Thermal, CA (February 23, 2008) – It is said that top athletes have a knack for knowing when to step up when it counts – when it’s important. If that is indeed the case, then Dan Juarez, playing for Kelly Maloney’s Ohana, appears to be one.
Juarez, playing well, but just that, in the first two tournaments of the La Quinta 2008 season, has absolutely exploded in Maloney’s own Ohana Tournament and in doing so has carried the tournament hostess and brother Chris Maloney and their Ohana/Tri Tech combination to the final.
With 11 goals in rounds one and two and needing a win to advance, Juarez was again huge and scored six times in his round three game against Bill Freeman and Jesse Bray’s Corleone/La Quinta. Giving up one at the start on the handicap, the sister/brother combination led 8 – 7 at the half and systematically increased the difference to a 14 – 11 final score. The win gave the Maloneys four points in the standings.
To add to the Juarez six, Chris Maloney and Gaston von Wernich had three each, and Kelly Maloney had two (1 foul).
The replies for Corleone/La Quinta came from Freeman with four, Bray three, Fergus Gould two, and Kimo Huddleston one.
Game two on the day saw Craig Steinke and Steven Armour’s Stormcat/Shanghai play Sean Keys and David Raglan’s Hidden Creek/Pink Deco. The Steinke/ Armour foursome had no chance of playing in the final, but they would be a spoiler no matter what happened.. A loss or a win by two or less would put Keys and Ragland into Sunday’s game and a win by more than two would see Corleone/La Quinta advance. With Armour and Steinke ahead 7 – 1 at half-time Bill Freeman and Jesse Bray appeared to be in the Sunday contest. It was not to be however, as Graham Bray took control and helped Keys and Ragland come to within a pair and a final score of 9 – 7. Based on a better net goal record, Hidden Creek/Pink Deco will play Sunday.
For the winners, Stormcat/Shanhai, Steinke (1 foul), Armour (1 foul), and Santiago von Wernich had two each, and Rob Yackley scored once. An award of two at the start made nine.
In the qualifying effort for Hidden Creek/Pink Deco, Ragland, Keys, and Marcos Araya provided two each and Bray had one.
The final of the Ohana Tournament will be played at 1 PM Sunday – Ohana/Tri Tech vs. Hidden Creek/Pink Deco.
tony gregg