Waterbury Semifinals Set

Written by Alex Webbe  Photography by Alex Pacheco

Wins by Heathcote (2-1) and Equuleus (2-1) set the stage for Wednesday’s semifinals of the
2011 Monty Waterbury Cup at the Bridgehampton Polo Club Saturday. The wins eliminated
both Certified (1-2) and Yellow Cab (0-3) from cup competition, pitting White birch (2-1) against
Equuleus in semifinal action followed by a Heathcote vs. Circa showdown.

Heathcote opened the day with a 17-12 rout of Yellow Cab. Heathcote received three goals
by handicap, but it was Nacho Figueras who opened the scoring for Yellow Cab with a goal
from the field. Nick Manifold scored two of the next three goals and teammate Tommy Biddle
converted a 60-yard penalty shot as Heathcote took an early 6-1 lead.

The second chukker belonged to Heathcote. Manifold scored the first goal to put Heathcote
up, 7-1 before Naco Taverna added two more from the field. Biddle converted another 60-
yard penalty shot to make it 10-1 before a goal from Figueras put an end to the second period
shutout. Biddle added two more penalty goals to end the chukker with Heathcote on top of a
one-sided 12-2 score.

Jeffrey Garber opened the third chukker with a goal from the field and Luis Escobar added
two more. Michel Dorignac scored his first goal of the game to cut the Heathcote lead to a
manageable six goals, 16, but Biddle scored again from the 60-yard penalty line and the first
half ended with Heathcoat claiming a comfortable 13-6 advantage.

“The team played great today,” said Biddle. “It’s so enjoyable to play with these guys. The
teamwork was right where we wanted it to be,” he added.

The offensive pace slowed down in the fourth period with Biddle and Dorignac each scoring
single goals for their respective teams. Biddle converted a 40-yard penalty shot for his sixth
goal of the day while Dorignac’s second goal came from the field. With two chukkers to play,
Heathcote maintained a 14-7, seven goal lead.

Escobar cut the lead to six as the fifth period opened, but a pair of goals from Biddle brought
the chukker to a close with Heathcote boasting an eight goal lead, 16-8.

Yellow Cab attempted a last chukker rally, getting four goals from Argentine 7-goaler Dorignac
while holding Heathcote to a single Naco Taverna score, but the effort wasn’t nearly enough.
Heathcote rode off with the 17-12 victory and a spot in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Biddle led all scoring with eight goals. Teammates Taverna and Manifold scored three goals
apiece and the team received three goals by handicap. Dorignac scored six times for Yellow

Cab. Escobar added three and Figueras scored twice. Garber added a goal in the loss.

CIRCA 10, EQUULEUS 7

In the second match of the day a previously undefeated Equuleus team fell to Circa 10-7,
leveling both team records at 2-1 and qualifying both of them for semifinal play.

“I was really disappointed,” said Equuleus 6-goaler Kris Kampsen. “I feel like I let the team
down,” he said. “We really should have won it.”

Circa received one goal by handicap from the 20-goal Equuleus team, but watched as Kampsen
scored a pair of goals (one from the field, one on a 40-yard penalty shot) put Equuleus in front
2-1 after the first period of the match.

Magoo Laprida tied it up at 2-2 in the opening minute of the second chukker, but Kampsen’s
third goal of the game had Circa trailing 3-2. Laprida’s second goal of the period had it all even
at 3-3.

A goal from the field from Martin Pepa and a penalty goal from Laprida was combined with
disciplined defense that kept Equuleus off the scoreboard. At the end of the first half it was
Circa with a 5-3 lead.

Both defenses stiffened in the fourth chukker. Equuleus turned the tables on Circa, shutting
them out, but could only manage a single goal. After four periods of play, Circa continued to
lead, 5-4.

Pepa and Laprida added single scores in the fifth chukker, but Kampsen responded with a pair
of penalty goals for Equuleus. With just seven minutes in the match, Circa had a tenuous 7-6
edge.

Kampsen’s sixth goal of the game tied it up at 7-7 in the final chukker, and pressed the Circa
goal when penalties caused the team’s downfall. Laprida converted three consecutive penalty
shots for goals to end the contest and give Circa a 10-7 win and a position in the semifinals.
Equuleus suffered its first loss of the tournament, but also qualified for semifinal play.

Laprida scored seven times for Circa. Pepa added two goals and the team received one goal by
handicap.

Kampsen scored six times for Equuleus. Obregon added a single goal in a losing effort.

Waterbury Cup play will continue on Wednesday, August 10 with White Birch meeting
Equuleus at 10:30 am followed by a battle between Heathcote and Circa at 5 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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