(NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX) St. Louis-based GateKeepers Roller Derby took one more step to defending its title within the Men’s Roller Derby Association (MRDA) with a 132-87 Sunday afternoon semifinal victory over Bridgetown Menace at “LoneStar Showdown,” the governing body’s international tournament held at NYTEX Sports Centre.
Photo Credit: Art Chastain
With the win, the GateKeepers, the 2015 MRDA kingpin, faces second-seeded Your Mom Men’s Derby (Des Moines, IA) in tonight’s trophy game at 7 p.m. Central. The two squads have battled each other for the top prize every year since 2012. YMMD claimed victory in the duo’s first three meetings until St. Louis won its inaugural championship last October.
The fourth-seeded Menace from Portland, Oregon, stymied the GateKeepers early with a stubborn defense and managed to net eight lead jams out of the game’s first eleven rotations, resulting in a 24-18 edge midway through the first period.
Capitalizing on Bridgetown penalties, St. Louis posted a 36-4 run over the next five minutes. GateKeeper jammer Shane Bower collected a nine-point power jam with 14:30 left in the half that resulted in a 27-24 scoreboard flip.
Co-captain Magnum P.I.M.P. tacked on a 17-4 strike on the next rotation that pushed the score to 44-28 and Corey Porter added a 10-point jam with 9:30 remaining that finished the run and extended the St. Louis lead to 54-28.
The GateKeepers held a 67-39 lead at intermission.
Scoring picked up considerably for both teams early in the second half as Magnum’s 14-point launcher for St. Louis was reciprocated by Bridgetown’s Munster on the next rotation and the game’s differential remained at 28 points, 81-53 with 27:00 remaining.
Paced by GateKeeper blockers Kyle Stark, Spin Diesel, Wrecking Bill and Monster Jam, Bower posted a 14-point rotation in jam 3 and St. Louis pushed the score to 95-53.
Defense became a focal point as the period progressed as GKRD blockers Bled Zeppelin, Hulk, Double Excel, The Saint, Percy Controll and the aforementioned complexion held Bridgetown jammers to minimal points.
The GateKeepers (11-0) sealed victory late with a baker’s dozen scored by Magnum with 7:20 left that made the score 128-69.
St. Louis outscored the Menace, 65-48, in the second period, en route to the 132-87 semifinal win and its fifth consecutive trip to the MRDA title game. Magnum paced the GateKeepers’ ledger with 57 points, followed by Porter’s 33.
Sunday night’s upcoming opponent, second-seeded Your Mom Men’s Derby (7-0), reached the MRDA trophy game with its 214-152 semifinal win over third-seeded Texas Men’s Roller Derby Sunday morning.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
STL GATEKEEPERS (132): Magnum P.I.M.P. 57, Corey Porter 33, Shane Bower 25, ScreechAround 17.
Free online coverage of the MRDA Championships is available by going to this link.
Arch City Sports will have a recap of the MRDA Championship game between St. Louis and Des Moines later tonight.
