Despite the fan-tastic (and, says announcer Johnny Crass, possibly “shark-jumping”) show of support from several purple-painted Death Dealers faithful, the Leave It to Cleavers continued their 2009 winning streak with a 107-81 victory in a down-and-dirty Salt City Derby Girls roller-derby bout Saturday at the Salt Palace. ---

The red-clad Cleavers took the lead early, only to have it snatched back by the Dealers a couple of jams later--it would be their last time in the lead for the rest of the night after a 20-point scoring run by Cleaver England’s Glory. The Cleavers’ seamless team balance of defense and offense, lead by a formidable trifecta of scoring jammers in England’s Glory, China White and Dirty Pirate Hooker, proved too much for the Dealers to overcome without their star player, jammer Moonraker (out for the rest of the season).

Still, Dealers jammer Roller Her Kitty made her biggest impression of the season with several high-scoring runs; Smack & DeckHer and Pushy Galore also made valiant efforts to fill the Moonraker gap. Meanwhile, the game became increasingly dirty and desperate as the night wore on, with several skaters from both teams racking up time in the penalty box for flying elbows, back-blocking and even missing panties (as in, the cover worn on a jammer’s helmet; there’s nothing about going commando in the Women’s Flat-Track Derby Association’s rule book … far I know, anyway).

This bout’s outcome means the Leave It to Cleavers will face the Sisters of No Mercy in the 2009 SCDG Championship bout on Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Salt Palace, the Cleavers defending their tiara from last year against this season’s much-improved underdogs. Before then, the SCDG all-star Shakers team will take on Ogden’s Junction City Roller Dolls up north at Golden Spike Arena on Sept. 12.

Read Cleaver Veronica Scars’ game recap here. Shots from Saturday’s bout by Mark Alston: