MORGAN CREEK WINS MORGAN CREEK CUP IN OT
By Karen Martino
A solid Morgan Creek team continued their winning streak on Sunday, August 31, narrowly defeating Pinecroft 14-13 in overtime to win the Morgan Creek Cup at the Oak Brook Polo Grounds. Jose Aguilar and Fred Castro, who often play for Morgan Creek, filled in for team patron Angelo Kleronomos and son, Dean Kleronomos, who were out of town. Big hitters Julian Aguilar and Vale Aguilar, always a tough combination, played their usual two and three positions.
The winning Morgan Creek team – Jose Aguilar, Julian Aguilar, Vale Aguilar and Fred Castro. Photo provided by: Karen Martino Photography.
The well-organized Morgan Creek team has had only one loss all summer, losing to Pinecroft in overtime in a preliminary match in the Chicago International Polo Cup. They went on to win the tournament, as well as the BGC Traders’ Cup (defeating Villa del Lago) and the Wyndham Drake Gold Cup. The tournaments are hosted by the Chicago International Polo Club.
The Pinecroft foursome – Diego Arellano, Francisco Bilbao, Antonio Galvan and Jim Drury – proved to be Morgan Creek’s toughest nemesis all summer, coming in second in the Chicago International Polo Cup and the Wyndham Drake Gold Cup. Morgan Creek led by two or three goals throughout the match, until the exciting sixth chukker, when Pinecroft put three goals on the scoreboard to tie the score at 13-all. The score was 12-10 going into the sixth, but early in the period, Diego Arellano hit a beautiful foreshot to goal to narrow Morgan Creek’s lead to one goal. Julian Aguilar answered with a long, high shot to goal, his ninth score of the game.
With the clock ticking down, an infraction by Morgan Creek gave Antonio Galvan the opportunity to convert a Penalty 3 and again narrow Morgan Creek’s lead to 13-12. Then, in the last minute of regulation time, Francisco Bilbao got hold of the ball at midfield and scored on a breakaway to tie the score, taking the game into overtime.
The overtime chukker was short lived, however, as Julian Aguilar quickly found the uprights to score his tenth goal of the game and win the game for Morgan Creek 14-13. His excellent play deservedly won him the Most Valuable Player award, his third MVP win of the summer.
Francisco Bilbao’s 8-year-old Argentine Thoroughbred mare, Kayla, was judged Best Playing Pony. “She plays beautifully for me,” Bilbao said. “It was her second win this summer. She also won Best Playing Pony in the Chicago International Polo Cup.”
Beautiful silver trophies, provided by Angelo Kleronomos, were presented by Trish Mulligan and Romana Malinowski of A. Marek Fine Jewelry, scoreboard sponsor at Oak Brook.
Morgan Creek Cup
Morgan Creek – Jose Aguilar (3)/Dean Kleronomos (2), Julian Aguilar (4), Vale Aguilar (5), Fred Castro/Angelo Kleronomos (0). Pinecroft – Diego Arellano (1), Francisco Bilbao (6), Antonio Galvan (5), Jim Drury (0). Villa del Lago – Jim Zenni (0), Jared Zenni (0), Augustin Obregon (3), Maco Llambias (6). Arranmore – John Greene (1), Tod Rackley (3), Anthony Garcia (5), Tim Greene (2).