The 14-goal Joanne Schwetz Memorial kicked off with an opening match that saw ELG/Newport (Gene Goldstein, Avery Chapman, Mariano Gonzalez and Esteban Panelo) score a narrow 7-6 win over Ruby Q (Brian Street, Diego Cossio, Joaquin Panelo and Joey Casey) in a Friday morning game at the Palm City Polo Club in Boca Raton.
Ruby Q received one goal by handicap and added to it on a goal from the field from Brian Street. ELG/Newport answered with a pair of goals from Esteban Panelo for a 2-2 opening chukker score.
Gene Goldstein scored twice from the field in the second and added another goal on a penalty shot. Diego Cossio and Joaquin Panelo each scored a goal for
Ruby Q, trailing 5-4 after the second chukker of the game.
Goldstein scored another goal for ELG/Newport in the third, but Ruby Q was up to it. Cossio scored two more goals to end the chukker in a 6-6 deadlock.
Avery Chapman scored for ELG/Newport in the opening minute of the second half, a goal that would prove to be the difference in the match. Ruby Q kept the pace fluid, but both defenses ruled the final two chukkers in the 7-6 ELG/Newport win.
FLAT OUT WINS ROUND ROBIN, GOES TO FINALS
Paul Knapp’s Flat Out polo team (Paul Knapp, Brandon Phillips, Tommy Biddle and Sarah Knapp) scored wins over Daniel & Henry (6-2) and Audi (4-3 in overtime) to secure a berth in Sunday morning’s finals of the Joanne Schwetz Memorial Cup at Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington.
Flat Out made short work of Daniel & Henry in the opening three chukkers of the round-robin, putting the opening two goals on the scoreboard with Brandon Phillips opening up the game with a goal from the field followed by a goal from Sarah Knapp. Carlucho Arellano (filling in for J. J. Celis) scored Daniel & Henry’s only goal of the chukker. Flat Out took the lead, 2-1.
Four second chukker goals from Flat Out went unanswered with Tommy Biddle accounting for three of them (two on penalty shots) and a goal from the field from Paul Knapp. With one chukker left, Flat Out held a 6-1 edge over Daniel & Henry.
Daniel & Henry’s Stevie Orthwein registered the only goal of the third period but flat Out held on for the 6-2 win.
Daniel & Henry held the field against Audi in the second leg of the round-robin, falling in a hard-fought 5-4 contest.
Horton Schwartz (substituting for Ruben Gracida) scored the first goal against Audi but was answered by a goal from Juancito Bollini. Combined with Audi’s one goal handicap, the held the early 2-1 advantage.
Second chukker goals from Stevie Orthwein and Carlucho Arellano had Daniel & Henry up, 3-2 before Grant Ganzi tied it up on a beautifully executed backhander. It was all even at 3-3 with one chukker left to be played.
Audi’s Juancito Bollini went ahead on a goal from the field followed by a penalty goal from Crowder. Orthwein scored his second goal of the mini-match and third goal of the day in the 5-4 Audi win.
The last battle of the day would be between Audi and Flat Out, with the winners going on to the tournament finals.
Once again Audi received one goal by handicap with Crowder adding to it on a penalty conversion. Flat Out was unable to score and fell behind 2-0.
Paul Knapp converted two penalty shots for Flat out in the second. Crowder converted a second penalty goal. Audi was leading, 3-2, with one period left to play.
Paul Knapp tied it up at 3-3 on a penalty conversion with tommy Biddle scoring the winning goal of the game to elevate Flat Out into the Sunday 10AM finals of the finals of the 14-goal Joanne Schwetz Memorial scheduled to be played at the Palm City Polo Club.
The consolation match between Audi, Daniel Henry and Ruby Q is slated to be played at the Grand Champions Polo Club at 1PM on Sunday.