BLOOMINGTON - Those playing at Prairie Vista Golf Course today and Saturday are glad Massac County found another place to hang out. Meanwhile, most of those battling the expected windy conditions at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course are exchanging high-fives because University High is nowhere on the premises.

That leaves Massac County and U High as defending champions on a course where neither won in 2006.

Welcome to the new three-class boys state golf tournaments.

Massac County of downstate Metropolis and U High are together in the Class 2A State Tournament, which is being played at Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State. The Class 1A tourney is once again at Prairie Vista, with Class 3A at The Den. There are still 30 teams at state, but each tourney will have only 10 teams instead of 15 with two classes. Tee times start at 8:30 a.m. both days.

"To be honest, I didn't think one way or the other (about the expansion to three classes). It was going to happen regardless how I felt about it," said Massac County coach J.R. Conkle. "Class 2A is a little better competition than Class A, just the size of the schools. We're excited to take on that challenge."

Taking on U High, which is going after its fifth straight state championship, is a challenge St. Viator wanted this weekend.

U High edged St. Viator by four strokes for last year's Class AA title. But with the Pioneers at ISU this weekend and St. Viator at The Den, the Arlington Heights-based Lions won't get their chance for revenge.

"I wish they were playing against us. They won four in a row and God love them, we would like to settle it," said St. Viator coach Jack Halpin. "But we're happy where we're at. U High's accomplishment of four in a row, you take your hat off to them. It's a phenomenal achievement."

For Massac County and other teams wanting to dethrone U High, there's some bad news.

First, the Pioneers seem to be peaking. Led by senior Eric Meier, U High won its regional by 26 strokes and its sectional over host Quincy Notre Dame by 13 strokes. Meier might be the smallest and quietest guy on the team, but the 5-foot-8 left-hander has recovered from an early season slump to be medalist in four of U High's last five tournaments.

Second, U High enjoys a home-course advantage this weekend.

Do these guys really need any advantage?

"We haven't played a lot of matches (at Weibring Golf Club) like in the past, but the kids understand it's their course and they have a certain confidence because they know the course very well," said first-year U High coach Ryan Snell. "The level these guys are playing now really impresses me. I knew they had it the whole time, but it is fun to watch now. Now they're realizing, 'Yeah, we can do it.' "

The only time U High and Massac County met this season came at the Central Catholic Invitational at Prairie Vista on Sept. 22. The Patriots would just as soon forget that day. U High fired a 2-under-par 286 total, with Massac County a distant second at 317.

However, Massac County stayed in town that night so it could play Weibring Golf Club the next day.

"It's a totally different golf course. It's not links style like Prairie Vista," Conkle said. "There are more trees. It's an American-style golf course, more position golf. I'm not sure if it plays in our favor. But they walked off thinking it's a very good golf course."

Massac County senior Mason Jacobs, a University of Illinois recruit, could walk off the 18th green Saturday with his own place in history.

Jacobs will be attempting to become the first golfer in the 91-year history of state golf to win three individual titles in his career. Seven others have accomplished the feat twice, the last being Aaron Wright of Anna-Jonesboro in 1991-92 (Class A).

"His game has gone along with our team. He's been working on stuff in the fall," said Conkle. "Any time you make swing changes, there's a period you don't play as well. He's worked very hard on it. Like the team, it's coming around."

With Massac County not at Prairie Vista, the teams to beat in Class 1A appear to be Waterloo Gibault, Champaign St. Thomas More and Effingham St. Anthony, which was second last year.

"It gives some other kids chances to enjoy the state atmosphere that maybe never would have," said St. Anthony coach Phil Zaccari, whose teams won Class A titles in 2001 and 2002. "Personally, I think it waters it down a little bit."

Even without U High at The Den, Halpin knows St. Viator will be pressed. Quincy was third in Class AA last year and returns five players, including Illinois-bound Luke Guthrie, who is the defending individual champion. Hinsdale Central also looks strong. Normal West is making its state tourney debut and hopes to surprise many.

But St. Viator is the team everyone is shooting for. The Patriots' Danny Stringfellow and Brad Klune tied for fifth in last year's state as freshmen.

"We're on an amazing run. We've won nine consecutive tournaments," said Halpin. "They're so young. Three of our top six are sophomores. I don't think I've ever seen a team, not in golf, that is this young and has achieved to this point what these kids have achieved … three of them can't even drive."

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Class 1A boys state

tournament

When: Today and Saturday

Where: Bloomington

Site: Prairie Vista Golf Course, 6,709 yards, par 72

Teams: Brimfield, Byron, Champaign St. Thomas More, Effingham St. Anthony, Hamilton County, Lincolnwood, Metro-East Lutheran, Monmouth-Roseville, Morrison, Waterloo Gibault.

Players to watch: Conner Fortney, Petersburg Porta; Ben Gillen, Monmouth-Roseville; Dallas Gray, Vandalia; Spencer Harrison, Gibault; Matt Hageman, Sterling Newman; Jonathan Hauter, Peoria Christian; Derrick Herschberger, Arcola; Blake Koerner, St. Anthony; Ryan Murphy, St. Thomas More; Jake Schertz, Byron; Clark Schmidt, St. Thomas More; Kurt Slattery, Rockridge; Shane Smith, Alton Marquette; Steve Souchek, Gibault; Jamie Stocks, Trico; Martin Tenfalt, Illini Bluffs; Matt Vegter, Morrison.

Class 2A boys state

tournament

When: Today and Saturday

Where: Normal

Site: Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State, 6,730 yards,

par 71

Teams: University High, Chicago Christian, Crystal Lake Central, Galesburg, Lemont, Massac County, Peoria Notre Dame, Quincy Notre Dame, Salem, Wheaton Academy.

Players to watch: Carson Baugher, Highland; Riley Bauman, Crystal Lake Central; Tim Bearden, Quincy Notre Dame; San Bettinardi, Chicago Christian; Blake Biddle, Wheaton Academy; Blake Biggs, Peoria Notre Dame; Andrew Borneman, Yorkville; Chris Burgner, McNamara; Matt Calder, Crystal Lake Central; Sean Dozier, U High; Kyle English, U High; David Flynn, Wheaton Academy; Michael Ginnetti, Central Catholic; Mason Jacobs, Massac County; Jarred Hippen, Rock Falls; Dustin Korte, Massac County; Eric Meier, U High; Scott Nieman, Quincy Notre Dame; Chase Smith, Salem; Joe Smith, Champaign Centennial; Peter Theiss, Chicago Latin; Sean Williamson, Galesburg;

Area competitors: Central Catholic - Michael Ginnetti, Greg Naleway; Clinton - Shawn Evans; Mahomet-Seymour - Seth Trolia; U High - Sean Dozier, Kyle English, Ben Kilborn, Peter McKinzie, Eric Meier, Logan Stauffer.

Class 3A boys state

tournament

When: Today and Saturday

Where: Bloomington

Site: The Den at Fox Creek, 6,402 yards, par 72

Teams: Barrington, Bartlett, Cary-Grove, Chicago St. Patrick, Hinsdale Central, Homewood-Flossmoor, Lincoln-Way East, Normal West, Quincy, St. Viator.

Players to watch: Tyler Benson, Prairie Ridge; Brenton Blakeman, Lyons; Wilson Bowen, New Trier; Jeff Bragg, Normal West; Chris Brant, Edwardsville; John Callahan, Benet; Joe Carlson, St. Viator; Ross Frankenberg, Barrington; Parker Freiburg, Quincy; Luke Guthrie, Quincy; E.J. Ilagen, Marist; Brad Klune, St. Viator; Kevin Lang, St. Patrick; Theo Lederhausen, Hinsdale Central; Ben Nichele, Marian; Caleb Remington, Woodstock; Stephen Powers, Neuqua Valley; Dave Shelton, Normal West; Scott Shiple, Lincoln-Way East; Danny Stringfellow, St. Viator; Brett Tomfohrde, Hinsdale Central.

Area competitors: Normal West - Justin Batty, Jeff Bragg, Dave Gaddy, Ross Leary, Drew Meiner, Dave Shelton.

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Straight drivers

A list of the most consecutive Illinois State High School Association boys state golf tournament titles won:

6 - Monmouth (1985-90, Class A)

5 - Carmi (1975-79, Class A)

4 - Rockford East (1942-45, one class)

4 - University High (2003-04, Class A; 2005-06 AA)