83RD Tri-State Matches
October 18 - 19 ~ Rhode Island Country Club
F
or a record 13th straight year, the 12-person
team from Massachusetts claimed the TriState Match title after earning a total of 56½
points following two days of foursomes and
singles match play at Rhode Island Country Club.
Trailing by double-digit points after the first day
of play, the Bay State squad came out firing on day two to
capture a record 13th straight Tri-State Matches title over
the likes of foes Connecticut and Rhode Island.
The victory marked the 34th championship
overall for Team Massachusetts dating back to the
tournament’s inaugural year in 1928.
Competing in singles matches on Wednesday,
the team’s 12 members added 42½ points to their dayone 14-point score to finish the two-day tournament
with 56½ points, ahead of Rhode Island’s 54½ points and
Connecticut’s 51.
“Thirteen straight Tri-State titles is impressive,”
said Jesse Menachem, the MGA's executive director. “We
had a lot of returning players, which is nice, but to mix
in some new faces onto the team, both seniors and midamateurs, was special. I think that it shows the quality and
depth of play that we have, which enabled us to rebound
from a round-one deficit.”
Leading the charge for the Bay State during the
singles matches was 2016 New England Senior Amateur
runner-up Jack Kearney (Elmcrest CC) and newly-elected
Massachusetts Golf Hall of Famer member Frank Vana, Jr.
(Andover CC), who each tallied 5½ of a possible six points
in their respective matches.
Connecticut, who last won the Tri-State
Matches in 2003 at the Kittansett Club, charged up the
leaderboard on Wednesday and nearly stole the trophy.
2016 Connecticut Mid-Amateur and Senior Amateur
Champion Dave Szewczul led the way for Connecticut,
earning 5½ out of a possible 6 points in singles play. John
Flaherty and Geoff Vartelas earned the most total points
for the team at 9 points a piece.
Connecticut
51 Points
Massachusetts
56.5 Points
Rhode Island
54.5 Points
Foursomes Match Play
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Szewczul-Hermanson
3
Smith-Kearney
3
Parziale-Quigley
3
Kraczkowsky-Brett
4
Carey-Secia
0
Acciardo-Pirie
5
Flaherty-Vartelas
5.5
Parziale-Jeffers
0.5
Leopold-Blaser
3
Dietz-Hrostek
0.5
Vana-Gentle
2.5
Hoffman-Pelletier
6
Mullen-Nolin
1.5
Burke-Cappucci
2
Forcier-Valois
5.5
Ahern-Gettings
1.5
Riley-Kelley
6
Silva-Hayes
1.5
Singles Match Play
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Dave Szewczul
5.5
Keith Smith
3.5
Tom Acciardo
0
Bill Hermanson
5
Kevin Carey
1
Paul Quigley
3
Bruce Kraczkowsky
4
Brian Secia
4
Dr. George Pirie
1
Tom Brett
2
Jack Kearney
5.5
Brent Dietz
0
Matt Parziale
5
Billy Forcier
4
1.5
Brad Valois
4
Dean Parziale
1.5
Geoff Vartelas
3.5
John Kelly
John Flaherty
3.5
Daniel Cappucci
4
John Hayes IV
1.5
Chet Hrostek
4.5
Alex Jeffers
3
Kyle Hoffman
1.5
Monte Mullen
1
Ryan Riley
3
Kevin Silva
Steve Gettings
1.5
Jordan Burke
4
Ryan Pelletier
3.5
1
Chris Gentle
2.5
Kevin Blaser
5.5
Frank Vana, Jr.
5.5
Bobby Leopold
Kyle Nolin
Brian Ahern
3.5
5
0
2016 ANNUAL / CONNECTICUT STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION / 53