Rocco’s Tacos Score 11-5 Win
Over Pony Express
By Alex Webbe
Two goals by handicap and a balanced scoring attack by
Rocco’s Tacos (2-0) resulted in an 11-5 win over a talented Pony Express (0-2)
team that just couldn’t coordinate its attack in the second round of the Grand
Champions Polo Club’s Spring Challenge Cup.
Rocco’s Tacos charged out of the gate in the opening chukker
scoring the first goals of the game for a 6-0 lead (2 goals by handicap) as a
smother defense kept Pony Express off the board.
Pony Express found its defense in the second chukker
shutting the door on the Rocco’s Tacos attack, but had trouble converting on
several well-organized runs at goal. J.
J. Celis connected on the only goal of the chukker to trail 6-1.
Brad Blake opened the scoring in the third period with a
goal, but consecutive goals from Juan Bollini and Diego Arellano kept Rocco’s
Tacos comfortably on top at the end of the first half, 8-2.
“I don’t believe itâ€, said 5-goaler Brandon Phillips from
the sidelines, “Pony Express tore up the field in its last game, just barely
losing to Black Watch. I don’t know
what’s going on with them today.â€
The fourth chukker was all Rocco’s Tacos with Kris Kampsen
adding his second and third goal and Bollini notching his third as well. The scoring drought continued for Pony
Express, who now trailed 11-2.
Bob Daniels and his Pony Express returned to the field with
a little more offensive punch in the fifth period, as John Gobin scored
consecutive goals. The Pony Express
defense did its job as well, shutting out Rocco’s Tacos, and cutting the lead
to 11-4.
For the second consecutive chukker Pony Express kept Rocco’s
Tacos from scoring but it continued to struggle with its attack, managing only
a single goal from Gobin to end the game with Rocco’s Tacos scoring the 11-5
victory.
Bollini, Kampsen and Arellano scored three goals apiece and
Rocco’s Tacos got two goals by handicap.
John Gobin led the Pony Express scoring with three
goals. J. J. Celis and Brad Blake each
scored a goal in the loss.
BLACK WATCH 10,
NEWPORT 9 OT
Goals from Neil Hirsch and Martin Pepa put Black Watch (2-0)
ahead in the opening chukker 2-1.
Newport received one goal by handicap but wasn’t able to help themselves
in a scoreless opening period.
Pepa opened the second chukker with a goal but was countered
by scores from Newport’s Gene Goldstein and Marc Ganzi, tying the game at 3-3.
Goldstein put Newport on top, 4-3 but Gonzalo Del Tour took
the ensuing throw-in and raced to goal to knot it at 4-4. Newport and Black Watch battled up and down
the field for the remainder of the chukker, but the first half ended in a tie.
Goldstein opened the second half with a tie-breaking
goal, but Del Tour evened it again for Black Watch. Newport’s Tommy Biddle scored his first goal
of the match for a brief
lead, but was answered by another tying goal from Pepa. With 45 seconds left in the chukker, Brandon
Phillips put Newport on top 7-6, and the chukker ended.
Black Watch tied it again, 7-7, on a goal from Pepa. A goal from Hector Galindo put Black Watch on
top, 8-7 before Biddle’s second goal evened it again at 8-8.
Pepa’s fifth goal of the game had Black Watch taking a 9-8
lead, but Biddle broke through the Black Watch defense to score the game-tying
goal and force overtime.
Black Watch opened the overtime period with a rush toward
the Newport goal. With Galindo in front
of the goal, the whistle sounded, and Hector converted the Penalty 2 for the
win.
Pepa led all scoring with five goals. Teammates Galindo and Del Tour scored two goals
apiece and Hirsch added a goal in the win.
Biddle and Goldstein each scored three goals for
Newport. Phillips and Ganzi added single
goals.
Action will continue on Friday, June 6th
when Rocco’s Tacos (2-0) meets Black Watch (2-0) at 10 AM. Newport will play Pony Express at 4 PM.