NAUGATUCK — When the rain finally cleared for long enough to allow the Hop Brook golf championships to continue Aug. 12, all three flight favorites were washed away.
No. 8-seeded Dave Leroy took down No. 1 Nick Tribanas, 2 and 1, in the championship flight, leaving five-time champ and No. 2-seeded Ray Martino as the standing favorite.
In the first flight, the top two seeds went down after earning first-round byes. No. 8 Brandon Sweet beat No. 1 Bob Stabile, 6 and 4, and No. 7 Mike Murphy dispatched No. 2 Mike Fox, 4 and 2.
The same happened in the second flight, where No. 9 Ully Hilse earned a 2-up win over No. 1 Paul Padilla and No. 7 Charlie Fredericks downed No. 2 Billy Klisus, 4 and 3.
The semifinals and championships are scheduled to be played Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the three men’s flight championships, the women’s flight championship will feature Stephanie Slekis vs. Dawn Bruenn.
Forty-five golfers qualified for the four championship tournaments.
“The participation we’re happy with,” Hop Brook golf pro Bryan Nixon said. “We’d always like to see more, but it’s in line with last year. We try to get more women involved, but we’re having some difficulties there.”
Here are the results of quarterfinal action:
Championship flight: No. 8 Dave Leroy def. No. 1 Nick Tribanas, 2 and 1; No. 4 Jerry Russo def. No. 5 Jason Rizk, 5 and 3; No. 2 Ray Martino def. No. 7 Steve DeMatteo, 6 and 4; No. 3 Jesse Cyr def. No. 6 Scott Thomas, 1 up.
First flight: No. 8 Brandon Sweet def. No. 1 Bob Stabile, 6 and 4; No. 5 Billy Testone def. No. 4 Sam Molnar, 2 and 1; No. 7 Mike Murphy def. No. 2 Mike Fox, 4 and 2; No. 3 Manny Tribanas def. No. 11 Larry Testone, 3 and 2.
Second flight: No. 9 Ully Hilse def. No. 1 Paul Padilla, 2 up; No. 12 Herb Grandpre def. No. 13 Ron Wallace, 1 up; No. 7 Charlie Fredericks def. No. 2 Billy Klisus, 4 and 3; No. 3 Dale Sweet def. No. 11 Ron Swierbitowicz, 3 and 2.
Here is the schedule for the semifinals and finals, respectively:
Championship flight: Russo vs. Leroy and Martino vs. Cyr, 7:31 a.m.; 36-hole championship, 7:31 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
First flight: Testone vs. Sweet and Tribanas vs. Murphy, 7:38 a.m.; 18-hole championship, 7:38 a.m.
Second flight: Hilse vs. Grandpre and Sweet vs. Fredericks, 7:45 a.m.; 18-hole championship, 7:45 a.m.
Women’s championship: Stephanie Slekis vs. Dawn Bruenn, 7:52 a.m.