DES LACS, N.D. (KMOT) – While the postseason push is heating up for the remaining fall sports, girls golf wrapped up earlier this month. One of our area teams achieved its highest-ever finish at the state tournament and had an individual state champion for the first time.

Here’s the story of the 2024 Des Lacs-Burlington Lady Lakers.

When DLB girls golf teed off its season on Aug. 9, the squad had no idea it was less than two months away from a feat nearly three decades in the making.

But the group’s potential became more evident with quality practices and eight meet wins.

“We have really great coaches who helped us. They scheduled each practice to kind of work on what we needed to do to get better, especially our short game,” said junior Ava Walen.

Leading the Lakers: sophomore superstar Laila Christianson.

“Her maturity to have the composure that she has as a sophomore is just unbelievable. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anybody that can approach each shot with the intensity that she does,” said head coach Marie Burckhard.

After a Region 6 title, the Lakers set their sights on state in Fargo. There they faced blistering winds on the first day of the 36-hole championship.

“We had talked about, you know, game of golf: 90 percent of it is played between the ears. You have to stay positive. With the weather conditions and the wind that they had to play on, that just added to that component,” said Burckhard.

DLB gradually climbed up the leaderboard, and unbeknownst to her, Christianson was on the cusp of a state title.

“I knew I was ahead but I didn’t know how much, so I just tried to play conservative golf and just get those pars,” said Christianson.

Christianson led by five strokes entering the final hole.

“A bunch of us followed her on her last two holes because we all finished at the same time. We knew the second she hit her approach shot up onto the green. All of us were there, we were so ready,” said junior Ella Pearson.

After that approach shot, Christianson learned how many strokes she led by from this message from assistant coach Chad Burckhard.

“He just said, ‘Don‘t seven-putt,’ and I was like, ’Okay,’” said Christianson.

For Christianson and her teammates, the state title reflects her commitment to the sport.

“It’s just really awesome to win it. I put so much hard work in this summer and this fall,” said Christianson.

“She goes to the driving range after practices, she golfs every day almost,” said Walen.

As a team, DLB placed fourth, the best finish at state in program history.

But this is only the beginning of something special.

“We’re big believers that success breeds success. And that part of it is really exciting to know that they accomplished a lot, obviously, but that they want more,” said Burckhard.

The Lady Lakers are sailing into 2025 and beyond.

DLB will return six of the seven golfers who competed at the state tournament for the 2025 season, including Christianson, Walen and Pearson.

Hanna Hall is the one graduating senior.

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