Credit to Kylie Ramirez

Senior Lito Ledezma takes down Saint Charles West Wrestler.

The North Duels are an annual wrestling event where schools near Saint Louis with the word “North” in their name compete against each other. This school year, the series of duels is currently set to be held on Feb 4, 2026. The schools participating are Francis Howell North, Parkway North, McCluer North, and Fort Zumwalt North.

“The North Duels are one hundred percent competitive and intense,” varsity wrestler Dane Mullins said. “The gym is alive during the duel, and it’s like everyone is competing for the ‘North’ title in their school’s name.”

Because the North Duels are highly competitive, they allow for a seemingly tense atmosphere for the audience, coaches, and wrestlers alike.

“In the duels. It all depends, man,” coach Sean Fowler said. “It depends on the competition, it depends on the year. It’s always nerve-wracking for our coaches.” The tense environment surrounding the North Duels affects both coaches and athletes. According to Mullins, the nerves leading up to the competition can push wrestlers to perform at a higher level.

“There is some nervousness, but it motivates the entire team to do better,” Mullins said.

Fowler characterizes the nervousness of wrestlers before games, insisting that the adrenaline before a match is misinterpreted as nervousness when it is really excitement.

“Some people are like, ‘Oh, I’m nervous,’ and I try to explain that they’re not nervous. They’re excited,” Fowler said. “And you know, it’s really just year to year, a group of kids to a group of kids, individual to individual. It’s just how people respond to that pre-competition energy.”

Although the duels can have a tense atmosphere, wrestlers can also view the event as energetic and rewarding. Another FHN varsity wrestler who can describe this is Noah Brown.

“Beating a rival school in the North Duels definitely has a special feel to it,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of tension in those matches and with the benches, so when you get that win for your team, it has a more emotional toll on how you feel coming off the mat.”

Although winning at the North Duels can be a certain high point that brings coaches and athletes together, the rivalries between schools can bring feelings of stress and other challenges.

“Rivalries can bring unity, but they also can bring stress. If it’s a win over the rival team, I feel like our team gets closer, but if we lose, we definitely separate because we can get mad at each other,” Brown said.

Mullins adds to the losing experience; losing can be difficult, but it serves as a reminder to stay focused.

“I’ve worked really hard, so imagining losing is definitely scary. But you need to stay focused,” Mullins said. “When we lose it just reminds us to stay motivated and stay focused.”

Brown adds to the experience, explaining that although losing can be upsetting, it can also have a positive outlook and bring value.

“Losing to a rival team in the duels is very upsetting. It definitely has a negative effect on the team because people blame each other for the team losing the duel, but it’s also a learning experience,” Brown said.

The North Duels continue to be a significant event for those involved, offering competition, motivation, and opportunities to improve throughout the season. The event stands as a defining moment that reflects preparation, hard work, and the outcomes of close match rivalries, which highlight the participating schools’ aim to earn the “North” title.