Goose Creek/Faraway wins Alligator Challenge Cup
By Alex Webbe
Jan Pamela had been having its way this season and looked like they were going to bag another title when they jumped out to an early 3-0 start, but Maureen Brennan and Hutton Goodman and their Goose Creek/Faraway team had other ideas Friday morning in the finals of the Alligator Challenge 12-goal at the International Polo Club as they scored an 11-9 championship win.
Jan Pamela received one goal by handicap and added goals from Wayne Garrison and Steve Dalton in first chukker play while holding Goose Creek/Faraway scoreless.
Garrison scored a second goal for Jan Pamela in the second period but Goose Creek/Faraway responded with single goals from Brennan, Julian Daniels and Martin Zegers. Jan Pamela continued to lead, but Goose Creek/Faraway cut the margin to a single goal, 4-3.
Zegers tied it in the second with a goal from the field, but Steve Dalton converted a 40-yard penalty shot to keep Jan Pamela on top, 5-4, to end the first half of play.
Daniels converted a penalty shot for a goal to tie it up at 5-5 to open the fourth chukker, but Jan Pamela came back with a goal from the field from Nick Manifold and a pair of goals from Dalton to end the period with an 8-5 advantage.
Goose Creek/Faraway took control of the fifth chukker, getting three penalty goals from Zegers and a single goal from Daniels. A smothering defense closed out Jan Pamela and Goose Creek/Faraway found themselves ahead, 9-8, with one chukker to play.
Daniels and Zegers added sixth chukker goals for Goose Creek/Faraway while a struggling Jan Pamela offense struggled. A 40-yard penalty conversion from Manifold would be their final effort as they fell to Goose Creek/Faraway 10-9.
Martin Zegers led all scoring with six goals and was named MVP for his efforts. Julian Daniels added four goals and Maureen Brennan scored once in the win.
Steve Dalton scored four times for Jan Pamela. Teammates Wayne Garrison and Nick Manifold added two goals apiece in the losing effort.
Nick Manifold’s Mancha was named Best Playing Pony.
SANTA CLARA 10, YELLOW CAB 9
Santa Clara took an early 2-1 lead after the first chukker of play and held on to score a narrow 10-9 win over Yellow Cab in the consolation round of the Everglades Classic Friday afternoon.
Santa Clara opened the game with goals from Diogo Gallego and Kris Kampsen before Pablo Spinacci could answer for Yellow Cab with a goal. Gallego’s second goal of the game put Santa Clara up, 3-1, but Lucas Monteverde kept Yellow Cab close with a goal from the field. The second chukker ended with Santa Clara leading 3-2.
Spinacci and Monteverde each scored for Yellow Cab in the third, but goals from Santa Clara’s Gallego and Luis Escobar gave them the narrow 5-4 halftime edge.
Two more goals from Escobar were countered by a single goal from Monteverde in the fourth, and Santa Clara stretched its lead to two goals, 7-5.
Yellow Cab put its attack into overdrive in the fifth chukker, picking up goals from Spinacci, Monteverde and Jeffrey Garber for a brief 8-7 lead. Escobar’s fourth goal of the game ended the chukker in an 8-8 tie.
Escobar scored the first goal of the sixth chukker to give Santa Clara a 9-8 lead, but Yellow Cab evened it up at 9-9 with a 40-yard penalty goal from Monteverde. Gallego scored the final and winning goal of the match for the win.
Luis Escobar scored five times for Santa Clara. Diogo Gallego scored four times, including the winning mark, and Kris Kampsen added a goal for the win.
Lucas Monteverde set the pace for the Yellow Cab team with five goals. Pablo Spinacci added three and Jeffrey Garber scored a goal.