Mexico
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Seldom does an undercard at a world championship boxing event draw a lot of attention, but the case of the 2009 Junior Camacho Cup (played as the George Oliver Memorial Cup) was an exception.
Eight talented young players composed teams representing Mexico and the United States competed in a four-chukker prelim that had the spectators on their feet.
The Junior United States team lined up with Paige Boone (0), Diego Arellano (1), Trevor Allen (2) and Tommy Collingwood (2).
The team representing Mexico carried the Gracida tradition with Weston Gracida (2), and his two cousins Mariano Gracida (0) and Carlitos Gracida (2) appearing in the match. Armando Castro filled out the lineup.
Emulating the very play everyone was expecting in the feature match, (the Camacho Cup), these young players executed one well-executed shot after another as Mexico rallied from a three goal deficit in the opening chukker.
“I felt pretty good about our chances,†said US 2-goaler Trevor Allen. “â€We were taking our opposite players and making shots we should be making.â€
And the young US players performed admirably. They left the field after the first seven-and-a-half minutes with a 3-1 lead and quickly went up
Collingwood scored the first goal of the second chukker for a 4-1 lead, but Mexico was finally getting its bearings. Castro scored first followed by a goal from Carlitos Gracida. Castro’s second goal of the game knotted it up at 4-4, but with time running out Collingwood gave the United States a narrow 5-4 halftime advantage.
Mexico regrouped after the second chukker and came out with “young†guns blazing.
Weston Gracida scored to even it at 5-5. A USA foul gave Mexico a penalty shot, which Mariano Gracida converted for a 6-5 lead, but they weren’t over yet.
Carlitos made good on another penalty shot and Mariano Gracida’s second goal of the chukker put Mexico ahead 8-5 with one chukker left to play.
“That certainly isn’t 5-goal polo,†said veteran player Juan Salinas. “Those kids are flying up and down the field,†he added.
Not only were the players carrying on the play in the center of the field, they were making pinpoint passes and executing difficult shots as if they had been born to,
The US players continued to press the attack but Mexico deftly defended the goal time and again.
Trevor Allen’s third goal of the game cut the Mexican lead to two goals, but that would be as close as they would get.
Much to the delight of a large contingent of Mexican supporters in the stadium, Mexico took the game with an 8-6 victory.
“That was an incredible match,†noted Argentine 6-goaler Juan Bollini, as the players rode off the field. “They rode well, they struck the ball with authority, they played very well,†he added.