Great Oaks Rides Past Black Watch, 12-10
By Alex Webbe
Great Oaks snuck past Black Watch 12-10 in action in Bridgehampton Polo Club’s Two Trees Cup competition in a match that saw every member of each team score a goal.
Tomas Garcia del Rio drew first blood when he converted a 60-yard penalty shot. He followed it up with a goal from the field before Black Watch got on the scoreboard, courtesy of a goal from the field from 9-goaler Lucas Criado. Marcos Garcia del Rio ended the first chukker with a goal, and Great Oaks took a 3-1 lead to the sidelines with them after the first seven-and-a-half minutes of play.
Pablo Pieres opened the second period with a pair of goals from the field while the Great Oaks defense held Black Watch to a single penalty goal from crowd favorite, Nacho Figueras. Both teams battled futilely up and down the field for the duration of the chukker with no further results. Great Oaks extended its lead to three goals, 5-2.
A penalty conversion from Tomas Garcia del Rio gave Great Oaks a four goal lead, 6-2, when the Black Watch offense woke up. Criado scored twice while a goal from teammate Tomas Obregon cut the Great Oaks lead to a single goal, 6-5, to end the first half.
In the most offensive chukker of the game, the teams combined for seven goals, with Great Oakes out-dueling Black Watch 4-3.
Tomas Garcia del Rio scored twice while teammates Pieres and Dillon Bacon added single goals in the period. Black Watch responded with three goals of its own. Criado scored once from the field and once on a penalty shot while Figueras added a single goal. Great Oaks left the field after the fourth chukker with a 10-8 lead.
Figueras opened the fifth with a penalty goal, cutting the Great Oaks lead to a single goal, but Tomas Garcia del Rio scored his sixth goal of the game to keep his team ahead, 11-9.
Black Watch pressed its attack into the final chukker of play, getting a goal from Larry Austin, but a penalty goal from Marcos Garcia del Rio would end the scoring, and Great Oaks would leave the field with a 12-10 victory.
Tomas Garcia del Rio led all scoring with six goals. Pieres scored three times; Marcos Garcia del Rio added two goals and team captain, Dillon Bacon added a goal for the win.
Criado set the pace for Black Watch with five goals. Figueras scored three times and Obregon and Austin added single goals.