Mt. Brilliant Scores 10-9 Win in Ylvisaker Cup Finals
By Alex Webbe
In a choppy game that was tied no less than seven times, Santiago Chavanne scored the winning goal on a penalty shot with 13 seconds left in regulation play to lead Mt. Brilliant to a 10-9 win over Patagones in the finals of the 2009 Ylvisaker Cup at the International Polo Club at Wellington.
“We needed to slow the game down,†said Mt. Brilliant coach Julian Hipwood, “and we had the right guy (8-goaler Santiago Chavanne) to do it.â€
The concern was over the superior horsepower of the Patagones team and the leadership of polo legend Carlos Gracida.
Opening goals were scored by Mt. Brilliant’s Santiago Chavanne and Julian Daniels in the first chukker. It wasn’t until the second period that Patagones got on the scoreboard on a penalty shot from Julio Gracida.
Carlos Gracida got things going for Patagones in the third chukker scoring three times while Mt. Brilliant was held to a single goal. After a penalty-laden first half, Patagones left the field with a narrow 4-3 lead.
Mt. Brilliant returned to the field in the fourth chukker with Mariano Obregon replacing 6-goaler Julian Daniels who entered the game with a sore elbow. It was revealed later that Daniels had suffered some ligament damage and was listed as day to day.
Carlos Gracida opened the fourth period with a flourish. Taking the ball from the lineout, Carlos carried the ball 150 yards through the goal posts, stroking it on the left side of his pony for the last seventy yards with an opposing player on his hip.
Moments later. Chavanne converted another penalty shot to trail Patagones 5-4.
Defense was the word of the day in the fifth period with the only goals being scored coming on penalty shots. Carlos Gracida converted for Patagones and Chavanne converting two penalty shots for Mt. Brilliant to tie it at 6-6.
The scoring went back and forth in the final chukker of play with Patagones scoring on single goals from the field coming from Gonzalo Avendano, Julio Gracida and Carlos Avendano. Mt. Brilliant countered with a goal from Pelon Escapite and two goals from the substituting Mariano Obregon to knot it up at 9-9.
“I was ready to play,†said Obregon, who was pulled from the polo stands to replace the injured Daniels. “I had never played Back (No. 4) before, but I was comfortable in the lineup.â€
With just over 13 seconds left to play, the whistle sounded in the Patagones’ half of the field. Chavanne teed the ball up and converted it for the 10-9 win.
Santiago Chavanne led all scoring with six goals. Mariano Obregon scored twice and Pelon Escapite and Julian Daniels added single goals in the win.
Carlos Gracida scored five times for Patagones. Julio Gracida added two goals. Single goals were scored by Gonzalo and Carlos Avendano.
Pelon Escapite was named MVP while Santiago Chavanne’s black mare Afgana was named Best Playing Pony.