Calgary, Alberta (Aug. 18, 2007) – With another clutch penalty four conversion to win a polo game, Fred H. Mannix kept his Millarville foursome alive in the Gowlings Canadian Open with a much needed 11 – 10 overtime win over Scott Palmer’s Palmer Ranch. As well as staying alive in the Open, the win gave the Mannix team the prestigious Mountbatten Plate.
Getting down early in the first and trailing throughout the first half, Mannix and Co. were behind 5 – 3 after the third. However, a strong fourth with four unanswered goals gave Millarville an edge that they held until late in the sixth, when the Cowboys got even with a pair and forced the seventh. With about two minutes gone, Mannix was perfect on the sixty yarder and Millarvile retained a hope of playing in the August 26, 2007 final.
Mannix scored six times (2 fouls) for the winners while Daniel Roenisch had four (1 foul) and Julian Mannix nailed one.
For the Cowboys, Pedro Orellana scored four (2 fouls) with Tommy Biddle (1 foul), Nacho Lezica, and Yvette Biddle providing two apiece. Yvette Biddle, who forced the overtime, was filling in for Scott Palmer who was injured in the first and advised by medical staff not to continue.
Daniel Roenisch’s Bombay was selected as the best playing pony.
The last preliminary game in the Canadian Championship is to be played on Wednesday, August 21, 2007, with Palmer Ranch facing John Rooney’s Tusk Energy. A victory by Palmer would send them to the final in a rematch with the Oilers. It is worth noting that Tusk could lose by three and still advance to the big one based on the net goal factor combined with the who beat who provision regarding their game with Millarville. A loss by more than three would have Rooney’s guys watching the final. Note as well that a victory by Tusk would send Palmer home – a scenario that would please the Villagers.
Game One – Tusk Energy 10 vs. Millarville 8, Game Two – Millarville 11 vs. Palmer Ranch 10
Standing: Tusk Energy 1 – 0, +2, Millarville 1 – 1, -1, Palmer Ranch 0 – 1, -1
Millarville (16) – Fred H. Mannix 7, Julian Mannix, Daniel Roenisch 5, Brent Mirikitani 4
Palmer Ranch (16) – Scott Palmer, Tommy Biddle 7, Nacho Lezica 4, Pedro Orellana 5, Yvette Biddle (substitute for Palmer).
Tusk Energy (16) – John Rooney 1, Joe Henderson 4, Matt Sekera 3, Jeff Hall 8.