With the much sought-after Chris Kerley Spurs as the reward, the final games of the Wendell Kerley Memorial Tournament – delayed because of rain – were played on Saturday and Sunday, February 2nd & 3rd at Southern California’s Eldorado Polo Club, with Ron Bonaguidi’s Hanalei Bay winning the 12 Goal tournament and Suzanne Figi’s Gypsy capturing the 6 goal test.

In the 6 Goal and in front of a large Cantina lunch crowd, Gypsy went up against Rick Paicius and his Trinity organization and came away with a 10 – 8 victory.

At the start, it looked as if Paicius and Co. would walk all over the wanderers as they jumped out to a very quick two goal lead with counters from Tim Rudy and Miguel Gutierrez. However, the young Gypsy quarterback, Jesse Bray grabbed two of his own late in the period and it was tied a two going to the second.

The second was rather uneventful, but it became apparent that Gypsy had a defensive plan as Bray, along with Mike Kerley, Jessica Bailey, and Gustavo Patino (substituting for Figi) kept the Paicius Group off the scoresheet while grabbing a goal coutesy of a penalty three conversion by Kerley that gave the wanderers a lead of one at 3 – 2.

The Gypsy defensive plan was in full operation in the third as Trinity was able to do nothing offensively and that strong effort was rewarded with a series of turnovers that led to three goals including a field goal by Kerley and a pair of free throws by Bray – a number three and a spectacular number six from about 70 yards away from goal. The ‘half’ ended with Gypsy leading by four at 6 – 2.

The ten minutes of ‘halftime’ gave the Trinity Group time to formulate a plan to stop the pain – something Paicius is very good at – and it was time well spent. Despite allowing a goal early in the fourth, Rudy and Gutierrez applied pressure and it worked as the teams traded goals throughout the fourth. For Gypsy, it was Kerley with a pair of field goals and Bray with a penalty three counter. The reply for Trinity was Rudy from the field and Gutierrez with two open goal efforts. The final chukker would start with Gypsy still up by four, this time at 9 – 5, but Trinity was scoring.

Paicius and Co. opened up the fifth with a pair of super runs by Rudy, set up by Gutierrez, and it appeared that it was going to be close after all. However, Kerley exploded from a throw-in at center and with help from Bailey, got one back to grab a lead of three with little time left. Rudy converted a penalty four at the end, but the victory, and the spurs, belonged to Gypsy.

For his aggressive and solid play, Kerley was selected as the MVP, and his mare, Peppermint, owned by Triangle Bar Farms, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony. For Kerley, it was a wonderful day as he won the tournament named for his father and received the awards (created by his brother) from his children, Hope and Ryan – grandchildren of Wendy Kerley.

The 12 Goal Kerley Memorial final, played on Super Bowl Sunday featured Ron Bonaguidi’s Hanalei Bay against defending Kerley champions, Jenny Lutterell’s Cotterel Farms.

From the outset, it was apparent that the Bonaguidi pack was prepared as they rode to a quick lead of two goals in the first 75 seconds with strikes from Bonaguidi (penalty two) and Jared Sheldon from the field. Not to be outdone, Cotterel’s Ruben Coscia scored 40 seconds later on a perfect pass from the throw-in after the Sheldon goal to narrow the lead. Sheldon, however, scored again later in the period and the first ended with the surfers leading at 3 – 1.

In the second, Mariano Fassetta got up and scored his first of the afternoon to give the Hawaiians a lead of three but replies from Coscia and Ignacio Saracco kept the farmers in it as they trailed by just one going to the third at 4 – 3.

That third, however, was all Hawaii as Cotterel was unable to do anything and Fassetta scored again and Sheldon added a pair of open goal counters to end the half with Bonaguidi ahead by four at 7 – 3.

The fourth was relatively quiet as each team scored once – Coscia from 30 yards and Fassetta from the field – and it was 8 – 4 Hanalei Bay.

The surfers increased their lead to five in the fifth as Fassetta scored twice and Sheldon once (penalty two) with the farmers getting only a pair from Coscia and Saracco.

Coscia counted his fifth of the game early in the final period but Fassetta wanted to catch another wave and did with a great run, and with a goal from Joseph Stuart, the final score was 13 – 7 and the Bonaguidi pack had earned the coveted award.

With a very strong and controlling effort, Fassetta was a unanimous choice as the MVP and his fourth chukker mare, Pippaletta, was chosen as the Best Playing Pony.

Wendell Kerley Memorial 6 Goal – Eldorado Polo Club

Gypsy (6) – Suzanne Figi -1, Jesse Bray 4, Mike Kerley 2, Jessica Baily 1, Gustavo Patino -1 (sub for Figi).

Trinity (6) – Rick Paicius, Tim Rudy 3, Miguel Gutierrez 3, Kim Garsed and David Flowers -1 alternating.

Wendell Kerley Memorial 12 Goal – Eldorado Polo Club

Hanalei Bay (12) – Ron Bonaguidi, Mariano Fassetta 6, Jared Sheldon 3, Joseph Stuart 3.

Cotterel Farms (12) – Jenny Luttrell, Luis Saracco4, Ignacio Saracco 3, Ruben Coscia4.

Tony Gregg