Santos Bollini scored four goals on the day to help lift Flexjet to a final berth on the 2016 Basalt Handicap at the Aspen Valley Polo Club. Flexjet will face La Karina in final.
Agustin Merlos made a big Aspen Valley Polo Club debut as he scored the first goal of the day for Travieso (Teo Calle, Grant Ganzi, Tincho Merlos and Juancito Bollini) as they took on a talented La Karina lineup (Brian Boyd, Tony Calle, Julio Novillo Astrada and Stewart Armstrong) in the opening match of the 2016 Basalt Handicap, but a pair of goals from the field from La Karina’s Tony Calle gave his team a lead that they would never surrender in a 9-8 victory.
After each team had a run at the opposing team’s goals, Agustin Merlos drove the ball between the La Karina goalposts for the early 1-0 lead. Tony Calle responded with two goals from the field that gave La Karina the first chukker advantage, 2-1.
La Karina opened it up in the second frame with Tony Calle scoring his third consecutive goal of the game, 3-1, and former 7-goaler Stewart Armstrong converting a 60-yard penalty shot for a goal and adding another from the field. Teo Calle scored the only goal of the chukker for Travieso who trailed by three goals, 5-2.
Armstrong’s third goal of the game extended the La Karina lead to four goals, 6-2, when Travieso came alive. Back-to-back goals from Grant Ganzi ended the first half with La Karina holding on to the lead, 6-4.
Both defenses tightened as the second half got underway. Tony Calle opened the scoring with a goal from the field that extended the La Karina lead to three goals, 7-4. Ganzi scored the only other goal in the chukker with La Karina maintaining their two goal advantage, 7-5.
Goals were scarce in the fifth chukker and both defenses were at their best. Julio Novillo Astrada scored the only goal of the period, and La Karina rode off the field on top of a three goal lead, 8-5.
Travieso jumped right back into it in the sixth. A costly foul by La Karina resulted in a Penalty 1, and awarded Travieso a goal, 8-6. Juancito Bollini pared the La Karina lead back to a single goal, 8-7. Armstrong gave La Karina their two goal lead back with his fourth score of the game, 9-7, but Travieso continued to press the attack as time was running out. Merlos scored his second goal of the game and had Travieso within a goal of the lead, 9-8, but the clock favored La Karina. The final horn sounded, giving La Karina the 9-8 victory, and a spot in Sunday’s 1pm Basalt Handicap final.
Armstrong and Tony Calle led the La Karina offense with four goals apiece. Astrada added a goal for the win. Ganzi was high-scorer for Travieso with three goals. Merlos scored twice and Teo Calle and Bollini each added a goal in the loss. Travieso was also awarded one goal on a Penalty 1.
Flexjet earns Basalt Handicap final berth with round-robin win
Later in the day, Flexjet (Ale Poma, Santos Bollini, Sebastian Merlos and Alex Gooding) snuck past Tonkawa (Melissa Ganzi, Jeff Hildebrand, Nic Roldan and Jimmy Seward) and Los Amigos (Paul/Alejandra Foster, Gabriel Gracida, Lucas Lalor and Carlitos Gracida) in a hotly-contested three team round-robin on Jeff Hildebrand’s High Mesa to earn the right to play La Karina in the Basalt Handicap final.
Tonkawa received one-half goal by handicap from Flexjet in the opening period of the first three chukkers but it was two goals from Santos Bollini for the early 2-0 lead. Melissa Ganzi scored the final goal of the chukker but it was Flexjet in front by one-half goal, 2-1½.
Alex Gooding made it 3-1½ with his first goal of the game and Bollini’s third score of the afternoon extended the Flexjet lead to 4-1½. Goals from Nic Roldan and Jeff Hildebrand brought them back to within one-half goal of the lead, 4-3½, but Flexjet continued to lead.
Gooding’s second goal of the afternoon stretched the Flexjet lead to 5-3½, but Tonkawa continued to press the attack. Melissa Ganzi’s second goal of the mini-match brought Tonkawa to within one-half goal of Flexjet when time ran out. Flexjet held on for the 5-4½ win.
Tonkawa 3½, Los Amigos 2
After suffering an opening round loss Tonkawa needed a victory against Los Amigos, and they got it in a low scoring affair.
Tonkawa received one-half goal by handicap as the two teams exchanged goals in the opening period of play. Jeff Hildebrand scored the first goal of the game with Lucas Lalor tying the game at 1-1 for Los Amigos.
Tonkawa battled back in the second chukker with goals from Hildebrand and Jimmy Seward to charge out to a 3½-1 advantage. Los Amigos was held scoreless and needed three goals in the final chukker of play.
The Tonkawa lineup concentrated on defense as Los Amigos attempted to rally. A goal from Lalor was the only offense they could produce in the final seven minutes of play with the victory going to Tonkawa, 3½-2.
Flexjet 3, Los Amigos 3
Flexjet might have had too much time between chukkers as they took the field against a determined Los Amigos lineup. In back-and-forth play, it was Paul Foster with the only goal of the opening chukker of the game’s final mini-match that gave the early lead to Los Amigos. Flexjet was unable to get on the scoreboard and trailed, 1-0.
Ale Poma tied the game at 1-1 with Flexjet’s first goal of the match in second chukker play. A goal from the field from Lalor carried Los Amigos back into the lead, 2-1. Gooding responded with the final goal of the chukker for Flexjet in a 2-2 game.
The two teams played evenly for the balance of the game with exceptional defensive efforts being the highlight of the final minutes of the game. Santos Bollini scored the first goal of the final chukker as Flexjet took the lead, 3-2, but Los Amigos weren’t going away. A final goal from Lalor ended the game in a 3-3 tie, giving the round-robin win with a win and a tie. Tonkawa finished second with one win and one loss. Los Amigos came in third with a loss and a tie.
The Flexjet win lifts them into Sunday’s tournament final against La Karina at 1pm preceded by a subsidiary round-robin match featuring Travieso, Tonkawa and Los Amigos at 11am.
The Aspen Valley Polo Club is located at 3275 County Road 100, Carbondale, CO. The public is welcome to watch polo in a relaxed atmosphere. Admission and parking are free. The club’s Polo Hotline is 970-710-1663.