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Holmen High School junior Billy Pearse will play in Monday and Tuesday's Division 1 state golf tournament after carding an even-par 39-33-72 Tuesday at The Meadows at Six Mile Creek, finishing second among the 46 players whose teams did not qualify for state.

Pearse's sectional round gives Holmen a representative at state for the second year in a row. Keegan Drugan, who now plays collegiaely at Winona State, qualified a year ago and finished 57th among 104 players.

Pearse finished four shots clear of playoff for the third and final individual state berth from the sectional, beginning his run to state on the back nine with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole. He carded three straight pars on No. 11 through No. 13, before back-to-back birdies on No. 14 and 15.

The birdie on the par-3 14th began a two-under stretch over his final five holes, including getting on the green in regulation and converting what originally appeared to be a lag putt on No. 15, according to Vikings head coach Paul Laxton. Pearse was able to get up-and-down for par on each of his final three holes, Laxton said.

“Billy was making good club selections,” Laxton said. “The wind was definitely a factor for everybody.”

Pearse walked with Drugan during his round at state last spring. Laxton thinks University Ridge sets up well for Pearse.

“There are some openings there, but we'd also like to get a round or two in at the (La Crosse) Country Club to play a course with somewhat similar undulating fairways and greens,” Laxton said Tuesday night. “There are also some similarities to the back nine at Drugan's and Trempealau Mountain (Pearse's home course), but a lot of University Ridge is placing shots and making long shots.

“There are some reachable par-5s, but there a lot of long par-3s too. There is a ton of sand all over the course.”

Pearse carded a birdie on the par-4 7th hole and four pars on the front nine. He posted team-bests of 10 pars and four birdies.

The remainder of Holmen's players weren't as fortunate. No. 4 player Sam Kube had seven pars and a birdie on the par-4 6th hole, but finished at 9-over 40-41-81. No. 5 player Ben Williams completed a prep career that included a trip to sectionals a year ago with eight pars in a 43-40-83. The Vikings finished at 34-over 170-152-322, 13 strokes behind second-place Reedsburg.

“It was a tale of two nines for us and that's what this course is all about,” Laxton said. “It's pretty straight away on the front, but you have to do a lot of placing of shots on the back.”

Brandon Temte and James DeBoer each finished at 86. Temte had a back-nine 38 that included five total pars and two total birdies. DeBoer had three birdies in a front-nine 43, but also two double-bogeys and a triple-bogeys. His back nine had no birdies and just two pars, but also no score higher than bogey.

“The greens were slow in our practice round,” Laxton said. “They were a lot quicker today.”