Photo by Noah Clooten
The Devils Lake football season took an abrupt tumble on Friday. The No. 3-ranked Firebirds (3-2, 0-1) lost to unranked Wahpeton (3-2, 1-0) in their homecoming game, struggling to follow up an incredible performance two weeks earlier against Jamestown.
Here are three quick takeaways as the season continues on.
The Firebirds have already experienced massive highs and lows
Such is the nature of a nine-game football season, where every win and loss matters in large quantities.
Devils Lake has gone from unranked, to No. 5, to No. 3, back to being No. 5. A three-game win streak, including a statement comeback victory over then-No. 2 Jamestown, seemed to cement the Firebirds as a team to contend with. But after losing 28-14 to Wahpeton, they dropped back to the bottom of the top five.
So it’s hard to know where Devils Lake really deserves to be, or where it will be at the end. The Firebirds will be at home again this week, facing an 0-5 Fargo South team. Beating a relatively weak region opponent is the first key to getting back on track.
But Devils Lake still has No. 1 Grand Forks Red River and No. 2 West Fargo Horace left on its schedule. A lot could still happen, and this team still has multiple chances to prove itself against the cream of the crop — like it did against Jamestown. While the Firebirds likely have a sour taste in their mouths after losing to Wahpeton, they’ll have the opportunity to repeat the type of statement they achieved in Jamestown.
For the full story, subscribe to the Devils Lake Journal and check out the edition on Thursday, Oct. 3.
