There was never a doubt in Ethan Luecke’s complex, sometimes superstitious mind.Barring a monumental meltdown, he was going to qualify for the state tournament for a third consecutive season.Despite heavy winds whipping across the course and inaccurate irons, the Warrenton senior accomplished his goal.Luecke finished tied for third with two others after shooting a 77 at the Class 3 sectional meet held at Heritage Hills Golf Club in Moberly on Monday.“I was pretty confident today,” said Luecke. “I knew all I had to do was come out, relax and play like I was capable, and I’d advance.”He will now compete in the final tournament of his accomplished prep career during the MSHSAA Championships on Monday and Tuesday at Fremont Hills in Ozark.“I’m excited for Ethan, and we’re eager to see how he performs at the state level this year,” said Coach Rich Barton.Last spring Luecke finished second while battling mono, so he’s relieved to be entering this year’s tournament with his health intact.“I haven’t really had a round I’ve been satisfied with this season,” acknowledged Luecke, who says shooting -2 on the Par 71 Sun Valley Course may be the one exception.But he also asserts that he hasn’t been disappointed in many of his rounds either.After shooting a 40 on the front during Monday’s tournament, Luecke was able to make up a couple strokes by birdieing on the back nine.“I played pretty good all day,” said Luecke. “I was hitting a lot of greens, because I was hitting my irons very good … I just had a couple holes where I misjudged the distance because of the wind.”Wind gusts increased throughout the day, as a thunderstorm eventually dumped heavy rain on the course near the conclusion of the round.“With conditions the way they were, I really thought the scores would be higher,” said Barton.Conditions complicated driving and caused substantial backups on several holes, causing the match to last nearly eight hours.“The wind was definitely a big factor, and the rough was super long,” said Luecke. “I got lucky to have some pretty good lies.”Fellow senior Chase Nelson wasn’t so fortunate.“On the front nine I wasn’t controlling the ball like I should have,” said Nelson. “On the front nine I pulled my driver out too much and tried killing it.”He carded an 85, missing the cut by four strokes and falling short of an evasive state berth.“Chase had the ability to shoot a low enough score to get through, but some of his best rounds just haven’t been on the right days,” said Barton.Nelson shot a 45 on the front before an improved back nine.“I feel like I could have done a lot better today,” said Nelson, who says he didn’t feel any additional pressure despite the magnitude of the match.On the contrary, senior Curtis Bauer let the thought of a potential state berth weigh on his mind, compounding the adverse conditions.“In the practice round I played well, but I came out here today and didn’t have it,” said Bauer, who shot an 89 during his second sectional appearance.“You can’t bogey every single hole,” quipped Bauer. “I didn’t par a hole until 16, and you can’t do that.”Still, he appreciates the immediate success and opportunities he experienced after joining the program as a junior.“It feels good knowing I made it this far,” said Bauer.Boonville’s Brett Windsor won Monday’s Tournament with a 72, while Hannibal took the team title with a 318.“I’m disappointed for these guys,” said Barton of his two that missed the cut. “But I’m not disappointed in anybody’s effort.”LUECKE ADVANCES TO STATEDerrick Forsythe Photo.