Crab Orchard Dominates Skeeterville 15-6 Wednesday to Earn Final Spot
In Stanford U.S. Open Quarterfinals at International Polo Club
WELLINGTON, FL (April 11, 2007) – Ten-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso and 9-goaler Matias Magrini scored six goals each to lead pre-tournament favorite Crab Orchard over sentimental choice Skeeterville 15-6 Wednesday and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Stanford U.S. Open at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
White Birch, the 2005 champion led by 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre, plays Millarville, led by 7-goaler Fred Mannix Jr., Saturday at 3 p.m. in the first quarterfinal. Jedi, led by 9-goaler Pablo MacDonough, plays Lechuza Caracas, led by 10-goaler Sebastian Merlos, Saturday at 5 p.m. The winners meet in the semifinals.
Defending champion Las Monjitas, led by 9-goaler Eduardo Novillo Astrada, plays Crab Orchard Sunday at noon. San Saba, featuring award-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones and 9-goaler Javier Novillo Astrada, plays 2006 finalist Orchard Hill, led by 8-goaler Jeff Hall, Sunday at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field. The winners meet in the semifinals.
“We played more concentrated, more as a team,” said Magrini. “We played well in all the chukkers. The team is back playing the way we can.”
Skeeterville received one goal by handicap at the start of the game and Julio Arellano converted a 60-yard penalty shot to give them a 2-0 lead. But Crab Orchard
responded with three unanswered goals, all on penalty shots, to take a 3-2 advantage and never trailed the rest of the game.
Crab Orchard steadily pulled away, building leads of five at halftime (9-4), six after the fourth chukker (11-5) and eight heading into the final period (13-5).
David Stirling Jr. added three goals, all in the first half, for Crab Orchard. Maureen Brennan, substituting for patron George Rawlings, who was out of town on business, did not score.
Cambiaso played with a bandage on his right bicep and said he has a pulled muscle but will be able to play the rest of the tournament.
Arellano led Skeeterville (1-2) with three goals while Owen Rinehart and Marcos diPaola scored one goal apiece. Kayln Marsh, playing in his second high-goal tournament game, did not score.
Skeeterville was eliminated from the Stanford U.S. Open and will continue its season in the Hall of Fame Cup semifinals on Tuesday.
The semifinals of the Stanford U.S. Open presented by Bombardier are set for Wednesday, April 18 at noon and 3 p.m.
The Stanford U.S. Open is the culmination of the ultra-competitive winter polo season and covers the first four Sundays in April. The final, on Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club, expects to draw more than 7,000 spectators.
Historically, the U.S. Open has always been the grand prize of polo in North America. It is one of only three tournaments played at the 26-goal echelon, the highest-rated tournament in the United States. The others are the C.V. Whitney Cup and USPA Piaget Gold Cup, both also played at International Polo Club.
The first U.S. Open title game was played in 1904 at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City where the Wanderers defeated the Freebooters 4 ½-3, the lowest scoring final in the history of the tournament.
The polo matches at International Polo Club are open to the public. General admission for the Sunday games at International Polo Club Palm Beach is $15 for adults and reserved lawn tickets are $40. Children under 3 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game.
International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South, between Pierson Road and Lake Worth Road in Wellington. For information, directions or ticket purchases, please call the club at (561) 204-5687 or visit the website at www.internationalpoloclub.com.
Tuesday’s result
Lechuza Caracas 13, Pony Express 8
Wednesday’s result
Crab Orchard 15, Skeeterville 6
Saturday’s schedule
White Birch vs. Millarville, 3 p.m.
Jedi vs. Lechuza Caracas, 5 p.m.
Sunday’s schedule
Las Monjitas vs. Crab Orchard, noon
San Saba vs. Orchard Hill, 3 p.m.
Stanford U.S. Open
Scoring Leaders
Player/Team Games Goals
Adolfo Cambiaso, Crab Orchard 3 23
Bautista Heguy, Pony Express 3 19
Julio Arellano, Skeeterville 3 18
Pite Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 3 16
Sebastian Merlos, Lechuza Caracas 3 15
Lucas Monteverde, White Birch 2 14
Nicolas Roldan, Catamount 2 12
Sapo Caset, Las Monjitas 2 11
Pablo MacDonough, Jedi 2 11
Sebastian Merlos, Laurence-Wallace 2 11
Matias Magrini, Crab Orchard 3 11
Mike Azzaro, Laurence-Wallace 2 10
Facundo Pieres, Black Watch 2 10