Thermal, CA (February 16, 2008) – On probably the best afternoon weatherwise of 2008 season at the La Quinta Polo Club, Dan Juarez and Gaston von Wernich combined for nine goals and led Kelly Maloney and her Ohana/Tri Tech foursome to an 12 – 7 drubbing of Steven Armour and Craig Stenke’s Shanghai/ Stormcat group during the first day of the Ohana Tournament. Juarez, for the second time this season, scored five times to lead the charge starting with an impressive run of three in the first to overcome a handicap award of one in favor of Armour and Steinke. A lead of two at the half became three after four, and four after five. In otherwords, they won going away.
To complete the scoring for the winners, Abby Riggs, substituting for Chris Maloney, scored twice and Kelly Maloney converted and open goal opportunity.
To add to the handicap award, the replies for Shanghai/Stormcat came from Rob Yackley with three, Santago von Wernich getting a pair, and Armour converting an open goal opportunity.
The win gave Maloney two points and the standings lead after day one of the test.
The first game on this near perfect Saturday afternoon in the desert, saw Sean Keys and David Ragland’s Hidden Creek/Pink Deco combination play Bill Freeman and Jesse Bray’s Corleone/La Quinta bunch to a 12 – 12 draw.
Having to give up two at the start via the handicap system, Keys and Ragland got even at the end of one but were unable to keep the momentum going and trailed by four at 10 – 6 going into the fifth. Momentum, however, came back to Keys and Ragland in period five, scoring four times, and down by just one going to the final. Outscoring Freeman and Bray by a single in the sixth resulted in the draw.
For Hidden Creek/Pink Deco, Keys scored four goals, with Ragland and Graham Bray getting three each. Marcos Araya had a pair.
Kimo Huddleston, on his biggest day of 2008, scored five times for Corleone/Stormcat, Jesse Bray had four (2 fouls) and Fergus Gould helped with one. The handicap gift completed the count.
With the tie, Hidden Creek/Pink Deco and Corleone/La Quinta each receive one point and are tied for second and third in the standings.
Sundays games will feature Hidden Creek/Pink Deco vs. Ohana/Tri Tech and Corleone/La Quinta vs. Shanghai/Stormcat.
tony gregg