Columbia-based COMO Roller Derby is primed for the final home event of their spring campaign this Saturday and they crave to finish it on a high note with a pair of victories.
The 4:30 pm opener at Bob LeMone Building at Hallsville Fairgrounds (500 E Hwy OO) has the COMO All-Stars facing a collective from in-state Kansas City Roller Warriors while the second game features COMO’s B-Rolls against Evansville, Indiana’s Demolition City Roller Derby.
General admission tickets are $15 while children under 10 are free.
The COMO All-Stars (3-0) have played at optimum levels in 2024. A 151-69 home triumph over Iowa’s Old Capitol City in late-April kept their quad-wheels running smoothly.
“That was a very physical game,” reflected COMO captain dethblok. “The score really did not show how hard fought this victory was. The athletes from Iowa never let up on us, rather they reinforced how important it was for COMO to play our own game. Keep control, keep together, and keep cool to pull the ‘W.’”
The victory also jettisoned the team’s global rankings complexion within the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the sport’s international governing body.
Unranked in the WFTDA North America Northeast region prior to the showdown with #94 Old Cap, last month’s duke resulted in the squad’s May debut at #59 out of 159 regional teams eligible.
That’s quite a monumental achievement!
Photo Credit: Brian Ledford
“It’s pretty rad!” beamed dethblok “I am so excited for the newer skaters, which for me means anyone who joined us since 2019, because this is their first experience with rankings. We put in serious work every week and the ranking system, as well as our record, are objective measures of that work.”
Alongside the captain, COMO All-Stars’ blocking Saturday includes Vanna Wipeout, Red Reaper, Q.T. Kilr, L on Wheels, Mayday, Pushy Kat, Behr, Doctor Payne, Breeze Blocks and Stinger (alternate). Jammers include Weird Al Shank-A-Bitch, JoCo, Lady MacDeath, Tornado Aly, Fice-T and GenStoner (alternate).
Saturday’s opponent, Kansas City Roller Warriors’ Plan B, will contain some skaters that compete on the league’s primary “A” travel team.
Plan B is skating in their first game this season and won their solo game played in 2023.
Although the two leagues haven’t played each other since 2018, there is a historical back story that COMO wishes to erase. In four prior meetings, Plan B has won all of the contests.
The hosts fully know the challenge is going to be tough but aim to reign supreme in decisive fashion.
Photo Credit: Brian Ledford
“We will have to bring our brains, legs, and lungs to this contest,” projected dethblok. ”Kansas City has some strong defenses and some powerful and agile jammers. We will have to continue to play our game — together, in control, and smart — if we are going to win versus this very good team.”
And if they do, that’s going to make COMO’s summer sweet in their push within the WFTDA rankings.
Home track advantage (2-0 at Lemone Building) certainly helps. Vocal crowd support on Saturday would be greatly appreciated.
“They are most definitely the 16th member on the bench,” dethblok said of team’s loyal fan base.
After that contest, the COMO B-Rolls (1-1) tangles with the primary squad of Demolition City (1-0).
The B-Rolls fell to the Rolla Rockets last month but look to right the ship, and they have the talent to finish their home spring campaign with a winning record.
Photo Credit: Brian Ledford
The jammer rotation has GenStoner, Rose McPow’n, Pushy Kat and Space Case in the mix while blockers Stinger, Rinky Bink, Evil Z, Sunny, Coffin Cutie, Queen, Doctor Payne, Space InVader, Mount Crushmore, Breeze Blocks and Butcher n’ Baker build the walls to supplement.
Demolition City, is currently positioned at #137 in the WFTDA Northeast region and topped unranked Cape Girardeau last month on the road, 267-61.
An upset win would be the feather in the helmet of the COMO B-team.
COMO resumes home action later in the fall. For more information on the league, go to their official website.
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.
