‘ANINI — A mid-air shot by Rustan Tongg was the icing on a 7-4 win by Icing on the Cake over Island Hardware Sunday. Tongg came back in the final chukker and, showing dazzling stick work near the mauka goal,
‘ANINI — A mid-air shot by Rustan Tongg was the icing on a 7-4 win by Icing on the Cake over Island Hardware Sunday.
Tongg came back in the final chukker and, showing dazzling stick work near the mauka goal, first hit a soft shot toward the goal before hitting the ball in mid-air for Icing’s final score.
Island Hardware fought back, controlling the ball for most of the chukker, led by scores from Diego Bayugar and Carlos Elzaurdia to round out the scoring.
Kamalu Sheldon opened the scoring early in the first chukker. After breaking up an Island Hardware drive, Sheldon fought through an Elzaurdia hook to break free for a pass from Ronnie Tongg and the opening goal.
Sheldon would strik a again after Rustan Tongg broke up a struggle for control and hit Sheldon with a pass that led to another score and a 2-0 lead.
Following the bowl in, Bayugar drove to the mauka goal and his long, high shot soaring above the pylons was ruled wide by the officials.
Defensive scrambling heralded the opening of the second chukker that saw Ryan Tongg up the ante on a penalty shot from 40 yards out against an undefended goal for a 3-0 lead.
But a determined Island Hardware team battled back as Elzaurdia gained control for a drive to the goal where he met a stiffened Icing defense.
The ball traded hands and Scott Sims tried a shot near the goal mouth that just missed.
Sims ended up behind the goal line on the shot attempt and hit a soft spot in the turf sending both horse and rider sliding sideways to the ground.
Neither was hurt and the game continued as Ronnie Tongg notched another Icing goal.
After an Icing on the Cake foul, Bayugar took a 60-yard penalty shot for Island Hardware against a defended goal. A defender deflected the powerful shot, but Elzaurdia moved in on the play to score.
Ryan Tongg broke up a Carlos-Sims tag-team effort by stealing the ball and outrunning the pack to score and push the lead to 4-1 at the half.
Ronnie Tongg opened the third chukker with back-to-back scores early, only to have Bayugar answer for Island Hardware to draw within four goals by the end of the chukker.
Labor Day weekend is the final weekend of the Kaua‘i Polo Club’s season. Gates open this Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and the game starts at 3 p.m.
The club plans to sponsor a Junior program next season to give Kaua‘i youth an opportunity to learn the game.
