Hawks clinch berth in Skins game
By Diane Hensley
INDIO – The Hawks’ Julian Mannix, Kyle Fargey, Joe Henderson and Dan Roenisch defeated Palm Desert Sunday 10-7 in the quarterfinal match of Eldorado Polo Club’s 12-goal Skins league to earn its chance to compete in the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center Skins polo match Sun. Mar. 30.
The Hawks, 3-1 in the month-long league led the match by at least a goal in five of six chukkers, bending only to the strengths of Palm Desert’s No. 3 Santiago Trotz at 3-2 in the second period.
Fargey knocked in five goals in the match, three from the field, while Trotz was the high scorer for Palm Desert with four goals for the match, two from the field.
Palm Desert’s Dan Walker pounded in the first goal within 10 seconds on a break from a throw-in inside Palm Desert territory. The Hawks ascended, slowly building a 2-1 lead on Fargey’s field goal midway through the chukker and penalty four conversion in the final minute.
In the second period, mistakes permitted Trotz to tie the match early in the second on a penalty conversion and get the go-ahead goal on a breakaway that found the Hawk’s Dan Roenisch out of position for the hook or steal. And, Mannix missed the opportunity to tie the score on a ball carry that began in midfield by teammate Henderson’s knock in. More telling were Palm Desert’s unforced errors—as Matt Walker and Dan Walker failed to center four shots fired on goal.
The Hawks turned the game around in the third stepping up defense and improving pass completions. Goals by Fargey and Roenisch and Henderson’s penalty conversion paired with strong hazing allowed Trotz just one goal from the field.
Sixth period struggles widened the Palm Desert deficit to three. A right-of-way foul called on the Hawks allowed Trotz to convert a penalty four to come within two goals at 8-7. But Mannix pulled off a goal save and worked the ball with Henderson down field for a 65-yard offside through the posts with 4:36 remaining. Henderson notched the final goal for the Hawks on a penalty four conversion.
In the second bracket quarterfinal, Windsor Capital defeated Valiente 11-9. The Hawks face Windsor Capital for the Skins championship on Sun. Mar. 30 at 2 p.m.
HAWKS 10, PALM DESERT 3
GOALS_Hawks: Dan Walker 2, Matt Walker 1, Santiago Trotz 4, Dan Horn 0._Palm Desert: Julian Mannix 1, Kyle Fargey 5, Joe Henderson 3, Dan Roenisch 1.