Matthew Civitella of Waynesborough Country Club earned medalist honors in the Junior-Junior Boys' Championship at Flourtown Country Club with an even-par 35 in qualifying. He advanced to the quarters with a 3&1 victory in his first-round match.

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Waynesborough’s Civitella medals, advances in Jr.-Jr. Boys’

  FLOURTOWN, Pa.–A soft-spoken Matt Civitella of Waynesborough Country Club made a loud and clear statement on Day One of the 66th Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship at Flourtown Country Club (par 35, 2,547 yards).

  Civitella, who earned the top seed in morning qualifying, defeated No. 16 Ben Lee of White Manor Country Club, 3&1, in a first-round match Monday. He faces D.J. Colleran (No. 9 seed) of Overbrook Golf Club next in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. The semifinals will immediately follow. The 18-hole Championship Match is set for 8 a.m. Wednesday. All matches, other than the final, as well as qualifying are nine holes.

  Civitella advanced to the semis of the Junior-Junior a year ago.

  “I’m looking for a little redemption,” said Civitella, 13, of Paoli. Pa. “It was a big relief to win the first match. We both played well. He would have shot 38 with a par on No. 9 and I would have had a 36.”

  Civitella emphatically stated his intentions against Lee on No. 1 (par 4, 380 yards). He drained a birdie chip-in from 20 yards short of the green to win the initial hole. The two exchanged victories on Nos. 3 and 4, first Civitella then Lee. On No. 5 (par 4, 370 yards), Civitella further forged ahead with a par victory before closing Lee out on the par 3, eighth (88 yards). He did so with another par.

  “Chipping in on the first hole gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the match,” said Civitella, a rising eighth grader at Valley Forge Middle School. “The golf course sets up well for me. I don’t have to worry about the distance too much. I have to get the ball on the green in regulation and make some putts.”

  Civitella cruised to medalist honors in the morning qualifier. He made six straight pars before a bogey on No. 7 (par 4, 270 yards) after finding the left trees off the tee. He regained that stroke a hole later on No. 8 (par 3, 88 yards) with a 54-degree wedge to 10 feet for birdie. Civitella almost finished in red figures but lipped out his third shot on No. 9 (par 4, 320 yards) from the front left bunker to finish with a tap-in par and round of 35.

  Colman Mitchell of Wilmington Country Club opened defense of his title with a qualifying score of 40 to earn the No. 6 seed. He added a 4&3 victory over Jack Burton of Overbrook Golf Club in Round 1.

  “I was kind of nervous to start the day, but my brother [and caddie] Davis helped me calm down,” said Mitchell. “I just wanted to qualify in the morning. I played pretty well in my match. I knew if I could get off to a good start I would be in good shape.”

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Championship Flight
1. Matthew Civitella, Waynesborough CC, d. 16. Ben Lee, White Manor CC, 3&1.
8. Alec Ryden, Laurel Creek CC, d. 9. D.J. Colleran, Overbrook GC, 2&1.
13. Case Hummer, Aronimink GC, d. 4. Philip Bancroft, III, Trenton CC, 10 holes.
5. Daniel Kovacevich, Trenton CC, d. 12. Charlie Baker, Gulph Mills GC, 2-up.
2. Dan Bastian, Rolling Green GC, d. 15. Joseph Morganti, Llanerch CC, 2-up.
7. Frankie Gregor, Huntingdon Valley CC, d. 10. Patrick Isztwan, Huntingdon Valley CC, 2&1.
14. Nicholas Hano, III, Aronimink GC, d. 3. Dolan Cox, White Manor CC, 10 holes.
6. Colman Mitchell, Wilmington CC, d. 11. Jack Burton, Overbrook GC, 4&3.

First Flight
1. Matthew Berkenstock, Bent Creek CC, bye.
8. Heyward George, Aronimink GC, d. 9. Bryce Fazio, Huntingdon Valley CC, 10 holes.
4. Matthew Lafond, Blue Bell CC, d. 13. Cole Meadows, Flourtown CC, 5&3.
5. Finn McGarry, Tavistock CC, d. 12. Kevin Keown, Flourtown CC, 5&4.
2. Jacob Zeng, Applecross CC, bye.
7. John McClatchy, Whitford CC, d. 10. Tyler Kidwell, Flourtown CC, 4&3.
3. Darren Nolan, Huntingdon Valley CC, bye.
6. Jack Murray, Stonewall, d. 11. Maclen Lewis, RiverCrest GC & Preserve, 3&2.