Photos by Noah Clooten
A year after making noise at state, Devils Lake boys’ wrestling returns a strong group, in multiple meanings of the word.
With nearly 40 rostered wrestlers, the Firebirds have picked up where they left off last year, when 18 boys made it to state. They won each of their first two home duals, 63-12 over Valley City and 44-27 over Central Cass. Then four Devils Lake wrestlers placed in the top six at the Mandan Lions Tournament.
The Firebirds are led by Brendon Flynn, who’s coached the team for close to a decade.
“Win the East — that’s a big goal of ours,” Flynn said. “We’ve never done it. We’ve never won the East. It’s something we want to do. And these guys, they’re capable of that. And then another thing is we want to make top quarter as a team, in individuals and state duals. It’s gonna come down to how are we gonna trust the process, and how are we gonna believe in ourselves?”
More than anything, the Firebirds displayed their depth and versatility in their first home action. While Cooper Dahm and Rylan Samuelson took disappointing losses in the lightest weight classes on Dec. 3 against Central Cass, Devils Lake had more than enough to bounce back. Eight of the next 11 matches went to the Firebirds, with six recording pins.
One of those pins came from senior Braxton Rance, competing in the 215 — the second-highest weight category. Rance has already committed to continue his wrestling career at Division II Minot State University.
“He’s really grown over the last couple years,” Flynn said. “Growing into a really good leader. Taking time to work with guys and just doing whatever it takes to get better. And really live the lifestyle that we try to talk about. Being a champion is not just in the practice room. It’s out in the community. It’s in the classroom. And he’s a really good example of that.”
Owen Lindstrom, a senior committed to Bismarck State University, had a very quick pin after an immediate takedown against Central Cass. He placed third in the 121 weight class at the Mandan Lions Tournament, going 6-1.
Samuelson responded nicely in the Mandan Lions Tournament as well, going 5-3 and placing fourth in the 114. Rance also placed fourth in his weight class, while Daniel Charboneau placed fifth in the 145. Junior Coby Dronen Levitt has come up big, especially with a comeback victory that provided the turning point in the dual against Central Cass.
Devils Lake also has Jeremiah White, just a freshman, competing in the 285.
“This squad is capable of doing something we’ve never done,” Flynn said. “So we’re excited to see where we’re going… Making sure that we focus on getting better and not focus on wins and losses.”
The Firebirds’ success has come under Flynn’s direction, following a downturn in the program. Devils Lake wrestling was “on notice” due to low participation numbers as recently as early 2016. At the time, the team was coached by Todd Lambrecht, a former state champion Firebird wrestler who’s now the head coach of the Devils Lake football team. Flynn joined Lambrecht as an assistant for one year before taking over as head coach.
And ever since, Flynn and the whole Devils Lake wrestling community have been able to garner increased interest and support in the school’s wrestling program. Numbers aren’t an issue at all on the boys’ team anymore.
“I credit that to God,” Flynn said. “That’s just a lot of faith, a lot of prayers being answered. It really shows the community that we have, and just a lot of credit to the people in the community and how they kept the youth program going, and the coaches before me that kept the high school program going. And now it’s just a response that the kids are succeeding. We’re seeing the result of kids having success, and people are noticing that and they want to be a part of it.”
Watch the Devils Lake wrestlers compete in home duals on both Dec. 17 and 19, then in the Dennis Flynn Invite on Dec. 21. All home meets are held in the Devils Lake Sports Center gym.
