On a picture-perfect day for golf with sunny skies, just a slight wind, and the temperature around 80 degrees the boys golf teams from Henry-Senachwine and Hall took full advantage in the Class 1A Marquette Regional at Deer Park Country Club in Oglesby.

The Mallards advanced to Monday’s sectional at Valley View Club in Cambridge after posting a 314 to finish runner-up behind champion Peoria Christian (306), while the Red Devils will also move on after carding a 319, good for third place.

H-S was led by senior Jacob Miller, who shot a 1-over 71 to place third individually. He was followed by teammates Carson Rowe (74), Landon Harbison (82) and Ben Meachum (87).

“I didn’t have a certain score I wanted to shoot in mind; I just wanted to play as well as I could,” said Miller, who will be making his fourth trip to sectionals and will be looking to advance to state for the second straight season. “I’ve played this course a couple of times before, but this was my best score here.

“I feel like other than one hole I putted the ball well. I also feel like my drives and shots to get onto the green were good. For the most part all of my game was working well together. I just kept things simple.”

Senior Johnni Escatel led Hall with a 77, followed closely by fellow Red Devils Joseph Perez (79), Luke Bryant (79) and Noah Plym (84).

“We’ve had some pretty good teams the past couple of years, but lost some good players from last year, so the goal for us was to just keep it going,” Escatel said.

“I came into today just wanting to play consistently. My irons on approach shots were really good today, I felt like any shot with them was going to be solid. I also had a couple of holes where I recovered well. It was a good day for me and the team.”

Fieldcrest junior Carter Senko fired an even-par 70 and tied for the top spot with Peoria Christian sophomore Elijah Ackerman. Both opened the playoff with a bogey before Ackerman captured the championship on the second playoff hole.

“I was giving myself decent looks on the green all round but really struggled with my putting,” said Senko, who will make his third straight sectional appearance. “I feel like most of my game was pretty good today but making putts was tough. I also wasn’t letting shots go mentally and that is something I’ll need to do better at sectional.

“On the second playoff hole I hit my tee shot in the bunker. I hadn’t hit out of a bunker all day so I really was unsure how that would play. I just didn’t hit a good shot out of it.”

Princeton senior Jackson Mason (5th, 75) was joined with St. Bede freshman Jacob Flavin (8th, 78), Bruins senior Caden Carls (16th, 82), Fieldcrest senior Eli Gerdes (14th, 81) and Marquette junior Braxton Nelle (16th, 82) as individual advancers.

“I’d only played this course once and that was this past Sunday, so I felt like I played it pretty well,” said Mason, who will advance to sectionals for the second consecutive season. “I wasn’t thinking of a score, more of play and what happens, happens.

“I wasn’t hitting my driver that well, so after my 12th hole I put it in the back of my bag and went with my hybrid or 5 iron off the tees. I feel like that was a great decision. I played well around the green and putted well. Overall, I’m happy with how I played.”

Fieldcrest finished fourth as a team with a 331, followed by St. Bede (5th, 333), Princeton (8th, 344), Marquette (10th, 355), Woodland (12th, 386), Putnam County (13th, 402) and Flanagan-Cornell (14th, 445).