Road Runner Tournament Nov. 13 and 14th, 2004

Road Runner Tournament
Nov. 13 & 14th, '04
Eldorado Polo Club

Empire Polo and Fountain View Seal Eldorado’s Season Opener
Seven teams compete in the four-goal Roadrunner tournament Nov. 12-14.
By DIANE HENSLEY
Action Photos - Click here.

INDIO – Carlitos Galindo was the top scorer in Sunday’s four-goal Roadrunner finals, putting away 5 of 6 goals for Empire Polo Club as Zero Gravity fell 6-4 in the Bracket A match-up at Eldorado Polo Club. Empire’s Al Haagen and Nicolai Galindo held the door open for Negro Gularte and Carlitos Galindo to go up 3-2 in the first chukker despite two goals powered in by Zero’s Kim Kelly and Scott Cunningham.

Both teams went scoreless in the second and a lone goal by Carlitos Galindo for Empire in the third put the teams at 4-2 odds going into the fourth. Cunningham brought the match within one in the first two minutes, but Galindo answered with an offside slammer and Cunningham returned the favor off a pass out of the line-up. Galindo reciprocated with the final match-winning blow.

In Bracket B, Fountain View maintained a two-goal advantage over Embassy Suites through most of Sunday’s match before its decisive 8-5 win. No. 3 Lolo Payan and No. 2 Miguelito Torres scored four goals apiece with help from No. 1 Kim Larsen and No. 4 Vicky Owens.

Down 4-2 at the half, Embassy Suites was buoyed by offensive drives by No. 2 Danny Brown and No. 4 Domingo Questel in the third chukker, coming to within a goal twice as both teams traded six consecutive goals. Up 7-5 going into the fourth, Fountain View’s Torres and Payan paired up and engineered a 150-yard offensive drive, winding a circuitous route around the pack and through Embassy’s defense breaking an otherwise monotonous final period as Payan scored a tricky cross-goal neck shot.

Seven teams joined the three-day Roadrunner Event. In Bracket A, Zero Gravity lost to Fairview Friday and Empire Polo Club drew a buy into the finals. In Bracket B Saturday, Corleone Polo lost to Embassy Suites and Mountain View defeated Fantasy Springs.