The North team celebrates its victory.

The North team claimed the 2nd Junior Florida Cup at Calusa Pines Golf Club in Naples earning 29 points to the South team’s 11 points.

After the first day of the Junior Florida Cup, the North team had a commanding nine point lead gaining 14 ½ points to the South’s 5 ½. The North team gained seven points in the morning round of four-ball compared to the South’s three points. Blayne Barber, the 2006 Boys Junior Champion, and partner Kevin Phelan won their match 1 up as did Rick Kittelstad and Ryan Corbin. Big wins also came from the North girls. Ryan Ashburn and Meghan Chapman claimed their match 3 and 2, Erica Popson and Brandi Rodriguez won their match 7 and 5 and Jessica Negron and Brighid Hourihan prevailed in their match 5 and 4. In the afternoon round of mixed foursomes, the North team remained in front earning 7 ½ points to the South’s 2 ½ points. Eleven members of the North team won both their morning and afternoon matches. Rocky Khara and Alexander Medinis, representing the South team, won both their matches contributing to the South’s total. A highlight of the afternoon came when the South’s John-Christian Templeton and Courtney Figueroa started their match making four birdies on the first four holes.

On the final day of singles matches, the North team matched their first day total of 14 ½ points while the South gained 5 ½ points. In all, the North team had nine players go undefeated for the tournament. Top-ranked Blayne Barber defeated Joshua Leppo 2 and 1 while Meghan Chapman, second on the division points list, won her match 4 and 3 for the North team. The North’s Erica Popson, who recently played in the US Women’s Open Sectional, won all her matches including her singles match 2 and 1 versus Maria Ronderos, who also competed in the Sectional. Drew Mathews, of the North, went 8-under through 13 holes to win his match 7 and 5 while Rick Kittelstad, also playing for the North, was 6-under through 14 holes to win his match 6 and 4. Alexander Medinis was the lone South member who won all his matches. Medinis defeated Ryan Corbin 1 up in the singles match. The South’s Alexandria Ramirez showed good sportsmanship after battling back from four down to within one on the 17th hole before she called a penalty on herself resulting in the loss of the hole and the match.

The Junior Florida Cup matches 20 players from the North against 20 players from the South in a Ryder Cup format. Each team consists of 12 boys and 8 girls selected mostly from the Florida Junior Tour (FJT) points list. The first morning, each boy and girl is paired with a partner to compete in a four-ball match. In the afternoon round, the boys and girls are paired together to play mixed-foursomes matches. The final day each junior plays a singles match against a player from the opposing team. Points are awarded to each match similarly to the Ryder Cup to determine the winning team. Last year, the inaugural Junior Florida Cup ended in a tie with each team earning 20 points.

Playing for the North was Blayne Barber, Lake City, Rick Kittelstad, Lutz, Ryan Corbin, Orlando, George Letson, Tampa, Drew Matthews, Winter Haven, Travis Ralph, Redington Beach, Brig hid Hourihan, Ponte Vedra Beach, Meghan Chapman, Seminole, Erica Popson, Davenport, Andrew Kim, Old Tappan, Bodi Karsono, Gainesville, MJ Maguire, St. Petersburg, Ryan Ashburn, Seminole, AJ Newell, Tampa, Jessica Negron, Ocala, Alex Donaldson, Windermere, Charlie Martin, Tampa, Kevin Phelan, St. Augustine, Alexandra Milan, Lutz and Brandi Rodriguez, Orlando.

The South featured Christopher Carlin, Miramar, Alexander Medinis, Fort Myers, Tyler Herndon, Davie, Joshua Leppo, Naples, Daniel Mazziotta, Fort Myers, Steve Dooley, North Port, Maria Ronderos, Bradenton, Courtney Figueroa, Naples, Diana Davis, Pembroke Pines, John-Christian Templeton, Sarasota, Rocky Khara, Sebring, Brandon Heinkel, Boynton Beach, Jamie Ritter, Davie, Jennifer Neville, Bradenton, Lauren Himebaugh, Palm City, Alex McMahon, Naples, Sean Jacklin, Bradenton, Chase Marinell, Cape Coral, Alexandra Perez, Miami and Alexandria Ramirez, Naples.

For complete results and pictures from the Junior Florida Cup, please click here.