To be successful in the tent business, one has to put together a team that will stand the test of time by building a product that will stay up. For Gerry Warner and his Tentnology group, that product was erected one year ago as they won the 2010 Pacific Northwest Circuit Governor’s Cup. For Warner, it made sense to assemble the team once again to ensure that the product remained standing.
Because of this, the Canadian ‘tent builder for the world’ retained the services of Nicolas Maciel who brought the same crew back to Circuit Governor George Dill’s La Conner Polo Club, in Northwest Washington State, for the 2011 tournament. Returning from the previous year were Randy Thompson and a very much improved Manuel Vismara. The opposition, on another perfect day and in front of a, once again, large crowd, would be the Rexville Grocery.
From the outset, it was obvious that this was to be a very fast and wide open contest. Down by one on the handicap, Tentnology’s Vismara, from the opening line-up, set up Warner with a perfect pass and the erectors were even in less than 45 seconds. Rexville’s Rob Peterson got that back in quick fashion as well to go up by one. Field goals from Vismara and Maciel gave Tentnology a lead of one (3 -2) going to the second.
The second was all Tentnology as they simply overwhelmed the grocers. Starting once again at center, Thompson collected another Vismara offering and ran it in. Vismara then scored twice and Warner’s crew were in the lead by four. Segundo Bengolia-Lalor countered for Rexville but Maciel, playing very much the quarterback, had another and Vismara ended the half with a one hundred yard effort from the far left – which in hindsight should have been the ‘shot of the day’ – and Tentnology led by five at 8 – 3.
Not content to let the second period onslaught force them to close, the Rexville grocers came back early in the third and were awarded a free throw from 30 yards that Bengolia-Lalor converted. From the ensuing throw in at center, George Dill took a wonderful pass from Byron Wilson and carried the ball to score and narrow the deficit to three. However, Maciel hadn’t gone away and took charge of the situation as he and Vismara each scored once and the third ended with the Warner enterprise leading by five at 10 – 5.
Bengolia-Lalor was able to convert another open goal opportunity and a very well hit safety in the fourth but it wasn’t nearly enough and Tentnology had won its second Governor’s Cup in as many years by a score of 10 – 7.
Pacific Northwest Circuit Governor’s Cup – La Conner Polo Club, La Conner, Washington
Tentnology (5) – Gerry Warner, Randy Thompson, Nicolas Maciel 3, Manuel Vismara 2.
Rexville Grocery (3) – Rob Peterson, George Dill, Byron Wilson 1, Segundo Bengolia-Lalor 2, Tiamo Hudspeth (alt. with Dill)
Tony Gregg