(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
