EIGHT PLAYERS REMAIN AT THE 13^th VSGA JUNIOR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

MIDLOTHIAN -- With eight players remaining at the 13^th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship, Arlington’s Chris McCartin, 17, continues his pursuit of a second straight title at Independence Golf Club (par 36-36—72, 6,677 yards).  McCartin posted a pair of victories in the opening two rounds of match play today and is one of eight players to advance to the quarterfinals to be held on Friday, June 20.  

McCartin secured a 1 up victory over Midlothian’s John Rosenstock in the morning session, making birdie on the 18^th hole following a short iron approach.  The final hole proved pivotal for McCartin in his afternoon match as well.  Holding a 1 up advantage on Charlottesville’s Chris Ray, McCartin stuck his short iron approach to within five feet to close out the match.  The stroke play medalist, McCartin shot 6-under-par 66, but had two close matches in early action. 

“Match play is so unpredictable,” said McCartin, a junior at Yorktown High School.  “After yesterday, I certainly didn’t expect my matches to be that close, but I got the job done.  I hit some clutch shots when I needed them most.” 

McCartin will face Chesapeake’s Matt Watson, 16, in Friday’s quarterfinals.  Watson, making his first appearance in match play at the championship, registered a 5 and 4 win over Christopher Yim (Chester) in the morning.  In a match that was close throughout, Watson posted three pivotal birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 13 to ultimately notch a 2 and 1 victory over Richmond’s Jordan Utley in the second round. 

In other action, Centreville’s Zachary Spees, 15, will take on Bluefield’s Jared Taylor, 17, after both players recorded a pair of wins.  Following a 1 up victory over Blacksburg’s Kirk Smith in first round action, Spees, who also earned a spot in match play for the first time this year, notched a 2 and 1 victory over Richmond’s Will Oldham in the afternoon.  After a 19-hole victory in the morning over Midlothian’s Andy Bender, Taylor then posted a wire-to-wire win against Chris Menster (Midlothian) in afternoon play.  Taylor put together a solid ball-striking day, accounting for 11 birdies, and taking into account the usual match play concessions, shot 69-67 during the two rounds of match play. 

Meanwhile, in another 15- vs. 17-year-old matchup, Keswick’s Dustin Groves, the older of the two competitors, will take on Glen Allen’s Hunter Townsend, who reached match play for the first time this year.  Groves bested his good friend Chad Fultz of Staunton in the morning, 1 up by making a birdie on the par-5 17^th hole after hitting his short pitch to within two feet of the hole.  Admittedly using the momentum gained from his win against Fultz, Groves registered a 6 and 5 victory over Seth Norman of Virginia Beach in afternoon play to reach the quarterfinals.     

In leading from start-to-finish in both of his victories, Roanoke’s Michael Milona defeated Adam Sperry of Appomattox and Kyle Schaffner of Goode by 4 and 3 margins.  Milona, who said his goal when the championship started was to just reach match play, will face Onancock’s Ben Murphy in quarterfinal action.  Murphy posted a 1 up win against Salem’s Jeffrey Walters, the No. 3 seed heading into match play, during the morning session.  Despite holding a 3 up lead with three holes to play, Chesapeake’s Mark Coradi extended Murphy to extra holes.  On the 19^th hole, Murphy advanced to the next round with a par. 

Four of the top five and seven of the top ten seeds did not advance during the first round of match play.  Following the quarterfinal and semifinal matches, set for Friday, June 20, the 18-hole final will be held on Saturday, June 21.   

MIDLOTHIAN -- Results following the first round of match play at the 13^th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship at Independence Golf Club (6,677 yards, par 36-36—72). 

(1) Christopher McCartin (Arlington, Va.) def. (32) John Rosenstock (Midlothian, Va.), 1 up

(17) Chris Ray (Charlottesville, Va.) def. (16) Mark Ashby (Vinton, Va.), 4 and 2

(8) Jordan Utley (Richmond, Va.) def. (25) Casey Jones (Midlothian, Va.), 3 and 2

(9) Matt Watson (Chesapeake, Va.) def. (24) Christopher Yim (Chester, Va.), 5 and 4

(29) Will Oldham (Richmond, Va.) def. (4) Matt Kennerknecht (Vienna, Va.), 3 and 2

(13) Zachary B. Spees (Centreville, Va.) def. (20) Kirk Smith (Blacksburg, Va.), 1 up

(28) Jared A. Taylor (Bluefield, Va.) def. (5) Andy Bender (Midlothian, Va.), 19 holes

(12) Chris Menster (Midlothian, Va.) def. (21) Jonathan Wilson (Chesapeake, Va.), 3 and 1

(31) Seth Norman (Virginia Beach, Va.) def. (2) Scott Bundrum (Chesapeake, Va.), 5 and 4  

(18) Dustin Groves (Keswick, Va.) def. (15) Chad Fultz (Staunton, Va.), 1 up  

(7) Phillip Collier (Colonial Heights, Va.) def. (26) Daniel B. Lowder (Winchester, Va.), 2 and 1

(23) Hunter Townsend (Glen Allen, Va.) def. (10) Fielding Brewbaker (Salem, Va.), 7 and 5

(30) Ben Murphy (Onancock, Va.) def. (3) Jeffrey Walters (Salem, Va.), 1 up

(14) Mark Coradi (Chesapeake, Va.) def. (19) Gus Hansborough (Charlottesville, Va.), 3 and 2

(6) Michael Milona (Roanoke, Va.) def. (27) Adam Sperry (Appomattox, Va.), 4 and 3

(11) Kyle Schaffner (Goode, Va.) def. (22) Nicklaus Kelley (Purcellville, Va.), 19 holes 

MIDLOTHIAN -- Results following the second round of match play at the 13^th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship at Independence Golf Club (6,677 yards, par 36-36—72). 

(1) Christopher McCartin (Arlington, Va.) def. (17) Chris Ray (Charlottesville, Va.), 2 up

(9) Matt Watson (Chesapeake, Va.) def. (8) Jordan Utley (Richmond, Va.), 2 and 1

(13) Zachary B. Spees (Centreville, Va.) def. (29) Will Oldham (Richmond, Va.), 2 and 1

(28) Jared A. Taylor (Bluefield, Va.) def. (12) Chris Menster (Midlothian, Va.), 4 and 3

(18) Dustin Groves (Keswick, Va.) def. (31) Seth Norman (Virginia Beach, Va.), 6 and 5

(23) Hunter Townsend (Glen Allen, Va.) def. (7) Phillip Collier (Colonial Heights, Va.), 3 and 1

(30) Ben Murphy (Onancock, Va.) def. (14) Mark Coradi (Chesapeake, Va.), 19 holes 

(6) Michael Milona (Roanoke, Va.) def. (11) Kyle Schaffner (Goode, Va.), 4 and 3  

MIDLOTHIAN -- Pairings and starting times for the quarterfinal round of match play at the 13^th VSGA Junior Match Play Championship at Independence Golf Club (6,677 yards, par 36-36—72).

7:30 a.m.: (1) Christopher McCartin (Arlington, Va.) vs. (9) Matt Watson (Chesapeake, Va.)

7:40 a.m.: (13) Zachary B. Spees (Centreville, Va.) vs. (28) Jared A. Taylor (Bluefield, Va.)

7:50 a.m.: (18) Dustin Groves (Keswick, Va.) vs. (23) Hunter Townsend (Glen Allen, Va.)

8 a.m.: (30) Ben Murphy (Onancock, Va.) vs. (6) Michael Milona (Roanoke, Va.)

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