(25) Arch Rival Pounds Nashville, 206-64

By Muckety Muck, Last updated Mon Jul 9 2012 2:01pm

NASHVILLE, TN - In a 2004 platinum-selling recording, Nashville-based rapper Young Buck rechristened “The Music City” as “Ca$hville.” Propelled by a 90-0 second-period run Saturday night, NC #8 Arch Rival (unofficially ranked #25 in the nation by DNN) went to the proverbial “pay window” in a 206-64 victory over SC #3 Nashville.

The road win in front of 1,700 at Municipal Auditorium netted Arch Rival (8-2) its first victory historically over a WFTDA region’s third-ranked team.

“I have been on the travel team since its inception, and I love everybody that I have ever played with, but this is the best, most cohesive roster that we have ever had,” said Arch Rival blocker Grave Danger after the bout.

The victory was also St. Louis’ second in a row against a South Central top four. Arch Rival bested SC#4 Houston last month, which helped them leapfrog back into the DNN Power Rankings after a two-month absence.

“I wish I could tell you that there was some magic formula,” Danger says of the squad’s recent momentum. “But no, we’re working together as a team, we’re training as a team and everybody’s hard work is coming through together. It’s an exciting time for the league. “

Nashville, third place finishers in the South Central playoffs the past two years, fielded a line-up Saturday that contained numerous absences from the squad that competed for the Hydra Cup last November. The bout was Music City’s first since the departure of marquee veteran Ramb0 Samb0; injures to last year’s South Central playoff MVP Rock Nasty and multi-positional starter Lady Fury also undoubtedly subtracted some depth.

Yet the hosts were the ones to draw first blood as Nashville grinded out a 12-0 lead after four jams, paced by Slayla’s five-pointer scored at 25:20.

After the Music City cushion was whittled to 19-12 at the 20:00 mark, Arch Rival proceeded to go on a 28-0 run over the bout’s next six jams. Concluded by Black Market Baby’s 10-pointer scored with 11:32 left in the period, Arch Rival had built a 40-19 lead.

Nashville proceeded to stay within striking distance and whittled the margin to 53-36 after Four Leaf Roller’s six pointer scored with 2:30 left, but St. Louis’ 18-0 dash in the final two jams pushed its advantage to 71-37 at intermission.

The pair of first-half Arch Rival defensive stoppers certainly piloted the visitors’ 46-point lead at the break, but few would have projected the St. Louis shutdown that changed the bout’s overall complexion early in the second half.

Leading 73-41 three minutes in, Arch Rival proceeded with a 90-0 quad-stomp over the next eight rotations, four of which contained power jams. After South City Shiner posted a 20-pointer at 25:00 that extended the lead to 93-41, Black Market Baby tallied twenty of her own two jams later. Shiner then added 24 at 16:50 to stretch the margin to triple digits and BMB finished the rally with a 10-point power jam at 14:00.

Complementing the scoring was the stubborn Arch Rival blocking schema during the thirteen-minute lockdown, paced by Eli Wallop, Chewblocka, Science Friction, May Require Stitches, The Educator, Party Foul, Shimmy Hoffa, Mayor Francis Slayer and the aforementioned Danger.

When the dust had settled after the onslaught, a once-workable differential for Nashville had become insurmountable and Arch Rival held a commanding 163-41 lead.

“I felt like we were playing some stellar defense and then our jammers were able to capitalize and put up points,” assessed ARRG blocker Chewblocka afterwards. “That’s a great combination to have. We wore them down with our strategy and with our game play.”

Arch Rival’s defense was tight throughout the second period, holding Nashville scoring to a dozen points until the bout’s final two jams. St. Louis outscored Music City 135-27 in the second half en route to the 142-point victory and finish the season 3-1 against South Central teams in WFTDA-sanctioned play.

“We have really been putting the pedal to the metal as far as training, tightening our game up and I feel with every game, you’re seeing our team evolve,” said Danger of Arch Rival’s summertime push. “This was a huge win for us.”

Paced by a second-period 25-point power jam, Mighty Mighty Boston unofficially topped Arch Rival scoring with 68, followed by Shiner’s 56.

Four Leaf Roller led Nashville (3-4) with 28 points unofficially, followed by Slayla’s 19.

Arch Rival returns to regional play this Saturday in St. Louis against NC #5 Chicago Outfit (5-4) while Nashville continues its home schedule on July 28 against NC #6 Brewcity (1-4).

In the b-team opener, ARRG’s Saint Lunachix upended Nashville’s Music City Brawl Stars 142-100.