Every golfer from the Peoria area headed to the 2023 IHSA boys and girls state finals

Golf sectionals are in the books.

Now, the boys and girls field for the 2023 Illinois High School Association state finals is set. The state qualifiers include the top three sectional teams along with the top 10 individuals not on an advancing team.

The two-day state finals are set for Friday and Saturday in Bloomington and Normal for the boys and Decatur for the girls.

Here are five Peoria-area golfers and one team to watch heading into this weekend's state finals — plus a full list of area qualifiers.

IHSA regionals: Here are 8 breakout high school boys golfers who advanced to the 2023 IHSA sectionals

BOYS

Carter Heffta, Washington

Heffta saved his best for last at Monday's Class 3A Pekin Sectional. The senior shot a 4-over-76 and tied for seventh at Lick Creek Golf Course. After going 5-over on the front 9, Heffta finished strong with six pars and two birdies on the final nine holes. His birdies on the par-5 11 and par-4 17 helped him shoot a 1-over-36 on the back 9. He goes to The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington for his Friday state finals berth.

Charlie Joseph, Peoria Notre Dame

Joseph finished within the top 10 at the Class 2A Richwoods Sectional, securing his place at Normal's Weibring Golf Club for the state meet on Friday. The junior carded a 3-over-75 on the Kellogg Golf Course highlighted by an ever-par-36 on the front 9. He finished his round with six pars and three bogeys Monday as PND (320) just missed qualifying as a team by five strokes to third-place finisher Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (315).

Jake Lehman, Roanoke-Benson

After now graduated R-B all-stater DJ Norman finished tied for 13th at last year's Class 1A state finals, Lehman looks to carry the torch for the Rockets. The junior was tied for seventh at the 1A Sherrard Sectional with a 10-over-80 on Monday. His round started on the Fyre Lake Golf Club back 9 and included three successive birdies on the 17, 18 and first holes. Lehman will next tee off at Bloomington's Prairie Vista Golf Course on Friday.

Connor Watson, East Peoria

Watson tied for seventh at the 2A Richwoods Sectional. His 3-over-75 round on Monday came with a 1-under-35 on the front 9 thanks to birdies on holes Nos. 3 and 8 at Kellogg. The junior looks to build off last season's top-50 state finals finish. He looks to become just the fourth East Peoria golfer to secure a top-15 finish when he heads to Weibring on Friday.

GIRLS

Morgan Grant, Illinois Valley Central

Grant remains consistent in the postseason, finishing third at the 2A Pontiac Sectional. The senior shot a 6-over-78 at Wolf Creek Golf Club on Monday with a 2-over-38 on the front 9. She was able to birdie the par-3 seventh hole and finished the round with 12 pars. This performance comes after taking third at the regional, but this time she'll head to the state finals for the first time Friday at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur.

Peoria Notre Dame

Winning the 1A Pontiac Sectional by 31 strokes definitely puts a target on the Irish's back. But that isn't nothing new to PND, which beat out runner-up Bloomington Central Catholic, 338-369 on Monday. Medalist and reigning Journal Star girls golfer of the year Ella Coulter was locked in at Wolf Creek. The senior fired a 2-under-70, recording five birdies and 10 pars in the process. Coulter shot a 2-under-34 on the front 9. She was joined in the top-10 by Mackenzie Howard (13-over-85, fifth) and Marin Ruskusky (15-over-87, tied for sixth). The Irish now head to Decatur's Red Tail Run on Friday.

Who else from the Peoria area is headed to state in 2023?

Tanner Wake (Elmwood), Nick Bruns (Illini West), Colby Robertson (Illini West), Crew Fortin (Illini Bluffs), Wyatt Novotny (Bureau Valley) and the Rushville-Industry team also qualified for the 1A boys field, while Peoria Notre Dame's Jack Coulter is the lone other 2A boys state qualifier. Owen Gruden from Pekin will head to the 3A boys state meet.

On the girls side, Madison Barnes (Olympia), Addy Heineke (Roanoke-Benson), Natalie Downing (Canton), Jalyn Wallace (United), Leighton Trego (United) and Sophia Hall (El Paso-Gridley) also qualified for the 1A field.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA golf: Peoria area boys and girls golfers to advanced to state