Grand Champions Wins Polo Gear
Fall Challenge Cup
By Alex Webbe
After falling behind 4-3 after the first two chukkers, Grand Champions outscored Quantek 8-3 to capture the Polo Gear Fall Challenge Cup, the first cup of the season on the grounds of the Palm City Polo club in Boca Raton.
“I finally scored a couple of goals,†said Grand Champions 8-goaler Carlos Gracida, referring to a pair of sixth chukker goals he chipped in to secure the win.
Grand champions received one goal by handicap from the 15-goal Quantek team and built it into a 5-4 halftime lead on balanced scoring and disciplined defense.
A scoreless fourth chukker held the score at 5-4 in favor of Grand Champions, but scoring got off to a quick start in the fifth period.
Greg Keough picked up the ball early and carried it over 100 yards for the opening score before Charlie Muldoon returned the favor on the ensuing throw-in. Carlos Gracida and Marc Ganzi each added a goal for Grand Champions with J. J. Celis scoring a single goal to end the fifth chukker with Quantek trailing 8-6.
Keough opened the scoring in the final chukker followed by another Gracida goal. Javier Guerra scored his third goal of the game as Quantek tried to stay in competition, but Gracida’s fourth goal of the contest ended it as Grand Champions rode off with the 11-7 win.
Quantek’s Javier Guerra led his team with three goals, Charlie Muldoon accounted for two goals with J. J. Celis and Stevie Orthwein adding single goals in the loss.
Carlos Gracida led all scoring with four goals on the day. Marc Ganzi added three goals, while Greg Keough scored twice and Joey Casey accounted for one penalty goal in the Grand Champions’ win.
AUDI 10, PATAGONES 8
Audi rebounded from Friday’s loss to Grand Champions by leading from start to finish in its 10-8 win over Patagones in the consolation round of the Polo Gear Challenge Cup.
Kris Kampsen scored four goals as Audi leapt out to a 5-3 first half lead as the defense held Patagones to single goals from Leo Mandelbaum, Gonzalo Avendano and Luis Escobar in the first three chukkers.
“It was a tough team,†Kampsen said of the Patagones lineup, “they play hard and have a lot of talent in their lineup.â€
Melissa Ganzi picked up the ball in the fourth chukker and carried it over 150 yards for a score with Kampsen following up with his fifth goal of the match. Mandelbaum got Patagones on the scoreboard, but they trailed Audi 7-4.
Patagones came alive in the fifth chukker, getting two goals from Avendano and a single goal from Luis Escobar. Melissa Ganzi scored again and Kampsen scored for the sixth time as Audi left the field at the end of the fifth period with a 9-7 lead.
Mandelbaum scored for the third time to cut the Audi lead to a single goal, 9-8, but a well played ball by Juan Bollini split the goal posts and Audi rode off with the 10-8 win.
Kampsen led all scoring with six goals. Melissa Ganzi scored three times and Juan Bollini added a goal in the win.
Mandelbaum and Avendano scored three goals apiece with Luis Escobar added two goals for Patagones. Ruben Gracida was held scoreless in the contest.