CHESAPEAKE - P.J. Rase is going back to the Division III state golf tournament, only this time he'll feel a bit more lonely.

Rase made the trip to the state tournament last season with his Chesapeake Panthers teammates. But the Panthers tied for second in the sectional and lost on the tiebreaker score. Rase qualified for the state meet as an individual.

"It'll be fun. I'll enjoy it, but I'd like to be playing with my teammates," Rase said.

Rase took district medalist honors at Cook's Creek with a 79 score among 48 golfers. The medalist honors came on the heels of his co-medalist effort in the sectional tournament at Shawnee Golf Course when he fired a 75.

Besides the postseason awards, Rase was medalist in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament with a 77.

Rase has a practice round at 1 p.m. Thursday. He will tee off at 9:18 a.m. Friday on the Ohio State University Gray Course.

"It won't be as much pressure. I played the Scarlet course last year and it's long and real hard. The Gray course is shorter," Rase said.

"Having a year of experience will help. I'll be more relax and not as intimidated. I'll take a note pad and take some notes

(during the practice round). I'll hit some irons off the tees and just play for pars and let whatever happens, happen."

What Rase would like to happen is to keep his scores each day in the 150 to 160 range and give himself a chance at the individual medalist title. He said playing in the regionals during last basketball season will help as well.

"I'm just going to try and play my best. I just need to be ready and be mentally tough," Rase said. "I played in front of big crowds in big games. I don't get nervous any more. You just have to block everything out.

"I lifted weights over the summer for basketball and it's helped me out. I'm hitting the ball farther."

The weather forecast is calling for a high of only 51 and the weekend is expecting rain and winds. Rase just shrugs when he thinks about the less than perfect conditions.

"It'll be a challenge. I like challenges. It'll be the same for everyone else. I just want to put two rounds together and be all right at the end," Rase said.