GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls High Bison rolled over Belgrade during last weeks homecoming game, winning 49-7. But the night had more in store for senior defensive end Wyatt DeVoss.
During the third quarter, DeVoss blitzed through the offensive line, taking down Belgrade’s quarterback for his 20th career sack and breaking the all-time record.
“It was an insane feeling that I had,” DeVoss said. “An accomplished and very happy feeling.”
DeVoss knew he was approaching the record for weeks and had been determined to break it.
“We had been talking about it for three weeks,” head coach Coda Tchida said. “He’s been trying to find any trick or anything he could do to get that record.”
Tchida describes DeVoss as one of the hardest working kids in his program and stated that it could not have happened to a better person.
Not only has DeVoss been getting praise from his coaches, but from his peers as well. Prior to breaking the record in the third quarter, DeVoss was announced as homecoming king at half time.
"That night I felt great," he said. "My family all hugged me, they all called me and said great job, you did an outstanding job and we’re very proud of you. It was a very good feeling."
To make the story even sweeter, DeVoss wears the honorary jersey No. 40 in honor of former Bison Derek Dowson. It has been a tradition since 2017 to give out this jersey to a player who not only stands out on the field, but off the field as well.
DeVoss said it meant a lot for him to break the record while honoring Dowson.
"The 40 award is a huge honor to wear," DeVoss said. "It was just an outstanding feeling. It’s all the hard work finally paying off."
DeVoss has six sacks through six games and has no intention of slowing down. He says he has a goal of twelve sacks by the end of the season, and he continues to strive for that Thursday as they take on Billings Skyview.
