WELLINGTON, FL., March 28, 2025---The stage is set for what promises to be one of the most competitive finals for the World Polo League's Palm Beach Open Sunday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
Travieso (2-1) will get a chance to avenge its early tournament overtime loss when its meets undefeated Tonkawa (3-0) which has steamrolled through the four-team tournament. Travieso lost in overtime to Tonkawa, 10-9, in the tournament opener.
Tonkawa (Jeff Hildebrand, 0, Mackie Weisz, 6, Pablo MacDonough, 10, Juan Martin Nero, 10) and Travieso (Tony Calle, 3, Pipe Vercellino, 7, Juan Martin Zubia, 9, Fred Mannix, 7) advanced into the championship with wins on Thursday at windy Grand Champions Polo Club.
Travieso edged Casablanca (Grant Ganzi, 3, Hilario Figueras, 6, Rufino Bensadon, 8, Sapo Caset 9), 11-10. Tonkawa defeated Maltese Falcons Maltese Falcons (Sugar Erskine, 6, Jason Crowder, 5, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7, Nacho Novillo Astrada, 8), 12-10.
TRAVIESO 11, CASABLANCA 10
Two-time defending champion Casablanca and winners of the first two WPL tournaments of the season, had its hands full with Travieso which took advantage of a crucial foul in the final 31 seconds of regulation.
In the final minute, Vercellino stole the ball and was fouled. The right-of-way call proved costly with Vercellino going to the line and draining a 60-yard penalty to regain the lead and clinch the win.
The game was a rollercoaster ride from the opening chukker with eleven lead changes.
Casablanca started off strong jumping out to a 3-0 lead through the first two chukkers. Travieso didn't score until the end of the second chukker when Zubia found Vercellino who scored from the corner of the field with 22 seconds left.
Travieso reeled Casablanca back in the third chukker for a 4-4 tie after Vercellino converted a safety-60. Travieso continued to pepper the goal and Vercellino converted another penalty from 60 yards out in the final minute to go into halftime leading 5-4.
In the first half, Travieso outshot Casablanca, 12-6, and led in throw-ins, 6-3. Casablanca had seven knock-ins and Travieso had two.
The second half was anybody's game. Casablanca took a two-goal lead, 7-5, on Bensadon's goal with 3:03 left in the fourth chukker. After that the lead changed hands six times with the teams either being tied or holding one-goal leads.
For the game, Travieso led in shots-on-goal, 22-16 and throw-ins, 13-8. Casablanca led knock-ins, 11-6. Each team had five penalties.
Vercellino scored a game-high six goals for Travieso. Calle had three and Zubia and Mannix each had one goal.
For Casablanca, Bensadon had a team-high five goals. Figueras and Caset each had two goals and Ganzi added one.
TONKAWA 12, MALTESE FALCONS 10
Tonkawa started off slower than usual with the Maltese Falcons matching them well early in the game.
There were eight lead changes in the first three chukkers with Maltese Falcons taking a 5-4 halftime lead on Crowder's tail goal shot.
In the first half, Tonkawa outshot Maltese Falcons, 11-8. Maltese Falcons led throw-ins, 5-4 and knock-ins, 7-3. The first three chukkers had only one foul.
Tonkawa came out strong in the fourth chukker outscoring Maltese Falcons, 3-0, behind back-to-back goals by Hildebrand in the first three minutes of the game and Weisz goal for a 7-5 lead going into the fifth chukker.
Maltese Falcons got its offense going in the fifth chukker behind Crowder's three extraordinary goals and 120-yarder from Nacho Novillo Astrada to tie the game at 9-9. Nero's goal in the final minute gave Tonkawa back the lead, 10-9, lead going into the final chukker.
It was the closest Maltese Falcons would get with Weisz converting a 40-yard penalty with 3:34 left for an 11-9 advantage. MacDonough hit a great near side angle shot to put the game out of reach, 12-9 in the final minute. Maltese Falcons had its share of scoring opportunities in the final chukker but couldn't capitalize.
For the game, Tonkawa outshot, Maltese Falcons, 20-17. Maltese Falcons led knock-ins, 8-7, and throw-ins, 12-8. There were only three fouls committed in the entire game.
For Tonkawa, the 10-goalers combined for seven goals, Nero with four and MacDonough with three. Hildebrand also had three goals and Weisz added two.
Jason Crowder scored a game-high seven goals, several from extraordinary angles, for Maltese Falcons. Nacho Novillo Astrada had two goals and Erskine added one.