The Varsity Responds

2014 Mid-Pines Cup Recap

The 2014 edition of the Mid-Pines Cup fell the first week of April. The Young Guns returned all eight players from the victorious 2013 squad while The Varsity shook up their lineup a bit in hopes of a different result. The Varsity had only lost a single session in the inaugural showdown, so it made sense that optimism was flowing--especially with the addition of a fifth session to replace the second practice round.

Year two started much like the first one with The Varsity claiming 2.5 of the 4 possible points. The Hokie tandem of Shaver and Ponch dusted Mattare and Fodero 4&2 to open the proceedings, then newcomer Ross Chomik paired with Matt Holden to deliver another point over Tim Flannery and Charlie Murphy. The Young Guns struck back with stalwarts Tom Holden and Mike Christensen defeating Flannery-Wells and it looked like the Young Guns would salvage a tie in the session with the final match firmly in their grasp at the turn. But Zach Sacks and Jason Babinec erased the 4dn deficit over the final nine to salvage a half point. Just like 2013, it was The Varsity staking a 2.5 to 1.5 lead after the first session.

But their opponent's comeback was not in the 11th hour this time: it was swift and it was decisive. The afternoon's Red-White-Blue session went to the Young Guns 3-1 including a dramatic victory on the 18th hole for Mattare and Christensen over Ponch and Wells. The next morning in seeded four ball, the Young Guns kept the foot on the accelerator with another 3-1 session victory. Leading the way again was the team of Buzzkill and Darkness, who gutted out a 1up victory over Shaver and Chomik in what was highlighted pre-tournament as the featured match. The victory kept the Murphy-Christensen duo undefeated all-time and added to Mikey's stellar record on matches that reach the final hole (5-1-1). Going into the fourth session the scoreboard read 7.5 to 4.5 in favor of the Young Guns. To have a chance, the Varsity's comeback would have to start in the format they were swept in the previous year, Scramble-Alternate Shot.

Those hopes dried up almost immediately. Flannery and Mattare started the session by applying a record shellacking on Babinec and Matt Holden 8&7 while Fodero and Murphy took down Wells and Shaver 2&1. The final two matches need all 18 holes to reach a conclusion. In true Cincinnati Buzzkill fashion, Mikey and Chris Holden delivered the third point of the session on that final hole over Ponch and Sacks. Captain Joe Flannery and Ross Chomik finally got the Varsity of the schneid in the final match against Lyons and Tom Holden, scratching out a half point. When the dust settled, there was a deficit that would've made Ben Crenshaw cringe: Young Guns 11, Varsity 5. A mere 1.5 points were necessary from the eight singles matches to clinch the Cup.

The leaders didn't waste much time. The first match of the day saw Pat Lyons step on Babinec early and often, playing the first 11 holes in one over par before closing out the match 8&7. The clinching point came from Brett Fodero in the second foursome with his 6&5 victory over Matt Holden. Ultimately, the Young Guns took their fourth straight session by a margin of 5-3 and wrapped up the 2014 Mid-Pines Cup 16-8.

Key Moment: The consensus was that Seeded Four Ball was a format that the Varsity were primed to do well in thanks to how the pairings fell. The Young Guns erased that notion with a 3-1 victory in the session and set the table for the dagger in Scramble-Alternate Shot that afternoon.

Matches of the Week: Mattare-Christensen vs Ponch-Wells in RWB...it was hard to beat the drama of the RWB match. It looked as if Ponch and Wells were in prime position to win a point that would've kept the Varsity in the lead on day one, but Mattare knocked a lob wedge from the left trees to six feet and buried the putt to swing the match to the Young Guns.

Murphy-Christensen vs Shaver-Chomik in Seeded Four-Ball...the marquee matchup in the seeded session delivered on the build-up. In a key swing match, the late match heroics of Mikey continued and the Young Guns won a crucial point on the 18th hole.

It was over when: For the second straight year the Varsity went winless in Scramble-Alternate Shot, leaving the Young Guns with an insurmountable lead heading into singles.

Young Guns MVP: Tom Holden (4-0-1)
Varsity MVP: Joe Flannery (3-1-1)

2013 Mid-Pines Cup Recap

This long dormant site that was used for exactly one week two years ago is BACK. Over the coming weeks we'll unveil recaps, videos, and new player profiles with updated statistics through two Mid-Pines Cups.

Today we'll start off with a recap of the 2013 affair, a 11-9 win for the Young Guns. There were only four tournament rounds instead of five, giving each player a chance to familiarize themselves with the courses prior to the event happening. The weather was sunny but sub-50 for most of the week, which meant people were freezing their balls off until the third bloody mary had a chance to coarse through their veins.

The Varsity came out of the gate strong. In the first match, Captain Joe Flannery and long-time member guest partner Jeremy Wells dismantled Matt Mattare and Tom Holden 5&3. The duo was a staggering -10 net through 12 holes, leaving little to no chance for whoever got in their way. The Hokies Ponch and Shaver rang the register for another point for The Varsity, but a chance for a commanding lead slipped away in the final two matches.

Charlie Murphy and Mike Christensen secured the first Young Guns point with a 3&2 victory over Matt Holden and Hobbie. Then as darkness fell, Pat Lyons poured in a huge putt on the 18th hole to salvage a half point for him and Captain Tim Flannery against Chilly and Sacks. The day one tally fell at 2.5 to 1.5 in favor of The Varsity.

The next morning was the Red-White-Blue session at Pine Needles and again The Varsity jumped up early. Ponch and Chilly handled Mattare and Lyons easily and the Shaver-Sacks combo scraped out a half point against The Young Guns' only winning pair on day one, Darkness and the Cincinnati Buzzkill. Another halve from the Chris Holden-Fodero vs Hobbie-Wells match meant that Joe Flannery and Matt Holden could put the Young Guns in a giant hole heading into the final two sessions. But with an assist from some irritable Flannery bowels, the younger set of cousins took down their elders in what proved to be a colossal swing point. Tom Holden and Tim Flannery prevailed in a beatdown 5&4.

In the afternoon is when the tide officially turned. After winning only two matches in the first two sessions, the Young Guns completed a clean sweep in the scramble-alternate shot. Flannery and Mattare ripped off a 5&4 win over Sacks and Ponch to start the avalanche. After falling behind big early, the Lyons-T. Holden and Buzzkill-C. Holden teams both stormed back to win while Fodero and Charlie Murphy polished off the session with a 2&1 victory over Chilly and Hobbie. Suddenly the shell-shocked and seething Varsity was staring at a 7.5 to 4.5 deficit heading into singles. The Young Guns would need only three points out of the eight matches to win the first Mid-Pines Cup.

A rally on the final day was not to be for Captain Joe's squad. While Wells, Shaver, Ponch, and Chilly all delivered victories, the Cincinnati Buzzkill, Tim Flannery, and 2013 MVP ensured it would be all for naught. The final score read 11-9 (and 1-0 in parking lot sprints) in favor of the Young Guns, securing The Cup, the money, and ultimate bragging rights for 365+ days.

Key Moment: The Young Guns sweep Scramble-Alternate Shot 4-0...it was the only session they won the entire Cup, but it was decisive to provide ample cushion heading into singles.
Match of the Week: The Cincinnati Buzzkill and Chris Holden's giant comeback from three down in the Scramble-Alternate Shot to knock off Matt Holden and Andy Shaver 2up...swinging that point from the Varsity to the Young Guns ultimately proved the difference between a tie and a win.
It was over when...Captain Tim Flannery delivered the Cup clinching point over Matt Holden on the 17th hole at Pine Needles. Sadly, his par saving up and down from 100 yards using only a putter on the final hole was not actually part of the match. If it would've been, that hands down would've been the shot of the tournament.

Young Guns MVP: Tom Holden (3-1...all four matches against Joe Flannery)
Varsity MVP: Ponch Frank (3-1)