WALLACE, N.C. — The Carolinas squad set the tone with strong play in foursome matches on Saturday and held on for an 8½-7½ victory in the 34th Virginias-Carolinas Junior Boys Matches, held this past weekend at River Landing Golf Club.
The Carolinas team, comprised of top juniors from North and South Carolina, won for the fifth time in the last six years. The one-point win was the closest margin of victory in the event since the matches went to single-point scoring in 2003. The teams tied at 8 in 2005.
The Carolinas won three of the four foursome matches Saturday morning, with the side of Kurtis Grant (Army Navy CC) and Teddy Zinsner (Belle Haven CC) picking up the lone win for the Virginias, comprised of players from the VSGA and West Virginia Golf Association.
The Virginias began to rally in the afternoon four-ball matches on Saturday. Grant and Zinsner teamed again and defeated Matthew Sharpstene and Levi Moody 2 and 1. Connor Johnson Jr. (CC of Virginia) and Drew Brockwell (CC at the Highlands), who are high school teammates at St. Christopher’s in Richmond, defeated Grant Powell and Ryan Marter 5 and 3. Connor Burgess (Boonsboro CC) and Mason Williams (West Virginia) earned a half point in their match with Carson Ownbey and Fulton Smith.
The Carolinas took a 4½-3½ lead into Sunday’s singles matches and quickly jumped ahead further thanks to dominating wins from Walter Brinker and Smith. Zinsner completed a three-point weekend by topping Moody 3 and 2, and Williams picked up a point with a 4 and 2 win over Ownbey.
The Carolinas clinched the Vinny Giles trophy when Marter topped Brockwell 1 up in the sixth match. Grant, who also earned three points, and Burgess won their singles matches to bring the final margin to 8½-7½.
The Virginias-Carolinas Junior Boys Matches will return to Boonsboro CC in Lynchburg next August.