Hawks win 12-goal on Hat Day
By Diane Hensley
INDIO – Julian Mannix gave the Hawks the edge they needed to push them to the top of the 12-goal league Sunday at Eldorado Polo Club, defeating Valiente 7-6 on a pair of unanswered back-to-back goals in the final period.
Tied 5-5 after the fifth in a penalty-heavy match peppered by moments of brilliance and fierce winds, Mannix singlehandedly pulled the Hawks out of a match-long deficit. Beginning with a scoreless first chukker, the Hawks struggled to keep pace with Valiente’s more dominating show of force fueled by six-goaler Santiago Bottaro. Tied at two goals apiece after the second, Valiente crept ahead by one in the third, holding the Hawks scoreless and scoring on Bottaro’s 70-yard bomb.
The Hawks No. 4 Kyle Fargey converted a penalty two in the final seconds of the fourth to stay within one at 4-3. But a couple of shining plays in the fifth lifted the Hawks back into contention. Valiente’s offense went south early in the chukker with an errant shot on goal by Alvaro Tadeo. Hawks’ Joe Henderson took the knock-in with a shot out to Mannix, but was intercepted and backed by Valiente’s Roberto Zedda. Fargey met the shot and passed it back to Mannix, who was well positioned downfield. Mannix rode for the break and fired in a blistering 75-yard shot. Midway through the chukker Hawk’s teammate Dan Roenisch connected with a short pass from Mannix and scored on a 90-yard carry, dispensing with a pursuing Bob Joynayvas.
Mannix’s double shot to victory occurred just after Valiente’s Zedda made the purported “shot of the day” converting a penalty six from 75 yards—against the wind, with 4:50 left on the clock. Reacting quickly to a ball popped out of the line-up, Mannix scored on a breakaway in two shots, outrunning Valiente’s Tadeo. He ended the 6-6 stalemate with 2:35 remaining, scoring on an offensive push that began with Henderson’s knock-in.
Valiente’s Bottaro scored just two goals from the field and Roberto Zedda, rated at four goals, punched in the remaining four, three on penalty conversions.
Celebrating Hat Day, Eldorado Polo Club Manager Albert Lansdorp congratulated winners Elle Seinfeld, Jan Ray, Samantha Richardson, Bonnie Swearingen, Judy Watters and Mona McDonald. The club awarded a one-year social membership and brunch to runners-up.
“It’s a very special day for us here at Eldorado Polo Club and we’d like to welcome each of you here on this day. My congratulations to our Hat Day winners, each of them has worn very beautiful hats indeed,” he said.
Mika Moulten, of Christopher’s Clubhouse, gave an impassioned speech in support of her non-profit organization to educate and train parents and children in the fight against exploitation of youth. Moulten founded the children’s advocacy organization after her son was abducted and murdered in 1995. For more information, visit www.christophersclubhouse.com.
In the four-goal tournament, Ore-Pac Rogue defeated Jaybird Polo 8-7 unceremoniously in overtime. Jaybird’s forward Alvaro Tadeo converted a penalty three opportunity with 20 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the match.
Ore-Pac Rogue’s No. 3 Fernando Pliego scored on a penalty six conversion 4:40 into the overtime period for the win after Jaybird Polo failed to capitalize on its only scoring opportunity in the period. Twenty seconds into the period Tadeo managed to fire an offside toward goal from 40 yards after a throw-in, but bounced off course and went wide of the post.
Diane Hensley can be reached at dkheditor@msn.com