Thermal, CA. (February 2, 2008) – Most of the time, a Godfather can do it on his own with little help from anyone else, but there are also times when a little help may be needed. Such was the case on Saturday afternoon, at the La Quinta Polo Club, when the ‘Godfather’, Bill Freeman, and his Corleone polo team needed some assistance that even Freeman’s lieutenant, Fergus Gould, couldn’t provide. Enter Sean Keys with the last minute fire-power needed to help the gansters (Freeman and Gould) remain undefeated in the 2008 season at the California destination.
Keys, in the Corleone Cup, playing with Freeman and Gould,and his own Graham Bray, as Corleone/Hidden Creek, and down 9 – 6 going into the last period, exploded with three goals, including the tying goal, to draw even with Ohana/La Quinta at a final score of 10- 10. The tie gave the Keys/Freeman foursome a record of one win and a tie in the tournament, and kept the ganster’s undefeated record for the season intact.
For Hidden Creek/Corleone, Keys was huge with five goals (1 foul) as Graham Bray provided full support with three. Freeman and Gould notched one each.
Ohana/La Quinta stayed close with three from Jesse Bray as Kelly Maloney, Kimo Huddleston, and Daniel Juarez scored twice apiece. An award of one at the start made 10.
Game two, on an uncharacteristically cool afternoon in the desert, put David Ragland and Craig Steinke’s Pink Deco/Stormcat bunch up against Steve Armour and Chris Maloney’s Shanghai/Tri Tech. Armour and Maloney, leading 3 – 2 at the half, turned Rob Yackley loose in the second half,with five goals, and won going away, 10 – 6.
For the winners, Yackley’s five second half markers made the difference. Armour was strong with two (1 foul) and Maloney and Gaston von Wernich had a single each. One at the start via the handicap completed the scoring.
Santigo von Wernich had three for the truck drivers, Ragland converted two penalty opportunites, and Marcos Illambias (substituting for Marcos Araya)had one.
The Corleone Cup – Standings;
Corleone/Hidden Creek 1 0 1 +2net 3pts, Shanghai/Tri Tech 1 1 0 +2 2, Ohana/La Quinta 0 0 2 0 2, Stormcat/Pink Deco 0 1 1 -4 1
Play in the Corleone Cup continues Saturday, February 9, with the final Sunday February 10, 2008.
As written earlier, the final of the Hidden Creek Open is scheduled for Thursday afternoon February 7, 2008.
tony gregg