Skeeterville Edges Crab Orchard 13-12 in C.V. Whitney Cup Action, Handing Cambiaso and Magrini Their First Loss in 21 Games at International Polo Club
WELLINGTON, FL (February 22, 2007) – Eight-goaler Julio Arellano scored a game-high nine goals, including the clincher on a five-yard tap-in with 18 seconds remaining to lift Skeeterville over Crab Orchard 13-12 in an opening-round match of the single-elimination 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup Thursday at International Polo Club Palm Beach.
The loss was the first in 21 games over the last two seasons at International Polo Club for superstar 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso and 9-goaler Matias Magrini of Crab Orchard. Magrini and Cambiaso are now 22-2 at International Polo Club. Their last loss was 13-10 to Catamount in the semifinals of the Joe Barry Memorial Cup on January 25, 2006 while playing for New Bridge La Dolfina.
In other first-round games, Pite Merlos scored nine goals to lead Lechuza Caracas over Pony Express 13-8 and Miguel Novillo Astrada scored 10 goals to pace Bendabout past Orchard Hill 14-10.
Arellano picked up a loose ball as players bunched up in Skeeterville’s offensive zone.
“Don’t miss it, please don’t miss it,” said Arellano of his thought process when he got control of the ball.
Arellano added that Skeeterville’s strategy was simple.
“The whole team (Skeeterville) has to play well and you have to hope that they (Cambiaso and Magrini) don’t have their best game, then you might beat them by a goal with five seconds to go,” said Arellano. “It’s an honor and a privilege to beat him (Cambiaso) but if we don’t win the tournament nobody will remember that.
“I thought Marcos (diPaola) was phenomenal,” added Arellano. “He made us rise up to his level. Skeeter (Johnston) was fantastic and Owen (Rinehart) didn’t make any mistakes while closing the back door.”
There were seven ties and Crab Orchard led only once, at 12-11 on Magrini’s 30-yard penalty shot with 5:16 left in the game. Eight-goaler Marcos diPaola tied the game at 12-12 on a near side with 2:50 remaining following a terrific run by Owen Rinehart. Cambiaso and diPaola each missed scoring opportunities in the final two minutes before Arellano’s heroics.
“I think we had nothing to lose,” said diPaola, in his first season with Skeeterville. “We were playing one of the best teams and that’s when you play better.”
Skeeterville patron Skeeter Johnston, obviously, was thrilled with his team’s performance. He also hopes that his team is over a slump.
“We played together as a team,” said Johnston. “Marcos really complements our style. To win against Cambiaso is a privilege. It feels great.”
Di Paola finished with three goals and Johnston scored one goal for Skeeterville while Rinehart did not score.
Cambiaso led Crab Orchard with eight goals while Magrini and David Stirling Jr. of Uruguay added two goals apiece. Patron George Rawlings did not score.
Lechuza Caracas scored six unanswered goals, four by Merlos, to take a commanding 11-7 lead late in the fifth chukker and coasted to victory.
Ten-goaler Sebastian Merlos added three goals for Lechuza Caracas while Jeff Blake and patron Victor Vargas added one goal each.
Nine-goaler Carlos Gracida scored six goals, four on penalty shots, for Pony Express, which received two goals by handicap at the start of the game.
Bendabout scored six consecutive goals, four by Astrada, to rally from an 8-7 deficit early in the fourth chukker en route to its victory. Bendabout faces Catamount Sunday at 3 p.m. in a quarterfinal match.
Seven-goaler Ignacio Toccalino added three goals while Alejandro Novillo Astrada and patron Gillian Johnston scored one goal each for Bendabout.
Hector Galindo, Lucas Criado and Mariano Gonzalez scored three goals each for Orchard Hill while patron Steve van Andel did not score. Orchard Hill received one goal based on handicap at the start of the game. Gonzalez replaced Jeff Hall, who is still recovering from suffering a concussion in a game last Saturday.
The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, February 28 and the final is set for Sunday, March 4 at 3 p.m. on Stanford Field at International Polo Club.
The tournament, first held in 1979, is named in memory of Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, who along with his cousin John Hay Whitney, were important polo patrons in the 1930’s. The son of Hall of Fame patron Harry Payne Whitney, C.V. won the U.S. Open three times (twice against his cousin), and was a renowned owner and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.
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 $10 for adults. Children under 12 enter for free. Tickets may be purchased at the gate on the day of the game or in advance at the stadium box office.
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.
2007 C.V. Whitney Cup rosters:
Bendabout (26) – Gillian Johnston (2), Alejandro Novillo Astrada (7), Miguel Novillo Astrada (10), Ignacio Toccalino (7)
Black Watch (25) – Neil Hirsch (0), Facundo Pieres (10), Gonzalito Pieres (9), Nacho Figueras (6)
Catamount (26) – Scott Devon (3), Adam Snow (9), Nicolas Roldan (8), Martin Zegers (6)
Crab Orchard (26) – George Rawlings (0), Matias Magrini (9), Adolfo Cambiaso (10), David Stirling Jr. (7)
Las Monjitas (26) – Camilo Bautista (0), Sapo Caset (8), Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9), Ignacio Novillo Astrada (9)
Laurence-Wallace (26) – Elizabeth Iorio (0), Agustin Merlos (10), Mike Azzaro (9), Luis Escobar (7)
Lechuza Caracas (26) – Victor Vargas (1), Sebastian Merlos (10), Pite Merlos (9), Jeff Blake (6)
Orchard Hill (25) – Steve Van Andel (0), Hector Galindo (8), Lucas Criado (9), Jeff Hall (8)
Pony Express (24) – Bob Daniels (0), Pancho Bensadon (8), Carlos Gracida (9), Gonzalo von Wernich
San Saba (25) – Tommy Lee Jones (0), Toto Collardin (7), Javier Novillo Astrada (9), Paco de Narvaez (9)
Skeeterville (26) – Skeeter Johnston (2), Julio Arellano (8), Owen Rinehart (8), Marcos di Paola (8)
White Birch – Peter Brant (4), Lucas Monteverde (9), Mariano Aguerre (10), Ulysses Escapite (3)
Thursday’s results
Bendabout 14, Orchard Hill 10
Lechuza Caracas 13, Pony Express 8
Skeeterville 13, Crab Orchard 12
Sunday’s schedule
Laurence-Wallace vs. San Saba, 10 a.m.
White Birch vs. Lechuza Caracas, noon
Black Watch vs. Skeeterville, noon
Catamount vs. Bendabout, 3 p.m.