The St. Louis GateKeepers trek to Tacaoma, Washington this weekend in quest of its first-ever Men’s Roller Derby Association (MRDA) championship.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
St. Louis is seeded second at “Maritime Mayhem,” a two-day, eight league bracketed tournament that launches this Saturday at the Tacoma Armory. The GateKeepers meet seventh-seeded Southern Discomfort (London, UK) in a quarterfinal match-up Saturday morning at 11 AM Pacific (1 PM, St. Louis time).
The GateKeepers (10-0) moved up one position in the latest MRDA rankings in order to achieve the second seed. Dominant throughout the regular season, the locals have collectedly outscored its opponents, 3945-478.
“The team looks incredible right now,” said GateKeepers’ co-captain Percy Controll. “We’ve been pushing really hard. We’ve added in extra practices to our training schedule, and we’ve been drilling our strategy over and over. We’re definitely ready.”
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The St. Louis roster contains plenty of depth in all positions. Jammers include Debaucherous Prime, Shane Bower, Magnum, P.I.M.P., Screecharound and Handrail. Alongside Controll, blocking is paced by derby veterans Double Excel, Bled Zepplin, Stark, Gnat King Kill, Wrecking Bill, The Saint, Inquadable Hulk, High Pains Drifter, Monster Jam, Spin Diesel, Uttendorf, Bane-ana (On Skates!) and Skulls McCrackin.
Its Saturday quarterfinal opponent, Southern Discomfort, makes its inaugural trip to the MRDA Championships and sets a historical benchmark in the process as the first European league to play in the MRDA post-season. The London-based team (7-3) is a two-time European Cup champion and its current squad contains members that played for Team England at the 2014 Men’s World Cup.
St. Louis topped Southern Discomfort, 279-66, at Spring Roll in Ft. Wayne, IN in May. Controll expects the Brits to raise their collective game play in the rematch.
“Those guys are tough,” the co-captain said. “We had a great time playing them. They attack hard and their defense is really controlled and calculated. We’re excited to take the track with them again.”
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The two day quest of a title for the GateKeepers will have to be competed at high-octane levels. If successful against London, the GateKeepers would compete in a Sunday morning semifinal and, with victory, a championship game a few hours later.
It’s essentially the same blueprint the other seven teams at Maritime Mayhem have.
Top-seeded Your Mom Men’s Derby (Des Moines, IA) is the current two-time, defending MRDA champion while third-seeded New York Shock Exchange was last year’s runner-up and lifted the trophy in 2011.
Fourth-seeded Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA) heads into the tourney undefeated (6-0) and fifth-seeded Bridgetown Menace (Portland, OR) moved up one position in the MRDA rankings to improve its seed. Sixth-seeded Mass Maelstrom (6-3) finished second in Mohawk Valley Cup tournament two months ago while eighth-seeded Denton County (5-1) has won four straight MRDA-sanctioned games.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
“It’s anyone’s game!” said Controll of the tourney’s complexion. “I know every team has been working hard. I expect some surprises and I can’t wait to see how it shakes out.”
Historically, the highest that St. Louis has placed at the MRDA Championships was second. In the 2012 finale against Your Mom, the GateKeepers fell by a solo point on the game’s final jam. Many that participated in that emotional nail biter will take the flat track again this weekend.
A 3-0 run at Maritime Mayhem results in a new benchmark for the five-year old franchise. Controll sees goals and dreams fulfilled with a flat-track sweep.
“Most of our team has been pushing year round for many years now,” he said. “Bringing home a championship would be the definition of hard work and dedication paying off. And for me personally, it would mean that I get to see my teammates get the reward that I know they deserve.”
SATURDAY QUARTERFINALS (All times Pacific)
9 AM – (1) Your Mom Men’s Derby vs. (8) Denton County Outlaws
11 AM – (2) St. Louis GateKeepers vs. (7) Southern Discomfort
1 PM – (3) New York Shock Exchange vs. (6) Mass Maelstrom
3 PM – (4) Puget Sound Outcast vs. (5) Bridgetown Menace
Consolation bracket play continues on Saturday. Sunday morning’s semifinals are followed by the tournament’s fifth place and third place games. The 2014 MRDA Championship contest competes at 5 PM Pacific.
(Live online coverage of Maritime Mayhem will be available complimentary of wftda.tv.)
A preview of Maritime Mayhem, the 2014 MRDA Championships.
For more information on the St. Louis GateKeepers, go to stlgatekeepers.com.
