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hurlinghampolo.com
I P C 2 0 - G O A L , I N T E R N A T I O N A L P O L O C L U B , W E L L I N G T O N , M A R C H 2 0 1 8
A C T I O N
DAVID LOMINSKA/POLOGGRAPHICS
I P C 2 0 - G O A L
The 20-goal season in Wellington was up for grabs, says Alex Webbe
Nothing could be more conclusive regarding
the parity of the 20-goal teams competing at
the International Polo Club in Wellington
than having six different teams appearing in
the three tournament finals.
A field of familiar names and faces were
peppered with a bevy of young, talented
players whose handicaps belied their
performances on the playing field.
Jared Zenni’s (Modere and Carillon)
meteoric rise to a 5-goal rating was a bright
spot for his team this year, as was the
appearance of 18-year-old Peke Gonzalez
(son of 7-goaler Mariano and grandson of
former 10-goaler Daniel Gonzalez) in the
Goose Creek line-up, but the teams weren’t
without their veteran players. Former
10-goalers Mariano Aguerre (Postage Stamp
Farm), Mike Azzaro (Grand Champions),
Matias Magrini (GSA) and Sebastian Merlos
(Travieso) balanced the experience gap.
Jeff Hildebrand’s Tonkawa team fused
together with Sapo Caset carrying the heavy
water for the team with a talented Julian
de Lusarreta at back and 24-year-old
Sterling Giannico at number 2 in the
season-opening Joe Barry Memorial Cup.
Tonkawa edged Grand Champions in
their first match of the tournament before
galloping past Coca-Cola and Travieso.
Tonkawa trashed La Indiana in semi-final
action, setting the stage for the final.
Tonkawa jumped out to a 6-2 halftime
lead, but a Modere rally tied the game at 9-9
to end the fifth. Tonkawa outscored
Modere 3-0 in the sixth for the 12-9 win.
Jared Zenni turns the ball on the
nearside in the final of the Joe Barry
