By Alex Webbe
Coca-Cola (3-0) scored early and often against previously unbeaten Heathcote (2-1) in Joe Barry Memorial Cup action at the International Polo Club in Wellington Sunday afternoon, registering a 12-8 win and a berth in the semifinals on Wednesday, January 25.
A choppy start had Coca-Cola scoring the first goal of the game on a penalty shot from American 9-goaler Julio Arellano, countered by a goal from the field from Heathcote team captain Steve Lefkowitz for a 1-1 tie. Tommy Biddle put Heathcote on top, 2-1, with a 60-yard penalty conversion, but that would be Heathcote’s last lead. A goal from the field from Mason Wroe and a second penalty goal from Arellano ended the first chukker with Coca-Cola out in front, 3-2.
Arellano added two more penalty goals in the second while team captain Gillian Johnston scored her first goal of the day. The Coca-Cola defense was solid, shutting out the Heathcote attack and leaving the field with a 6-2 lead.
Both defenses stiffened in the third chukker. Heathcote’s Lucas Monteverde registered the only goal of the period while Coca-Cola was held scoreless. The first half ended with Coca-Cola holding a 6-3 advantage after three chukkers of play.
An early Coca-Cola foul put Biddle at the penalty line in the fourth chukker for another Heathcote penalty goal, 6-4, but that would be where the Heathcote offense fizzled. Four straight goals from Coca-Cola (two from Sugar Erskine and two from Arellano) threw water on any hope Heathcote started to gain regarding a rally. Erskine followed Biddle’s penalty goal with a 150 yard shot for a score. Arellano converted another penalty shot for a goal, followed by single goals from Erskine and Arellano. The Coca-Cola lead had expanded to six goals, 10-4 with two chukkers left to play.
Biddle opened the fifth period with another 60-yard penalty conversion and added a goal from the field to cut the Coca-Cola to four goals, 10-6, but a final penalty goal from Arellano had Coca-Cola up by five goals, 11-6.
Heathcote tried to mount another rally, and picked up a pair of goals on penalty shots from Biddle, when Coca-Cola finally responded. Arellano’s eighth goal of the day ended the game with a 12-8 Coca-Cola victory and a spot in Wednesday’s semifinals against Chris Del Gatto’s Circa (3-0) team.
Arellano led the Coca-Cola attack with eight goals. Erskine scored twice while Wroe and Johnston added single goals in the win.
Biddle scored six times for Heathcote. Lefkowitz and Monteverde each scored a goal in a losing effort.
LUCCHESE 14, VALIENTE I 11
In earlier action Lucchese raced out to an 8-4 halftime lead before downing Valiente I 14-11 to keep its record unblemished at 3-0 and set up a Wednesday showdown with Valiente II (3-0) in Bracket 1 play.
The 19-goal Lucchese team received one goal by handicap but it was Santiago Bottaro who scored the opening goal of the game for a 1-1 tie. Jeff Hall carried the ball over 150 yards down the field for Valiente I’s second goal of the game. Lucchese 9-goaler Pelon Stirling scored the final goal of the chukker seconds before the final horn, and the game was all even at 2-2 after the opening chukker of play.
Masterful stickwork and superior horses carried Stirling up and down the field in the second chukker as he scored the opening two goals of the period for a 4-2 Lucchese lead. Hall responded with a gal for Valiente I, but Stirling delivered a long pass down the field to Santiago Torres for another Lucchese goal. At the end of two chukkers, Lucchese held a 5-3 advantage.
Lucchese opened the third chukker with three consecutive goals for an 8-3 lead. Stirling scored on a penalty goal followed by goals from the field from Andres Weisz and team captain John Muse (which he scored on a pass from the throw-in at midfield). Robert Jornayvaz got Valiente I on the scoreboard with a goal at the final horn as Lucchese boasted an 8-4 lead at the end of the first half.
Stirling added two more goals in the fourth chukker, but penalties slowed Lucchese down. Valiente I picked up four goals on penalty shots (one from Hall and three from Santiago Toccalino) and the Lucchese lead was cut to just two goals, 10-8.
Stirling and Toccalino exchanged penalty goals in the fifth, with Weisz scoring the final goal of the chukker. The Lucchese lead was back at three goals, 12-9.
Torres scored his second goal of the game in the final chukker. Bottaro and Toccalino added single goals, and Stirling ended the game with his eighth goal of the day in the 14-11 win.
The victory gives Lucchese a perfect 3-0 record and will make Wednesday’s meeting with Valiente II (3-0) a showdown for the number one seed in Bracket 1 and a berth in Sunday’s Joe Barry Memorial Cup finals.
Stirling was credited with eight goals on the day for Lucchese. Torres scored four times and Muse scored once. Lucchese received one goal by handicap.
Toccalino registered five goals for Valiente I. Hall scored three times; Bottaro added two goals and Jornayvaz scored once.
AUDI 16, VILLA DEL LAGO 8
A swarming Audi (2-1) attack overwhelmed Villa Del Lago (0-3) Sunday afternoon, outscoring them 10-5 after the first three chukkers of play and rolling on to a 16-8 win in Joe Barry Memorial Cup action.
Last week’s 11-10 overtime loss to Circa might have knocked Audi out of the Joe Barry Memorial Cup competition, but Sundays victory keeps them in the hunt for the tournament’s subsidiary tournament, the Bobby Barry Cup.
A balanced Audi attack registered five first chukker goals as Nic Roldan converted two penalty shots for goals and Marc Ganzi, Rodrigo Andrade and Lucas Lalor scored single goals in the opening chukker. Villa Del Lago received one goal by handicapped and added a goal on a 40-yard penalty shot from Pelon Escapite. Audi held a 5-2 lead after the first seven minutes of play.
Escapite and Matias Obregon scored single goals for Villa Del Lago in the second period of the game, but Audi countered with a pair of penalty goals from Roldan. Audi continued to lead, 7-4.
Magoo Laprida scored his first goal of the game in the third, but Roldan roared back with three more Audi goals. Roldan converted two more penalty goals and added a goal from the field. The first half came to a halt with Audi dominating Villa Del Lago, 10-5.
Shutout defense and goals from Roldan (penalty goals) and Ganzi had Audi leading by seven goals at the end of the fourth chukker, 12-5 as Villa Del Lago struggled to find an effective offense.
Villa Del Lago’s most productive chukker came in the fifth as they picked up single goals from Obregon, Laprida and Escapite. Audi answered with a single goal from Lalor, but led by a 13-8 score with one chukker left in regulation time.
The Audi defense shut out Villa Del Lago for the second chukker, adding three more goals along the way. Two more goals from Roldan and a goal from Andrade gave Audi the convincing 16-8 victory.
Roldan led all scorers on the day with ten goals. Audi teammates Ganzi, Andrade and Lalor added two goals apiece.
Escapite led the Villa Del Lago attack with three goals. Obregon and Laprida scored two goals each, and the team received one goal by handicap.
METALTEK 9, ZACARA 8
MetalTek struggled and lost its first two games in Joe Barry Memorial Cup play by a total of three goals, but finally registered a victory at the expense of winless Zacara Sunday with a hard-fought 9-8 triumph.
Argentine 9-goaler Sebastian Merlos opened the scoring with a goal in the first chukker followed by a goal from teammate Will Johnston for a 2-0 MetalTek lead.
Carlucho Arellano converted a penalty goal in the second for a 3-0 score before Zacara could respond. Marcos Llambias finally got Zacara on the scoreboard with a penalty goal. At the end of two chukkers, MetalTek held a 3-1 advantage.
Arellano drove the ball through the Zacara goal posts from 120 yards out just two minutes into the third period, and added another just moments later. Llambias converted another penalty shot for a goal to end the first half with MetalTek holding on to a 5-2 lead.
Zacara charged onto the field in the second half with a resolute defense that paralyzed the MetalTek offense. Two goals from Gonzalo Del Tour (one from the field and one on a penalty shot) gave new life to Zacara as they trailed by a single goal, 5-4 after four chukkers.
MetalTek did everything they could to curb the Zacara rally, picking up an opening penalty goal from Arellano in the fifth chukker and a goal from the field from Merlos for a 7-4 lead. Jeff Blake scored for Zacara, but Stevie Orthwein converted a 60-yard penalty shot for MetalTek for a three goal, 8-5 advantage. Del tour closed out the chukker with a penalty goal. MetalTek continued to hold the lead, 8-6.
Orthwein converted another 60-yard penalty shot in the sixth for a 9-6 lead, but a determined Zacara team charged right back. Consecutive goals from Lyndon Lea and Llambias ended the game with MetalTek riding off with the 9-8 win.
Arellano led the MetalTek attack with four goals. Merlos and Orthwein scored two goals apiece and Johnston added a goal in the win.
Del Tour and Llambias each scored three goals for Zacara. Lea and Blake registered single goals in the loss.