Coca-Cola takes Herbie Pennell Cup with an 11-7 win
By Alex Webbe
Coca-Coal scored a comfortable 11-7
win over Villa Del Lago in the opening game of the 2012 high-goal polo season
at the International Polo Club Palm Beach Sunday afternoon with America’s top
rated player, 9-goaler Julio Arellano, scoring eight goals in the contest.
Villa Del Lago received one goal by
handicap from the 20-goal Coca-Cola team and added to it on a penalty goal from
Magoo Laprida, who supplied all of the offense in the first chukker for a 2-1
lead.
A goal from the field from Laprida had
Villa Del Lago up 3-0, when the momentum shifted.
Consecutive goals Arellano (one on a
penalty shot and one from the field) were followed up by a tying goal from
Sugar Erskine as Coca-Cola took control of the game. Arellano added his third goal of the chukker
to put Coca-Cola on top of a 4-3 score after two periods of play.
Coca-Cola showed little sympathy for the Villa
Del Lago foursome as they returned to the field in the third period with a
vengeance. Arellano scored three more
goals and Erskine added another as Coca-Cola left the field with a commanding
8-3 halftime advantage.
A regrouped Villa Del Lago team
returned to the field in the fourth and put two unanswered goals on the
scoreboard while shutting out the high-scoring Coca-Cola attack and cutting the
lead to three goals, 8-5.
As quickly as the Villa Del Lago
appeared, it faded as Coca-Cola resumed control of the game in the fifth. Two more goals from Arellano (one from the
field and one penalty conversion) and shutout defense shut the door on Villa
Del Lago, giving Coca Cola an 11-5 lead.
Laprida converted a penalty shot for
Villa Del Lago in the sixth and teammate Pelon Escapite added a goal from the
field as Coca-Cola coasted to capture the Herbie Pennell Cup in an 11-7 win.
Julio Arellano led all scoring with
eight goals on the day. Erskine added
two goals and team captain Gillian Johnston accounted for one goal in the
victory.
Laprida accounted for four goals for
Villa Del Lago. Escapite and Obregon
added single goals and the team received one goal by handicap.
Coca-Cola’s Mason Wroe was named MVP
for his defensive efforts at the Number 4 position while Julio Arellano’s
6-year-old Gray mare, Dreamer, received Best Playing Pony honors.