I photographed the monthly bouts for the Atlanta Roller Derby at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta for the Midtown Patch newspaper on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Two bouts are held each month and the end of the season is fast approaching for the women of the derby. The first bout of the evening matched up The Dirty South Derby Girls against the BrewCity Bruisers from Milwuakee, WI. From the very first whistle, both teams battled back and forth for control of the game. The girls from the Dirty South eecked out a one point win. The second bout pitted two local teams, the Denim Demons and the Apocalypstix against one another. The Apocalypstix took an early lead and held onto it for the entire bout. These are my favorite images from the bouts.
Referee Hurtin' Temples, right, performs an equipment check on Apocalypstix's Harper Lethal before their bout against the Denim Demons at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Denim Demons' Reba Smackentire, center, listens to her team's captains before their bout against the Apocalypstix at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South's mascot T.I. Puf N Stuf holds his team's flag during the singing of the National Anthem before their bout against the BrewCity Bruisers on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South Derby Girls' The Ruffian (1979) knocks BrewCity Bruisers' High D. Voltage to the ground as she scores a point during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South Derby Girls' Switchblade Siouxsie, right, tries to get past BrewCity Bruisers' Carabunga (8) to score a point during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South Desrby Girls's Hollicidal, center, tries to break through BrewCity Bruisers' Servin' Justice (2) and Becky the Butcher (99) during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Joe Lafiosca, right, and Rob Solomon cheer for the Dirty South Derby Girls during their bout against the BrewCity Bruisers at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Denim Demons' Lez Dispencer, left, and Deathskull, right, close the gap as they collide with Apocalypstix's Nora Gretz during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Denim Demons' Demanda Rumble, left, collides with Apocalypstix's The Ruffian during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
The Apocalypstix's jeerleader Rose Riot, left, and mascot Chadilac play up to the crowd during their team's bout against the Denim Demons at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Cap'n Yoass, coach of the Dirty South Dirty Girls, talks with his team during halftime in their bout against the BrewCity Bruisers at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Denim Demons' Demanda Rumble, left, and Tagher Lilly, right, block Apocalypstix's The Ruffian from scoring points during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Foster Lee, left, and Cyndi Pittman cheer as the Dirty South Derby Girls take the lead over the BrewCity Bruisers at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South Derby Girls' Alassin Sane (1973) tries to hold onto her teammate as BrewCity Bruisers' Moby Nipps (68) breaks up the pack during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South Derby Girls' Hollicidal, right, and Belle of the Brawl, left, knock BrewCity Brusiers' High D. Voltage off her feet during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Denim Demons' Hate Ashbury, center, falls over her teammate Demanda Rumble during their bout against the Apocalypstix at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Denim Demons' Lez Dispencer, left, is knocked to the ground by Apocalypstix's Quadratic Abrasion (4) during their bout at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.
Dirty South Derby Girls' Demi Gore is congratulated by fans after their one point win over the BrewCity Bruisers at the YAARAB Shrine of Atlanta on Saturday, July 16, 2011.