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FD’s Ayala wins national title

Dodger wrestling freshman-to-be stages dramatic rally in Fargo

Photo by Ben Strandberg/iawrestle.com Fort Dodge’s Drake Ayala reacts to his championship in the 88-pound Cadet men’s freestyle division on Monday in Fargo, N.D.

FARGO, N.D. — Drake Ayala saved his best for last at the prestigious U.S. Marine Corps Cadet and Junior National Tournament here on Monday.

Yet in the eyes of the Fort Dodge Senior High wrestling program, this is just the beginning.

The Dodgers’ freshman-to-be captured a national championship at the FargoDome in the Cadet men’s freestyle division, fighting back from an early deficit to finally take down Chance Lamer of Corvallis (Ore.) by a score of 14-10.

The 14-year-old Ayala dug his way out of a 6-0 hole and exacted revenge on Lamer, who had defeated him three prior times in the last calendar year at major tournaments across the country.

The finally tide turned in Fargo on the biggest stage of all.

”I just felt like it was my day,” the 88-pounder said. ”I knew I could beat him. I was ahead in the last match against him and I was getting closer (to wining).

”I put a lot of time into getting ready for this tournament; I’d been looking forward to it for a while. When I fell behind early, I stayed focused and just decided I wasn’t going to lose.”

The match was action-packed and dramatic, with Ayala reeling off 12 consecutive points during one stretch. He tallied his final takedown in the closing seconds, then gave an excited double fist-pump with a smile at the end.

”It was pretty crazy,” Ayala admitted. ”There are so many people there, and the spotlight is on you. I felt both relief and pride. It was great to get revenge on the biggest stage there is.

”This will help (confidence-wise) some, but I’ll keep preparing the same way and do the same things I know work for me. Just because I won a title at Fargo doesn’t mean my routine or anything else is going to change.”

Last month, Ayala went a perfect 8-0 and made the Cadet Freestyle National Duals All-Tournament team in York, Pa. for the Iowa Gold squad. He was second at Tulsa Nationals, third at the Super 32, third at postseason nationals, and fifth at the UWW Cadet and University Nationals in Akron, Ohio.

Ayala is the first Fargo champ from Fort Dodge since Joe Zuspann in 1974, and just the 21st Cadet division winner from Iowa in the history of the event.

”I know (the significance) of this; it’s huge for Fort Dodge and for me, obviously,” Ayala said. ”It’s been a long time since we’ve had (a local Fargo champ), so it’s big for the Dodger wrestling community. It means a lot.”

The multiple-time Iowa AAU state champion was ranked 24th nationally on the FloWrestling Junior High big board this past January.

Ayala is projected to be FDSH’s 106-pounder this coming season. The Dodgers will be welcoming back state champion Brody Teske, as well as placewinners Cayd Lara (2nd), Drew Bennett (3rd), Damond Lockner (4th) and Drevon Ross (8th) from their second-place squad. State qualifiers Kaden Smith, Dorian Franklin, Triston Licht and Brooks Cowell are also slated to return.

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