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FAYETTEVILLE, NY -- The first-ever New York State championship at Green Lakes State Park Golf Course kicked off Thursday with the state's top players aged 14 and under teeing it up for the Boys' and Girls' 14U Junior Amateur Championship. 

Related: Results / Photos / Preview / Championship Central

Each of the Boys' and Girls' fields competed in 18 holes of stroke play on the historic Robert Trent Jones Sr. layout. 

Francisco Cupp of Saratoga Golf & Polo rolled in four birdies en-route to an opening 69 (-2). Cupp got things started with three birdies in his first seven holes and turned in a smooth, even-par back nine to cruise into the clubhouse. The two under performance by the 13-year-old was one of only two rounds under par and leaves Cupp one clear in the Boys' bracket heading into the final round. 

"I haven't been up at the top of the leaderboard in a while," said Cupp after his round. "It's nice to have a good first round, so you don't have to rely on the second round as much."  

Tanner LaTorre of NYSGA eClub - Capital Region capped off his opening round with three birdies in his final four holes to finish at one under par. LaTorre made six birdies in the up-and-down round and will enter the final day one shy of Cupp. 

Colin McAskin of Wykagyl Country Club turned in an even par 71. The co-runner up in last year's 14U at the Lake Placid Club fired a 33 (-2) on the front, but a tumultuous back nine that included three birdies and five bogeys brought him back to even par. McAskin will tee off for the final round two shots behind Cupp, well within striking distance of the lead. 

Thomas Goodelle of NYSGA eClub - Central New York carded a one-over 72, while Ethan Domajnko, the 18 hole leader at last year's championship, came in at two over par. 

Green Lakes was set up at 5,983 yards for the Boys' 14U and played to a Par of 71. 

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Katlynn Smith of Rip Van Winkle Country Club executed the only even par round in the Girls' 14U field to open a two stroke lead. The runner-up at last year's Girls' 14U overcame a rough start to her round with three straight birdies on holes 5, 6 and 7. The 13-year-old Smith, who was granted exemption into this year's 18U Girls' Junior Amateur and finished fifth at the Women's Amateur Championship, made two more birdies on 16 and 18 to cap off her 71. 

"I wasn't always comfortable through the round today, I started off bogey-par-bogey-bogey," Smith recalled in a post-round interview. "I got my mojo back when I made three birdies in a row and felt a lot more comfortable." 

Natalie Wasik of Lockport Town & Country Club matched the leader stride-for-stride for much of the opening round and finished with a 73 (+2). The recent winner of the Under Armour Junior Tour National Championship at PGA National will begin final round play two back of Smith. 

Alexa Trapani of Apple Greens Golf Club turned in an opening 78 (+7), while Nina Dahl of Youth on Course MGA finished at eight over. 

Green Lakes was set up at 5,105 yards for the Girls' 14U and played to a Par of 71.