Goose Creek stops Flat Out
By
Alex Webbe
Flat Out got off to an aggressive start Thursday
afternoon, picking up one goal by handicap and galloping off to a 4-2 first
chukker lead in the 2012 Freebooters Classic at the International Polo Club in Wellington,
but that was where the rid ended.
Goose Creek responded with a total of nine goals in the
second and third chukkers on their way to a resounding 16-9 thrashing of Flat
Out in the 14-goal tournament.
Paul Knapp put the first goal on the scoreboard for Flat
Out with a goal from the field. Todd
Offen added a pair of 60-yard penalty conversions for a 4-2 lead (Flat Out
received one goal by handicap). Cote
Zegers and Steve Krueger accounted for single goals for Goose Creek in the
opening chukker.
Goose Creek exploded in the second chukker with Krueger
adding two more goals and Alejandro Vial and Zegers (penalty goal) added single
goals for a 6-5 lead. Offen accounted
for Flat Out’s only goal.
Knapp added another Flat Out goal in the third period, but
Goose Creek was running on all eight cylinders as they added five more goals to
their total. Maureen Brennan and Krueger
added single goals to the pile while Vial converted two penalty shots and added
a goal from the field. At the end of the
first half Goose Creek was sitting on top of an 11-6 lead while Flat Out was
struggling to find answers.
The pace slowed down a bit as the first half opened. Flat Out delivered no offense at all, while
Goose Creek was content to pick up one more goal from Vial. With just two chukkers left in regulation
time, Goose Creek held a commanding 12-6 advantage.
Vial converted a 60-yard penalty shot and added two more
goals from the field in the fifth while Flat Out had to settle for a single
penalty goal from Robert Orthwein. With
seven minutes left to play, Goose Creek held an impressive eight goal, 15-7
lead.
Offen and Leo Mandelbaum tallied single goals in the
final chukker for Flat Out while Vial scored his ninth goal of the match in the
16-9 win.
Offen led the Flat Out scoring with four goals. Knapp scored twice; Orthwein and Mandelbaum
each added a goal and the team received one goal by handicap.
Vial led all scoring with nine goals. Krueger chipped in four goals; Zegers added
two and Brennan scored once in the victory.