USPA Circuit Players Cup Finals
Feb. 11th, 2018
By Alex Webbe
Evergreen (Tom Sprung, Bayne Bossom, Juan Jo Gonzales and Carlitos Galindo) rode to their third tournament win of the season when they romped over Empire (Rob Scapa, Eileen Duffy, Erik Wright and Dan Juarez) 13-5 in the final of the 2018 USPA Circuit Players Cup Sunday afternoon at the Empire Polo Club.
Capturing their third tournament of the season, Evergreen operated like a well-oiled machine as they raced out to a commanding 7-1 halftime lead behind a four-goal first half performance from Carlitos Galindo in the noon match.
Galindo scored all three of Evergreen’s first period goals while a struggling Empire attack failed to score. Evergreen rode off the field after the opening seven minutes trailing, 3-0.
Second chukker goals from Bayne Bossom, Galindo and Tom Sprung went unanswered by the Empire offense (with Dan Juarez playing in place of Jim Wright). The Evergreen lead grew to six goals, 6-0, with Empire trying to find a way through the Evergreen defenders.
Sprung’s second goal of the game extended Evergreen’s lead to seven goals in the third, with Empire finally showing signs of life. Erik Wright finally got Empire on the scoreboard with the final goal of the period, but they had a long way to go, trailing 7-1 at the end of the first half.
Galindo cranked it up again in the fourth, scoring two more goals from the field. Dan Juarez responded with a goal for Empire, but after four chukkers, the deficit had grown to seven goals, 9-2.
Bossom and Galindo added single goals in the fifth as Evergreen’s lead continued to grow, 11-2. Juarez and Eileen Duffy each scored a goal to end the chukker with Evergreen on top, 11-4. Duffy scored the first goal of the sixth chukker when the Empire offense fell flat. Sixth period goals from Sprung and Juan Jo Gonzalez ended the game with Evergreen enjoying a decisive 13-5 victory.
Galindo was high-scorer with seven goals. Sprung scored three times; Bossom added two goals and Gonzalez was credited with a goal in the win. Duffy and Juarez each scored twice for Empire. Wright added a goal in a losing effort.
Galindo averaged over seven goals a game throughout the USPA Circuit Players Cup tournament and earned MVP honors for his efforts. Sprung’s horse, Megan, was named Best Playing Pony.