ERG IS IN 1st TIME GRANTS FARM is back to the FINALS
The Polo Report
By Steve Crowder
Sept. 4th 09
After 3 weeks of hard, fast and tough polo it’s just ERG vs. Grants Farm. It sounds simple, but it has been a long haul to get here and they are HERE and that’s what it’s all about. The road to the finals was a long and tough battle and the reward is:
A chance to win the PCO in 20009 and only two teams have that opportunity.
They ARE:
ERG from Houston , Texas Patron Scott Woods
&
Grants Farm West from: Santa Barbara, Ca. (might be Gaviota but close enough)
Patron: Andy Busch
The skinny on them is they play to win and they have the time to make it happen. The road to the finals was not simple. Grant’s Farm had an easier bracket, maybe, but who is to say it was easier? They had Audi, who they smoked and they had Valiente, who they just got by and then Mansour, who they did not get by. They did not have to win, but they did want to. I am sure of that and they did not, so that is why they played Patagones in the semis as it is cross bracket.
It was a very good game mostly controlled by Jeff Hall, Carlos Avendano and Gracida, but again it was Gonzalo having his say all day long. He took on Andy Busch which is not a walk in the park. It was the final chukker when Grant’s Farm finally tied it up. In fact there was 4 minutes and 45 seconds left in the chukker. It was tied again at 2.52 left in the game and Grant’s farm took the lead with 1 minute and 2 seconds left. Only 32 seconds before the first bell and it was history.
It was a great showing by Patagones, who beat Grants farm in one finals already this year the Skene Cup. The field was rough but Jeff Hall was on and aiming for that 8-goals again, but he was also very well assisted by young Pedro Falabella, Sugar and Andy Busch.
ERG came to town with hope on their mind after a troublesome year in ’08, but they made it happen with lots of hustle and Jeff Blake, Mr. reliable most of the time. They knew Mansour would be tough as Adam Snow makes it that way. He is a General no matter what. Snow came with a plan and so did ERG. The trouble was for 3 chukkers Snow’s plan worked better as they rode off at 1/2 time up by 2 with a last second goal by ERG. Things changed though and it was ERG pounding their way back in the fourth and going away in the 5th. Mansour did not come to be there and everybody knew it. Snow and Zegger got on a roll and the stripes were on ERG as 6 calls went against them and 1 for them. It was the golden goal as ERG won by one point.
Jeff Blake was probably the hero of the day as he tallied 6, but it was a miss that scared me the worst as he tried to meet a ball going to goal and he was the last man, but it all worked out. He had huge support from Paco and the missile from down south Gonzalo, who was shut out for the day. He is learning old backs are back. Mr .Woods kept on ticking one play after another to keep it going. I am proud of Ben Solemani. I did not think they would win a game and they almost went all the way.
In the subsidiary it was Audi making their way to the finals as they scrubbed Zacara in a listless game 4 to 3. It was Big Bob and Valiente coming to form a little late, but coming as they thrashed Lucchese most of the day from reports. I did not see a second of that game. They will meet Audi in their final game at Santa Barbara.
Sunday is the day to be here and it might be like San Diego as Monday is a holiday so lets PARTY.
See ya.