Balladeer’s Blog offers one last round of congratulations to the 2017 women’s college basketball champions in the divisions covered here.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE
National Champions – OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STARS
Runners-Up – Lewis-Clark State Warriors
2016 Champions – Mid-America Nazarene University Pioneers Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport. There were a pair of games today in U.S. Open play.
FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
GAME ONE: FLEXJET VS AUDI – Husband and wife played on opposite sides in this Match as Melissa Ganzi and her three Flexjet teammates clashed with Marc Ganzi’s foursome from Audi.
In Chukker Number One Marc himself swatted in the 1st Goal for Audi – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Bavarians. His teammate Alejandro Novillo Astrada scored as well while the Bavarians shut out Flexjet – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Aviators. The opening Chukker ended with Audi on top 2 Goals to none.
The Second Chukker saw Flexjet really get rolling on offense. The Aviators notched 3 Goals this time around while limiting the Bavarians to just 1 Goal of their own. Chukker Two came to a close with the score knotted up at 3-3.
In the Third Chukker Goals virtually flew between the Uprights with giddy abandon. Flexjet racked up a colossal FOUR Goals to the pair knocked in by Audi. The two teams headed into Halftime with the Aviators in the lead by a count of 7 Goals to 5. Continue reading
Filed under Polo
Balladeer’s Blog continues its coverage of the world’s OLDEST team sport.
FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
Polo’s U.S. Open was first played in 1904 and has become one of the most prestigious events on the Polo calendar. Moreover, it is the third of the Big Three Polo Matches held in the U.S. each year.
Valiente – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Valiants – come into the U.S. Open having already won the first two titles in the American Triple Crown – the U.S. Polo Association Gold Cup and the C.V. Whitney Cup. If the Valiants can win the Open as well they will have taken that Triple Crown.
Yesterday’s opening match at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach was full of drama. The Defending Champions of the U.S. Open, Orchard Hill – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Clubmen – played Valiente as the Polo World sat riveted.
FIRST CHUKKER – Polito Pieres swatted in a Goal from the field to give Orchard Hill a 1-0 lead but the next Toss-In saw Valiente’s Adolfo Cambiaso tie things up at 1-1. Facundo Pieres scored a Goal on a Penalty Shot from 40 yards out to put the Clubmen back on top 2-1. His teammates Jota Chavanne and Polito Pieres each scored a Goal from the field but the Valiants’ Diego Cavanagh scored on two separate 40-yard Penalty Shots to make the score 4-3 in favor of Orchard Hill.
SECOND CHUKKER – Besides trailing on the scoreboard Valiente lost Matias Torres Zavaleta to an injury in the opening Chukker. Pablo Spinacci replaced him and accomplished the seemingly impossible task of shutting out Facundo Pieres of the Clubmen, whose only scores in the Match came from Penalty Shots. This Second Chukker was typical of that kind of stellar defense and ended with Orchard Hill on top by just 5-4.
THIRD CHUKKER – The Valiants thwacked in 2 Goals to the 1 scored by the Clubmen in Chukker number Three, leaving the count all tied up at 6-6 as the two teams headed into Halftime. Continue reading
Filed under Polo
Here’s one last round of congratulations to the college hockey champions in the FIVE divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.
NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)
National Champions – DAKOTA COLLEGE AT BOTTINEAU LUMBERJACKS
Runners-Up – Erie College Kats
2016 Champions – Dakota College at Bottineau Lumberjacks
NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) DIVISION THREE
National Champions – NORWICH UNIVERSITY CADETS
Runners-Up – Trinity (CT) College Bantams
2016 Champions – University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point Pointers Continue reading
Filed under college hockey
Yes, it’s the time of year for Balladeer’s Blog to resume its coverage of Polo, the world’s OLDEST team sport! How old?
Consider this: Alexander the Great’s men played Polo, which was even then a well-established game.
FOR MY PRIMER ON POLO CLICK HERE
BUTLER HANDICAP: The International Polo Club in Florida was the site of the 2017 Butler Handicap. The two teams battling for the cup yesterday EACH HAD A FEMALE PLAYER ON THEIR TEAM. One of the things I like about Polo is that it has men’s only leagues, women’s only leagues and mixed play.
Coca Cola – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Red Colossus – played Flexjet – Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: the Aviators. The First Chukker ended with Ms Gillian Johnston’s Coca Cola team on top of Melissa Ganzi’s Flexjet team by a score of 3 goals to 2.
In the Second Chukker sterling defense was the name of the game with only one goal being scored the entire time. The Aviators tied things up 3-3.
The Third Chukker saw the offense on both teams return to life and begin swatting goals between the uprights with abandon. The Red Colossus managed 3 goals to the pair notched by Flexjet and went into Halftime holding a 6-5 edge. Continue reading
Filed under Polo
Balladeer’s Blog offers one last round of congratulations to the 2017 college basketball champions in the FOURTEEN divisions covered here.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION ONE
National Champions – TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY RAMS
Runners-Up – Life University Running Eagles
2016 Champions – Mid-America Christian University Evangels
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) DIVISION TWO
National Champions – UNION COLLEGE BULLDOGS
Runners-Up – Cornerstone University Golden Eagles
2016 Champions – Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
*** NCAA DIVISION TWO ***
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 2nd seeded NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS took on D2’s last surviving 1 seed – the FAIRMONT STATE FALCONS – for the championship.
The Bearcats contained the Falcons in the 1st Half and had acquired a 32-21 lead by the break. From there it was a much tighter game but Fairmont State could not dig themselves out of the hole they had found themselves in and Northwest Missouri State won by a final score of 71-61. Justin Pitts led the Bearcats in scoring with 23 points while his teammate Chris-Ebou Ndow notched a Double Double of 17 points and 18 rebounds. * THE BEARCATS ARE CHAMPIONS OF NCAA DIVISION TWO * Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
*** NJCAA DIVISION ONE ***
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 4 seeds – the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS – took the court against the 6th seeded EASTERN FLORIDA STATE TITANS for the NJCAA Division One title.
The Blue Dragons went straight for the jugular with a 21-4 run to start the game and by Halftime led the Titans by a score of 39-16. (Yes, sixteen.) After the break Hutchinson College coasted to an 84-58 victory to earn their 3rd hoops crown. Devonte Bandoo’s 22 points led the Blue Dragons while his teammate Shakur Juiston put up a Double Double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. * THE BLUE DRAGONS ARE CHAMPIONS OF NJCAA DIVISION ONE * Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
*** NJCAA DIVISION TWO ***
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 3 seeds – the LOUISBURG COLLEGE HURRICANES – faced the 2nd seeded SOUTH SUBURBAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS for the right to advance to the Championship Game.
By Halftime the Hurricanes were threatening a mild upset with a 38-37 edge over the Bulldogs. In the 2nd Half Louisburg College made good on that threat, putting more and more distance between themselves and South Suburban College on their way to an 86-73 victory. Jordan Oakley led the Hurricanes with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
*** NJCAA DIVISION ONE ***
FINAL FOUR, FIRST BERTH – The 6th seeded EASTERN FLORIDA STATE TITANS and the Cinderella 14 seeds – the MOTLOW COLLEGE BUCKS – played one of the oddest games of this year’s tournament.
The opening Half was a low-scoring defensive epic and ended with the Titans holding a 25-20 lead over the Bucks. After the break Eastern Florida State continued to smother the Motlow College offense but their own offense burst free, ultimately winning the game by a final count of 65-45. Twenty-eight points from Ahmed Ali led the Titans to victory. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
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