2009 USPA Arena Championship

Goal Wins Arena Championship With Seconds Left to Play

By Alex Webbe

 

After leading for three quarters of the match, California committed a foul in the goal area with 18 seconds left on the clock.  The Lender Support Systems team’s Billy Sheldon  converted the penalty shot for his seventh of the game for the 12-11 win and the 2009 USPA Arena Championship.

 

The win was Sheldon’s third, having captured the cup before in 1992 and 2007.  Teammate Carlos Galindo played on a winning Arena Championship team for the second time, having won it with Sheldon in 1992 and Cary Burch was also a repeat winner, having played with Sheldon and Shane Rice on the 2007 championship team.

 

“I really thought we were going to win it,” said California Polo 6-goaler Domingo Questel.  “We were in control through most of the game, but in the end, it came down to horses,” he lamented.

 

California Polo jumped out to an early lead with Manny Questel scoring early and often for the home team.  Up by two goals at the half, 6-4, they seemed poised to keep the Arena Championship, but Sheldon and company had other plans.

 

“I had some horse problems in the second chukker,” said Sheldon, and Carlos (Galindo) was trying to cover for me.  We picked up a couple of fouls as my teammates were trying to cover for me and before you knew it, we were trailing by a couple of goals.”

 

California Polo continued to pour it on in the second half as they maintained their two goal lead.

 

“They kicked our butts in the third chukker,” said tournament MVP Carlos Galindo.  “And when we came back out on the field for the final chukker, it was more of the same,” he added.  “It wasn’t until the last few minutes of the fourth chukker that we finally got on a roll,” he said.

 

The SSI team pressed California Polo, and when they didn’t foul and allow them penalty shots, Sheldon or Galindo broke through for a goal.

 

“We outscored them 5-3 in the final chukker,” said Sheldon, “and to tell you the truth, I think they ran out f horses near the end.”

 

“The turning point of the game,” said Sheldon,” was in the last seconds of play.  Cary (Burch) followed up on a shot towards goal and they crossed the line.  The whistle blew, and after a brief discussion among the officials, a Penalty 2 (15 yard free shot at goal).  Sheldon drilled it into the goal for the win, and the celebration began.

 

A spirited crowd of a few hundred spectators cheered enthusiastically throughout the match as the action raced from one end of the arena to the other.

 

Sheldon led the LSS team with seven goals.  Teammate Carlos Galindo added five goals in the win.

 

Manny Questel set the pace for the California Polo team with seven goals while teammates Ardisher Radpour and Domingo Questel scored two goals apiece.

 

California Polo                                                            Team Lender Support Systems, Inc.

Domingo Questel                    6                                  Billy Sheldon                                       7

Manuel Questel                      4                                  Carlos Galindo                                     6

Ardisher Radpour                    4                                  Cary Burch                                           2

                                               14                                                                                             15

 

 

“It was a great game,” said polo player/spectator Mike Moertl.  “The umpires let the game flow and the teams battled for every play.  It was a very exciting game.”

 

The game was officiated by umpires Danny Scheraga and Steve Lane with the newly-elected USPA Pacific Coast Circuit Governor, Dennis Geiler serving as the Referee.

 

“I thought the game went well,” said Lane.  “There were probably a few more penalties we could have called,” he added, “but we were allowing the play to continue when it was to the advantage of the team fouled.  The players were respectful and there were no behavior problems in the arena.”

 

Billy Sheldon’s Father, Russ Sheldon was present for the contest.  A Governor-at-Large of the USPA and a player whose roots rest firmly in the arena game, he touted the benefits of the arena game.

 

“The economics of the arena game make it much easier to attract new players,” he said.  “I believe that out of 375 USPA clubs, around 165 of them have arenas.  Some clubs have both fields and arenas,” he added, “but some of them are strictly arena clubs.”

 

The California Polo Club was founded in 1995 and is an active member of the United States Polo Association.  In an effort to make the thrill of polo accessible to its guests, students and members, the club is dedicated to providing top instruction and varied levels of competition to the residents of the greater Los Angeles area.