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Grand Raggidy represents at East Coast Extravaganza!
The two-day East Coast Extravaganza June 21-22 in Philadelphia was free from torrential weather this year (don't ask Angie Warhaul what happened last April with her car, a few sheets of seriously heavy ice and snow and a slanted roof) but that doesn't mean it was drama-free. Far from it, as the Grand Raggidy All-Stars experienced ups and downs during the action packed derby weekend.

First up, Saturday morning, the GRRG skaters suffered a heart-breaking - but largely eye-opening - loss to Cincinnati's all star team, the Black Sheep during one of the weekend's first WFTDA bouts. The match was a close call in the first 30 minutes, with the GRRG securing a narrow lead heading into half-time. Alas, the tide turned in Period 2, as the GRRG skaters lost their steam and watched the win skate away from their grasp.

Sunday morning, several GRRG skaters (TerrorHawk, Lindsay Blowhan, Dot Matrix, Bette Mangler, Jackie Daniels and The Vindicator) cleaned their whiskers and skated with the Mittens Kittens (a GRRG, Detroit Derby Girls and Kilamazoo joint effort) during a 30-minute challenge bout against Philly Roller Girls undefeated home team, the Philty Britches. Though the wonders from the Mitt lost the game, everyone had a great time and enjoyed bonding with their new feline friends.

Renewed, rested and ready for a smack-down, the newly focused Grand Raggidy All Stars returned to the SportsPlex Sunday afternoon with their eye on the prize. They delivered a decisive victory over the Ohio Roller Girls, their longtime friends and rivals. Despite a solid performance by Columbus's finest, the final score told the story: GRRG 115-OHRG 39.

The ladies used the weekend to soak in as much derby as possible, making new friends, re-bonding with track "enemies" and learning new tricks from some of the best skaters in the country (Hello, Beyonslay and the "backpack" block attack!). Thanks to the Philly Roller Girls for making the experience possible.