Zacara Beats Bendabout; Isla Carroll Falls to Skeeterville
By Alex Webbe
Carlos Gracida scored six goals to lead Zacara (1-1) to an 11-7 win over Bendabout (0-2) in the second round of United States Open Championship play Friday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington.
Both Bendabout and Zacara suffered opening round losses, and were in a must win situation as they rode onto the field. A second consecutive loss would eliminate them from competition, so there was no reason for them to hold anything back.
“We’re just looking at one game at a time,†said the veteran Gracida, holder of the second most Open wins in history.
The action was fast and deliberate as both teams pressed their opposing players while galloping at top speed up and down the field in scoring efforts, but it would be Zacara that would build on a 5-4 halftime lead to seal the fate of the beleaguered Bendabout players.
Gracida scored three goals for Zacara in the third chukker to tie the game and then take a 5-4 lead, and from then on it would be Bendabout chasing Zacara.
Crisp passes and player support marked the game plan of the Zacara team that showcased top horseflesh in head to head sprints for the ball.
Goals from Gracida, Mike Azzaro and Pelon Escapite in the fourth period were answered by a single goal from Bendabout 10-goaler Miguel Astrada, but it would hardly be enough to turn the tide as Zacara extended its lead to 8-5.
Azzaro and Gracida got on the scoreboard again in the fifth chukker, as Miguel Astrada’s single goal was all the offense Bendabout could muster putting Zacara ahead 10-6 with one chukker left.
The pace of the game didn’t let up for a moment as Zacara fought to hold on to its lead and Bendabout fought against all odds of salvaging a win.
A penalty conversion from Bendabout’s Mariano Gonzalez was countered by a Zacara goal from Azzaro. Final score, Zacara 11, Bendabout 7.
SKEETERVILLE 12, ISLA CARROLL 9
“We just outplayed them,†said Skeeterville’s Owen Rinehart following its 12-9 win over a talent-laden Isla Carroll (1-1) team in earlier US Open action.
Skeeterville (2-0) methodically built up a 7-2 lead over a frustrated Isla Carroll attack that found itself unable to mount any kind of sustained attack.
Isla Carroll 10-goaler Facundo Pieres scored the first goal of the game but was quickly countered by a penalty conversion by Julio Arellano and a goal from the field from Adam Snow. Arellano and Snow each added a single goal in the second chukker while Isla Carroll fought desperately to get an offense going.
“I had planned on jumping on Facu (Facundo Pieres) early in an effort to slow him down,†said Snow, “and it seemed to work.â€
Snow’s defense was so effective that Pieres’ penalty conversion was the only goal he scored in the first half.
Isla Carroll make a comeback in the fourth chukker, scoring four times, as Skeeterville managed only two goals for a 9-6 advantage, but a number of the Isla Carroll goals came from gaffs by the Skeeterville players.
“We let them back into the game by mistakes we made,†said Rinehart. “We corrected those and settled in for the win.â€
Isla Carroll managed single penalty goals in each of the remaining two chukkers while two penalty goals from Arellano and a goal from the field from Skeeterville team captain Will Johnston gave it the final winning margin of 12-9.
Us Open action will continue on Saturday with a noon game between Black Watch (1-0) and Crab Orchard (1-0). At 3pm a realigned Audi (0-1) team that will introduce 8-goaler Santiago Chavanne in place of Juan Bollini, will meet Orchard Hill (0-1) in a must win situation.