(BALLWIN, MO) Results from Saturday’s twin bill for Arch Rival Roller Derby (ARCH) and GateKeepers Roller Derby (GKRD) saw hard-charging winners shake up the complexion of each respective league’s hierarchy at the mid-season checkpoint of the pair’s six-event docket.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
In the women’s opener at Midwest Sport Hockey, the Smashinistas churned a 249-222 victory over two-time defending ARCH champion the Stunt Devils to remain undefeated (2-0) and claim sole possession in the three-team local standings.
Meanwhile in the men’s nightcap, GKRD Turf Wars defending kingpin Raiders of Forest Park edged the Central West Friends, 162-150, to force a three-way tie in the standings. Saturday’s competitors, alongside the idle Creve Coroners, now each possess identical 1-1 records.
Flat-track action for both leagues continues Saturday, February 18 at Queeny Park.
ARCH: SMASHINISTAS 249 STUNT DEVILS 222
Yes, your eyes do not deceive you on that final score. Over 470 cumulative points were achieved in a donnybrook that saw eight lead changes in the first half.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The Smashinistas utilized a 32-7 stretch over two rotations midway in the second period to claim its second straight win and secure a lock on the top spot of the league standings…a position it had not visited since they last hoisted hardware in 2014.
“I feel like we’re putting together the puzzle pieces of our team really well right now,” said Smahies’ blocker Smarty McFly afterwards.
Leading 9-0 after Harmony Killerbruise’s game-opening strike, the Smashinisitas stretched their lead to 31-8 following Bolt Action’s 22-8 non-lead power jam in the second rotation.
The Stunt Devils (1-1) quickly erased the deficit as jammer Bricktator posted 24 points in the game’s third cycle and narrowed the score to 35-32 at the 23:00 mark.
The Smashies countered with a 21-9 stretch run over the next three jams. Action completed the transaction via a 14-5 jam with 18:30 left in the period that pushed the camo-clad troopers’ lead to 56-41.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Propelled by blockers Shear-Ra Powers, Cruella Belle-ville, Beaver Knievel and Fletch-A-Sketch, the Stunts’ Bricktator quickly erased the deficit with an 18-point jam with 15:55 left in the period that resulted in a 59-56 lead change in favor of the daredevils.
This launched a mind-boggling streak of eight consecutive jams that resulted in ensuing lead changes. Highlights included a pair of multi-lap power jams from the Stunts’ Aggie Wartooth, whose 18-point rotation resulted in her team’s 105-91 scoreboard-flipping lead with 6:30 left in the period.
The advantage was shortly lived as the Smashies’ Smarty McFly, aided by blockers Shimmy Hoffa, Shade Guevara, Cloak N’Drag-Her and Rock Slobster, churned a 33-point power jam that resulted in a 124-105 lead change with 3:50 left in the half.
The Stunts mightily battled in the latter stretches and with help from blockers Nox, Wonder Thighs, Pegasass and Goldie Blocks, they were able to shore the score to 127-110 after Psychokid D’ Freakout’s five-point pass in the period’s penultimate jam.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The momentum was quickly thwarted as Smashies’ jammer Flash dismantled the opposition and posted an 18-point, period-ending gut punch that resulted in her team’s 146-110 lead at intermission.
As topsy-turvy as the first half was, the second period was all about the Smashinistas maintaining a perpetual 30-point-plus cushion.
Leading 169-136 ten minutes deep in the frame, the Smashies’ Salty, supported by blockers Rumbledore, Holliver Fist, Party McFly and Birdsong, tasted a baker’s dozen with 16:30 left that resulted in a 182-136 advantage with 16:30 remaining.
Killerbruise’s 19-7 round-tripper followed and the Smashies pushed their lead to 201-143 with 14:10 left.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
To their credit, the Stunts refused to wave the white flag and with multi-lap passes recorded by Bricktator, Violet Opposition and D’Freakout late in the game, the score was sliced to 249-204 heading into the game’s final rotation.
With mere seconds remaining on the period clock, Bricktator raced to the front and collected lead for the Stunts. As the scoreboard displayed a goose egg and continued via the jam clock, the defending champs notched 18 points but the deficit was too much out of reach for a realistic comeback.
The Stunts outscored the Smashinistas in the second period, 112-103, but the halftime edge proved to be beneficial for the Smashies, who claimed the 249-222 triumph and sole possession of first place in the ARCH standings.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Bolt Action topped five Smashie skaters that each recorded over 30 points during the evening. Her team-high 69 points were followed by Killerbruise’s 59 and Salty’s 43. The team will be idle next month and returns to action on March 11.
“(One) thing that we’re going to focus on is working on our communication,” said McFly on her team’s future goals. “All the teams are getting better as the season progresses so it’s going to get harder.”
Bricktator finished the night with 100 points for the Stunts, who dropped to second place in the ARCH standings. They meet the M-80s (0-2) at ARCH’s next event at Midwest Sport Hockey on February 18.
“We were very proud of our defense,” said Stunts’ blocker Nox afterwards. “We’ve been working on our braced walls a lot and that was sort of our saving grace (tonight).”
For more information on Arch Rival Roller Derby, visit THEIR OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
SMASHINISTAS (249): Bolt Action 69, Harmony Killerbruise 59, Salty 43, Flash 39, Smarty McFly 34, Cloak N’ Drag-Her 5.
STUNT DEVILS (222): Bricktator 100, Aggie Wartooth 61, Psyhcokid D’ Freakout 41, Violet Opposition 19.
GKRD: RAIDERS OF FOREST PARK 162 CENTRAL WEST FRIENDS 150
In only their second game of the season, the Raiders already faced a must-win scenario Saturday. Already 0-1 heading into the match-up with the undefeated Friends, they could ill afford to sport a 0-2 record on the ledger by night’s end.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
A 29-9 rally deep in the game resulted in the Raiders’ dozen-point duke that forced a three-way tie in the GKRD standings.
Trailing 12-0 three jams in, Raiders’ jammer ScreechAround collected a nine-point strike that shored the score to 12-9 at the 25:00 mark.
The three-point differential was maintained by the Friends, who led 24-21 with 19:15 left in the period.
The Raiders flipped the scoreboard to its favor, 25-24, following D. Mouthful’s four-point pass at the 18:05 mark. With blocking established by Adam Bomb, Spin Diesel, Walker Hamilton, Dr. Dredd, Arty Panimal, Slammin’ T. Killa and Debaucherous Prime, their lead expanded to 42-31 with 11:00 remaining in the half.
CWF quickly countered with a flurry and with Shane Bower’s 14-pointer posted with 9:15 left collected a 45-42 lead change.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The advantage was short-lived as Prime donned a Raiders’ star and collected a 14-2 rotation that handed the lead back to Forest Park, 56-47 with 7:30 left.
The score widened to 73-57 heading into the stanza’s final jam. Bower gained lead jammer status for the Friends and by capitalizing on Raiders’ miscues churned a 23-10 period-ender that narrowed Forest Park’s lead to three-points at intermission, 83-80.
Feeling the heat, the Raiders netted a 9-0 sprint out of the gates to start the second and built a 92-80 lead following Mouthful’s four-pointer at the 25:10 mark. An 8-4 rotation from ScreechAround pushed the ledger to 100-84 following Jam 4.
CWF regrouped and produced a 21-2 rally over the next five jams. Paced by scoring from jammers Bower, HEYNONGMAN and Last Rites, blocking Percy Controll, Great Stromboli, Sogo, Thrillhouse, Monster Jam, Fruit Wall-Up and stellar net work by back-up goalie Capt. Kramerica, the Friends regained the lead, 105-103, following Bower’s four-point pass with 16:25 remaining.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Mouthful then posted a pair of points that tied the game, 105-105, with 16:25 left. Prime then added a ten-point rotation for the Raiders that pushed the score to 115-105.
The Friends countered with 11 points over the next two jams. HEYNONGMAN’s eight was followed by Bower’s trey and CWF regained the lead with 11:00 left, 116-115.
The Raiders countered with a grand slam from ScreechAround and flipped the scoreboard, 120-116, with 10:00 remaining.
Clinging onto a 122-120 lead with seven minutes left, the Raiders churned a 29-9 stretch run that secured victory. Highlighted by Prime’s 17-point rotation, Forest Park expanded their lead to 151-129 with 1:30 left.
The Raiders outscored the Friends in the second period, 79-70, en route to the 162-150 victory and their first win of the season. ScrecchAround topped Forest Park scoring with 60 points followed by Prime’s 51.
Bower paced the Central West Friends (1-1) with 89 points. CWF meets the Creve Coroners (1-1) February 18 at Midwest Sport Hockey.
For information of GateKeepers Roller Derby, visit their OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
RAIDERS OF FOREST PARK (162): ScreechAround 60, Debaucherous Prime 51, D. Mouthful 36, Spin Diesel 12.
CENTRAL WEST FRIENDS (150): Shane Bower 89, HEYNONGMAN 37, Last Rites 17, Monster Jam 3.
HERE’S A POST-GAME INTERVIEW FROM LAST NIGHT’S ARCH RIVAL CONTEST WITH THE SMASHINISTAS’ SMARTY MCFLY AND THE STUNT DEVILS’ NOX.
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.
