The Bowman County-Beach BuccaDawgs secured a commendable fifth place at the North Dakota State Duals, held from February 19 to 21, 2026, at the bustling Fargodome. The event featured competitors from across North Dakota, showcasing both individual matches and team duals, with the BuccaDawgs aiming for podium finishes.
During the first two days, the focus was on individual performances. Notable contributions came from wrestlers Sawyer Noll, Jace Boynton, and Cutter Ouradnik. Noll and Ouradnik entered the tournament with significant career milestones, with Noll achieving 150 career wins and Ouradnik reaching 100 career wins. Boynton joined this elite group by securing his 100th win after a stellar performance in the 114 lb. category.
Boynton’s journey started with a decisive victory over Eli Benson from Killdeer, where he scored 11 points and pinned Benson in the second period. He continued his dominance in the quarterfinals against Wyatt Schaff of DesLacs-Burlington, accumulating 16 points before pinning Schaff in the second period as well. The semi-finals saw Boynton facing Alex Leier from Velva, resulting in yet another pin and a score of 16 points. The championship match pitted him against Cash Gerhardt of Linton-HMB, and Boynton clinched the title with a decision victory of 7-4, marking his 100th career win.
Ouradnik competed fiercely in the 139 lb. weight class, ultimately securing fifth place. His opening match against Broderyk Mohl of Beulah-Hazen was swift, with Ouradnik pinning Mohl in the first period. In the quarterfinals, he faced a challenging match against Lucas Soli of Velva, which ended in a narrow loss by decision at 7-6. After bouncing back in the consolation bracket, Ouradnik pinned Jaeger Jordheim of Kindred and later defeated Choutae Gerhardt of New Salem-Almont to reach the consolation semi-finals. Despite a tough loss to Rylan Vetter of South Border, Ouradnik rebounded to win his final match against Ian Anderson of Lisbon, finishing with a score of 10-4.
Noll, a Beach High School junior, moved up to the 172 lb. class this year, following a strong second-place finish in the previous year’s state tournament. His opening match against Lane Zupan of the Northern Lights co-op saw Noll score 18 points before pinning Zupan in the second period. He continued his momentum with a quick pin against Tyson Klabo of Valley City in the first period of his next match. The semi-finals presented a tougher challenge against Lincoln Spear from Kenmare-Bowbells, but Noll maintained control and emerged victorious in the final moments of the third period.
In the championship match, Noll faced Eli Lyons of Lisbon, where he succumbed to a pin toward the end of the first period, ultimately finishing in second place. The combined efforts of Noll, Boynton, and Ouradnik propelled the BuccaDawgs to an eighth-place team finish in the Class B individual tournament.
The final day of the state tournament was dedicated to team duals, featuring eight teams split into East and West regions. The BuccaDawgs, represented by a robust lineup including Elijah Mark, EJ Janikowski, Ryen Noll, and others, faced stiff competition. Their first match was against the East Region powerhouse Lisbon, a team with six dual titles since 2008. The BuccaDawgs fell short, with a final score of 40-26, though they managed to score the highest points against Lisbon throughout the tournament.
In their second match, the BuccaDawgs turned the tide, decisively defeating Williams County with a score of 46-20. The final match against Hettinger-Scranton determined the fifth-place title. The BuccaDawgs dominated once again, finishing strong with a score of 40-18, thereby securing the fifth-place plaque.
Lisbon ultimately claimed the championship title, defeating Kindred 45-15 and Velva 36-22 in the final rounds. Following this year’s competition, the Bowman County-Beach BuccaDawgs are already setting their sights on the 2027 state tournament, aiming for further improvements and more individual competitors to enhance their performance.
