ANTELOPE - Grant & Geoff Palmer, Lucas Criado, Jimmy Wright, Santiago Trotz
With a comparatively strong first half and a less than stellar second, Grant Palmer’s Antelope ( Grant Palmer 1, Santiago Trotz 4, Jimmy Wright 4, Lucas Criado Jr. 3, sub for inj. Segundo Saravi 3) hung on to win the USPA Fish Creek Pacific Coast Constitution Cup final over Igor Seyranov and his Sapa foursome (Igor Seyranov, Jesse Bray 6, Marcos Alberdi 4, Bayne Bossom 2) by a final score of 9 – 8 at Southern California’s Eldorado Polo Club.
Under a cloudless sky and a temperature in the mid seventies, Sapa was able to take the very early lead as Alberdi counted from the field. Antelope got that back to get even on a 60 yard penalty strike from Wright.
Antelope scored the only two goals of the second chukker as Wright and Palmer struck from the field to take a two goal lead to the third frame at 3 – 1.
Starting the third period with the throw in about 30 yards out from the Sapa goal – courtesy of a Wright placement to end the second – Criado scored his first of the day right out of the scrum. Shortly after, Sapa had a good chance to get back into it as Trotz was sent to the side for two minutes, but were unable to do so. Criado then grabbed his second and the halftime lead was four at 5 – 1 to favor Antelope.
The pronghorns carried on in the early fourth frame as they had during the first three as Trotz and Criado each counted from the field to lead by four at 7 – 1. Sapa however, having played less than organized polo up to this point, started to show signs that they might be sorting things out. Trailing now by six but with Bray instigating, Alberdi scored his second and the fourth was over and the Antelope lead was five at 7 – 2.
The fifth chukker featured a much different Sapa as Alberdi scored his third to narrow the difference to four. However, Criado, with what could have easily been ‘the shot of the day’, got the Antelope lead back with an inspiring shot from 85 yards and well right. Nevertheless, the revived Sapa foursome were not about to go away as Bossom and Alberdi scored to come within three at 8 – 5 going to the sixth.
Sapa, now playing the kind of polo that got them to the final, came out in that sixth and capitalizing on forced Antelope miscues and misses, Alberdi scored two more to come within one goal at 8 – 7. Unfortunately however, a Sapa miscue allowed Wright to score on a penalty four award. Down now by two and time running out, Alberdi scored his seventh of the afternoon, but with less than 10 seconds left it was over. Antelope had won the 2021 USPA Pacific Coast Fish Creek Constitution Cup by a final count of 9 – 8. The victory gave Antelope it’s second 12 goal title of the 2021 season.
Kelsea Mannix, daugher-in-law of Fish Creek Patron Fred Mannix, presented the Richard Roenisch Bronzes to the winners along with the perpetual Fish Creek Trophy.
With his abilities to play inside the game to set-up plays and his equal talents to complete plays as well, Criado earned the title of Most Valuable Player.
Lola, played by Alberdi, was selected as the Best Playing Pony.
Tony Gregg