Aerial of the Santa Barbara Polo Club
Carlos Gracida scored seven times in leading La Herradura (Alvaro Fernandez, Marianito Obregon, Carlos Gracida and Memo Gracida) to an 11-10 win over FMB (Dan Walker, Inaki Laprida, Lucas Criado and Henry Walker) in the opening match of Santa Barbara Polo Club’s USPA Piaget Silver Cup Friday morning on the Piocho Ranch field.
Carlos Gracida scored the first goal of the game on a 60-yard penalty shot, but FMB stormed back with a pair of goals from Lucas Criado. After the first chukker the score stood at 2-1 in favor of FMB.
Carlos Gracida scored on a 30-yard penalty shot in the second, but that would be the last effective offense they would deliver in the chukker. Ensuing goals from Inaki Laprida and Criado ended the period with FMB holding a two goal advantage, 4-2.
Marianito Obregon finally got on the scoreboard in the third chukker followed by a goal from Carlos Gracida that tied it at 4-4. The tie was short-lived, however, as FMB rresponded with a pair of goals from Criado (one on a penalty shot). The first half came to an end with FMB holding on to a 6-4 advantage.
La Herradura got the benefit of a halftime talking to by Hall of Famer Memo Gracida, and their actions showed it when they returned to the field. La Herradura scored five unanswered goals in the chukker for their first lead since the opening goal, 9-6. Four goals (two on penalty conversions) came from Carlos Gracida. His older brother Memo Gracida scored the final goal of the period.
Memo Gracida’s second goal of the game put La Herradura in front, 10-6 as the fifth chukker opened. FMB responded with a pair of goals (one on a penalty shot), cutting the La Herradura lead to two goals, 10-8.
Obregon’s second goal of the game gave them a three goals lead, 11-8 in the final chukker. FMB pressed their attack, picking up single goals from Laprida and Criado but time ran out and La Herradura left the field with the 11-10 win.
Criado led the field in scoring with eight goals (three on penalty shots). Laprida added two goals in the loss. Carlos Gracida was credited with seven goals for La Herradura. Memo Gracida and Obregon scored two goals apiece in the victory.
ERG 13, LUCCHESE 10
ERG (Scott Wood, Sugar Erskine, Jeff Blake and Paco De Narvaez) battled to a 7-6 halftime lead before scoring a 13-10 win over the defending Silver Cup championship team, Lucchese (Andres Weisz, Tavi Usandizaga, Pelon Stirling and John Muse) Friday afternoon at the ERG field.
ERG’s Jeff Blake scored the first goal of the game on a 40-yard penalty shot that was followed by a goal from the field from Lucchese 10-goaler Pelon Stirling, 1-1. A pair of goals from Sugar Erskine gave the lead back to ERG, 3-1. Stirling scored the final goal of the period but continued to trail, 3-2.
Shutout defense work by Lucchese in the second chukker was complimented by single goals from Andres Weisz and Tavi Usandizaga. The period ended with Lucchese on top, 4-3.
Six goals were scored between the two teams in the third, with all but one coming on penalty goals. Paco De Narvaez scored on a 60-yard penalty conversion and two 40-yard goal shots. Erskine added the fourth goal of the chukker as ERG took the lead back, 7-6. Lucchese got a pair of penalty goals from Stirling.
Both teams took a defensive stance in the fourth period. Stirling scored Lucchese’s only goal of the chukker. Blake countered with a single goal from ERG. At the end of the fourth chukker, ERG was in front, 8-7.
A four goal fifth chukker closed the door on Lucchese with Erskine and Blake each scoring twice. Stirling scored the only goal of the fifth. Lucchese trailed by four goals, 12-8.
Erskine converted a penalty shot for ERG in the sixth. Stirling scored the final two goals of the match for the 13-10 ERG victory.
Stirling scored eight goals on the day. Usandizaga and Weisz each scored a goal as they rode out the loss. ERG got six goals from Erskine. Blake scored four times and de Narvaez accounted for three goals, all on penalty shots.
ERG 13, LUCCHESE 10
Restoration Hardware (Ben Soleimani, Hilario Ulloa, Adam Snow and Santi Von Wernich) gave a warm welcome to Scott Devon and his Catamount team Catamount (Scott Devon, Julio Gracida, Mike Azzaro and Brandon Phillips) before pummeling them 14-10 for the win.
Restoration Hardware had to spot the 19-goal Catamount a goal by handicap, but tied it up on the opening shot of the tournament, 1-1. Restoration Hardware team captain Ben Soleimani gave his team the lead with the second goal of the chukker. Another goal by Ulloa was followed by a pair of goals from Mike Azzaro and the chukker ended with Restoration Hardware and Catamount all even at 3-3.
Brandon Phillips scored his first goal of the day in the second chukker as Catamount took the lead, 4-3. Three straight goals from Restoration Hardware put a damper on the day for Catamount, 6-4. Mike Azzaro scored the final goal of the chukker, but Restoration Hardware held the one goal lead, 6-5.
Goals from Soleimani and Santi Von Wernich pushed Catamount (Scott Devon, Julio Gracida, Mike Azzaro and Brandon Phillips) in front by three goals, 8-5. Julio Gracida and Von Wernich traded goals at the end of the chukker for the 9-6 halftime lead.
Restoration Hardware extended their lead to 11-7 on single goals from Soleimani and Ulloa. Phillips produced the only goal of the day for Catamount who fell behind, 11-7.
Snow and Ulloa scored for Restoration Hardware in the fifth while Catamount was only able to come up with a single goal from Catamount team captain Scott Devon. At the end of the fifth chukker, Catamount trailed by five goals, 13-8.
Snow’s third goal of the game put Restoration Hardware on top, 14-8 as a bedraggled Catamount team continued to try to mount an effective rally. A penalty conversion from Phillips and a goal from the field from Julio Gracida ended the game with Restoration Hardware celebrating the 14-10 win.
In a balanced Restoration Hardware attack, Ulloa recorded five goals (one on a penalty shot); Soleimani scored four times; Snow accounted for three goals and Von Wernich added a pair in the loss. Phillips and Azzaro each scored three times. Devon added a goal and the team received one goal by handicap.
Tournament play continues on Sunday, August 4th with a 10 am game between Restoration Hardware (1-0) and Lucchese (0-1). At 1PM, La Herradura (1-0) will take on Catamount (0-1) while ERG (1-0 and FMB (0-1) will face off at 3PM.