Altair downs Faraway; Mt. Brilliant defeats Villa
Del Lago in 14-goal Freebooters Classic

By Alex Webbe

With the final week of play approaching, Altair and Mt. Brilliant made runs to secure
berths in the tournament finals. Altair put together a 13-11 effort over Faraway while Mt.
Brilliant scored its third straight win at the expense of Villa Del Lago.

Led by eight goals from Carlitos Gracida, Altair built up an 8-5 halftime lead before
registering a 13-11 win over a talented Faraway foursome in the 14-goal Freebooters
Classic at the International Polo Club in Wellington Sunday morning.

Carlitos Gracida scored the first two goals of the game, followed by a goal from his
father, Carlos Gracida. Team captain Hutton Goodman responded with a goal for his
Faraway team, but Guillermo Steta ended the chukker with his first goal of the game
and a 4-1 Altair lead.

Carlitos added a penalty goal in the second before Faraway answered with goals from
Juan Valerdi and Tomas Obregon (penalty goal). Altair continued to lead, 5-3.

Carlitos Gracida added two more goals in the third (one from the field and one on a
penalty shot) and Carlos Gracida added a goal while Faraway responded with goals
from Julian Daniels and Obregon (penalty conversion). At the end of the first three
chukkers of play, Altair led by three goals, 8-5.

Faraway stormed back into the game in the second half, scoring three unanswered
goals in the fourth chukker to tie it up at 8-8. Goodman scored once and Obregon
accounted for the other two goals while the Altair attack was silenced for the first time all
day.

Altair took back control of the contest in the fifth, with Carlitos adding two more goals
to the pot and Julio Gracida converting a penalty shot for a goal. Faraway managed a
single penalty goal from Obregon and trailed 11-9 with one chukker left to play.

Valerdi opened the scoring in the final chukker with a goal from the field, but Altair
responded with single goals from Carlitos Gracida and Carlos Gracida. Valerdi scored
the final goal of the game, but it wasn’t enough. Altair rode off the field with the 13-11
victory.

Carlitos Gracida led all scoring with eight goals. Carlos Gracida scored three times with
Guillermo Steta and Julio Gracida adding single goals in the win.

Obregon set the pace for Faraway with five goals. Valerdi scored three times;

Goodman added two goals and Daniels scored once.

MT. BRILLIANT 11, VILLA DEL LAGO 8

Undefeated Mt. Brilliant (3-0) took control early and never let go as it rang up an 11-8
win over Vila Del Lago (0-3) Sunday afternoon in Freebooters Classic play.

A cautious start had the score all even at 1-1 after the first chukker of play with Matias
Obregon opening the scoring for Villa Del Lago and Brandon Phillips responding with a
goal for Mt. Brilliant.

A four goal second period buried Villa Del Lago with Phillips adding two more goals and
Bo Goodman and Juan Monteverde scoring single goals for a 5-2 advantage. Villa Del
Lago was held to a single score from Matias Obregon on a 40-yard penalty conversion.

Single goals from Phillips and Monteverde in the third were answered by three Villa
Del Lago scores. Jared Zenni scored his first goal of the game followed by goals from
Matias Obregon and Marianito Obregon. The first half ended with Mt. Brilliant riding a
7-5 lead over Villa Del Lago.

There were only two goals scored in fourth chukker action with Phillips converting a 60-
yard penalty shot for a goal and Marianito Obregon scoring a goal from the field. Mt.
Brilliant maintained their two goal lead, 8-6.

Tommy Collingwood and Phillips scored single unanswered goals in the fifth chukker
while Villa Del Lago struggled to find its offensive push. The chukker ended with Mt.
Brilliant extending their lead to four goals, 10-6.

Villa Del Lago added two more penalty goals in the sixth from Matias Obregon, but it
was Mt. Brilliant prevailing 11-8. Phillips scored the final goal on a penalty shot.

Phillips let the Mt. Brilliant team with seven goals. Monteverde scored twice and
Goodman and Collingwood added single goals.

Matias Obregon scored a team high five goals for Villa Del Lago. Marianito Obregon
added two goals and Jared Zenni scored one goal in the loss.