Biddle Leads Grand Champions to Cup Win
By Alex Webbe
Partly cloudy skies and a gentle breeze was the setting for the finals of the final tournament of the fall season for the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida as 7-goaler Tommy Biddle scored three consecutive goals in the final chukker to lead the home Grand Champions team to a 9-8win over Boca Developers in the 2009 Rocco’s Tacos Cup.
The game got off to a slow start, as each team felt out the opposition in the opening chukker of the game. Biddle scored the opening goal but was answered by a goal from Diego Cossio for Boca Developers.
Stevie Orthwein converted a penalty shot in the second period that seemed to get the attention of the Grand Champions players. Biddle added his second goal of the game, followed by two goals from John Gobin. Grand Champions rode off the field with a 4-2 lead.
Defenses tightened on both sides in the third chukker as they battled up and down the field with no results. A melee in front of the Boca Developers’ goal turned in to a Grand Champions goal with Cachi Garcia getting the final stick on the ball. The first half ended with Grand Champions holding on to a three goal lead, 5-2.
A reinvigorated Boca Developers team returned to the field in the fourth chukker as shutout defense was complimented by coordinated team-play that resulted in single goals from J. J. Celis, Cossio and Orthwein. Boca Developers took complete control of the chukker and tied the game at 5-5.
Gobin got Grand Champions on the scoreboard to open the fifth period, but Boca Developers stepped up its game once again. Orthwein converted a penalty shot for a goal and added another goal from the field. Cossio added his third goal of the match and Grand Champions found themselves trailing by an 8-5 score.
The final chukker belonged to Biddle. Long drives and hard charges characterized his rush at the Boca Developers goal. Two goals from the field and a penalty conversion gave Biddle a total of five goals on the day and gave the Grand champions team a 9-8 win over Boca Developers.
Biddle led all scoring with five goals. Teammate John Gobin scored three times and Garcia added a single goal in the win.
Orthwein was high scorer for Boca Developers with four goals. Cossio scored three times and Celis added a goal.
AUDI BEATS HERONWOOD 7-6
In earlier action, Audi held off a last ditch effort by Heronwood to score a 7-6 win in the consolation round of the 2009 Rocco’s Tacos Cup.
Audi took control early, riding off to a 3-1 lead after two chukkers and a 5-3 edge at halftime.
Melissa Ganzi’s third goal of the game had Audi riding a 6-3 advantage after four chukkers, but Heronwood wasn’t through yet. Fifth chukker goals from Leo Mandelbaum and Hector Galindo brought Heronwood to within a goal after five periods of play, 6-5.
Mandelbaum’s fourth goal of the game knotted it at 6-6, but it was Tiana Smicklas who would score the winning goal for Audi. A last effort was made by Heronwood in the closing seconds of regulation time with the horn sounding the end of the game just seconds before Mandelbaum pushed the ball over the goal line.
Ganzi led the Audi team with three goals. Kris Kampsen added two and single goals were tallied by Meeli Galindo and Tiana Smicklas.
Mandelbaum led Heronwood with four goals. Single goals were scored by Michael Smith Liss and Hector Galindo.
The 2009 Rocco’s Tacos Cup marked the end of Grand Champions’ third season. Play will resume again in January.