Empire rules Coyote Classic
By Diane Hensley
Three-goaler Ashton Wolf put six goals on the boards for Empire Polo Club in the Coyote Classic, making short work of both Atlant and Yuma in the four-goal round robin.
In the first set against Atlant, Bautista capitalized on the knock-in taking the ball coast to coast to tie 3-3 with 1:27 remaining. Wolf made the same play on a steal from Atlant’s Bolko Kissling in the last 48 seconds, to lift Empire to a one-goal lead.
Yuma defeated Atlant 7-5 in the second set on five goals from No. 3 Lolo Payan. Atlant, short on defense, fought back on three goals scored by two-goaler Domingo Questel and his dramatic goal save, blocking a midair shot fired 50 yards out by Atlant’s Kissling.
Yuma fell 6-1 under Empire’s grip in the final set, managing just a single goal by Payan late in the first chukker. Empire played by the book to man-line-ball, freeing forward Malia McCoy to tally two and Wolf to rack up three before the end of the first. Sponsor Alex Haagen IV made it official with a handy offside cut shot through the posts with :59 left on the clock.
Empire’s McCoy credited the win to good nature. “We were all happy,” she said after the match. “Happy or hung over,” said Haagen IV.
In the one goal tournament, Wild Bunch ran roughshod over Le Paon Sunday 6-3 on field 2, on three goals from quarterback Lolo Payan, and back-to-back goals in the first chukker from forward Grainger Hines.
“We pushed harder, we played harder, and today we had four players,” said three-goaler Payan. “Yesterday we had only three,” referring to Saturday’s match when teammate Ace Miranda suddenly withdrew at the half after horse trouble.
Le Paon had some difficulty breaking the passing game Payan set up with Goyo Marical. Le Paon’s Paco Buxton managed two goals in the second and fourth, but couldn’t connect with forward Eddie Babai for the offensive drives they needed. Babai wasn’t phased—despite his first time in the saddle since the summertime.
“Not too bad for not having played for three months,” said the Le Paon proprietor and team sponsor.
COYOTE CLASSIC
FOUR-GOAL (RR) TOURNAMENT
GOALS SCORED
EMPIRE 4, ATLANT 3
Empire: Ashton Wolf 3, Alex Haagen IV 1, Malia McCoy, Kendra Clark.
Atlant: Bolko Kissling 1, Ernesto Bautista 1, Conrad Kissling, Domingo Questel.
YUMA 7 ATLANT 5
Yuma: Lolo Payan 5, Paco Buxton 1, Therese Volmer 1, Scott Walker
Atlant: Domingo Questel 3, Bolko Kissling 1, Ernesto Bautista 1, Conrad Kissling.
EMPIRE 6, YUMA 1
Empire: Ashton Wolf 3, Malia McCoy7 2, Alex Haagen IV 1, Kendra Clark
Yuma: Lolo Payan 1, Therese Volmer, Paco Buxton, Scott Walker.
Umpires: Andy Maze, Hayward Pardue; 3rd man Grainger Hines
ONE GOAL TOURNAMENT
GOALS SCORED
WILD BUNCH 6, LE PAON 3
Wild Bunch: Lolo Payan 3, Grainger Hines 2, Kate Ewart 1, Goyo Marical
Le Paon: Paco Buxton 2, Hayward Pardue 1, Brad Ramsby 1, Eddie Babai.
Umpires: Billy Ramos, Ashton Wolf; 3rd man, Ernesto Bautista.