Thermal, CA (February 1, 2008) – The format at the La Quinta Polo Club in the desert of Southern California dictates that team line-ups will change for every tournament. Having qualified for the rain delayed final of the Hidden Creek Open (with team-mates Chris Maloney and Gaston von Wernich), Bill Freeman and his hired gun, Fergus Gould, were now teamed up with Sean Keys and Graham Bray in the second tournament of the 2008 season, the Coreleone Cup. If there was any concern that the thought of playing against Maloney and von Wernich would hinder Freeman and Gould in the first game of the new series, it was layed to rest as Coreleone/Hidden Creek defeated Steve Armour and the aforementioned Maloney’s Shanghai/Tri Tech by a score of 7 – 5 in game one. In doing so, Freeman and Gould remained undefeated in the young 2008 season.
Leading early, but trailing by one at the half and down 5 – 4 going into the sixth and final, Gould and Bray combined for three unanswered markers to secure the victory.
Gould led the winners with four goals while Keys, Freeman, and Bray helped with one each.
For Shanghai/Tri Tech, von Wernich led with four as Armour converted an open goal opportunity.
The second game of the day saw David Ragland and Craig Steinke get together under the Pink Deco/Stormcat banner and face-off against the Kelly Maloney and Jesse Bray Ohana/La Quinta foursome. With the biggest lead of the contest being one goal, this one ended in an 8 – 8 tie.
Santiago von Wernich had four for the Ragland/Steinke group, Steinke had a pair with Ragland and Augustin Zavaleta (substituting for Marcos Araya) getting one each.
For Ohana/La Quinta, Abby Riggs (for Maloney), Corine Dilly (for Bray), and Daniel Juarez had two apiece, with Kimo Huddleston getting one. A handicap goal made eight.
Play continues in the Corleone Cup on Saturday.
tony gregg