ANTELOPE Grant Palmer, Ian Schnoebelen, Bayne Bossom, Piers Bossom
In a game that brought back memories of the Eldorado Polo Club’s many National Youth Tournament Series games, Antelope Junior (Grant Palmer 1,Bayne Bossom 2, Ian Schnoebelen .5, Piers Bossom .5), NYTS participants all, defeated Alpha Omega (Nicolas Nierenberg -1, Vladimir Rivkin 1, Erik Wright 1.5, Leandro Floccari 2) by a narrow final count of 4 – 3 ½ in the final of Eldorado’s 2021 USPA Coachella Valley Officers Cup 4 Goal Tournament.
Starting out trailing by a ½ on the handicap, the youngsters jumped out quickly at the start as Schnoebelen ran to score to give Antelope an early lead of ½. Alpha Omega replied with pressure however, and Wright was allowed a free hit from 60 yards wich he converted and Alpha Omega lead by ½ to end the first at 1 ½ – 1.
While the youthful exuberance exhibited by the junior pronghorns was prevalent in the second period, Alpha Omega - with long earned experience - was able to quell the sometimes uncontrolled threat and an Antelope miscue gave Wright a free throw opportunity from forty yards which he converted. The Greeks went to halftime leading at 2 ½ – 1.
With the solid coaching of longtime Antelope quarterback Santiago Trotz, the youngsters opened the second half with the eagerness shown earlier but, this time, were able to use their unbridled enthusiasm to their advantage, which allowed a harvest of three goals – Bayne Bossom with a penalty strike from 60 yards along with a field goal and Schnoebelen with a field goal of his own. With Alpha Omega unable to counter, Antelope Junior now lead by 1 ½ at 4 – 2 ½.
Going into the fourth and final period, Alpha Omega was able to control the youthful Antelope threat and earned another free throw opportunity from 60 yards which Wright nailed to make the difference just a ½ goal at 4 – 3 ½. With just over two minutes left, Alpha Omega – taking advantage of that aforementioned ability of experience – applied pressure on the Antelope goal. However, a calculated chance to regain the lead with 57 seconds left was whistled down and the NYTS alumni were now in possession of the ball and it was over. The youthful talents of Antelope Junior had barely won the 2021 USPA Coachella Officers Cup by just a half goal.
Baine Bossom was chosen as the MVP and Grant Palmer’s Baya, played in the first chukker, was named the Best Playing Pony.
Tony Gregg
