Rylan Samuelson stands atop the podium of the 121 weight class. (Photo via Devils Lake High School Wrestling on Facebook)
The state wrestling tournament is coming up this week, and a flock of Firebirds have punched their tickets.
The girls’ EDC tournament was Friday in Valley City. The boys’ was Saturday at Sheyenne High School in West Fargo. The boys had 12 wrestlers qualify, while the girls had eight, which means a total of 20 Devils Lake wrestlers will compete in the individual state wrestling tournament in the Fargodome on Feb. 19 and 20. The Devils Lake boys have also earned a spot in Feb. 21’s state dual tournament.
Rylan Samuelson led the way for the boys. The junior is coming off a state finals appearance last season. He was crowned the region champion in the 121 weight class on Saturday.
Samuelson received a first-round bye, then won by pin at 1:06 in his quarterfinal match. He cruised to the championship with two wins by decision (8-3 and 7-3).
Samuelson owns a 28-2 record on the season. He’ll look to return to the state finals this week at the Fargodome.
Samuelson’s younger brother, freshman Gregor Samuelson, took home a third-place medal in the 107 weight class. He grabbed a 17-1 technical fall win in the quarterfinals, then lost a 3-2 decision in the semis. But he advanced his way through the consolation bracket with 30-13 major decisions in his next two matches.
Caber Bryce Volk also secured a third-place finish, in the 133. He won a 15-7 major decision in the quarters, lost by pin at 3:12 in the semis, then won by pins in his final two matches: at 2:15 and 1:27.
Wesley Fisk finished fifth in the 127 weight class. After a pin at 4:00 in the quarters, he lost by major decision (10-0) and decision (7-4) to fall to the fifth-place match. He won that final match with a pin at 1:08.
Bryer Eversvik also competed in the 127. He finished seventh and qualified for state. He had two wins: a first-round pin at 4:37, and a 13-8 decision in the seventh-place match.
The Firebirds also had two placers from the 139 weight class.
Max Volk, after a first-round bye, lost by pin at 1:02 in the quarterfinals. But he won three of his next four matches, with a pin (0:54), a medical forfeit and a 1-0 decision in the fifth-place match.
Landon Zinke grabbed seventh place in the 139. He lost in the first round, but then got a bye in the first consolation round. He win by pin at 0:53 in the second consolation round. He took seventh-place honors with a medical forfeit.
Tucker Bennett (145) returned to state with a fifth-place finish. He had pins in the quarterfinal and fifth-place match, at 0:40 and 1:29, respectively.
Logan Charboneau added a fourth-place finish in the 152. He lost in the quarterfinals but then won three consecutive matches, with a 14-13 decision sandwiched by two pins (1:13 and 3:49). He lost by pin at 5:11 in the third-place match.
Coby Dronen Levitt will also be going to state after finishing fifth in the 172. He took a major decision 9-1 win in the first round. An elbow injury forced him to default the quarterfinal match, but he was able to return after a bye in the next round to win by pin at 3:54 in the third consolation round. He lost a 6-1 decision in the consolation semifinals, but won a 12-4 major decision in the fifth-place match.
Easton Encinas qualified in the 215 by placing fourth. He had technical fall wins in the quarterfinal (17-2) and consolation semifinal (20-5). He lost by medical forfeit in the third-place match.
Aiden Stiven, in the 215, was the final Firebird boy to qualify for state. He finished fifth. He went 4-2 in his bracket, with all four wins coming from pins within the first minute of each match: 0:06, 0:40, 0:20 and 0:17.
The 12 Devils Lake boys join the eight girls who qualified a day prior.
It’s another step up for the growing girls’ wrestling program, which sent five girls to state last year.
The Firebird girls are led by Jaylee Jetty (170), who made it to the second round of wrestle backs last year.
Izzy Orness (112) and Leah Dahle (136) also return to state.
The other Firebirds to make it were Jossalin Carpenter (118), Mallie McCloud (124), Gabby Hunter (142), Shyree Bjornson (190) and Hannah Garza (190).
The state wrestling tournament is set for Feb. 19-21 in the Fargodome.
