(PORTLAND, OR) St. Louis-based Arch Rival Roller Derby took another stride in their quest of placement in the finale of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) global championships being held this weekend at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
After dispatching Angel City earlier Saturday in quarterfinal play, the Arch Rival All-Stars topped Denver Roller Derby’s Mile High Club 156-83 in the evening’s semifinal round to make their inaugural Hydra trophy appearance.
ARCH (11-0) skates against four-time WFTDA champions Rose City Wheels of Justice Sunday at 8 PM (Central) in the marquee match-up.
Rose City – also 11-0 – topped Victoria Roller Derby, 192-84, in Saturday’s other semifinal
Arch Rival was challenged early by the Mile High Club but the locals’ 46-3 run early in the second period propelled the team to victory.
Reaching a new league benchmark was a breathtaking feeling, especially for the veterans that’s been with the mix through thick and thin.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
“I feel like I got to be hoisted by the legends of the league of Arch Rival Roller Derby to make history today and it feels so amazing to be doing it with my 20-plus best friends, so I am over the moon,” said ARCH blocker K. Woodward afterwards.
Heading into the semifinal, Denver (7-3) topped Sweden’s Crime City Rollers earlier in the day in quarterfinal action and the nightcap against St. Louis found them seeking a similar, first-ever Hydra trophy goal.
Both tenured teams wanted a benchmark win badly. It resulted in tight play in the first period as ARCH held an 8-7 lead after four jams.
At the 24-minute mark, Arch Rival churned a 34-0 rally over the next ten minutes. With solid blocking provided by Woodward, Bolt Action, Cloak N’ Drag-Her, LuxFurious, Shear-Ra Powers, dad bod, Eirinn Go Brawl, Pegasass, Cruella and Splatter, St. Louis claimed six out of the next seven lead jams.
The highlight of the rally was the back half as co-captain Bricktator collected an eight point strike in Jam 11 that pushed ARCH’s lead to 31-7. Co-captain Vicious Van GoGo followed with an 11-point capper on the next jam, resulting in the team’s 42-7 lead with 14:10 left in the period.
Feeling the heat, the Mile High Club settled down and responded with a 27-5 run over the next four jams. After Denver jammer Klein notched four points with nine minutes left in the period, ARCH’s lead was whittled down to 47-34.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
ARCH claimed a baker’s dozen straight as the frame continued. A nine-point collection from jammer Loki Doki pushed the score to 60-34.
Denver’s Klein notched a 12-pointer on the half’s penultimate jam to tighten the score to 60-46.
After ARCH’s Swanson recorded a five spot on the period’s final jam, her team held a 65-46 lead at intermission but their small cushion evaporated in the opening minutes of the second half.
Denver’s 8-3 run during the first four jams tightened the score to 68-54.
It was at that moment that Arch Rival decided to take control of the situation by ramping up offensively while taking advantage of a plethora of Mile High penalties.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Over the next six jams, ARCH claimed lead jammer status on every rotation. In the process, they obtained four power jams and the aforementioned 46-3 rally ensued.
Swanson’s eight-point power strike in Jam 5 launched the stretch run and Bricktator added five on a power jam on the next cycle that pushed the score to 81-54 with 22:30 left in the period.
After Van GoGo posted four in Jam 7, Loki Doki added a dozen via the power jam on the next rotation that widened the lead to 97-54.
Swanson’s 16-3 rotation in Jam 9 extended the lead to 113-57 and Bricktator finished the steamroller with 11 points at the 15:10 mark that made the score 124-57.
46 points in six jams? Yep, that’s how one goes to the post-season pay window!
After that, it was pretty much widening the differential. ARCH jammer Hart scored eight with 12:40 left to make the score 133-65 and Swanson added eight of her own with under seven minutes left to secure victory.
ARCH dominated Denver on the scoreboard in the second period, 89-37, to claim the 156-83 semifinal triumph.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
“The thing that brings us together the most is that we really, really love each other,” said Arch Rival’s Woodward of her squad’s journey this season. “It makes a world of difference when you trust each other and love each other.”
Paced by Klein’s 41 points on the night, Denver plays Victorian at the event’s bronze medal game Sunday at 6 pm (Central).
The tourney’s concluding showdown with Rose City now has ARCH facing the four-time WFTDA champs, a league that they have never defeated (0-7 historically).
But optimism is high as St. Louis is the lone team to hold the Wheels of Justice to a tight differential since the sport returned from the pandemic. Last November, Rose City topped ARCH 125-98 in the finale of their hosted Hometown Throwdown tournament. Despite the setback, Arch Rival felt good about the outcome.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
A similar throw down is anticipated in the battle of unbeatens.
“I expect entertainment, hard hits, big crowd and amazing derby,” projected ARCH’s Woodward. “I expect us to play to best derby that we’ve every had. That’s what we need to do and that’s what we will do.”
And regardless of Sunday’s outcome, the veteran blocker is just happy to achieve a life-long dream.
“I’m really excited and it’s a privilege to be at this platform and get to do this and play for a gold or a silver,” she beamed.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
ARCH RIVAL (156): Swanson 48, Bricktator 40, Vicious Van GoGo 24, Loki Doki 24, Hart 19.
DENVER (83): Klein 41, Miss Tea Maven 21, Cotton 18, Scald Eagle 12.
Litehouse Media will have a recap of Sunday night’s trophy game featured later in the evening.
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 Litehouse 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. Finally, he prefers Diet Ski over coffee.
