MATTOON – Marquette Catholic's boys golf team has been on a mission throughout the season.

That mission comes to a close this weekend in Normal.

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The Explorers got an even-par 72 from senior Michael Holtz as the Explorers went on to win the IHSA Class 2A Mattoon Sectional Tuesday at the par-72, 6,690-yard Mattoon Golf and Country Club course, easily taking the championship with a team 310, 22 strokes better than runner-up Benton, who fired a 322. The host Green Wave finished third with a 345.

The top three teams and top 10 golfers from non-qualifying teams advanced to this weekend's IHSA Class 2A state tournament at Illinois State's D.A. Weibring Golf Club in Normal.

Metropolis Massac County took fourth with a 347, next-door Charleston was fifth at 348 and Columbia was sixth at 350; Salem and Breese Mater Dei (356), Herrin (357), Highland (360), Effingham (370) and Triad (381) rounded out the field.

“The first two steps (to a state championship) are out of the way,” said Explorer coach Pat Moore. “I’m really proud of Michael; he’s had the best scoring average for the team in the four years he’s been here.

“The course (at Weibring) sets up well for us; we’ve had kids who played it several times and have some familiarity with it. It’s a great facility and it’s a tough, but fair course.”

With cool temperatures and windy conditions in the forecast for the weekend, it’s something the Explorers will have to play though. “It’s always windy there,” Moore said. “We played through some windy conditions (at Mattoon) and I’m proud of them for how we played through it.”

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East Alton-Wood River's Drew Sobol, playing as an individual, advanced to state with a 10-over 82, tying him with Mascoutah's Alex Gorman for a place in the state tournament.

“Drew's very excited about going to state,” said Oiler coach (and dad) Dave Sobol. “The course played very difficult today and golf is a mental grind as much as anything; you're out there on the course for five hours and there's no comparison to other sports as far as the mental grind goes.

“Drew represents the game and the school very well; he may be the only athlete to qualify for state individually in two different sports in school history (Sobol also wrestles for the Oilers). It's a huge accomplishment.”

Besides Holtz's 72, Nick Messinger turned in a 4-over 76 for the Explorers, followed by a 7-over 79 for Jack Patterson and a 11-over 83 for Kolton Bauer to round out the scoring for Marquette. Duncan McLain also fired a 19-over 91 and Sam Cogan had a 33-over 105 for the Explorers on the day.

Marquette will be facing a tough challenge in Morton, who have won the last two Class 2A state titles and won their sectional championship in Metamora, with the Potters’ Tommy Kuhl taking medalist honors. “They’re a program that has a lot of great players,” Moore said. “It’s going to be a battle, no question. Benton has a solid team as well.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

“We want to congratulate Marquette,” Sobol said. “They’re going to represent southern Illinois well (at the state tournament).”

This weekend's state tournament is a two-day, 36-hole event.

Carrollton's Noah Robinson had a 10-over 82 to advance to this weekend's IHSA Class 1A state tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington as an individual. The Hawks' Lane Schnettgoecke and Metro East Lutheran's Jake Jump and Michael Fields had also advanced to the sectional, but failed to qualify for state.

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