By Alex Webbe 

Peter Brant’s La Alegria polo team spotted Circa one goal by handicap before galloping off to a 13-11 win in the 2010 Mercedes Benz Challenge Cup at the Bridgehampton Polo Club Saturday afternoon.

La Alegria’s Freddie Mannix, Jr. scored the first goal from the field, followed by a score from Marianito Gracida’s goal.  Mannix followed it up with a converted 40-yard penalty shot. And La Alegria was off with a 3-1 lead.

Circa rebounded in the second chukker, getting three straight goals from 9-goaler Magoo Laprida to tie and then take a one goal lead, 4-3, but La Alegria had yet to be heard from.  Mannix tied it at 4-4 with a goal from the field, and then restored the La Alegria lead with another penalty goal.  The second chukker ended with La Alegria holding on to a narrow one goal lead, 5-4.

The third period belonged to La Alegria, under the field generalship of 10-goaler Mariano Aguerre, the Circa defense was pressured to the breaking point.  Three straight goals from Mannix (two by penalty shots) and a goal from Aguerre had La Alegria up by five goals, 9-4, before Circa could respond.  Laprida converted two penalty goals to end the chukker, but La Alegria had a three goals halftime lead, 9-6.

Laprida scored on two penalty shots in the fourth chukker, but the gain was offset by goals from Mannix and Aguerre, and the period ended with La Alegria holding on to a three goal lead, 11-8.

Circa combined well-executed defense in the fifth period with an aggressive attack, netting single goals from Laprida and Martin Pepa while holding La Alegria scoreless.  The lead was now cut to a single goal, with La Alegria holding an 11-10 advantage.

Circa rallied with a goal to tie it in the final chukker, 11-11, but fouled an attacking La Alegria team and surrendered a penalty goal, with Aguerre connecting on it for a 12-11 lead.  Both teams battled for possession of the ball as time began to run out, but it would be Aguerre who would break through with the ball, scoring the final goal in the last ten seconds of play.  Final score, La Alegria 13, Circa 11.

Mannix led the La Alegria team with eight goal.  Aguerre scored four times and Gracida added a goal in the win.

Laprida led all scoring, with nine goals.  Pepa added a goal and Circa received one goal by handicap.

Mannix received MVP honors while Laprida’s Mohicana was named Best Playing Pony.