Jossalin Carpenter and her coaches celebrate moments after coming away with an 8-4 win by decision in the 2026 state wrestling tournament. (Photo by Mojo Hill)
FARGO — Six Devils Lake girls are going to the second day of the state wrestling tournament.
Last season, the Firebirds had five girls make it to state, total. They sent eight this year, six of whom managed to stay alive on Thursday at the Fargodome.
“It’s just a testament to the girls. Because, for the last three weeks, it’s been nothing but a grind — in preparation for regionals, and then here,” Devils Lake head coach Fields Olson said. “Putting in the work over the season has really paid off dividends. This year, I brought two more that didn’t qualify but were one match away from qualifying last year. … Huge accomplishment for the girls’ program.”
First round
Leah Dahle was the lone Firebird to win her first-round match.
Seeded No. 6 in the 136 weight class, Dahle won by pin against No. 11 seed Damon Thoreson (West Fargo). It was a match that Dahle trailed, 3-0, in the first period. She tied it at 3-3 with an escape and a reversal, then won with a pin at 2:36.
“I keep telling the girls — we are a third-period team,” Olson said. “The level of conditioning that the girls have this year doesn’t even compare to last year.”
Izzy Orness, Mallie McCloud, Gabby Hunter, Shyree Bjornson and Hannah Garza lost by pins. Jossalin Carpenter lost by technical fall, while Jaylee Jetty lost by a 6-0 decision.
All of the Firebirds who took losses had lower seeds than their opponents.
Quarterfinals
Dahle had to contend with No. 3 seed Deegan Kirschenmann (Valley City) in the second round.
It was a tight match. Dahle led 3-1 after the first period. But Kirschenmann had a takedown and a near fall 10 seconds apart to go ahead, 7-3.
Dahle had two escapes throughout the rest of the match but fell by a narrow decision, 7-5.
“We’d wrestled that wrestler before, and it was a two-point match then,” Olson said. “Hopefully, depending on what happens in the semis, we wrestle back through and we could see her again. Because I know we can beat her.”
First-round wrestle backs
Of the seven Firebirds who lost their first-round match, five picked up wins in the first consolation round.
McCloud, Hunter, Jetty and Orness each won by pin. McCloud’s win was an upset, as the No. 14 seed going against No. 11, while the other three were the higher seeds in their matchups.
The girls’ action on Thursday concluded with a gutsy win by Carpenter.
“It’s always that next match — mentally, you’ve got to reset,” Olson said. “And you’ve got to be focused, stepping on that mat. A lot of times they know, ‘If I lose this match, I’m done,’ because it’s double-elimination.”
As the No. 13 seed going against No. 12 seed Kenleigh Davis (Bismarck Legacy), Carpenter trailed 4-3 after a late takedown in the first period. The second period featured only one score: an escape by Carpenter to tie the match, 4-4.
Carpenter crept ahead with 55 seconds left. She had a takedown with six seconds left to secure an 8-4 win by decision. Olson, his coaching staff and Carpenter’s teammates all celebrated the emotional victory.
“That last match: third-period team,” Olson said. “We can do it. We can do anything.”
The six remaining Firebird girls now get a chance to keep their season going in the remainder of the consolation rounds, which will be held Friday at the Fargodome.
“My philosophy is one minute, one period, one match at a time,” Olson said. “We win a minute — great. It’ll cascade. After I win so many minutes, I’m going to win a period. After I win so many periods, I’m going to win a match.”
