Hawks 12-9 Over Yellow Cab
By Alex Webbe
The Hawks shot out to a one-sided 5-0 lead on their way to a 12-9 win over Yellow Cab Friday morning as tournament action continued in the 2010 Ylvisaker Cup at the International Polo Club in Wellington.
Taking early control of possession of the ball, the Hawks swooped out to a 5-0 lead before Yellow Cab finally got on the scoreboard.
“We concentrated on the throw-insâ€, said veteran Mariano Aguerre when asked the secret to the team’s win. “We knew that we had to improve on our play in the throw-ins, and spent a great deal of time preparing,†he said.
The game began quickly with 10-goaler Aguerre scoring the opening goal followed by a penalty conversion from Fred Mannix, Jr. Yellow Cab struggled to find its offense, and the Hawks continued to soar.
Aguerre’s penalty goal in the second chukker was sandwiched between a pair of goals from the field by Cachi Garcia-Velez, and Yellow Cab found itself trailing by five goals.
With less than a minute-and-a-half left in the second chukker, Guille Usandizaga finally got Yellow Cab on the scoreboard. Team captain Simon Garber followed it up with his first goal of the game, and the chukker ended with the Hawks ahead 5-2.
The defenses tightened in the third period with single goals being scored by Aguerre (Hawks) and Tommy Biddle (Yellow Cab).
The Hawks left the field with a three goal lead, 6-3.
Action continued to race up and down the field in the fourth chukker goals from Aguerre and Mannix were answered by a single goal from Usandizaga. Hawks led 8-4.
Two more goals from Mannix kept the Hawk offense alive as Biddle and Garber scored single goals to try and keep Yellow Cab in the game, but the hole they dug for themselves in the first two chukkers proved to be too deep. They entered the final chukker of play trailing 10-6, and in spite of scoring three last chukker goals, they watched the Hawks take the game, 12-9
“I thought the difference was the horses,†said team captain Fred Mannix, Jr. “The horses performed superbly today†said the Canadian 6-goaler, “and that always makes a game easier on the players.â€
Playing in their first match since Sunday’s loss to Zacara in the finals of the Joe Barry Memorial Cup, Aguerre was pleased with the way the team performed.
“We had a couple of things that we worked on,†he offered, “and I think the team played very well, today,†he added.
Mannix led all scoring with five goals. Aguerre scored four times and Garcia-Velez accounted for three goals in the win.
Garber and Biddle led the Yellow Cab attack with three goals apiece. Usandizaga scored twice and Chino Frayssinet accounted for a single goal.
Tournament play will continue on Saturday afternoon with a 3 pm contest between Mt. Brilliant (0-2) and Patagones (0-1). Three games are scheduled for Sunday with Faraway Polo (0-2) meeting the Hawks (1-0) at 10 am; Lechuza Caracas (2-0) going up against Lucchese (2-0) at I pm; and the Wanderers/Isla Carroll (2-0) facing the 2010 Joe Barry Memorial Cup winners, Zacara (1-0), at 3 pm.