SANFORD, NC -- Chatham Middle School rode a balanced attack to win the North Carolina Middle School championship at Quail Ridge Golf Club in Sanford, NC. Chatham's four player total of 349 for Saturday's round was good enough to beat 10 other teams in the first-ever championship put on by the Tarheel Youth Golf Association solely for middle school golfers and teams. The championship was reduced to 18 holes after Hurricane Kyle's thundershowers washed out Friday's round. Teams consisted of four, five or six players, with four players needed to post a team score. The championship also featured 22 players not attached to teams vying for the individual trophies.

Cydney Clanton of Concord Middle fired an 82 to win the girls title, while a trio of 76's played off for the boys title. Taylor Zimmerman of Elkin Middle was eliminated after a first hole bogey, leaving Henry Zaytoun of Our Lady of Lourdes and Warren Straub of West Lake Middle to play for the title. In a five-hole playoff that spilled over into Sunday, Straub's par on the par-four 17^th hole was good enough to outlast Zaytoun.

On Friday, the Tarheel Youth Golf Association and interested coaches met to form to North Carolina Middle School Golf Association, which will be dedicated to providing a state championship and other services to middle school teams in North Carolina.

This championship is conducted by the Tarheel Youth Golf Association.

Chatham Middle School, Siler City, 349

Jamestown Middle School, Jamestown, 351

Southern Middle School, Aberdeen, 357

Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School, Charlotte, 362

Daniels Middle School, Raleigh, 362

West Lake Middle School, Apex, 362

Tucker Creek Middle School, Havelock, 368

West Pine Middle School, West End, 382

Westchester Academy, High Point, 394

Central Wilkes Middle School, Moravian Falls, 415

West Lee Middle School, Sanford, 417

*Warren Straub, West Lake Middle, 37-39--76 (4,3,3,3,4)

Henry Zaytoun, Our Lady of Lourdes School, 38-38--76 (4,3,3,3,5)

Taylor Zimmerman, Elkin Middle, 39-37--76 (5)

Michael Muscatell, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle, 38-39--77

Kevin O'Connell, Durant Road Middle, 36-41--77

David Chung, Chung Home School, 39-38--77

Chris Nuhn, Jamestown Middle, 40-39--79

Jack Fields, Southern Middle, 41-38--79

Craig Wood, Chatham Middle, 42-38--80

Harrison Kaylor, Daniels Middle School, 41-39--80

Bradley Cline, E. Lawson Brown Middle, 42-38--80

Reid DeRamus, Alexander Graham Middle, 44-37--81

Barrett Knowles, Max Abbot Middle, 39-42--81

Michael Gulledge, Jamestown Middle, 40-42--82

Austin Rhymer, Asheville Christian Academy, 43-39--82

Troy Spencer, Archdale Trinity Middle, 40-43--83

Kevin McDonald, Southern Middle, 43-41--84

JJ Daniel, Chatham Middle, 44-41--85

Jordan Murphy, Grover C. Fields Middle, 46-39--85

Stephen Wood, Chatham Middle, 42-44--86

Ward Minton, Daniels Middle School, 44-43--87

Sam Stephenson, West Lake Middle, 42-45--87

Ryan Smith, Southern Middle, 44-44--88

Daniel Koontz, Tucker Creek Middle, 43-45--88

Brad Sheerin, West Pine Middle, 42-46--88

Josh Budds, Lufkin Road Middle, 45-43--88

Harrison Ashworth, West Lake Middle, 44-45--89

Patrick Barrett, West Pine Middle, 42-47--89

Neil Bryska, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle, 45-46--91

Ben Parrish, West Lee Middle, 45-46--91

Brandon Churchill, Tucker Creek Middle, 46-46--92

Ross Burgess, Elkin Middle, 43-49--92

Justin Clement, North Asheboro Middle, 41-51--92

Bert Subin, The O'Neal School, 43-50--93

Matt Clark, Tucker Creek Middle, 49-45--94

Nick Newton, Tucker Creek Middle, 45-49--94

Webb Grubb, Archdale Trinity Middle, 47-47--94

Nolan Barefoot, Daniels Middle School, 52-43--95

Robert Herford, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle, 52-43--95

Levi Shelton, Tucker Creek Middle, 46-49--95

Greg Hayes, West Lake Middle, 46-51--97

Merritt Foushee, West Lee Middle, 51-46--97

Cal Brewer, Chatham Middle, 47-50--97

Justin Shaw, Chatham Middle, 48-50--98

Phillip Brame, Central Wilkes Middle, 49-50--99

Carter Phillips, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle, 52-47--99

Stephen Kinsey, Westchester Academy, 46-53--99

Sharleen Gale, Riverwood Middle, 52-47--99

James Warden, Central Wilkes Middle, 48-52--100

Harris Adams, Daniels Middle School, 48-52--100

Jake Hartsfield, West Lake Middle, 48-52--100

Scott Greeson, Jamestown Middle, 50-51--101

Russell Burke, West Pine Middle, 50-51--101

Connor Kennedy, Chatham Middle, 48-54--102

Lee Gay, West Lee Middle, 50-53--103

Matt Wrike, Jamestown Middle, 48-56--104

Pete Lineberger, West Pine Middle, 55-49--104

Matthew Jones, West Lake Middle, 56-49--105

Brian Holstein, West Pine Middle, 51-54--105

Hunter Ricks, Daniels Middle School, 49-57--106

Rob Kennington, Jamestown Middle, 51-55--106

Christian Johnstone, Southern Middle, 57-49--106

Harrison Hood, Westchester Academy, 58-48--106

Virgil Willard, Westchester Academy, 53-53--106

Brett Henson, Central Wilkes Middle, 54-53--107

Winston Davenport, Central Wilkes Middle, 53-56--109

William Buchanan, Central Wilkes Middle, 55-65--120

Jordan Walters, Southern Middle, 64-60--124

Steven Beck, Westchester Academy, 63-61--124

Hagen Pore, Chatham Middle, 64-61--125

Forbes Starling, West Lee Middle, 61-65--126

Manny Clark, Westchester Academy, 57-69--126

Charlie Ohnstad, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle, 59-71--130

Tres Plummer, Central Wilkes Middle, 68-65--133

*won in playoff

Cydney Clanton, Concord Middle, 41-41--82

Jordan Ridge, Westchester Academy, 43-40--83

Lucie Crane, Jamestown Middle, 44-45--89

Sharleen Gale, Riverwood Middle, 52-47--99

Angelic Edwards, Southern Middle, ---WD

Central Wilkes Middle School, Moravian Falls, 415

Phillip Brame, 49-50--99

James Warden, 48-52--100

Brett Henson, 54-53--107

Winston Davenport, 53-56--109

Tres Plummer, 68-65--133

Chatham Middle School, Siler City, 349

Craig Wood, 42-38--80

JJ Daniel, 44-41--85

Stephen Wood, 42-44--86

Justin Shaw, 48-50--98

Connor Kennedy, 48-54--102

Daniels Middle School, Raleigh, 362

Harrison Kaylor, 41-39--80

Ward Minton, 44-43--87

Nolan Barefoot, 52-43--95

Harris Adams, 48-52--100

Hunter Ricks, 49-57--106

Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School, Charlotte, 362

Michael Muscatell, 38-39--77

Neil Bryska, 45-46--91

Robert Herford, 52-43--95

Carter Phillips, 52-47--99

Jamestown Middle School, Jamestown, 351

Chris Nuhn, 40-39--79

Michael Gulledge, 40-42--82

Lucie Crane, 44-45--89

Scott Greeson, 50-51--101

Matt Wrike, 48-56--104

Rob Kennington, 51-55--106

Southern Middle School, Aberdeen, 357

Jack Fields, 41-38--79

Kevin McDonald, 43-41--84

Ryan Smith, 44-44--88

Christian Johnstone, 57-49--106

Jordan Walters, 64-60--124

Angelic Edwards, ---WD

Tucker Creek Middle School, Havelock, 368

Daniel Koontz, 43-45--88

Brandon Churchill, 46-46--92

Matt Clark, 49-45--94

Nick Newton, 45-49--94

Levi Shelton, 46-49--95

West Lake Middle School, Apex, 362

Warren Straub, 37-39--76

Harrison Ashworth, 44-45--89

Greg Hayes, 46-51--97

Jake Hartsfield, 48-52--100

Matthew Jones, 56-49--105

West Lee Middle School, Sanford, 417

Ben Parrish, 45-46--91

Merritt Foushee, 51-46--97

Lee Gay, 50-53--103

Forbes Starling, 61-65--126

West Pine Middle School, West End, 382

Brad Sheerin, 42-46--88

Patrick Barrett, 42-47--89

Russell Burke, 50-51--101

Pete Lineberger, 55-49--104

Brian Holstein, 51-54--105

Westchester Academy, High Point, 394

Jordan Ridge, 43-40--83

Stephen Kinsey, 46-53--99

Harrison Hood, 58-48--106

Virgil Willard, 53-53--106

Steven Beck, 63-61--124

Manny Clark, 57-69--126