La Casa Hermosa wins Freebooters Classic

La Casa Hermosa wins Freebooters Classic

By
Alex Webbe

La Casa Hermosa captured the 2012 Freebooters Classic
Championship in an 11-7 win over Goose Creek Saturday morning in the finals at
the International Polo Club in Wellington.

After missing an earlier penalty shot, Jeff Blake
converted a 60-yard and then a 40-yard shot for goals to give La Casa Hermosa
an early 2-0 lead.  Tano vial got Goose
Creek on the scoreboard with a penalty goal of his own and the first chukker
ended with La Casa Hermosa protecting a 2-1 advantage.

La Casa Hermosa continued to press the Goose Creek
defense in the second chukker with Jeff Blake adding three consecutive goals to
the pot.  Vial answered with another
single penalty goal but at the end of two periods, Goose Creek was trailing by
three goals, 5-2.

Jeff Blake and Vial exchanged penalty goals for the only
scoring in the third chukker as La Casa Hermosa rode off of the field at the end
of the first half with a 6-3 lead.

Goose Creek’s Steve Krueger drew first blood in the
second half, opening the fourth chukker with a goal from the field and cutting
into the La Casa Hermosa lead, 6-4. 
Chris Nevins converted a 40-yard penalty shot, however, and La Casa
Hermosa continued to lead by three goals, 7-4.

Cote Zegers scored his first goal of the game in the
fifth followed by another goal from Krueger. 
Goose Creek trailed by a single goal, 7-6 when La Casa Hermosa
retaliated.  A 60-yard penalty goal from
Jeff Blake and a goal from the field from Nevins closed out the chukker with La
Casa Hermosa ahead, 9-6.

Vial scored one last goal for Goose Creek in the sixth
while an oppressive La Casa Hermosa defense continued to keep them off
balance.  A pair of goals from Brad Blake
was credited to La Casa Hermosa in the final chukker in the 11-7 win.

 Jeff Blake led the
field with seven goals on the day. 
Teammates Nevins and Brad Blake scored two goals apiece.  Brad Blake was also named MVP for his
efforts.  Jeff Blake’s Jack was honored as Best Playing Pony.

Vial set the pace for the Goose Creek attack with four
goals.  Krueger scored twice and Zegers
added a goal in a losing effort.