Life took a certain direction for the Naldrett boys when the oldest, Damien, was 7 years old and came home from school with a flier for a youth wrestling club.

“Rich Vasquez handed him a flier,” mom Melissa Naldrett said. “Being as my husband wrestled, he decided to try. He fell in love with it and so did the others.” 

Gavin followed Damien; Dayton followed Gavin. Now Dayton is a senior and about to end a run of seven years in which a Naldrett was in the Flathead wrestling room. 

“Third of three brothers,” Flathead wrestling coach Jeff Thompson said. “All about three years apart. Dayton is such a great kid. One of those quiet leaders –– just doesn’t have that over the top, exposure, look-at-me type of attitude.  

“He is in the sport of wrestling for all the right reasons.”  

“It’s always been a huge part of my family,” Dayton Naldrett said. “Both of my brothers wrestled, and I thought I’d do the same. It turned out to be the best decision I’ve made.” 

Fall back sport 

“If you really want the truth, he wanted to be a football player more than anything,” Samson Naldrett said of his third son, who wrestles at 110 pounds for the Flathead Brave Brawlers. “About seventh grade, he realized he wasn’t going to be big enough.” 

Dad wrestled for the Kalispell wrestling club as a lad, then competed for two years at Class B ut Bank. 

“I had to weigh in with all my clothes on so I’d be legal,” said Samson, who wrestled at 98. Dayton, he added, “is already taller than I am.” 

Wrestling was a good fall-back for his son: In the grade school circuit Dayton won a couple state titles and he came into Flathead High ready to help the varsity. He made state as a freshman and sophomore; as a junior he broke through to the podium, finishing fifth at 110. 

He’s had to cut a bit this season to stay at 110, but it’s been a rewarding season. At the AA Duals in Great Falls in January, for example, he avenged a loss to Butte’s Crew O’Connor to clinch the third-place dual over the Bulldogs (O’Connor, 19-2 as an eighth grader this season, is wrestling 103 at State).  

On Saturday at the Western AA Divisional, Naldrett fell behind 8-0 to Helena Capital sophomore Joshua Simmons in the first round. 

“I wrestled him the week before on Senior night. I won pretty quick,” Naldrett said. “The second time I wrestled him I got caught on my back a couple times. He came out swinging.” 

Naldrett rallied to win 18-9, before ending up second to another Butte wrestler, senior Keegan Hunt.  

Looking ahead 

Naldrett has a keen interest in real estate and is leaning in that general direction after graduation. 

“Ever since I’ve been little I’ve had a thing for wanting to build houses, sell houses, design houses,” he said. “Real estate is one of my options. I like talking to people so I feel I’d be pretty good at it.” 

A year-round wrestler until Covid-19 came around –– OK, football sidetracked him here and there –– he has spent summers working in customer service: Wendy’s one year, the Pioneer League’s Glacier Range Riders another. But the next job can wait at least another week: The State AA tournament is set to start this weekend at First Interstate Arena in Billings. 

There, Naldrett will try to use his speed and ability to take down opponents to again reach the podium. He is 16-8 this season. 

“My goal is to get as high on that podium as possible,” he said. “Our coaches have told us all year they want us to peak at state. The end goal is to be at my best this weekend and place as high as I can.” 

“He’s climbing that ladder slowly but surely,” Thompson said. “He’s going to score points for you.” 

Flathead continues to be a power –– state champs in 2021-22, second the last three seasons –– because of wrestlers like Naldrett, who appreciate the sport as much as anyone. 

“It teaches you how to become a man,” he said. “It’s probably the most mentally draining, mentally tough sport. It teaches you a lot about life. ... It’s one of the toughest things you’ll ever do.”