In one of the best, cleanest and up and down the field games in a long time in the 26- goal, it was “Nick the Stick” (Roldan) leading a band of hard-riding cowboys from the US and Chile. They beat a very good, but not quite enough team in the form of the White Birch squad, who could have won, but just did not. In a blazing exhibition of young American talent in the last 2 days, it happend on the main field at IPC today. Nick Roldan, who is 23, tough and quick) showed he is just as tough as anyone with a taco. He took some amazing chances during the game and showed he can do it. There were two plays today that made you think Adolfo Cambiaso was there on the field. Nick missed the goal. but he wrote it the minds of anyone wacthing this game that he is a big boy in a big League with few better than him.
In a very tight game from the first throw in to the last second of the 6th it was a dandy Catamount up by 1 at the end of the first chukker. Catamount was up by 1 at the end of the second and then a big push by the White Birch squad in the 4th controlling the throw ins and the field to win by 2. At the 1/2 it was White Birch by 1 then a adjustment at the intermission and the Snowman (Adam Snow) came out on fire and controlled the 4th chukker with the hard-riding Scott Devon and ended up by 1 at 11 to 10 in favor of Catamount. A tie in the fifth left the Catamount squad up by 1. Some awesome plays as Scott Devon stole a knock in and sunk it. The sixth chukker started with some amazing plays by Catamount, but some super efforts by PB and his troops stopped 3 chances to go up by 2. Then White Birch took it down and nailed it on a very unusual call, but it was tied with less than a minute 30. From a #5 penalty, it was “Nick the Stick” going right down the center and through them all to pay dirt and the lead with 30 seconds to go. White Birch was not done and found the ball on the TI and headed North and with 3 seconds to go. It was just wide and there was little doubt where the MVP was headed and it was “Nick the Stick” who signed, sealed and delivered, but nobody was really a loser. Peter and Scott were equals all day long and at 24 goals scored quite a bit of action in every chukker. White Birch made many goals on penalties, but there were many going to goal anyway. Catamount is an aggressive team and will foul, but they are shaking the bacon every time they move, so it could be a very exciting season as there are 7 more weeks of this.
The last 2 days at IPC have showed young Americans can play POLO.
C.V. Whitney champs 2007 – CATAMOUNT
Scott Devon
Adam Snow
Nick Roldan
Martin Zegger
See ya.