Top seeds Cowan, Blonien reach semifinals of OGA Junior Championship
Above: Girls semifinalist Juliana Hong of Norman
Ryder Cowan of Edmond kept his hopes for a third OGA title in eight days alive with two victories Wednesday in the match play portion of the OGA Junior Championship at Lincoln Park West in Oklahoma City.
On the girls side, the two top finishers in stroke play – Natallie Blonien of Altus and Juliana Hong of Norman – each won twice to advance to Thursday’s semifinals. The championship matches will be played Thursday beginning around noon.
Cowan defeated Benjamin Field II of Owasso 4 and 3 and Cameron Cheek of Owasso 2 and 1 to reach the semifinals where he will face C.J. Phillips of Edmond, who defeated Rhett Hughes of Edmond 3 and 2 and Ty Hyatt of Stillwater 3 and 1.
Cowan’s high school teammate Bryant Polhill is in the other semifinal against Mack Moore of Norman, Moore defeated Parker Payne of Norman 2 and 1 and then knocked off No. 2 seed Parker Sands of Edmond 5 and 3. Polhill def. Jenks star Sam Morris 1 up then won 3 and 1 against Preston Albee of Choctaw.
Blonien, who won the stroke play by one shot over Hong, will face Gregston in one semifinal. Blonien defeated Meredith Colby of Edmond 5 and 4 then edged Rylee Roberts of Edmond 1 up. Gregston took out Lorelai Efaaw of Tulsa and Peyton Coburn of Broken Arrow to reach the semifinals.
The other semifinal pits Hong against Justiz. Hong rolled past Maggie Ruby of Stillwater and Haley Whittern of Piedmont while Justiz defeated Jaci Hartman of Burneyville and Spencer Holleyman of Edmond.
70th OGA Junior Boys & 11th OGA Junior Girls Championship
Monday, June 05, 2023 – Thursday, June 08, 2023
Oklahoma City
Lincoln Park Golf Course (West), Lincoln Park – West
Results
Round of 16
14-15 Boys
Emerson Majma, Edmond def.. Caden Thompson, Inola 3 and 2
Austen Mueller, Yukon def. Banks Cozby, Tulsa 2 up
Ty Neatherlin, Edmond def. Coleman Sides, Tulsa 3 and 2
Chase Blaser, Edmond def. Harrison Shaw, Tulsa 19 holes
Ben Lathrop, Oklahoma City def. Tristan Parks, Stillwater 7 and 6
Cooper Watson, Lawton def. Nate Seres, Edmond 3 and 2
Bryce Freeman, Tuttle def. Braden Haines, Edmond 2 and 1
Owen Mitchel, Edmond def. Greyden Wasinger, Enid 4 and 3
16-18 Boys
Ryder Cowan, Edmond def. Benjamin Field II, Owasso 4 and 3
Cameron Cheek, Owasso def. Baylor Bostick, Duncan 1 up
Ty Hyatt, Stillwater, def. Grant Gudgel, Stillwater 2 and 1
C.J. Phillips, Edmond def. Rhett Hughes, Edmond 3 and 2
Parker Sands, Edmond def. Collin Bond, Norman 4 and 3
Mack Moore, Norman def. Parker Payne Norman 2 and 1
Preston Albee, Choctaw def. Samuel Bonaobra, Broken Arrow 5 and 4
Bryant Polhill, Edmond def. Sam Morris, Tulsa 1 up
Girls
Natalie Blonien, Altus def. Meredith Colby, Edmond 5 and 4
Rylee Roberts, Edmond def. Josey Cavitt, Burneyville 5 and 4
Jaiden Gregston, Duncan def. Lorelai Efaw, Tulsa 3 and 2
Peyton Coburn, Broken Arrow def. Sophia Lefler, Tulsa 1 up
Juliana Hong, Norman def. Maggie Ruby, Stillwater 5 and 4
Haley Whittern, Piedmont def. Cara Cummins, Oklahoma City 4 and 3
Spencer Holleyman, Edmond def. Mimi Hoang, Oklahoma City 2 and 1
Abbie Justiz, Arcadia def. Jaci Hartman, Burneyville 2 and 1
Quarterfinals
14-15 Boys
Majma def. Mueller 2 and 1
Blaser def. Neatherlin 21 holes
Lathrop def. Watson 6 and 5
Mitchell def. Freeman 4 and 3
16-18 Boys
Cowan def. Cheek 2 and 1
Phillips def. Hyatt 3 and 1
Moore def. Sands 5 and 3
Polhill def. Albee 3 and 1
Girls
Blonien def. Roberts 1 up
Gregston def. Coburn 3 and 2
Hong def. Whitteren 3 and 2
Justiz def. Holleyman