(MADISON, WI) For the second straight year, the primary travel squad of Arch Rival Roller Derby has advanced to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) International Championships following its 149-131 victory over Tampa in Sunday’s third place game at the Division 1 playoffs held at Veterans Memorial Coliseum Sunday.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
A 29-0 late-stretch run was pivotal as ARCH, 11-1 and ranked #8 internationally by the WFTDA, claimed one of twelve entries in the governing body’s finale held in Portland, Oregon in November with this weekend’s bronze medal placement in Madison.
Arch Rival now meets Denver, who placed second at the Division 1 playoff in held Columbia, South Carolina earlier this month in , at the Championships’ opening round on Friday, November 4.
After ARCH jammer Bricktator launched the scoring with a five-pointer in the opening jam, Tampa’s Ana Cheng countered on the next rotation with a 17-point power jam that gave the Floridians a 17-5 lead at the 27:20 mark. Smooth Operator followed with four in jam 3 that extended the score to 21-5.
Arch Rival’s Harmony Killerbruise posted four in jam 4 that narrowed the score to 21-9 with 24:10 left in the period. Bricktator’s nine-pointer scored at the 23:20 mark sliced the margin to three points, 21-18.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Tampa posted a 31-0 rally over the next two rotations. Cheng gained lead in jam 6, posted 19 points and stretched the score to 40-18 with 21:10 left in the period. Operator followed with 12 on the next rotation and the Tantrums pushed the scoreboard to 52-18.
ARCH got back on the scoring attack and went on a 38–0 sprint over the next six jams. Bricktator scored four in jam 8 and Kayla Woodward added three with 17:55 left in the period to narrow the palindrome-like score to 52-25. Annie Swanson collected four in jam 10 to make Tampa’s lead shrink to 52-29.
Killerbruise, alongside Party Foul, Jamheiser Bush, Shear-Ra Powers and Woodward, notched 20 points with 13:45 left in the period to narrow the Tampa’s lead to three points, 52-49.
Arch recorded its first lead change at the 12:20 mark as Bricktator collected seven that flipped the scoreboard to 56-52 in favor of St. Louis.
Tampa’s Laryn Kill notched five in jam 13 and the Tantrums regained the lead, 57-56 with 11:10 left in the half.
Killerbruise’s six-point strike regained the lead for St. Louis, 62-57, with 9:30 left and Bricktator followed with a three-point tally in jam 16 that extended the lead to 65-57.
Tampa’s PhDiesel collected four in the next rotation as the Tantrums narrowed Arch Rival’s lead to 65-61 and Power Puff Curlz’s 15-1 post collected with 3:45 left in the period flipped the scoreboard in Floridians’ favor, 76-66. Laryn Hill added completed the 32-4 rally with a 13-3 jam recorded at 2:31 mark that extended the score to 89-69.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Arch Rival netted a pair of lead jams before the period expired. Bricktator’s four scored in jam 19 ended the drought and Swanson followed with a pair of points in the penultimate jam to narrow Tampa’s lead to 89-75.
In the final jam, a 5-4 Tampa rotation resulted in ARCH trailing at intermission, 94-79.
Both teams gained six points apiece within the first three jams of the second period and Tampa maintained a 100-85 lead three minutes deep.
Arch Rival’s Bricktator collected 14-points in jam 4 and St. Louis shaved the deficit to one point, 100-99 with 25:50 left in the period.
On the next jam, Swanson collected a 5-4 jam for St. Louis and the score was tied 104-104 with 23:15 remaining. Killerbruise broke the stalemate with a five-pointer in jam 6 and Arch Rival grabbed a 109-104 lead change with 21:45 remaining.
Tampa’s PhDiesel countered with a five-point jam and the game was tied again, 109-109 with 20:40 remaining, but Swanson’s five at the 19:42 mark helped Arch Rival snare a 114-109 edge. ARCH’s Killerbruise added four on the next rotation to stretch the score to 118-109.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
After Tampa’s 2-1 jam in jam 10 narrowed the lead, Laryn Kill posted nine with 16:05 left resulting in a 120-119 Tantrum lead change. Ana Cheng added five with 14:10 remaining in the game that pushed Tampa’s lead to 125-119.
Following a scoreless rotation in jam 12, Arch’s Swanson notched four at the 12:05 mark and the game was a two-point affair, 125-123. Tampa’s Kill posted a pair on the next rotation that extended the Tantrums’ lead to 127-123.
Arch Rival then posted the game’s eighth lead change of the game as Bricktator’s five-point pass with 9:55 left resulted in a 128-127 scoreboard flip.
Tampa’s PhDiesel responded with four and the Tantrums regained the lead 131-128 with 8:35 left in the game.
Another scoreless jam ensued and with 7:10 left, Bricktator gained lead jammer status for Arch Rival. In the process, Tampa jammer Smooth Operator cut the track and St. Louis received a power jam. Â Bricktator proceeded to score four and St. Louis regained the lead 132-131 with six minutes left.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Via Arch Rival’s power start in jam 20, Swanson gained lead and, with assistance from Shimmy Hoffa Smarty McFly and others, punched home a solo point to widen the lead to 133-131.
Killerbruise snagged an 11-pointer with 3:20 left to extend the lead to 149-131.
Deep in the game, St. Louis’ defensive schema consisting of the aforementioned blockers, as well as Chewblocka, Krista Grant and Molotov, kept the gate shut for a late Tampa comeback, holding the Tantrums scoreless.
In fact, Arch’s 29-0 stretch in the final eight minutes of the game was the character builder that resulted in St. Louis’ 149-131 bronze medal victory at WFTDA Championships placement.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Arch Rival, paced by Bricktator’s 65 points, outscored Tampa, 70-37, in the second period.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
ARCH RIVAL ROLLER DERBY (149): Bricktator 65, Harmony Killerbruise 54, Annie Swanson 23, Smarty McFly 3, Kayla Woodward 3.
ARCH jammer Annie Swanson won “Tournament MVP” for the Madison Division 1 playoff as determined by the WFTDA.
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.
