Team Maine Squeaks Road Win Against Maple Hill

On Saturday, March 1st, Team Maine overcame a 3-point deficit at the break to edge out Team Maple Hill at Maple Hill DGC in Leicester, MA.  The teams played on 2 different course layouts, each incorporating holes from the Red, White, Blue and Gold courses.  After trailing 9.5-6.5 following the singles round, Maine took 5 of 8 matches in the second round for a 10-6 tally in doubles play; Maine won on the day, 16.5-15.5.

"As a team, we struggled a bit in singles," said Ryan Bourque of Team Maine, "in doubles, we played strong and did what we needed to do for the W."

The 1-point difference was the smallest margin of victory Maine has ever had in 3 years of NETC competition.  "What an exhilarating win," stated Head Coach Jason Toothaker, following the challenge, "taking these guys down at home is the boost we need down this final stretch.  We're setting things up very well for ourselves."

While the loss for Maple created an unfavorable scenario in terms of their ability to qualify for NETC Finals on April 12, the win by Maine cemented them as a contender for one of two first round byes in the finals tournament.  Maine would clinch the #1 seed with a NASA road loss to Burgess as well as a March 22nd win over Burgess.  Regardless of potential scenarios, Maine appears to be in the driver's seat for finals.

Notes: 

• Mike Cole emerges as the only player to record a singles win in all 5 team challenges this year.  He has beaten Bill Stewart (NASA), Bob Direnzo (CW), Whit Cooper (Cranbury), Shawn Mullen (Wickham), and Mike Zorovich (Maple Hill). 
• Jason Dore loses his first singles match of the season.  Kevin Gardner took the singles matchup, ending Dore's undefeated streak.  
• With the score 15.5-14.5 in favor of Maple Hill, players from both teams gathered in the parking lot awaiting the results of the Brendan Johnson/Jacob Fowlie vs. David Jenkins/Paul Fleming match.  The win by Johnson and Fowlie gave Maine the win and cause for raucous celebration.
• Maine's next challenge is at home against Burgess at Woodland Valley DGC on Saturday, March 22nd.  

(Photos from the event will be posted soon)

Results: 

Singles:
Jon Sellers def John Williston
Mike Cole def Mike Zorovich
Nick Blouin def Devon Labelle
Caleb Biggers def Pete Ricciardi
Sam Pease def Wendy Boutin

Darby O'Leary pushes Brian Thompson
Bryan Jordan pushes Shahin Azarbin
Nicole Dionisio pushes Erin Tivnan

Kevin Gardner def Jason Dore
David Hoey def Ryan Bourque
Paul Fleming def Jon Borenstein
Steve Dodge def Mitch Blodget
Shaun LaForce def Brendan Johnson
David Jenkins def Jim Bouffard
Greg Aucoin def Jacob Fowlie
Andrew Streeter def Ben Dunlap

Maine 6.5
Maple Hill 9.5

Doubles:
Bryan/Cole def Hoey/Streeter
Brendan/Fowlie def Jenkins/Fleming
Blouin/Bourque def Dodge/Szczapanek
Dore/Mitch def Williston/Shahin
Sam/Pickle def Wendy/Erin

Aucoin/LaForce def Sellers/BennyD
Gardner/Labelle def Caleb/Borenstein
Cuzz/Zoro def JimmyB/Darby

Maine 10
Maple Hill 6