In Friday morning’s semifinals, local Bryce Cope (Virginia Beach) will take on Roanoke’s Alex Taylor, while sixth-seeded Alex Lloyd (Virginia Beach) meets ’09 semifinalist Dylan Jensen of Ridgeway. Following the semifinals, the scheduled 18-hole final is also set for Friday. Jensen, a No. 15 seed, and Taylor, a No. 16 seed, were the last two players to gain entrance into the match play field after qualifying in extra holes at the conclusion of Wednesday’s stroke play qualifying.  

Lloyd, 16, continues to treat the Nansemond River like it’s his own backyard. In 2009, he won the Virginia Junior Golf Alliance Suffolk Junior Open at the layout and was the highest seed to advance to the semifinals at the Junior Match. A student at Floyd E. Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Lloyd opened match play by outlasting Blake Carter (Bassett) in 20 holes, before ousting central Virginian Rick O’Connell (Goochland), 7 and 5 in the afternoon session. His opponent on Friday morning, Jensen, knocked off second-seeded Ashton Newsom (Chesapeake) to start match play and notched a 2-up victory in the afternoon.

Cope, another Kellam High student to enjoy success on Thursday, came away with a 3 and 2 win in the opening round, before besting ’09 finalist Jack Adkins (Martinsville), 4 and 3 in the quarterfinals. In a match he never trailed, Taylor was the stroke play equivalent of five under par through nine holes en route to defeating top-seeded Adam Ball (Richmond), 3 and 2 in the morning session, and then got past Ben Meadows (Williamsburg), 1 up to earn a spot in the semifinals.   

SUFFOLK –– Results from the first round of match play at the 20th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship at Nansemond River Golf Club (6,679 yards, par 36-36—72) on Thursday, June 24.

(16) Alex Taylor (Roanoke), 145 def. (1) Adam Ball (Richmond), 135, 3 and 2

(8) Ben Meadows (Williamsburg), 144 def. (9) Drew Lagan (Roanoke), 144, 3 and 2

(4) Jack Adkins (Martinsville), 142 def. (13) Maclain Huge (Lovettsville), 144, 4 and 3

(12) Bryce Cope (Virginia Beach), 144 def. (5) Trevor Times (Williamsburg), 3 and 2

(15) Dylan Jensen (Ridgeway), 145 def. (2) Ashton Newsom (Chesapeake), 3 and 1

(7) Brandon Grogan (Martinsville), 144 def. (10) Tim Ritter (Centreville), 144, 4 and 3

(14) Rick O'Connell (Goochland), 144 def. (3) Korey Watts (Buchanan), 3 and 1

(6) Alex Lloyd (Virginia Beach), 144 def. (11) Blake Carter (Bassett), 144, 20 holes

SUFFOLK –– Results from the quarterfinal round of match play at the 20th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship at Nansemond River Golf Club (6,679 yards, par 36-36—72) on Thursday, June 24.

(16) Alex Taylor (Roanoke), 145 def. (8) Ben Meadows (Williamsburg), 144, 1 up

(12) Bryce Cope (Virginia Beach), 144 def. (4) Jack Adkins (Martinsville), 142, 4 and 3

(15) Dylan Jensen (Ridgeway), 145 def. (7) Brandon Grogan (Martinsville), 144, 2 up

(6) Alex Lloyd (Virginia Beach), 144 def. (14) Rick O'Connell (Goochland), 144, 7 and 5

SUFFOLK –– Pairings and starting times for the semifinal round of match play at the 20th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship at Nansemond River Golf Club (6,679 yards, par 36-36—72) on Friday, June 25.

8 a.m.: (16) Alex Taylor (Roanoke), 145 vs. (12) Bryce Cope (Virginia Beach), 144

8:10 a.m.: (15) Dylan Jensen (Ridgeway), 145 vs. (6) Alex Lloyd (Virginia Beach), 144