Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup Finals Set
By Alex Webbe
Semifinal wins by La Alegria and Circa Wednesday afternoon at the Bridgehampton Polo Club has set the stage for Saturday’s finals of the 2010 Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup in the 20-goal competition.
La Alegria opened the day with a 13-9 win over a stubborn Equuleus foursome that had other ideas on the outcome of the match.
Equuleus received one goal by handicap from the 20-goal La Alegria team and quickly added to it with a penalty conversion from Mariano Gonzalez. La Alegria answered back with a pair of goals from Fred Mannix, Jr. and a penalty goal from 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre, taking an early 3-2 lead.
Equuleus tightened its defense in the second frame, shutting out the La Alegria attack while picking up single goals from Adam Snow and Gonzalez. Equuleus moved ahead, 4-3 as the chukker ended.
A single goal from the field from Aguerre marked the only scoring of the third period, and both teams repaired to the sidelines, locked in a 4-4 tie.
“It was a very tight game, early on,†said Argentine 5-goaler Mauricio Devrient, the match Referee. “The action moved well, and there were some outstanding efforts on both sides of the ball.â€
La Alegria picked up the pace in the second half, outscoring Equuleus 4-2 and reclaiming the lead, 8-6, as every member of the team got on the scoreboard.
Equuleus tried to rebound in the fifth period, but an early goal from Marianito Gracida and a pair of goals from Aguerre were too much for them. Gonzalez managed a single penalty goal, but La Alegria stretched its lead over Equuleus to four goals, 11-7.
Gonzalez scored the first goal of the final chukker followed by goals from Mannix and Aguerre. La Alegria now led the struggling team by five goals. A penalty conversion by Gonzalez ended the scoring, with La Alegria celebrating its third straight win by the score of 13-9.
Aguerre led the La Alegria attack with six goals. Mannix added four goals in the win with Gracida scoring twice and team captain Peter Brant adding a goal.
Gonzalez scored six times for Equuleus. Teammates Facundo Obregon and Snow added single goals and the team received a goal by handicap.
The victory earned Peter Brant’s team a position in Saturday’s finals of the Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup for the second straight season.
CIRCA 13, HEATHCOTE 12 OT
Magoo Laprida’s ninth goal of the game in overtime capped a Wednesday afternoon comeback that earned Circa a 13-12 win over Heathcote and a trip to the finals of the Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup
Heathcote received one goal by handicap from the 19-goal Circa team and wasted no time in building on it.
Three goals from Heathcote’s Tommy Biddle were answered by a single penalty goal from Laprida in the first chukker, and it looked as if it might be a long afternoon for Chris DelGatto’s tournament entry.
A goal from the field from Naco Taverna was countered by a pair of penalty goals from Laprida in the second, and the Heathcote lead was cut to 5-3.
“The team was playing well,†offered Biddle, I was pleased with the way we interacted, but I knew that Circa was a talented team and that we couldn’t make any mistakes.â€
Goals from Taverna, Biddle and Nick Manifold kept Heathcote out in front after the third chukker, as Circa had to settle for a pair of penalty goals from Laprida. Heathcote took an 8-5 to the sidelines with them at the end of the first half of play.
Two goals from Guille Aguero opened the second half of the game, and cut the Heathcote lead to a single goal, but Manifold managed his second goal of the game to end the chukker with Heathcote on top of a 9-7 lead.
Manifold and Biddle each scored a goal from the field in the early going of the fifth period, but a 60-yard penalty conversion from Aguero and a goal from the field from Laprida kept Circa in the hunt. Heathcote rode into the sixth chukker with an 11-9 advantage.
“Both teams played well throughout,†said Devrient, “but in the sixth Heathcote wasn’t able to shut down the Circa offense the way they had earlier in the game.â€
Two goals from Laprida (one from the field and one on a penalty shot) tied the game at 11-11. Manifold put Heathcote back on tip with a 60-yard penalty goal in what seemed to be the game winner, but that was not to be the case.
A Heathcote mistake resulted in a penalty shot in the waning seconds of the final chukker, and Laprida made good on it and forced the game into overtime.
Another foul in overtime gave Circa another penalty shot, and Laprida made good on it for the 13-12 win and a date with La Alegria in Saturday’s 2010 Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup.
Laprida led all scoring with nine goals. Aguero added four more in the win.
Biddle led the Heathcote attack with five goals. Manifold scored four times while Taverna accounted for two goals in the loss. Heathcote received one goal by handicap.