Can you imagine that high school sports in North Dakota started over a century ago? Since the formation of the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) in 1908, inter-high school competitions have been a tradition across the state. Every season, different teams have been putting in the work in different games to emerge as the state champions. For some schools, that dream has come to life; for others, it is still a work in progress.

That competitiveness keeps the gaming spirit alive, always bringing the community together to witness greatness in action as they support the upcoming stars. This sparks the love for sports not only in the players but also in some fans, who end up identifying their favorite sport there and following it even to national levels.

And sometimes, the passion extends beyond the bleachers to activities like betting to engage more with the sport. However, with the rise of retail sports betting in North Dakota, identifying a wagering location that stands out from the rest can be challenging. Thankfully, information by betting.us and other affiliate sites, which normally rank top wagering destinations based on various factors, can help. But beyond all that, watching ND high school teams stiffly compete for the state championship is bliss. Ever wondered which team has the most of that prestigious title? Read on to find out.

Who are the record holders?

North Dakota high school games feature a number of sports, including football, basketball, track and field, volleyball, wrestling and baseball. That means several teams hold the record for most state titles in different sports. But one legendary team stands out above all others in ND’s history:  Bismarck High School’s wrestling team.

Ever since North Dakota high school wrestling began, Bismarck High has secured 41 state team titles. That is more than any ND high school has ever won across all sports. To make it even crazier, the BHS wrestling team has single-handedly outshone all of its competitors because the rest of Class A combined has only 25 wins.

Starting in 2000, BHS has bagged 18 team titles out of the possible 24 and 19 dual championships in the same period. Clearly, if dominance had a face, it would be this team. They are known across the state as the Demons and have lived up to that name by displaying an undying fighting spirit. They have been so consistently good that they have never finished lower than third in the state since BHS wrestling started.

Behind the wins

Strong coaching legacy

It is often said that a captain is only as good as his crew, but the crew is only as strong as its captain. That has been true for the Bismarck High School wrestling legacy because, other than having good players, their success can also be attributed to their great coaches over the years.

Gerald Halmrast, the head coach from 1959 to 1975 and then returned in 1984, set a good foundation. He coached nine state championship teams and was recognized as the National Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1972-1973, making him the first from the state. Mr. Jerry was so good at what he did that he even made it into the North Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1988.

Then came the legendary Scott Knowlen, a BHS alumnus with a perfect 67-0 record and two state championships in his student days. During his 26 years as head coach, Scott achieved a 368-16-2 dual match record, including 15 state championships, 15 undefeated teams and 12 state dual titles. In 2004, he was also recognized as National Coach of the Year.

Jeff Schumacher continued the excellence culture at BHS after being Knowlen’s co-head coach from 1997. He’s achieved a 390-28-3 dual match record, earned National Coach of the Year honors in 2022 and received an NDAPSSA Special Achievement Award in 2024.

These three visionary coaches helped guide the Demons to their victories, each building on the success of the other.

A wrestling program culture

At Bismarck, the wrestling program is structured to build winners. Both the coaches and the players train with the expectation of winning always. They give their best both on and off the mat as people determined to win the state dual title and individual state titles every year, regardless of their current winning track record.

The program is also big on individual and team progress, so they push hard all year round with a ‘no days off’ mindset. This builds the wrestlers’ skill and mental strength to weather all challenges on and off the mat, thus giving them a competitive edge. They strongly believe you may not be the most talented, but you can always be the hardest worker.

Nurturing young talent and community support

Bismarck High’s dominance is not a one-man show because every year, they show up to competitions with a whole team of strong wrestlers across every weight class. That gives them better chances of winning both the individual and dual team titles.

Also, the MATPAC Wrestling Club, a top-class youth-to-high-school feeder program in Bismarck, contributes to sustaining the team’s excellence. At MATPAC, players are trained professionally from as young as four years old, so by the time they join high school like BHS, they are well-trained wrestlers ready to compete.

Parents, school staff, alumni and the local community work together to help the Demons get better and better every season.

Bismarck High’s wrestling success is not an accident but a result of great coaching, hard work and a supportive community. With everything they have built, they don’t seem to be dipping anytime soon.