GRAY — Will Kannegieser’s title defense at the Maine State Golf Association’s Match Play Invitational championship is one round away from being successful.

Kannegieser, the No. 2 seed, defeated third-seeded Caleb Manuel 1-up in the semifinals Wednesday afternoon at Spring Meadows Golf Club, winning a rematch of last year’s final.

Kannegieser will face Joe Hamilton at 7 a.m. Thursday. The fifth-seeded Hamilton beat the No. 1 seed, John Hayes, 3 and 2, in the other semifinal.

Kannegieser, of Portland Country Club, left the door open for Manuel when he three-putted for bogey on No. 17, when a par would have clinched the match. On the 18th hole, Kannegieser almost holed out from the fairway, like Manuel did last week to win the Junior Amateur with a double eagle. Instead, after Kannegieser’s approach shot hit the top of the flag stick, the ball rolled onto the fringe in front of the green.

“At first, I thought it may do something funky, but luckily, it stayed relatively close where I could putt it up there and force him to make (his birdie),” said Kannegieser.

Manuel’s approach left him about 8 feet for birdie to extend the match. He slightly misread the putt, however.

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“I hit a good putt, I didn’t think it was going to break as much as I thought it would,” Manuel said.

“I was down the whole (match); in the other matches, I was 2-up after two (holes) every time. I think the first couple (of holes) hurt me and I couldn’t come back. I couldn’t make any putts.”

After winning his two matches Tuesday against Jace Pearson and Steve Lycette, Manuel got off to another strong start against No. 6 seed Joe Walp en route to a 4-and-3 victory in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, though, Manuel took penalty strokes on the first and third holes, giving Kannegieser a 2-up advantage. Manuel was glad to finish the front nine only one down after Kannegieser missed opportunities on Nos. 8 and 9 to extend the lead.

“I was looking good one down at the turn. He could have been two or three up,” Manuel said.

Manuel was the second Brunswick Golf Club member who Kannegieser defeated Wednesday, as he dispatched Garrett Olson 1-up in the quarterfinals. Kannegieser said he took advantage of his opponent’s mistakes in both matches.

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“I felt like whenever they hit poor shots, I was able to hit decent shots to put more pressure on them,” Kannegieser said. “With maybe the exception of maybe one or two holes against Garrett, I didn’t let too many opportunities go, which was nice.”

Hamilton, of Biddeford-Saco Country Club, won the first two hole against Hayes and never gave up the lead. Hamilton was 4-up thru 11 before Hayes, of Purpoodock club, won the 12th and 13th holes and almost won the 14th, just missing what would have been his third straight birdie.

“I knew at some point Johnny was going to make a run at me, I didn’t know when,” Hamilton said. “It’s just like growing up and playing basketball, the halftime speech from my coach was the same every halftime, even if we (had) leads: ‘They are going to come at you, you got to weather the storm.’ In golf when I am playing someone good, I am always ready when they catch fire, and (I) try to weather the storm and make them earn everything.”

Hamilton regained moment by winning the 15th hole with a par, then closed out the match on the par-3 16th, nearly acing it.

Two years ago, Hamilton lost to Drew Powell in the semifinals. They met again Wednesday morning in the quarterfinals, and Hamilton won 3 and 1.

Hayes reached the semifinals by defeating Judd Parsons in 19 holes, but then struggled against Hamilton.

“I had some bad three-putts and some bad shots, but that’s golf,” Hayes said.

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