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Prep Golf: Rangers finish runner-up at State

It was a banner day for the Benton High School boys' golf team while a handful of individual golfers ended their prep careers in style at the IHSA State Golf Tournament over the weekend.

Benton finished second on the boys' side, as the Rangers (5940 were edged out by St. Ignatius College Prep (585) by nine strokes .

However, the good news came in the form of Cy Norman as the junior juggernaut became the seventh individual state champion from Benton and the first to do so in the sport of golf.

Norman also became the ninth Benton golfer to medal at the state tournament, joining Clark Dixon, Scott Simpson, Jeff Shurtz, Bryce Doughtry, Andrew Mitchell, Thomas Simpson, Brenden Luster and Brad Hammond.

It was the fourth time in school history that Benton has finished runner-up, all coming since 2004.

Individually for Benton, Norman shot a 134 with a final round of 66 on Saturday that include. Six birdies and just one bogey.

Luke Melvin and River Stilley each shot a 150, as Melvin carded a 73 on Saturday and Stilley added a 72. Kash Cantrell rounded out the team scoring for Benton with a 160, shooting a final round 80.

Andrew Bell, the lone senior on the Rangers came in with a 163 and Nick Melvin shot a 165.

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The Marion duo of Sarah Capel and Baylee Kelley closed out their senior season in style at Hickory Point Golf Course, where Capel shot a two-day total of 158. Capel capped off Saturday's round with a 79 and finished in a tie for 36th place overall, while Kelley five-way tie for 66th place, shooting a two-day total of 168. Kelley had a final round of 84, after qualifying with an 84.

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Mt. Carmel won the team title, shooting a 604 and claiming first place by more than 36 shots.

Massac County, the representative out of southern Illinois, was seventh overall with a 683.

Harrisburg's duo of Madison McClusky and Frankie Leigh Nicholes had top-50 performances in their first trip to Red Tail Run.

McClusky, who is a senior, finished in a tie for 35th after a two-day total of 165. McClusky shot an 82 in Saturday's final round, this after qualifying with a 83 on Friday.

Nicholes was 42nd out of 112 golfers as the Bulldog sophomore followed up an 85 on Friday with an 83 in the final round Saturday to shoot a 168,