Patagones too much for Mt. Brilliant in 13-7 win By Alex Webbe
In game that was more noteworthy for its defense than its offense, Patagones (1-0) took advantage of its opportunities to score a 13-7 Ylvisaker Cup win over Mt. Brilliant (0-3) Saturday afternoon at the International Polo Club in Wellington.
Chris Nevins opened the scoring on the day with a goal for Mt. Brilliant that accounted for all of the opening chukker’s offense as defensive plays and errant shots at goal dominated the opening minutes of play.
Carlos Avendano scored the tying goal for Patagones, 1-1, in the second chukker before penalty conversions from Carlos Gracida and Julio Gracida ended the chukker with Mt. Brilliant trailing 3-1.
Carlos Gracida scored from the field to make it 4-1, Patagones when the Mt. Brilliant attack finally got started. A goal from the field was scored by Francisco Irastoza followed by another goal from Santiago Chavanne, and Mt. Brilliant climbed back into the game trailing by a single goal, 4-3, at halftime.
Play got choppy and fouls were whistled. All five goals scored in the chukker came as the result of penalties, with Patagones scoring three times and Mt. Brilliant managing just two. Patagones stretched it lead to 7-5 on the strength of two penalty conversions from Carlos Gracida and a third penalty goal from nephew Julio Gracida. Irastoza converted both of the penalty shots for Mt. Brilliant.
The fifth chukker opened with a successful penalty shot by Irastoza, but then it was all Patagones. Three consecutive goals from the field were scored by Julio Gracida, Carlos Gracida and Carlos Avendano as Patagones jumped out to a 10-6 lead. Mt. Brilliant struggled to get its offense on track, but was shut out for the remainder of the chukker. Patagones led by four goals with one last chukker, seven minutes left in the game.
The final chukker opened with Carlos Gracida intercepting a Mt. Brilliant pass and carrying it over 150 yards down the field before lofting a perfect pass to Julio Gracida for a goal. Julio followed that up with another penalty goal, and Carlos Gracida’s sixth goal of the game put Patagones in front 13-6. A last ditch effort by Mt. Brilliant resulted in a foul which afforded the trailing team a final penalty goal in the 13-7 loss to Patagones.
Carlos Gracida led all scoring with six goals. Julio Gracida scored five times and Carlos Avendano added two goals for the win.
Irastorza scored five times for Mt. Brilliant while getting single goals from teammates Chavanne and Nevins.
Ylvisaker Cup play will continue on Sunday, January 31 with three games being played. At 10 am, Faraway Polo (0-2) faces the Hawks (1-0); at noon, Lechuza Caracas (2-0) meets Lucchese (2-0); and at 3 pm, the Wanderers/Isla Carroll will battle last week’s Joe Barry Memorial Cup champion, Zacara (1-0).