By Alex Webbe
Crab Orchard’s Adolfo Cambiaso put on a display of horsemanship and mallet work that reminded everyone at Wednesday’s USPA Piaget Gold Cup match why he is considered the top player in the game today. Cambiaso scored nine goals as he led his team to a 14-9 win over Audi in a game that wasn’t as close as the score might indicate.
Audi limped into the game with a flu-ridden Paco de Narvaez and one goal by handicap. By the end of the contest both Paco and the one goal by handicap had disappeared, along with an early lead.
Perspiring excessively and showing signs of the flu, 9-goaler Paco de Narvaez saddled up and rode onto the field in a valiant effort to do his best for his Audi team. Narvaez drew first blood with an opening chukker goal. Juan Bollini followed up on another Audi assault on the Crab Orchard goal, giving Audi an early 3-0 lead, but that would be about the extent of its domination on the field.
Nachi Heguy got Crab Orchard on the scoreboard via a penalty conversion followed by Cambiaso’s first goal of the day. Cambiaso would add another score on a penalty conversion to tie the game at 3-3.
Gonzalito Pieres opened the second chukker with a beautiful run down the field for a score and immediately took control of the ensuing throw-in for another offensive charge. This time, however, the effort fell short. Crab orchard reversed the field, and Cambiaso added his third goal of the game for a 4-4 tie. Moments later, Cambiaso converted a 60 yard penalty shot, and from that point Crab Orchard never trailed.
Cambiaso’s third goal, a 200-yard carry down the field, ended the chukker with Crab Orchard on top, 6-4.
Crab Orchard spread the scoring around a bit in the third period. Cambiaso set the pace with an early goal while the Crab Orchard defense tightened up. Additional goals from team captain George Rawlings and 6-goaler Jeff Hall made it 9-4 at the half, with Audi being unable to put up any points in the chukker.
With de Narvaez unable to continue due to illness and injury, a suddenly available Sebastian Merlos was drafted into service, erasing the early goal Audi had received by handicap as the 10-goaler replaced de Narvaez at nine goals. Now Audi trailed 10-3.
Heguy scored from the field to make it 10-3 before Pieres answered with a goal from Audi. Another Cambiaso goal ended the period with Crab Orchard leading 11-4.
Pieres and Cambiaso traded a couple of goals in the fifth chukker with another penalty conversion by Heguy making it an eight-goal lead, 14-6.
As Crab Orchard sat back to rest the horses in the final chukker, Audi continued to press, Pieres scored from the field followed by a penalty conversion from Pieres and another well-placed shot from the field for the final 14-9 Crab Orchard Win.
Cambiaso’s nine goals led the scoring with teammate Nachi Heguy adding three goals in the win. George Rawlings and Jeff Blake added single goals on the day.
Gonzalito Pieres scored five times for Audi. Merlos added two in the second half. Single goals were scored by Paco de Narvaez and Juan Bollini.
Gold Cup action continues on Thursday with a 10AM game between Isla Carroll (1-0) and Zacara (1-0). Skeeterville (9-1) will face Black Watch (1-0) at 3PM.