Wanderers, Lucchese and Lechuza Score Ylvisaker Cup Wins
By Alex Webbe
The first round of the Ylvisaker Cup saw three more games take place on Sunday with The Wanderers/Isla Carroll taking the early game from Patagones 11-7 followed by a one goal Lechuza win over Yellow Cab and a Lucchese victory at the expense of Faraway Polo.
In a 10 am game that started a full day of polo at the International Polo Club in Wellington, The Wanderers/Isla Carroll rode out to a 6-3 halftime score on their way to an 11-7 win over a struggling Patagones team.
Kris Kampsen scored a team high five goals for The Wanderers (1-0) in the win while getting a pair of goals from Sugar Erskine and four goals from the field from Nacho Figueras.
Carlos Gracida had a game high six goals on the day. Gonzalo Avendano added a goal in the Patagones (0-1)loss.
LUCCHESE 16, FARAWAY POLO 11
Luis Escobar scored seven of his game leading ten goals as Lucchese (1-0) beat Faraway Polo (0-1) 16-11 in each of the team’s Ylvisaker Cup opener.
Faraway took an early 4-2 lead, but Lucchese fought back to tie the game, 5-5, at the end of the second chukker. The third chukker saw each team produce three goals for an 8-8 halftime score, but that was where the parity ended.
Lucchese took the field in the fourth period and quickly put four goals on the scoreboard while holding Faraway scoreless. The determined Lucchese team left the field with a 12-8 edge, and with Faraway struggling for answers.
“This team has great chemistryâ€, said team captain John Muse, the owner of the fabled Lucchese boot company. Faraway is a very good team,†he added, “and I think this was a good test for us to open the tournament.â€
Faraway scratched their way back into the game in the fifth chukker, with three goals from Pelon Escapite. Lucchese was held to a single penalty conversion from Luis Escobar as they maintained the lead, 13-11.
Lucchese sealed the fate of the game in the final period with two goals from Pancho Bensadon and Escobar’s tenth goal of the game. Julian managed the only goal of the final chukker for Faraway (9-1) in the 16-12 Lucchese (1-0) win.
LECHUZA CARACAS 13, YELLOW CAB 12
Yellow Cab’s Tommy Biddle led the field with seven goals, but it was the balanced attack of Lechuza Caracas that carried the day in a 13-12 Ylvisaker Cup win Sunday afternoon.
The veteran Lechuza Caracas (1-0) lineup led by as many as seven goals in the course of the game before Yellow Cab (0-1) drove themselves back into competition in the last two chukkers of play.
“I thought the team played great,†said Biddle of the Yellow Cab lineup, “it’s only our first tournament game, and hopefully we’ll continue to improve as the season moves along.â€
Tournament action continues on Wednesday, Jan. 27 with three games. Bendabout (1-0) will face Zacara (0-0) at 11am followed by a 1 pm contest between Lucchese (1-0) and Yellow Cab (0-1). Mt. Brilliant (0-1) will close out the day with a game against The Wanderers/Isla Carroll at 3 pm.