Photo by BadJon

The biggest day in South Carolina derby took Charleston by storm as the Columbia Quad Squad, Greenville Derby Dames, Palmetto State Roller Girls, Richland County Regulators, and Sumter Fly Girls rolled into the Lowcountry Highrollers’ home turf for the State Championships!

The tournament was organized similar to the World Cup, with two pools of three teams playing against each other to make it to the finals.

The first bout featured the reigning champions, the Columbia Quad Squad defeating  Myrtle Beach’s Palmetto State Roller Girls, 88-19.

Next up were the Highrollers facing off against the Greenville Derby Dames. The Highrollers struck first with Green-Eyed Sniper putting points on the board, and the Highrollers continued the momentum by following up with a big power jam by Lex McCusker. The Dames rallied back when jammer Lorena Block-It racked up a huge 30-point power jam, but the Highrollers skated to the win, 127-55.

The third bout featured PSRG against the Richland County Regulators, with PSRG picking up the win 96-59.

Up next was the debut bout for the Sumter Fly Girls. This team, featuring several ladies from GDD, CQS, and the URGE and coached by RCR’s Dell, rose to the challenge of a tournament-level bout and took on GDD. It was a trial by fire, and GDD took the win 173-22.

The fifth bout of the day featured a capitol city showdown with CQS taking on their crosstown rivals, RCR. The Regulators started strong with big hits and strong walls, but CQS outlasted the assault and skated away with the win, 132-31.

The Highrollers hit the track again, this time facing off against the SFG. Right from the first whistle, LCHR made a strong showing, with Major Threat, Ringo Starrdust, and Molly Mauls-A-Lot grabbing lead jammer statuses and picking up points. SFG’s BeatHer Pan flexed her jammer skills by picking up points,and the Fly Girls kept up the fight till the very last whistle, showing the crowd that South Carolina has another strong derby squad on the rise. Final score was LCHR 102, SFG 22.

Game seven was the battle for third place in the state, which featured the two second place teams from each pool, PSRG and GDD. These two mean green teams fought hard and fought long in a heated derby battle, but when the dust settled, GDD had earned the title of 3rd in state with a score of 83-20.

The final and highly-anticipated championship bout featured the undefeated Columbia Quad Squad against the hometown Lowcountry Highrollers. The ladies in pink struck first, with Tropikally Punch grabbing the first lead jammer status, followed by Green-Eyed Sniper’s lead jammer status in the second jam. Never ones to trail behind, CQS’ jammers Crystal Cutt and Grafik answered back, keeping the score close. After a few lead changes, LCHR began to pull away and increased their lead by 10 points. It became a battle of blockers, with CQS’s Truckstop, Chucktown Bruiser, and Holly Hunter keeping Kally and Sniper in their sights, and LCHR’s Lex McCusker, Detroit Funk, and Sexual Chocolate working over the CQS jammers. CQS brought the score back up, and derby fans rose to their feet and crowded the caution tape line as the final minutes ticked away. It was a exciting fight to the finish, but as the final whistle blew, CQS took the win and remained the South Carolina state championships with a score of 71-64.

This tournament was the final 2011 bout for the Highrollers, who finished 9-1 in the regular season and second place in the state tournament. We want to give lots of DERBY LOVE to all our wonderful fans who cheered us on throughout the season, our sponsors who supported us in our league efforts, our referees who give countless (and often thankless!) hours to keep the sport safe, fair and fun, our NSOs who help keep our bouts running smoothly, and our volunteers who really pulled out all the stops to help us make this tournament possible.

We would also like to thank each and every skater who attended the tournament for being such a great competitor, contributor to the success of the tournament, and a proud representative for her league and the sport.  South Carolina has some serious derby talent, and we wish all the best to every league in their upcoming 2012 season!

The Highrollers are now in their off-season, but you can still catch your favorite derby girls around town! We’ll be skating in the City of Charleston Christmas parade on December 4, as well as in the Folly Beach Christmas parade on December 10. For all the latest on your Highrollers, become our fan on Facebook and check back right here at lowcountryhighrollers.com.

Your final scores:

Game 1: CQS 88  PSRG 19
Game 2: LCHR 127  GDD 55
Game 3: PSRG 96  RCR 59
Game 4: GDD 173  SFG 22
Game 5: CQS 132  RCR 31
Game 6: LCHR 102  SFG 22
Game 7 (Runner-Up Bout): GDD 83  PSRG  20
Game 8 (Championship Bout): CQS 71  LCHR 64

It all comes down to this!

Roller derby has been rockin’ throughout the state all season long, and now it’s time to determine who is the best in South Carolina!

The Columbia Quad Squad (Columbia), Greenville Derby Dames (Greenville), Palmetto State Roller Girls (Myrtle Beach), Richland County Regulators (Columbia), and the U.R.G.E. (Greenville) will join your Lowcountry Highrollers at the Citadel McAlister Fieldhouse to battle it out in this huge day of derby! This is the first year the Highrollers will be hosting this tournament, and we are thrilled to bring you the best derby that South Carolina has to offer!

Our featured charity for the bout is the Lowcountry Food Bank, a local organization that solicits and distributes healthy food and grocery products to feed the poor and hungry of the Lowcountry. Save $1 off the ticket price at the door by donating a non-perishable food item. Advance ticket holders who donate will receive a free raffle ticket! Thousands of people across the Lowcountry, including many children, face hunger and food uncertainty every day. Spread the derby love and bring in some non-perishable food donations!

Tickets for this full day of derby are only $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Advance tickets are available at City Lights Coffee, Hot Wheels Skating Center, Mama Q’s Kitchen, Red’s Icehouse, Rogue Wave Surf Shop, Two Keys Tavern, online at Brown Paper Tickets, or from your favorite Highroller.
Want to watch the bout in style? Pick up some VIP tickets! Our VIP lounge offers a reserved seating area in the Citadel club box, tasty food provided by Home Team BBQ, and delicious drinks courtesy of Pinnacle Vodka, Early Times Whiskey, Red Stripe Lager, Firefly Vodka, and Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, all for just $40! VIP tickets are available online now!

Doors will open at 12:00, and the action goes all day until a champion is crowned. There will also be entertainment, music, and activities throughout the day, followed by the official afterparty at the Music Farm. For all the latest bout day schedule updates, including game times, become our fan on Facebook and keep checking back right here at www.lowcountryhighrollers.com.

Last Saturday was packed full of derby as the Lowcountry Highrollers hosted their final regular-season bout, Chucktown Throwdown!

The day started off with some of Theatre 99’s comedians performing for the crowd as they found their seats and the skaters finished up their final warm-ups. The national anthem was beautifully sung by our very own Red Dread (what CAN’T that girl do?), and then it was derby time!

The first bout featured your LCHR All-Stars facing off against the Cape Fear Roller Girls All-Stars from Wilmington, NC in the first ever matchup of these two leagues. Jammer Green-Eyed Sniper got the bout started off right with an 8-point jam on a power play, but Cape Fear soon rallied to take the lead. Tropikally Punch fought through the relentless blocker walls to earn 15 points to bring the score to a 28-28 tie.  The Cape Fear blockers continued to target the Highroller jammers while their quick and agile jammers picked up the points. The Highrollers trailed at half, with a score of 52-90. The your hometown derby girls came out of the locker room re-energized and fired up, ready to reevaluate their strategy and play their game in the second half. Blockers Sexual Chocolate and Lex McCusker traded hits with Cape Fear blockers Hawaiian Puncher and Meagan U Beg, while LCHR jammers fought hard for each and every point. The second half was full of big hits, but also trips to the penalty box. The Highrollers began to close the gap, but Cape Fear jammers Candi Capitate and Ann T. Gravity picked up big points on power jams and the Highrollers were not able to recover. After a hard-fought battle, the Cape Fear Roller Girls took the win, with a score of 185-122. The Lowcountry Highrollers finish their regular season with a record of 9-1.

The LCHR All-Stars had little time to recover as they dashed off to the locker rooms to change uniforms and redistribute themselves amongst their home teams for the night’s second event, the Intraleague Tournament! The trophy had been in the hands of the Swamp Foxes since their victory at the Sibling Rivalry bout, and this tournament would decide who will carry the trophy into our 2012 season.

The first of the three 20-minute mini-bouts featured the punk rockers in red, the Holy City Heartbreakers, against the royal blue and silver-clad Ashley Riverdolls. The bout started of with quick, low-scoring jams, and by consistently grabbing lead jammer status, the Riverdolls were able to control the jams and build their lead. Despite efforts from the Heartbreakers jammers, including a 7-point jam by Dame Right, the rockers were not able to overcome the point deficit before the bout clock ran out. Final score was Riverdolls 46, Heartbreakers 25.

The second matchup kept the Heartbreakers on the track, this time skating against the camo-clad Swamp Foxes. This bout was a battle of the jammers, with Heartbreakers Miss Hawaiian Trippabitch and Ringo Starrdust frequently out on the jammer line against Swamp Foxes Green-Eyed Sniper and Doutaz Mania. The Swamp Foxes began to pull ahead during the final 10 minutes of the jam and took the win, with a final score of 44-20.

With the Heartbreakers’ two losses, the winner of the trophy would be determined by the outcome of the final matchup of the night – the Riverdolls vs the Swamp Foxes. This bout was close from the beginning, with lead changes but neither team breaking away. Every point earned was crucial and hard-fought. With the Swamp Foxes up by one point and only enough time for one more jam, the Riverdolls sent Molly Mauls-A-Lot out to the jammer line against Green-Eyed Sniper. It was only fitting that this action-packed and exciting bout would end in a nail-biter, and everyone held their breath at the last whistle as the points were added to the scoreboard announcing the Riverdolls had won 36-35! With two wins, the Riverdolls claimed the trophy as their own!

We would like to thank the Cape Fear Roller Girls for playing such a tough, competitive, and fun game, as well as helping us work towards our WFTDA certification! Lots of derby love also goes out to all of our sponsors, referees, NSOs, volunteers, coaches, and of course, our fans (especially all you hardcore derby lovers who stuck it out to the end)!

You’ve got one more chance to see your Highrollers in action before the 2011 season ends. The South Carolina Roller Derby State Championships will be on Sunday, November 13^th at the Citadel’s McAlister Fieldhouse. The Palmetto State Roller Girls, Greenville Derby Dames, Richland County Regulators, Columbia Quad Squad, URGE, and Lowcountry Highrollers will all be fighting it out to determine who is #1 in the state!

If you loved all the exciting derby action at Chucktown Throwdown, just wait until next season! We will soon announce our 2012 schedule which is jam-packed with all the roller derby goodness you’ve come to expect from your Lowcountry Highrollers! For all the latest news and information, become our fan on Facebook and check back right here at www.lowcountryhighrollers.com.

The Highrollers took their show on the road to challenge the Richland County Regulators in Columbia, SC on Sunday, September 25th.

This double header bout kicked off with the Bruisin’ Betties skating against Richland County’s Bad Company.  Major Threat started the Betties off right with 17 point jam, but trips to the penalty box gave Bad Company a chance to even the score. After a few lead changes, the Betties trailed Bad Company going into half time. This bout marked Betties co-captain Christina Hyena’s return after major surgery to repair a broken fibula, and she was out with a vengeance! She teamed up with pivot Kitty Hit’er to punish the Bad Company jammers and clear paths for their team mates. The Betties were unable to regain the lead but fought hard to the very end, with MVP jammer Doutaz Mania fighting her way to a 16-point jam at the very end of the bout. Final score was Bad Company 174, Bruisin’ Betties 127.

While the Betties were hard at work, Mother Nature turned a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon into an evening of thunderstorms and torrential rain. As the All-Star teams warmed up, the roof of the Armory began to leak, making the floor too dangerous for skating. No one likes to miss out on any derby action, so the bout was put on hold while everyone anxiously checked the weather maps and waited for the storm to pass. The skies cleared up, a rainbow appeared in the sky (reports of a double rainbow were not confirmed), and after the first indoor rain delay in Highrollers history, the ladies in pink hit the track for some derby action!

The LCHR All-Stars came out strong, with Green-Eyed Sniper starting it off with a 5-point jam, followed directly by Tropikally Punch’s huge 23-point power jam. After picking up an early lead, the Highrollers settled into their derby groove, with Sexual Chocolate and Lex McCusker doling out some big hits. The Highrollers carried their lead into the half, and continued their effective strategies and teamwork during the second half. Despite multiple trips to the penalty box, the All-Stars were able to maintain their focus and intensity against the formidable Regulators blockers. Red Dread made the final strike with a 24 point jam to secure the All-Stars’ 9th straight win! Final score was LCHR All-Stars 218, Richland County Regulators All-Stars 117.

LCHR Breast Casts for Auction

The featured charity for this bout was the Palmetto Health Breast Center, and to raise money, the Regulators created decorative plaster casts of their breasts that were auctioned during the bout. The Highrollers love the tatas too, so four of our ladies also provided casts for the auction. Many thanks go out to artists Patch Whisky, Ergoe, Christian Ellis, Meta Sapient, and LCHR skater Black Banshee who all painted these casts.

This matchup was the final 2011 bout for the Bruisin’ Betties. Catch these ladies back in action during our 2012 season!

The LCHR All-Stars picked up another win, extending their winning streak this season. They have one more regular season bout left, as they take on the Cape Fear Roller Girls at home on October 8^th.

In addition to the All-Star bout, the LCHR home teams will be facing off one more time in a tournament to settle the rivalry. The Swamp Foxes won the last tournament and will fight tooth and nail to defend their title, but the Ashley Riverdolls and Holy City Heartbreakers will be laying it all on the line to take the trophy for themselves! Don’t miss Chucktown Throwdown, headed your way!

The Lowcountry Highrollers have had one heck of a hip-checkin’, booty-blockin’, action-packed season, and it just keeps getting better!

The Cape Fear Roller Girls from Wilmington, NC are making their way down to the Lowcountry to take on the All-Stars in the first-ever match up between these two leagues. The LCHR All-Stars will lay it all on the line to keep their perfect record in their final regular-season bout!

After the All-Stars fight it out, get ready for the return of the Lowcountry Highrollers home teams! The Swamp Foxes took the trophy the last time the home teams met in battle, but the Ashley Riverdolls and Holy City Heartbreakers are fired up to take the trophy for themselves. The rivalry has only gotten stronger, so choose your side and come cheer for your favorite derby girls!

A portion of the bout proceeds will benefit My Sister’s House, which empowers domestic violence victims and their children to live free from abuse. This local organization provides emergency shelters for abuse victims, as well counseling, children’s services, art and music therapy, court advocacy, and many other crucial, comforting, and healing services. My Sister’s House also collects your gently-used cell phones to distribute to victims of violence, and they provide a crucial lifeline in emergency situations. There will be collection boxes at our bout, so if you have an older cell phone you no longer use, please consider donating it! Any model or carrier is accepted.

Highroller bouts are always a family-friendly event! In addition to all the derby action you can handle, there will be a prize raffle to benefit My Sister’s House, halftime entertainment by the Jammers Skate Crew, music by DJ Cassidy of Cassidy and the Kid, a bake sale with homemade treats, and the kids’ favorite – pushing derby girls around the track at halftime! Keep the party going after the bout and join us at Suede Supper Club in Mount Pleasant for our afterparty!

Tickets are $10 in advance, and are available at Hot Wheels Skating Center and East West Health Arts on James Island, City Lights Coffee, Rogue Wave Surf Shop and The Recovery Room downtown, EVO Pizza in Park Circle, the Tin Roof in West Ashley, Red’s Ice House in Mount Pleasant, the Two Keys Tavern in Goose Creek, and Mama Q’s Kitchen on Johns Island. You can also buy tickets online at brownpapertickets.com, or hit up your favorite derby girl. Day-of tickets will be available at the door for $12, and kids under 10 are free!

Want to watch the bout in style? Pick up some VIP tickets! Our VIP lounge offers a reserved seating area in the Citadel club box, tasty food provided by Home Team BBQ, and delicious drinks courtesy of Pinnacle Vodka, Early Times Whiskey, Red Stripe Lager, Firefly Vodka, and Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, all for just $40!

Doors to McAlister Fieldhouse open at 3:00, and the first whistle blows at 4:00. Don’t miss this Chucktown Throwdown!