If the March 12 Goal tournament is any indication, John Rooney's Northern Blizzard polo team appears to be ready for the 23rd annual Skins Tournament after defeating Jenny Luttrell-Benardoni's Cotterel Farms by a score of 10 - 8, on the warmest day of the year at a near record 96 degrees. Not that Cotterell wasn't indicating that they were ready as well - they were indeed making a statement by mounting up for their third 12 goal final in as many tries.On this day, presented by Ketel One Vodka, Northern Blizzard rode out with a fairly new roster - Rooney (1 goal) with long time teammate Joe Henderson (4) along with newcomers Patrick Uretz (4) and Peter Blake (3). Cotterell Farms fielded the same foursome that has brought them so much success in this 2017 season - Luttrell-Benardoni, Ruben Coscia (5), Juan Curbelo (5), and Matthew Fonseca (2).After playing well in the qualifying games, the northerners got off to a quick start in this one and held a one goal edge after the first period at 2 - 1.The cold north wind continued to blow in the second frame as Rooney and Co. led by two at 4 - 2 going to the third chukker.Cotterell bounced back in the third to outscore Northern Blizzard by a count of 3 - 2 and the half ended with the northern invaders up by just one goal at 6 - 5.The Rooney group came back in the fourth as they outscored the Idahoans by one at 2 - 1 and now led by two going to the penultimate chukker at 8 - 6.Cotterell scored the only goal of the fifth to trail by just one going to the final (8 - 7).The sixth ultimately belonged to Northern Blizzard with a pair on the board to just one for Cotterell and it was over with the Canadians taking the bottles of Ketel One and the March 12 Goal Championship.For the winners, Henderson scored four goals (one penalty four conversion), Uretz had four (one penalty three opportunity), and Peter Blake counted a pair.The replies for Cotterell saw Curbelo with five (0ne penalty two) and Coscia with three.Tony Gregg