As the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and IHSA continue to formulate strategies in this COVID-19 era, schools will continue pushing forward knowing this pandemic is ever-changing. What we see in sports right now might be different than what we see in November or December.

Carbondale boys golf coach Jared Cook said it best when I asked him about a potential regional in late October.

“Seems like it’s one step closer to finishing the season,” he told me on Tuesday. “The players will still be a little bummed about not being able to compete in a state series, but we’ll keep rolling with the punches.”

The Terriers won’t see competition until they travel to Mount Vernon next Thursday after having scheduled August events canceled due to COVID region restrictions. In the meantime, players will get with their swing coaches to prepare for a busy September schedule that features eight different events.

Cook labeled it as a “pretty normal September” for his kids. The Terriers have two South Seven invites they’re looking forward to the most in Centralia and Marion.

Carbondale looks to keep pace with a tough Althoff Catholic team that features Avery Irwin, Parker Bruening and Max Bruening. The trio helped lead the Crusaders to a first place finish at the South Seven Conference invitational to begin the season. Irwin’s top score of 34 gave Althoff a 14-stroke advantage over the second-place Terriers.