Hawks and Mt. Airy/Willow Open Season with Wins
By Alex Webbe
California 6-goaler Jason Crowder light them up as the Hawks scored an exciting 12-9 win over Bendabout/First View Friday afternoon on the Everglades Field as the International Polo Club’s 2011 14-goal Wanderers’ Classic got underway.
American 9-goaler Julio Arellano scored the first two goals of the game for Bendabout/First View on penalty conversions before the Hawks got on the scoreboard. A penalty goal from Julian Mannix cut the lead to 2-1 as the chukker ended.
Three straight goals from Diego Arellano, Juan Curbelo and Crowder, complimented by shutout defense, had the Hawks soaring. The second period ended with Bendabout trailing 4-2.
Julio Arellano bucked up the Bendabout attack in the third chukker with a couple of chukkers while a determined Bendabout defense kept the high-flying Hawks off of the scoreboard for the first time in the game. The first half ended with the teams locked in a 4-4 tie.
Gillian Johnston’s first goal of the game had Bendabout up, 5-4, before Crowder answered with a tying goal for the Hawks. Mason Wroe scored the final goal of the chukker for Bendabout who took a 6-5 lead into the fifth chukker.
Julio Arellano put Bendabout up by 7-5 with his fifth goal of the game (penalty shot) before the Hawks woke up. Crowder scored three unanswered goals for the Hawks before Johnston finally answered for Bendabout with a goal. Diego Arellano’s second goal of the game ended the fifth chukker with the Hawks holding on to a narrow 9-8 advantage.
Both teams battled their way into the final period, but the sixth chukker belonged to the Hawks. Goals from Diego Arellano and Curbelo had the Hawks ahead with time winding down as Bendabout struggled to find its offense. Wroe converted a penalty shot for Bendabout, but it was a case of too little too late. Crowder’s sixth goal of the game sealed it for the Hawks in a 12-9 win.
“We made some adjustments at halftime,†said Crowder, who was a member of the Lucchese team that swept the West Coast high-goal season under the command of Adolfo Cambiaso. “We redirected a couple of the players on the team and improved our defense,†he offered. “We stretched out our attack, and that gave Juan (Curbelo) and I more room to operate.â€
Wanderers Cup action will continue on Sunday at 10 am with a match between Pony Express/Detroit Blues against Lechuza Caracas.
MT. AIRY/WILLOW 11, FARAWAY/MT. BRILLIANT 4
Brandon Phillips proved to be the fireplug in the opening game of the season in the 12-goal South Florida Challenge scoring four of his game-high six goals in the first half as Mt. Airy/Willow coasted to a one-sided 11-4 win over Faraway/Mt. Brilliant.
“The team went well today,†said Phillips. “Mike (Egan) and Garrick (Steele) played very well. They took their men out of the plays and Adrian (Wade) and I worked over the middle. It was a total team effort.â€
Phillips opened the scoring with a pair of goals in the first chukker while Faraway/Mt. Brilliant fought to put an attack together. The first chukker ended with Mt. Airy/Willow holding an early 2-0 lead.
Phillips’ third goal f the game came on a penalty shot followed by a goal from the field from Egan. Faraway still couldn’t find the target, and went into the third chukker without a goal, trailing 4-0.
Egan’s second goal of the game had Mt. Airy/Willow in front 5-0 and another Phillips goal ended the chukker with Faraway/Mt. Brilliant being embarrassed 6-0.
Garrick Steele got into the act for Mt. Airy/Willow with a pair of goals in the fourth before Julian Daniels finally broke through to score Faraway’s first goal of the match. The score stood at 8-1 after four chukkers of play.
Two more goals from the field from Phillips had the score at 10-1.
“I’ve got to credit Adrian (Wade) for a lot of shots I had today,†said Phillips. “He played great defense and made some incredible offensive passes.â€
Carlitos Galindo gave Faraway/Mt. Brilliant its second goal of the game on a penalty shot with Mt. Airy/Willow holding on to a comfortable 10-2 lead with one chukker left to play.
Daniels converted a penalty shot and Galindo added a goal in the final chukker for Faraway/Mt. Brilliant, but Wade’s only goal of the game ended the scoring with Mt. Airy/Willow racing off with an 11-4 victory.
South Florida Challenge play will continue on Sunday, January 9 with a 10 am contest between Valiente/Blanco and EFG Bank. Jan Pamela/Little Owl will face Mt. Airy/Willow (1-0) at noon.