Ryan Downes, Matthew Naumec and Danny Frodigh came oh so close to being eliminated after the two rounds of stroke play.

All three had to go to a playoff to advance and they enter Thursday’s quarterfinals as three of the eight golfers still remaining at the 116th Massachusetts Amateur Championship at Framingham Country Club.

Playing in sweltering conditions, Downes, the defending champion from Longmeadow and GreatHorse, Naumec (Framingham CC) and Frodigh (Dedham Country & Polo Club) remained in contention by each winning two match play encounters.

Naumec pulled off an upset in the morning, ousting medalist Matt Cowgill of Granite Links, 4 & 3. Cowgill was 9-under through the opening two rounds.

Here are the quarterfinal matches: Naumec vs. John Broderick (Dedham Country & Polo Club), Aidan O’Donovan (Cummaquid Golf Club) vs. Matt Parziale (Thorny Lea), Frodigh vs. Ricky Stimets (Worcester CC) and Downes vs. Ethan Whitney (Oak Hill CC).

The winner will be crowned Friday.