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Defending champion Cody Cox marches into the “Sweet 16” of the 2018 Lehigh Valley Amateur
September 28, 2018
BETHLEHEM TWP. — Defending champion Cody Cox has an aggressive game plan to take advantage of the wet Green Pond layout.
Cox, a 23 year-old Milford, PA resident, won 5-and-4 over former DeSales University golfer Schuyler Hart in Friday’s second round matches of the 82nd Lehigh Valley Amateur at Green Pond Country Club.
Cox is among many accomplished golfers who advanced to Saturday morning’s “Sweet 16”.
The round of 16 and quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the semifinals and championship match slated for Sunday.
Cox, a former Penn State (2017) golfer, won the 2018 Bethlehem Golf Club Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and qualified for the 2018 U.S. Amateur.
Cox had four birdies on the front nine (holes 4, 6, 7, 8) to build a 3-up lead over Hart after nine holes.
He closed out the match with conceded birdie putts on the 13th and 14th holes. Unofficially, Cox was 4-under-par.
“I drove it good again,” said Cox, who is unofficially 7-under-par for his two matches. “I’m trying to stick to my game plan. I’m trying to play the course aggressively with my driver.”
Two past champions advanced to the Sweet 16: defending champion Cody Cox, and Brian Johnson of Macungie. Johnson, the 2008 & 2011 champion, defeated 2013 winner Grant Schumaker 4-and-3.
2015 winner Justin Tresslar of Saylorsburg lost 1-up to Orwigsburg, PA native Mike Kacelowicz.
Jason Wilson of South Whitehall Township, one of the top pre-tournament title favorites, defeated Lee Nonnemacher 3-and-2..
Wilson, 44, won the 2017 Pennsylvania Mid-Amateur title, 2017 Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship, and the 2010 Lehigh Valley Inter-Club Championship. He will be inducted into the Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame in October.
Other top players advancing Friday were four-time Northeast PA Stroke Play winner John Olszewski of Upper Macungie Township, 2017 Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions winner Zach Juhasz of Bethlehem Township, 2015 runner-up Bob Posocco of Upper Macungie Township, two-time Lehigh Valley Mid-Amateur champion Joe Coulson of Upper Saucon Township, former Bethlehem and Allentown stroke play champion Jim Maru, Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame inductee Dave Olexson of Lower Macungie Township, and former Saucon Valley Country Club assistant pro Andrew Bradley, 36, of Bethlehem.
Upper bracket round of 16 matches Saturday morning are: Cody Cox vs. John Olszewski; former Stroudsburg golfer Riley Hogan vs. Matt Long, a former Notre Dame of East Stroudsburg golfer; Jason Wilson vs. former Emmaus (2012) soccer standout Stevie Castellani; and Mike Kacelowicz vs. former Freedom golfer (2015) Zach Juhasz.
Lower bracket round of 16 matches are: 2009 Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship winner Bob Posocco vs. Wedgewood Golf Course manager Joe Coulson; 2010 Pennsylvania Mid-Amateur champion Brian Johnson vs. the winner of the playoff between Andrew Frank and Jason Matuczinski (all square after 22 holes); former Moravian College golfer Jim Maru (2016) of Allentown vs. former Northampton Country Club men’s club champion Joe Jasinski of Bethlehem; and 2002 Lehigh Valley Player of the Year Dave Olexson vs. Andrew Bradley, who won the 2018 Donald Ross Invitational.
In the second round of the 27th annual Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Match Play Championship, Dave Blichar of Upper Macungie Township defeated Alan Orchard to advance to the quarterfinals.
Blichar has a chance to make significant local golf history this week.
If Blichar wins the tournament, he will become the first golfer in Lehigh Valley history to hold all four Lehigh Valley senior major amateur titles at the same time, and achieve a “Calendar Slam”.
Earlier this year, Blichar won the Lehigh Valley Senior Inter-Club Championship and the Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Medal Play Championship. Last October, Blichar won the Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions.
Blichar, a 54-year-old Upper Macungie Township resident, is a Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame inductee. He won the Lehigh Valley Amateur in 1999.
82nd Lehigh Valley Amateur
Green Pond Country Club
Match Play Results:
Championship Flight (opening round)
First Tee
Upper Bracket:
Cody Cox (defending champion) def. Dan Cahill 5-and-4, Schuyler Hart def. Kyle Henofer 2-up
Kyle Pritchard def. Brendan Mohler 4-and-2, John Olszewski def. Ryan Caverly 8-and-7
Riley Hogan def. Dan Howard 4-and-3, Will Marquette def. Marc Ashner 2-and-1
Matt Long def. Brandon Nardella 4-and-3, John Buliga def. Trever Mertz 3-and-2
Jason Wilson def. Jesse Bingaman 2-and-1, Lee Nonnemacher def. Mike Casella 1-up, 19 holes
Connor Vanin def. Mike Englert 4-and-3, Steve Castellani def. Jason Barkley 4-and-3
Mike Kacelowicz def. Steve Kluemper 1-up, 21 holes, Justin Tresslar def. Leo Fischl 3-and-2
Jim Rattigan def. Frank Betz 2-and-1, Zach Juhasz def. Phil Ries 5-and-3
Tenth Tee
Lower Bracket:
Bob Posocco def. Kevin Rossi (qualifying medalist) 1-up, Kyle Buchman def. Tyler Smith 1-up, 19 holes
Lonnie Pintande def. Kevin Fisher 7-and-5, Joe Coulson def. Rob Arnts 4-and-3
Brian Johnson def. Tony Sarko 1-up, 20 holes, Grant Schumaker def. Zach Fischl 4-and-2
Andrew Frank def. Trevor Buss 4-and-3, Jason Matuczinsk def. Tyler Smith 2-and-1
Ryan Orcutt def. Randy Brown 4-and-3, Jim Maru def. Kevin Kunkle 3-and-2
Joe Jasinski def. Mike Dickey 4-and-3, Bill Ianieri def. Kyle Morrow 4-and-3
Nate Fry def. Alex Green 2-and-1, Dave Olexson def. Eric Ostrosky 1-up, 19 holes
Chris Sakasits def. John Hartzell 2-and-1, Andrew Bradley def. Ryan Matuczinski 7-and-5
82nd Lehigh Valley Amateur
Green Pond Country Club
Match Play Results:
Championship Flight (second round)
First Tee
Upper Bracket:
Cody Cox (defending champion) def. Schuyler Hart 5-and-4, John Olszewski def. Kyle Pritchard 2-and-1
Riley Hogan def. Will Marquette 2-up, Matt Long def. John Buliga 2-up
Jason Wilson def. Lee Nonnemacher 3-and-2, Stevie Castellani def. Connor Vanin 1-up
Mike Kacelowicz def. Justin Tresslar 1-up, Zach Juhasz def. Jim Rattigan 3-and-1
Tenth Tee
Lower Bracket:
Bob Posocco def. Kyle Buchman 5-and-4, Joe Coulson def. Lonnie Pintande 6-and-5
Brian Johnson def. Grant Schumaker 4-and-3, Andrew Frank and Jason Matuczinski all square, 22 holes
Jim Maru def. Ryan Orcutt 1-up, 19 holes, Joe Jasinski def. Bill Ianieri 2-and-1
Dave Olexson def. Nate Fry 2-and-1, Andrew Bradley def. Chris Sakasits 3-and-2
82nd Lehigh Valley Amateur
Green Pond Country Club
Match Play Results:
First Flight (second round)
First Tee
Upper Bracket:
Rich Eilenberger def. Pat Denman 5-and-4, Scott Radio def. Dan Dunlap 4-and-3, Erik Stevens def. Tony Malia 6-and-5, Dave Frantz def. John Renner 1-up, Mike Weiner def. Bob Engler 1-up, John Jaques def. Kyle Hutnik 3-and-2, Matt Crilley def. Aaron Thieme 3-and-2, Freddy Carmona def. Mike Hersch Jr. 4-and-3.
Tenth Tee
Lower Bracket:
Ken Bontz def. Brandon Sluzalis 1-up, Adam Sutovich def. Rob Smith 1-up, Adam Benza def. Mark Weiner 1-up, 20 holes, Josh Richards def. Matt Scriff 5-and-4, Bob Evans def. Nick Engleman 1-up, 19 holes, Mat Wearing def. Adam Puskar 4-and-3, Bret Howey def. Chris Erb 1-up, Bill Reduzzi def. Rob Schubach 4-and-2.
27th Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Match Play Championship
Championship Flight (second round)
First Tee
Upper Bracket:
Bob Schubach def. John Martin 5-and-4, Fred Lening def. Joseph Kizer 1-up, Jeff Wiedecke def. John Albenzi 3-and-2, Dave Blichar def. Alan Orchard 9-and-7.
Tenth Tee
Lower Bracket:
Mike Hogan def. Greg Buliga 3-and-2, Mike Guro def. Jeff Hudson 1-up, 20 holes, Joe Roeder def. Tom Egolf 2-and-1, Shane Gunning def. Bill Briggs 2-and-1.
First Flight (opening round)
Jim Gleason def. Andy Lykon 2-and-1, Chris Ortman def. Brian Jodoin 4-and-3, Mark Firment def. Rick Keosian 1-up, Gary Schillo def. Eric Reiter 4-and-3
Jim Keosian def. Kurt Feldman 10-and-8, Barry Stolzman def. Dave Sweeney 2-and-1, Elliot Sheftel def. Daren Prokopowich 5-and-4, Larry Pritchard def. Rob Zampella 4-and-3
Second Flight (opening round)
Walt Humphries def. Jim Yourgal 2-up, Jim Lasko def. Glen Harding 5-and-4, Mark Choi def. Dave Schneck 3-and-1, Rich Baker def. Bill Pursell 4-and-3
Jim McCall def. Bob Burd 4-and-2, Randy Hensinger def. Alvin Blount 3-and-1, Todd Kurz def. John Prestera 3-and-1, Steve Gensemer def. Ridge Hughes 2-and-1
Third Flight (opening round)
Dale Graffis def. Keith Ashner 3-and-2, Mark Harmon def. James Habick 4-and-3, Robert Fondl def. Chuck Greene 6-and-5, Todd Gleason def. Bill Bradford 1-up
Jim Ferlino def. Jeff Howey 3-and-1,, Jeffrey Smith def. Scott Matuczinski 2-and-1, Pete Hobson def. Rick Boucher 1-up, Mike Mekile def. Bob Holder 2-and-1
Lehigh Valley Super-Senior Amateur
Championship Flight (quarterfinals)
Upper Bracket:
Ed Kluemper (defending champion) def. Keith Henritzy 4-and-3, Dylan Spadt def. Joe Masulli 1-up
Lower Bracket:
Lex Wilkinson def. Bruce Jodoin 6-and-4, Ben Spence def. Steve Domitrowits 1-up
Matches re-scheduled for Saturday morning
First Flight (quarterfinals)
Scott Schaeffer vs. Mike Tomasic, Tom Barlok vs. Mike Squires, Dean Brodt vs. Bart Kluemper, Nick Sabatine vs. Bob Butz
Second Flight (quarterfinals)
James Matthews vs. Mike Cullen, Tom Woodring vs. Mike Gonsky, Frank Szilezy vs. Dana Parr, Vic Lesky vs. Frank DeRosa
Third Flight (quarterfinals)
Tom Huff vs. Gary Fields, Barry Bartokovits vs. Ken Margraff, Gene Howey vs. Gene VanHorne, Rich Miller vs. Glen Adelsberger
Legendary Division
Championship Flight (quarterfinals)
Gordon Bennett vs. Herbert Gates, Roy Atherholt vs. Richard George, Art Scott vs. Jim Deemer, Tom Stitt vs. Bob Fairall
First Flight (quarterfinals)
Pricha Boonswang vs. Keith Slocum, Joe Milutis vs. Scott Clark, Ron Frey vs. Lynn Shallcross, Milt Trexler vs. Bruce Driesbach
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