Endeavour and White Birch are two teams that have strongly battled each other over this and the previous season, and they did so again in the championship game of the East Coast Open, July 15, 2007. When the dust had cleared White Birch was to keep the cup, by virtue of a hard fought 14-12 victory.
Chris Nevins scored on an early field goal for White Birch which then saw two of its shots blocked. Pancho Bensadon then hit two penalty conversions within 37 seconds, and Endeavour took a 2-1 lead. The two goals by Bensadon were the start of his game high seven goal afternoon, six of which came on penalty shots. The lead was soon to switch, first thanks to a nice hook by Santiago Torres on Taverna close to goal. Then Mariano Aguerre scored from close in, and followed it with a penalty conversion on a penalty 4 technical.
This gave White Birch a 3-2 entering the second chukker. In the second came yet another White Birch run, as they scored 5 goals, for an 8-5 lead at chukker’s end. What made it even more impressive was that in the early going of the chukker things seemed to be going Endeavour’s way. Pablo Spinacci, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game blocked Aguerre off a throw-in. Aguerre soon had the ball again, and shot it in, but saw it negated by a White Birch penalty. Yet another whistle was blown on White Birch, and Bensadon lofted a long pass to a teammate who the goalpost. The loose ball was picked up by Spinacci, who knocked it in for a 3-3 tie. Then came the White Birch onslaught. Aguerre made a penalty 2. Nevins connected on a penalty 4 (which was nearly knocked out but wasn’t. Thus White Birch kept its momenteum. On three consecutive throw-ins White Birch recorded goals, one by Nevins , one by Miguelito Torres and then the third by Santiago Torres. Taverna put an end to the run with a field goal.
Each team had two goals in the third chukker and they entered half-time with White Birch leading 10-6. One of those was the goal of the game by Aguerre. He galloped down the sidelines and fired an angle shot which flew in, drawing huge cheers from the large crowd.
Endeavour had the better of the play when play resumed. Bensasdon recorded two penalty conversions, while Spinacci hit two field goals. A penalty 2 conversion by Miguelito Torres was the lone goal for White Birch, who know led 11-10, at chukker’s end. A penalty 2 conversion by Bensadon into a strong wind, knotted the game, 11-11. The tie lasted just under one minute, until Nevins ran down towards goal, through a crowd, and scored, making it 12-11 White Birch. With a penalty 2 conversion by Aguerre late in the chukker White Birch was up, 13-11.
In a wild sequence, White Birch had the ball which was stolen by Bensadon, who attempted to pass it to Spinacci, but Aguerre intercepted it, he raced down to goal, and with one tap, gave his team all the breathing room it needed, to keep the trophy, and also remain undefeated at Greenwich.
Aguerre’s Sunny was named the Best Playing Pony.
While there will be no further polo at Greenwich until September 9, these teams will not have long until they face-off again in a re-match. They are scheduled to meet in six days for Opening Day at Bridgehampton, July 21 at 4:00 Eastern.
ENDEAVOUR: Chris Brant (1), Pablo Spinacci (6), Pancho Bensadon (8), Naco Taverna (5) =20
WHITE BIRCH: Santiago Torres (2), Chris Nevins (4), Mariano Aguerre (10), Miguelito Torres (4) =20