PALMER — Raven Hall at the Alaska State Fairgrounds will be taking some hard hits on Saturday as Alaska’s Rage City Rollergirls take on Seattle’s Rat City Rollergirls’ Grave Danger.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and the action begins at 7.

In what is dubbed the Thanksgiving Throwdown, the race will feature food, a beer garden and Fowl Play Turkey games. “The typical bout lasts about two and half hours. There are two 30-minute periods with a 30-minute halftime,” said Angie Ramirez, aka Sarah Impale’EM on the track.

Ramirez said it is a long process to get to rollergirl status in the sport of roller derby.

“First you start as ‘freshmeat’ and then work your way up to being a ‘rookie’ and then work your way up to being a ‘rollergirl.’”

It’s a transformation that took Ramirez two years to achieve, and one she said is very difficult.

“We practice twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays in Anchorage, and the all star team adds an additional practice on Fridays,” she said.

For those who don’t know much about roller derby, Ramirez gives a primer.

“Each team has five girls out there. One is a pivot, one is a blocker and three are jammers,” she said. “You score points by your team’s pivot breaking through the other team’s line, and as each opposing team member the pivot passes you score points.”

Ramirez added that Rage City has been working hard for its upcoming match against Grave Danger.

“We have been watching tape of them to help get prepared,” she said. “Grave Danger has had a lot of track time and looks to be pretty good.”

Although the bouts are fun, Ramirez says the teams do a lot of community service work as well.

“We are a service-related team, and therefore we participate in donations and charity work,” she said.

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets are available online at www.ragecityrollergirls.org.