After just one game, it almost feels like Devils Lake football has gone through the ups and downs of a season already.
That was just the nature of Friday’s contest against Central Cass. The Firebirds briefly led 7-6, but then trailed 20-7 at the half. A late-game comeback effort fell just short, and their season began with a hard-fought 34-27 loss.
But now they’re coming home. They’ll have a chance to turn the page and even their record in front of the home fans. As the Firebirds get prepared for their Roller Field debut, here are four principal takeaways from the season opener.
They need to clean up their false starts
The announcer on Your Live Event was beside himself on how costly this issue was, and the in-game reactions from head coach Todd Lambrecht confirmed as much.
Devils Lake needs to cut down on the false starts.
It was a problem that plagued the Firebirds early on and never really went away. They had two false starts on their first offensive drive alone, as they struggled to adjust to the shifts Central Cass made on its defensive alignment.
Three false starts hampered a first quarter that saw Devils Lake fail to score any points, trailing 6-0.
In the second quarter, down 20-7, Coby Dronen Levitt made a nice catch for a gain of 13, but then Devils Lake committed its fourth false start of the game. The Firebirds eventually turned it over on downs.
The first half ended with a false start, and the second half began with one. In the game’s final minutes, with Devils Lake trailing by seven, there was a false start during an on-side kick attempt.
Then on the Firebirds’ final drive, with under two minutes to go, they were slow getting in formation despite the fact that the clock was ticking. Their ninth — and arguably most costly — false start of the game followed, and Central Cass all but locked up its victory with an interception.
Clearly, not everybody was on the same page, and something needs to be cleaned up before the next contest. The Firebirds made some real noise in threatening a comeback, but so many times, the impressive efforts of their players were thwarted by self-inflicted errors.
Quarterback Mason Palmer led a multifaceted offense
Devils Lake’s performance wasn’t perfect, but there were still some good signs from the junior quarterback and his offense.
Chalk it up to the nerves of the first game, or simply strong defensive pressure from the Squirrels — but Palmer was overthrowing the football early on, leading to a slow offensive start. Still, Palmer, a multi-sport star who threw for more than 2,200 yards last year, had his moments.
Late in the first quarter, Palmer was nearly forced out of bounds on third and 11. But he somehow managed to fire off a last-ditch throw that went right into the hands of wide receiver Weston Nelson. He executed multiple crucial keeper plays, including a pair of one-yard runs that put Devils Lake up 7-6 in the second quarter and later cut its deficit to 20-14.
So even when not all of Palmer’s passes were landing exactly where he wanted them to, he was still finding ways to make something happen offensively.
Running back Bryar Exner was a key cog in the offense too, especially as the game wore on.
He had a particularly important drive in the third quarter that eventually led to Devils Lake’s second touchdown. On second and 15 — which was pushed back because of a false start — he ran for 12 yards, then got the first down on the next play. On the next series, he had back-to-back runs that helped the Firebirds keep rolling, and then he broke a couple of tackles for a gain of 15 into the red zone.
Wide receiver Oliver Wirth came into the game as perhaps Devils Lake’ most hyped offensive player. Though he had a relatively quiet game overall, he still had some moments that showed why he’s so highly regarded. Early on, he forced his way, with natural strength, through the defensive line for a gain of 11 on fourth down.
He and Palmer momentarily saved Devils Lake’s chances on the final drive of the game, too, as Palmer made a long throw from under pressure on third down that Wirth caught for another gain of 11.
This was before a sack, a false start and an interception that dashed the Firebirds’ hopes. But their stars were on full display Friday night, and their progression will be something to watch going forward.
Brody Forsberg stood out on defense
Forsberg, also the goalie on the hockey team, was arguably Devils Lake’s most imposing defensive presence on Friday.
He had multiple strong tackles in the backfield, including two sacks. He mowed through the offensive line with an effortlessness unlike anyone else on the team.
And he was one of the catalysts that helped Devils Lake almost make a comeback. With less than five minutes left, the Firebirds were down 34-21, and Palmer got picked off by the pesky Jake Thompson. But Forsberg responded with an interception of his own, then ran easily in the end zone for a pick-six.
It got Devils Lake back in the game, down only seven.
The Firebirds still have some things to tidy up defensively. They left some wide-open routes for Central Cass, plagued by missed tackles and broken coverages. But individually, the senior Forsberg had a particularly impressive first game.
Will Heilman also helped ignite that comeback attempt
Devils Lake’s late-game surge was also fueled by somewhat of a surprise name: sophomore Will Heilman.
After the Firebirds trimmed the deficit to 20-14, Heilman — who’d been mostly quiet thus far — had a great defensive series with a tackle and a pass breakup. He helped keep Devils Lake within six points at the end of the third quarter.
Then in the fourth quarter, after Central Cass scored a touchdown to go up 26-14, Heilman caught a first down. After a long run by Exnar, Palmer threw it to Heilman in the end zone, and Heilman was disciplined enough to barely stay in bounds long enough for it to count.
It was a massive play, getting the deficit back to 26-21 at the time. Heilman recently completed a strong freshman season on the baseball team, and only stands at 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, but he was a spark plug in the second half.
Now, after playing its first game of the season, Devils Lake should have a good idea of what went well and what will need improvement going forward. The Firebirds make their home debut on Friday against Watford City, a team that’s gone 6-48 over the last six seasons.
With areas to improve upon from last week, and a theoretically easier team coming up, Devils Lake should be well-equipped to even up its record in the first home Friday night lights of 2024.
