Seniors Logan Kostelecky and Janie Lhotak finished their high school golf careers by representing the golf team and schools at the Class A State Tournament at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker. The state tournament consists of 88 players in both the boys and girls tournaments, which includes the top team from each of the eight sections and then the top five individuals not on that team from each section. The top eight individuals and ties end up medaling after Day 2.  The course is a great test of both golf talent and also mental toughness as it requires accuracy off the tee and extremely fast greens with a bunch of slopes.   

Kostelecky finished in a tie for 23rd place with a two-day total of 160. On the first day he showed great patience and fight as he started off with a bogey, then followed that with an incredible eagle on the par 5 second hole and another bogey on hole three. Then over his final 15 holes he just couldn’t get a birdie putt to drop on the tough greens and finished with 12 pars to go along with two bogeys and one double bogey for a first round 76 at four over par. That left him in a tie for seventh place after Day 1.  

On Day 2 he started on hole 10 and after a nice drive, he hit a decent second shot, but got a tough break when the ball spun back up against a rock, which was part of the hazard boundary and he had to go to the drop zone since he wasn’t able to hit the ball and ended the hole with a tough double bogey and just couldn’t bounce back on his first nine and shot a 45. On the next nine holes he fought back a bit and shot a 39 including an impressive birdie on his 17th hole after he just missed holing out from the fairway on his second shot. He finished the day with an 84 and in that tie for 23rd place out of the 88 golfers. This ends a tremendous career in which he played in three Class A state tournaments for the OTC Bulldogs. 

Lhotak played in her first state tournament finished in 70th place with a two-day total of 215. 

On the first day she started off with a solid bogey on the first hole and then followed that up with a great birdie on the second hole, but then just wasn’t able to get anything going and struggled on the greens and finished the day with a 105.  

Lhotak came into the second day in 63rd place after that first round 105. Day two was a struggle but she kept a positive attitude and continued to fight ultimately posting a second round of 110 to finish in 70th place. Head coach Mike Hepola said he is very proud of Lhotak sticking with golf through all the years and so glad she was able to get to that first state tournament if her career.  

Hepola wanted to congratulate the two seniors and thank them for their dedication to the OTC golf team over the years and wished them both nothing but the best in their future endeavors.