In one of the most exciting games in Grand Champions Polo Club history, Globalport won the highly-coveted Sterling Cup.
By Sharon Robb
Photos by Candace Ferreira
In breathtaking fashion, Globalport (Stephanie Lueders, 0, Lucas Alberdi/Mariano Obregon, 6, Beltran Lauhle, 6, Barto Castagnola, 10) needed two chukkers to knock off the defending champion Maltese Falcons (Melissa Ganzi, 0, Nic Roldan, 7, Gonzalito Pieres, 8, Santi Toccalino, 7), 12-11, in front of a good crowd on a windy Sunday.
Argentine 10-goaler Barto Castagnola turned in one of his finest performances with a game-high 11 goals including the game-winner scored through two defenders with 6:20 left in the eighth chukker to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Catwoman, played by Gonzalito Pieres, was the Best Playing Pony.
The 22-goal teams, playing for the prestigious and historical solid gold trophy, was a game for the ages.
“I don’t think you could ask for anything more after going eight chukkers to determine a win,” said Globalport manager and player Anthony Garcia. “It was an amazing game to watch from the side, an abolute nail biter.”
The game had eleven lead changes. Castagnola wasted no time scoring the opening goal with 5:55 left. Less than a minute later, Toccalino scored a nearside goal to tie the game, 1-1. Maltese Falcons got untracked and went ahead, 3-1, with Roldan taking a long pass from Toccalino and scoring off a nearside tail shot and Pieres scoring. Castagnola scored again with 12 seconds left in the chukker to trail, 3-2.
Globalport outscored Maltese Falcons, 2-0, in the second chukker with back-to-back penalty conversions by Castagnola for a 4-3 lead.
Roldan tied the game at 4-4 to open the third chukker. In the final two minutes, Castagnola lofted an 80-yarder to score and Alberdi added a 60-yarder to lead at the half, 6-4.
In the first half, Globalport outshot Maltese Falcons, 11-8. Maltese Falcons won more throw-ins, 6-3, and led in knock-ins, 5-4.
Alberdi left the game as a precaution after going down with his horse at the 4:19 mark of the fourth chukker. Alberdi was examined for a possible concussion by fieldside paramedics and trainers and for safety reasons left the game. He was replaced by 6-goaler Mariano Obregon, who didn’t skip a beat and was just as aggressive as Alberdi, who was scheduled to be fully examined on Monday.
Despite Castagnola working his magic from every corner of the field to give Globalport a 9-6 lead with 3:11 in the fourth chukker, Maltese Falcons clawed their way back to trail, 9-7, after Toccalino found Roldan who blasted a long goal.
After Pieres converted a 30-year penalty to trail, 9-8, Maltese Falcons tied the game, 9-9, when Roldan scored off a broken play with 3:13 left in the fifth chukker.
The emotionally-charged game heated up in the sixth chukker, where the lead changed hands four times in the sixth chukker. Toccalino gave Maltese Falcons a 10-9 lead early at 6:35 with his leaning near side goal. Two minutes later, Castagnola tied the game, 10-10, with a 30-yard penalty conversion. Toccalino connected with Roldan who scored off a well-placed angle shot for an 11-10 lead.
On a super quick play, Castagnola changed the right of way and was fouled. Maltese Falcons lost its challenge and with five seconds left Castagnola drained a 60-yard penalty through two Maltese Falcons players who tried to block it with their mallets to send the game into overtime.
It was anybody’s game in the final two chukkers with both teams playing all-out defense for that one shot at the goal. Both teams had their scoring chances. Obregon saved a Roldan attempt just before the goal line early in the seventh chukker. Castagnola also stopped a Roldan attempt late.
With three minutes left, it looked like Maltese Falcons might get its chance when Castagnola’s mallet broke with three minutes left in the seventh chukker. A heads-up play by Lueders giving Castagnola her mallet prevented Maltese Falcons from taking advantage. In the final seconds Maltese Falcons came up with a steal but couldn’t take advantage in the final 11 seconds.
The marathon thriller continued in the eighth chukker. Ganzi won the opening throw-in and Pieres hit a long pass but Castagnola found his way to the ball, picked it up and raced to goal, scoring between two defenders with 6:20 left.
For the game,Globalport outshot Maltese Falcons, 24-19. Throw-ins were even at 12-12 and Maltese Falcons led 12-8. Globalport had one more penalty,9-8, than Maltese Falcons.
In addition to Castagnola’s scoring barrage, Alberdi scored one before leaving the game. For Maltese Falcons, Roldan led with five, Pieres had four and Toccalino added two.
In last year’s championship, Maltese Falcons defeated Audi and Newport in a two-day round robin. Maltese Facons (Melissa Ganzi, 0, Grant Ganzi, 3, Nic Roldan, 8, Alejandro Novillo Astrada, 7) defeated Audi (Marc Ganzi, 1, Tomacho Pieres, 6, Pablo Spinacci, 6, Tommy Collingwood, 5), 9-6, and Newport (Gene Goldstein, 0, Jason Crowder, 5, Sugar Erskine, 6, Fred Mannix, 7), 14-13, to clinch the title.
The Sterling Cup was resurrected nine years ago after a 22-year absence. It was brought back by Grand Champions President Melissa Ganzi in hopes of recapturing polo’s glory days.
It was the second tournament of the 22-goal season at the old Palm Beach Polo and Country Club after the January Challenge Cup and last played in 1995. It was considered the 22-goal championship and attracted as many as 18 teams including Saniva B.G.K., Pegasus, C.S. Brook, Grant’s Farm Manor, Revlon, Calumet Farm, Pony Express, Isla Carroll, White Birch and Catamount.
The Sterling Cup has featured several historical moments including the 2018 Sterling Cup tournament when Adolfo, Mia and Poroto Cambiaso made history by winning their first-ever high goal tournament together. Along with teammate Magoo Laprida, Valiente knocked off pre-tournament favorite Audi, 10-4, in the final. Mia Cambiaso was MVP. The father and son, Adolfo and Poroto, have won the title three times.