Gregory Graves is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Notre Dame Prep High School for AZPreps365.com

Watery Ocotillo Golf Club challenged the Notre Dame golf team Tuesday, but the Saints recorded their final win before the state playoffs.

The Saints shot a combined 158, defeating Seton Catholic Prep, which shot a 176, at the course in Chandler.

Ocotillo features three home courses, but the teams played the sky course, a par-36 layout that features water on every hole.

Each team brought five players, but only the top four scores counted. It was shotgun play for this match, so each team sent out a pair on the first three holes to match up against one another except for Notre Dame junior Mitchell Curran, who played solo.

Senior Dylan Wolfe played his final round for the Saints Tuesday. Wolfe posted a 4-over-par 40, which was good enough for second on the team.

Wolfe was hitting every fairway in front of him, but was having trouble on the greens with his putter early. A two-putt led to a bogey for Wolfe on the first hole. 

Following that, Wolfe started to get his rhythm back and would crush his next two drives down the middle and par holes two and three.

“I had a lot of good memories,” Wolfe said after the match. “I love all 12 guys and I’m sad to see it end.”

While it was goodbye for Wolfe, it was just the beginning for the golfers who have their eyes set on the state playoffs.

Shooting a match-low 38 for the Saints was Curran, who on the par-3 seventh hit the best shot of the entire day with his 8-iron. Curran stuck the ball within 8 inches of the flag, then two-putted for par.

“This was a big win for us prior to state, especially with the group that came out today,” Curran said. “Securing a win today was huge for the confidence and morale of everyone ahead of next week.”

Sophomore Cooper Ingram also shot a 40, and sophomore Brady Horwitz shot a 6-over 42.

Junior Fin Vander Ark, who came in 14th in state play last year, shot the highest score of the day for the Saints with a 7-over 43.

Though Vander Ark struggled around the greens, he was far and away the Saints’ top hitter Tuesday after hitting three-plus drives more than 300 yards. Most notable was Vander Ark’s shot on the fifth hole, where he hit his driver about 50 yards past Seton Catholic golfers Wade Van Kirk and Luke Padilla.

Van Kirk, a freshman, shot a 3-over 39, and Padilla, a senior who shot a 2-over 38, challenged Wolfe and Vander Ark through all nine holes. 

Both Kirk and Padilla posted lower scores on the day than Vander Ark or Wolfe.

For the other Seton Catholic golfers it was not as great a day, as sophomore Joey Steinkamp posted a 13-over 49, and his teammate Matthew Monsegur posted a 14-over 50. 

The Saints now head into the state playoffs with a final regular-season win in the books.

“For someone to beat us, they are going to have to have someone play really good,” assistant coach Bob Lambie said.