Ryan Gay of Augusta became the 71st Maine Junior Champion on Thursday, defeating Will Delano of York, 6 & 5 in the finals of the 2007 tournament, held at Val Halla Golf and Recreation Center in Cumberland. Gay had defeated David Gushee of Gorham, 5 & 4, to advance to the finals. In the finals, Gay was four under through 13 holes to secure the championship.

 In the 13-14 age division, Henry Fall of Topsham continued his fine play of the week to defeat Seth Sweet of Madison, 4 & 3. Fall will now move on to high school where he will help to lead his Mt. Ararat team in the hunt of a state title.  Sweet, who just turned 13 last week, was the youngest player ever to compete in the Maine Amateur Championship last month at Waterville.

 At just 10 years old, Reese McFarlane  of Cape Elizabeth showed amazing poise and a heck of a golf game, as he defeated Red Desmith of Yarmouth in the 12 and under division, Through 10 holes, McFarlane was one under par and he continued his solid play for the victory, although Desmith made him work for the title, taking him to 16 holes before succumbing.

 In the girls division, Alexa Rancourt of South Portland showed advanced talent in her 6 & 5 victory over  Portland’s Kate Merrill. While Merrill, a Val Halla member had local knowledge, Rancourt used the experience she has gained over the past year while attending David Leadbetter’s IMG Academy in Florida. Rancourt will head back to Florida for her junior year at the end of the summer while Merrill is expected to be the leader among Maine’s high school girls as she enters her junior year at North Yarmouth Academy. The sportsmanship shown by the girls -- and indeed all the participants in the tournament -- to one another was truly special to watch at the championship this year. The respect that the players showed one another was just another part of what makes golf special.

 Gay will now join Gushee and five other players representing Maine in the New England Junior Invitational Championship, to be held in New Haven, CT, week after next. The remaining five players will be named by the MSGA tomorrow. Players qualify for the tournament based on their golfing performances in MSGA, PGA and USGA events over the course of the summer.  The six lowest scoring differentials (scores minus course ratings) are used to determine the participants. Maine has won the tournament only one time in the 70-year history of the tournament, in 2002, led by Jesse Speirs and Shawn Warren, who individually finished first and second in the event.

 Final Results

 15-17 Division

Ryan Gay defeated Will Delano, 6 & 5

 13-14 Division

Henry Fall defeated Seth Sweet, 4 & 3

 12 and Under Division

Reese McFarlane defeated Red Desmith, 3 & 1

 Girls Division

Alexa Rancourt defeated Kate Merrill, 6 & 5

 Semi-Final Results

15-17 Division

Will Delano (York) defeated Matt Campbell (York), 2 & 1

Ryan Gay defeated David Gushee (Gorham), 5 & 4

 13-14 Division

Seth Sweet (Madison) defeated Joe Walp (Portland), 1 up

Henry Fall (Topsham) defeated Quinn Allen (Bridgeton), 5 & 3

 12 and Under Division

Reese McFarlane  (Cape Elizabeth) defeated Sam Grindle (Deer Isle), 1 up

Red Desmith (Yarmouth) defeated Will Kannegeiser (Minot), 3 & 1

 Girls Division

Alexa Rancourt (South Portland defeated Danielle Willey (Auburn), 8 & 7

Kate Merrill (Portland) defeated Jennifer Weiland (Hampden), 4 & 3

12 and Under Round of 16 results

Sam Grindle defeated Tommy Buchholz, 5 &4

Zack Deblois defeated Drew Ferrick, 2 & 1

Kyle Bickford defeated Gavin Dugas, 3 & 1

Reese McFarlane defeated Laura Grant, 4 & 3

Red Desmith defeated Tucker Hawkinson, 5 & 3

Conner Morey defeated Ross Leblond, 4 & 3

Will Kannegeiser defeated Trevor Kitchen, 4 & 2

Cole Moran defeated Aaron Finocchiaro, 1 up

13-14 Division Round of 16 Results

Seth Sweet defeated Will Leblond, 6 & 5

Andrew Campbell defeated Joe Messerman, 1 up

Spencer Plante defeated Kyle Gilman, 8 & 7

Quinn Allen defeated Devin Merritt, 4 & 3

Connor Burfeind defeated Ian Marr, 2 & 1

Henry Fall defeated George Billing, 9 & 7

Eric Hall defeated Nick Finocchiaro, 1 up

15-17 Age Division Round of 16 Results

Will Delano defeated Jack Burnham, 4 & 3

Jack Wyman defeated Steve Patry, 1 up

Matt Campbell defeated Bryan Otis, 1 up

Zack Sweet defeated Adrian Bouthot, 2 & 1

Jason Harris defeated Chris Tucker, 3 & 2

Ryan Gay defeated Kyle Anderson, 7 & 6

Shawn Keenan defeated Andrew Cummings, 4 & 3

Girls Quarterfinal Results

Alexa Rancourt defeated Emma Seymour, 10 & 8

Danielle Willey defeated Meghan Bickford, 8 & 7

Kate Merrill defeated Kerri Grant, 4 & 3

Abby Harris defeated Jennifer Weiland, 4 & 2

12 and Under Quarterfinal results

Sam Grindle defeated Zack Deblois, 4 & 3

Reese McFarlane defeated Kyle Bickford, 3 & 1

Red Desmith defeated Conner Morey, 11 holes

Will Kannegeiser defeated Cole Moran, 1 up

13-14 Division Quarterfinal results

Set Sweet defeated Andrew Campbell, 3 & 2

Henry Fall defeated Eric Hall, 8 & 6

Joe Walp defeats Spencer Plante, 4 & 3

Quinn Allen defeated Connor Burfeind, 1 up

15-17 Division Quarterfinal results

Will Delano defeated Jack Wyman, 2 up

Matt Campbell defeated Zack Sweet, 1 up

David Gushee defeated Jason Harris, 3 & 2

Ryan Gay defeated Shawn Keenan, 5 & 4

12 & under	9-hole stroke play qualifier
Time	Player	score	Rank	VS.	Player	score	Rank
8:00 AM	Sam Grindle	39	1		Thomas Buckholz	61	16
8:08 AM	Drew Ferrick	50	8		Zack Deblois	50	9
8:16 AM	Kyle Bickford	44	4		Gavin Dugas	54	13
8:24 AM	Reese McFarlane	48	5		Laura Grant	51	12
8:32 AM	Red Desmith	40	2		Tucker Hawkinson	57	15
8:40 AM	Conner Morey	49	7		Ross Leblond	51	10
8:48 AM	Will Kannegeiser	43	3		Trevor Kitchen	55	14
8:56 AM	Cole Moran	49	6		Aaron Finocchiaro	51	11
15-17 Division	18-hole stroke play qualifier
Time	Player	score	Rank	VS.	Player	score	Rank
7:30 AM	William Delano	71	1		Jack Burnham	77	16
7:38 AM	Steve Patry	75	8		Jack Wyman	75	9
7:46 AM	Matt Campbell	73	4		Bryan Otis	75	13
7:54 AM	Zack Sweet	74	5		Adrian Bouthot	75	12
8:02 AM	David Gushee	72	2		Eric Muslawski	77	15
8:10 AM	Jason Harris	75	7		Chris Tucker	75	10
8:18 AM	Ryan Gay	72	3		Kyle Anderson	76	14
8:26 AM	Shawn Keenan	74	6		Andrew Cummings	75	11
13-14 Division	18-hole stroke play qualifier
Time	Player	score	Rank	VS.	Player	score	Rank
8:34 AM	Seth Sweet	73	1		Will Leblond	101	16
8:42 AM	Andrew Campbell	85	8		Joe Messerman	85	9
8:50 AM	Spencer Plante	79	4		Kyle Gilman	90	13
8:58 AM	Joe Walp	82	5		Nate McCue	88	12
9:06 AM	Quinn Allen	78	2		Devin Merrit	95	15
9:14 AM	Connor Burfeind	83	7		Ian Marr	86	10
9:22 AM	Henry Fall	78	3		George Billing	92	14
9:30 AM	Eric Hall	82	6		Nick Finocchiaro	88	11
Girls Division	18-hole stroke play qualifier
Time	Player	score	Rank	VS.	Player	score	Rank
9:38 AM	Alexa Rancourt	71	1		Emma Seymour	107	8
9:46 AM	Danielle Willey	93	4		Meghan Bickford	103	5
9:54 AM	Kate Merrill	78	2		Kerri Grant	106	7
10:02 AM	Abby Harris	86	3		Jennifer Weiland