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Emotional homecoming for Dodger wrestlers

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Fort Dodge's Brody Teske, the first three-time state wrestling champion in school history, speaks next to the program’s two new state runner-up banners and trophies during Sunday’s welcome-home rally at the Dodger gym. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the Fort Dodge community welcomed their Dodger wrestlers back from the state tournament on Sunday in the FDSH gym.

Over 200 fans shared laughs, memories and tears together when Fort Dodge returned home with the latest additions to its trophy case. The Dodgers placed second to Southeast Polk in both the traditional state and state dual tournaments, while senior Triston Lara and junior Brody Teske repeated as individual champions.

A number of community leaders addressed the audience, including FDSH athletic and activities director Matt Elsbecker, FDCSD superintendent Dr. Doug Van Zyl, FDCSD president Stu Cochrane, FDSH principal Dr. Ken Hayes, teacher and Dodger boys track coach John McBride, former head coach Ed Birnbaum, and current head coach Bobby Thompson.

The moment belonged to the wrestlers, though. Many of the state participants were called up front, but few were able to get through their speeches without overwhelming emotions from the season-long grind taking over.

Lara, a co-captain who became just the third wrestler in program history to medal in all four years of action, melted into the podium when discussing his last season as a Dodger. Though the University of Northern Iowa recruit went out on top — a state champion twice, state runner-up once, and the program’s all-time leader for career victories — the idea of never wearing the FDSH singlet again seemed to hit him all at once.

”I love this community, and I’ll always be a Dodger,” Lara said.

Lara also expressed a deep disappointment that two of his teammates in particular — his brother, junior Cayd Lara, and junior Drew Bennett — had to settle for second and third place, respectively.

”If I could trade my (state championship) in to see Cayd and Drew win instead, I’d do it in a heartbeat,” Lara said.

Cayd later responded, ”I can’t imagine not being in the same (wrestling) room as my brother (next year). It’s going to be hard to be here without him.”

Teske, the school’s first-ever three-time champion who has yet to lose a single high school match, said, ”we’re emotional because it’s the end of the road (in 2017) and we’re all brothers. We’ll miss the seniors a lot, but we’re also excited for the future and ready to get back to work. We’re not done yet.”

Senior Keaton Dornath, a 2017 Iowa Bankers Association student-athlete achievement recipient, stopped and laughed, ”I didn’t want to cry, but here it comes…” before thanking the team, fans and school. Senior Levi Trenary had similar difficulty putting his time as a Dodger into words.

Bennett, FDSH’s top-ranked 113-pounder, suffered a crushing semifinal setback to No. 2 Kyle Biscoglia of Waukee. Both wrestlers are ranked nationally. He expressed profound disappointment in losing, but added, ”I want to thank everyone for picking me up after the toughest loss of my life. I love you all, and I’d do anything for these guys behind me.”

Sophomore Drevon Ross, who was eighth at 132 pounds, said, ”I’d rather get silver with this team than (gold with) anyone else in the world. They’re my family.” Junior Damond Lockner, a fourth-place finisher at 126, thanked everyone because ”through good and bad, the community is always there for us.”

Junior Dorian Franklin, who qualified for state at 170 pounds, said ”I love this team to death. They took me in and accepted me (as a transfer from a high school in Omaha), and made Fort Dodge home.”

Sophomores Kaden Smith (170) and Triston Licht (195) and freshman Brooks Cowell (106) also took center stage and shared their thoughts. The Dodgers had 11 individual state qualifiers for the first time since 1984.

The constant theme among Van Zyl, Cochrane, Hayes, McBride and Birnbaum was centered around humility and focus, even as the temptation to rest on their laurels grew.

”There has been pressure, attention, and notoriety, but through it all, you haven’t changed,” Van Zyl said. ”It takes a special drive, determination and focus to strive to get better even after (experiencing success). You push each other and you’re there for each other no matter what. That is special.”

Cochrane acknowledged the parents and coaches who ”have done whatever it takes and made the sacrifices to get these kids here. This hasn’t happened by accident, and they are such a big part of the process.

”I know you want to turn that silver into gold,” Cochrane said about a text he received from Thompson on Saturday night, ”but you aren’t special because of the medals around your neck. You’re all champions because of how you conduct yourself away from the mat. You are ideal role models for future Dodgers.”

McBride said, ”it’s been an honor to cover you (for The Messenger) in each of the last three years. This is nothing like I’ve ever seen before. These guys are even better people than they are wrestlers, believe it or not.”

Thompson ”wouldn’t trade our wrestling community for any in the state, or even the nation.”

”I talk to coaches from across Iowa who are envious of what we have here,” Thompson said. ”We ask a lot. They give a lot. But at the end of the day, we’re there for each other and that’s as real as it gets.”

Elsbecker concluded the ceremony by contributing, ”no matter how high the program climbs, these young men don’t think they’re better than anyone else, and they aren’t in it for themselves over the good of the team.

”When you’re a part of something bigger than yourself, that’s unique. We have that here. And that’s a special tradition to pass along to future Dodgers who are watching their every move.”

Co-captains Triston Lara, Dornath and Teske presented the freshly-minted runner-up trophies to Van Zyl.

Fort Dodge placed in the top two at state for the 10th time in the last 76 years. The Dodgers have pieced three consecutive top-three team performances together for the first time in eight decades, and crowned multiple state champs in three straight years for the first time ever.

The FDSH athletic department has also secured 13 state championships in the last two calendar years — seven in wrestling, three in tennis, two in bowling and one in track. From 2006-14, the Dodgers won a total of just two state titles.

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