made the schedule set us up to play really difficult teams,” recently said Pack In Black blocker SlaughterHaus. “We’re just going to go in, play our best and let the other teams know what we can do.”
Alongside the locals, leagues competing this weekend include mostly Midwestern cities, including Milwaukee, Des Moines and Akron. However, hard-charging leagues from Florida and North Carolina are also on the docket. All 10 teams will compete in three individual games during the weekend tilt.
What makes this inaugural invitational unique is that it is specifically designed for leagues currently listed by the WFTDA as Division 2-ranked.
Out of the 181 international leagues currently eligible to be ranked by the WFTDA, the leagues ranked #1 through #40 (such as #20 Arch Rival from St. Louis) are designated as Division 1. The leagues ranked #41 though #100 (which includes all 10 squads competing this specific event) are designated as Division 2. Those below the century mark are designated as Division 3.
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
Within Division 2, the goal is to achieve and maintain a position of at least #60 for the WFTDA’s ranking release on June 30. The teams that are ranked #41 through #60 are eligible for post-season tournament play later in the year.
That’s an awful lot of math to soak in, but the objective is clear this weekend for St. Chux, the #63 team that’s three spots away from hitting Top 60 status: win if you can, but stay close on the scoreboard if you can’t.
“We are the underdog team,” said SC/DC jammer GI Jamie of her team’s missive. “It’s very important that we do well. We are definitely training for it.”
There’s good reason for those following St. Chux to feel confident heading into “Skate to Thrill.” SC/DC has rolled out its most impressive start in league history with its three-bout undefeated streak, capped by a 208-92 victory over #72 Twin City at home two weekends ago. In the bout, the Pack In Black outscored its rival, 96-39, in the second period to pick up the 116-point victory.
“We have always been a strong second half team and we always adapt to the other team’s skills,” said Jamie, who topped scoring that night with 91 points. “What you see is what you get.”
What was witnessed against Twin City was a solid four-jammer rotation, anchored by veterans Jamie, Jedi Knight-N-Gale, Flash and Vixen TaGetcha. Blocking was equally as impressive, paced by SlaughterHaus, Whip L’Ash, Tara Eyes, Stabby McCutcha, Zo D. Axe and Bobbi Slamher.
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
Three competitive games over the weekend against higher-ranked opposition might seem like a heavy workload for the locals, but the Pack In Black often puts in long minutes before the first whistle blows.
“We practice for about an hour and a half before we scrimmage,” said SlaughterHaus. “We just like to be super warm-upped and ready to go.”
And one can anticipate the hostesses are eager to make a big push in the WFTDA Division 2 hierarchy in short order.
“This is why we wanted this,” said Knight-N-Gale. “We wanted to play a lot of good teams right here in one weekend and we wanted to get a bump up (in the rankings). We want to make a difference.”
That difference could be made with a SC/DC trifecta.
Here is a capsule summary of the other nine teams competing at “Skate to Thrill.”
#44 FT. MYERS PALM CITY PUNISHERS (1-0) Ft. Myers, FL – After reaching as high as #42 earlier this year in the WFTDA rankings, the Palm City Punishers dropped two positions due to early-year inactivity. Lone bout in the season thus far was a 420-64 romp over #135 Classic City on March 29, so its first true taste of D2 competition begins this weekend. That being said, Ft. Myers is offensively capable enough to post massive points. (Opponents: Brewcity, Blue Ridge, St. Chux)
#51 BLUE RIDGE ROLLERGIRLS (1-2) Asheville, NC – Last year’s third place winner in the WFTDA Division 2 Championships, Blue Ridge jumped two positions in the recent rankings for its current placement. After close losses to DC Rollergirls (161-152) and Gold Coast (192-172), BRRG rebounded with a dominant win over #87 Lowcountry, 263-49, in mid-March. Blue Ridge would love nothing more to repeat its playoff success this season. A sweep this weekend will keep the course steady. (Opponents: NEO, Ft. Myers, Fargo Moorhead)
#54 PAPER VALLEY ROLLER GIRLS (1-0) Appleton, WI – Sixth-place finishers at the WFTDA Division 2 playoff in Kallamazoo last season, Paper Valley maintained current WFTDA ranking despite early-year inactivity. PVRG started sanctioned play with a narrow 202-190 home win over #84 Hammer City two weeks ago. Thrill line-up looks tough with Saturday’s midday bout against NEO a true coin-flip. (Opponents: NEO, St. Chux, North Star)
#59 NEO ROCK’N’ROLLER GIRLS (2-3) Akron, OH – A team on the rise in 2013 now finds itself clinging onto WFTDA Division 2 playoff dreams following an eight position drop. A pair of 400-plus point victories over weaker opponents earlier in the year proves that this team has offense, but a 19-point loss to #78 Carolina in mid-February hurt. Bravely battled #41 Tri-City Sunday before falling, 224-142. NEO needs to get at least one win this weekend to arguably keep potential playoff dreams alive, a process that won’t be easy. (Opponents: Paper Valley, Blue Ridge, St. Chux)
#67 BREWCITY BRUISERS (3-4) Milwaukee, WI – After numerous setbacks in the WFTDA D2 post-season last year that resulted in a tumble out of the Top 60, the keggers from Milwaukee have rebounded in 2014. Brewcity won third place at the annual “Clover Cup” tournament in Texas in mid-March by going 3-1, which included an upset over #53 Duke City. The Bruisers were roughed up by #25 Jacksonville, 252-70, at home Saturday in a bout projected by pundits to turn out that way. Nonetheless, a pair of dominant wins at “Thrill” could arguably provide enough boost for a re-entry back into playoff eligibility. (Opponents: Ft. Myers, Des Moines, Twin City)
#71 FARGO MOORHEAD NORTHERN PAINS (1-1) Fargo, ND – A two position slip from the last WFTDA rankings. Bested #99 Sioux Falls by 50 points to begin the season, then suffered a 242-100 setback to #24 No Coast in late March to see record evened. Line-up is tough, but comparable, for the weekend. Two wins is not a bit of a stretch, but three would escalate the North Dakotans up the ladder considerably. (Opponents: Twin City, Des Moines, Blue Ridge)
#72 TWIN CITY DERBY GIRLS (0-1) Champaign, IL – Falls one position from the last set of rankings. Faced hostesses St. Chux two weeks ago and suffered a 116-point setback. Playing primarily with a two-jammer rotation, TCDG has a chance to turn it around this weekend in match-ups with closely-ranked competitors. (Opponents: Fargo Moorhead, North Star, Brewcity)
#75 NORTH STAR SUPERNOVAS (1-3) Minneapolis, MN – A major player in the WFTDA’s infancy, the Supernovas fell off the national derby radar in recent years due to a surge of competitive leagues and missteps internally. 2014 finds North Star swinging the pendulum back towards its favor. As a result, the team has jumped six positions since the last rankings period. Posted a massive 510-point win over #141 Springfield, MO to start the season. Single-digit losses to #69 Omaha and #80 Des Moines dropped them below the .500 mark. A revenge match against the lower-ranked Iowans should be a highlight. (Opponents: Des Moines, Twin City, Paper Valley)
#80 DES MOINES DERBY DAMES (2-1) Des Moines, IA – Another league that has turned the corner, resulting in a six-position jump in the rankings. A respectable loss to #45 Sin City (190-141) in mid-March provided a confidence boost. A 214-81 victory over #112 ICT (Wichita, KS) two Saturdays ago helped even more. A sleeper team that just might surprise some with its efforts. (Opponents: North Star, Fargo Moorhead, Brewcity)
2014 SKATE TO THRILL SCHEDULE:
Saturday, April 12
9:30 AM – Des Moines vs. North Star
11 AM –Twin City vs. Fargo Moorhead
12:30 PM – Paper Valley vs. NEO
2 PM –Ft. Meyers vs. Brewcity
3:30 PM – Des Moines cs. Fargo Moorhead
5 PM – North Star vs. Twin City
6:30 PM – Paper Valley vs. St. Chux Derby Chix
8 PM – Blue Ridge vs. NEO
Sunday, April 13
9:30 AM – Des Moines vs. Brewcity
11 AM – NEO vs. St. Chux Derby Chix
12:30 PM – Blue Ridge vs. Ft. Meyers
2 PM – North Star vs. Paper Valley
3:30 PM – Twin City vs. Brewcity
5 PM – Blue Ridge vs. Fargo Moorhead
6:30 PM – Ft. Myers vs. St. Chux Derby Chix
A one-day ticket for Skate to Thrill costs $5 while weekend passes cost $8. For more info, go to stchuxderbychix.com.
