By Alex Webbe
Maureen Brennan’s Goose Creek polo team ran off with a 12-8 win over Faraway in the opening round of play in the 2012 16-goal Everglades Classic at the International Polo Club in Wellington Sunday morning.
Faraway team captain Hutton Goodman scored the only goal of the opening chukker of play with both teams feeling out their opponent. Faraway rode into the second period with a humble 1-0 advantage.
Seven-goaler Mike Azzaro added another goal to the Faraway total in the second on a 40-yard penalty shot before Goose Creek responded. Tano Vial converted a pair of penalty shots and Cote Zegers scored on a goal from the field as Goose Creek left the field at the end of the chukker with a 3-2 lead.
Goals from Brandon Phillips and Vial (40-yard penalty shot) were countered by a single goal from Faraway 6-goaler Julian Daniels with Goose Creek leading by two goals at the end of the first half, 5-3.
Vial added another goal from the field for Goose Creek to open the second half, but two penalty goals from Azzaro and a single penalty goal from Mason Wroe had it tied up at 6-6 after four chukkers of action.
Goose Creek answered the bell for the fifth chukker with single goals from Zegers, Vial (penalty shot) and Phillips. Azzaro scored the only goal of the fifth for Faraway, who trailed by two goals, 9-7.
Goose Creek put three more goals on the scoreboard in the final chukker. Vial added two (one by penalty and one from the field) and Brennan registered a goal. Azzaro responded for Faraway with a penalty goal in the 12-8 Goose Creek win.
Vial led the Goose Creek attack with seven goals. Phillips and Zegers scored two goals apiece and Brennan added a goal in the victory.
Azzaro scored all five of his goals on penalty shots. Teammates Goodman, Daniels and Wroe (penalty goal) added single goals in a losing effort.