Photo by Brian Ray, University of Iowa Athletics: Iowa true freshman Drake Ayala, a former Fort Dodge state champion, wrestles Pat McKee of Minnesota on Friday night in Iowa City.

IOWA CITY — The energy was electric inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena here on Friday, as Fort Dodge’s Drake Ayala made his official University of Iowa debut at 125 pounds in the team’s Big Ten dual against Minnesota.

Ayala, a true freshman, brought the capacity crowd of 14,905 to its feet as he was introduced for the first time before his match with Gopher All-American Patrick McKee. The three-time Dodger state champion had posted a 10-2 record as an unattached competitor so far this season, with both losses coming by decision to McKee.

McKee, who placed third at last year’s NCAA Tournament, then made it a hat trick with an 8-6 victory last night.

The initial plan for this season was to redshirt Ayala, an understudy to three-time national champion and two-time Hodge winner Spencer Lee. When Lee announced last weekend he would be taking a medical redshirt to repair his two torn ACLs, though, the door opened for Ayala.

Ayala and Jesse Ybarra, a redshirt freshman who had posted a 5-1 record so far this year, were both on the lineup card at 125 for Friday’s dual. When Ayala — the nation’s No. 1 high school 126-pounder and a consensus Top-10 overall recruit as a Dodger — was announced after the match’s intermission, fans erupted.

Photo by Brian Ray, University of Iowa Athletics: Iowa's Drake Ayala gets mentally prepared for his match on Friday night in Iowa City.

The seventh-ranked McKee, a junior who his three years older than Ayala, spoiled the 2021 FDSH graduate’s highly-anticipated home debut despite the momentum of a fervent CHA contingent and a curious group of intently-watching Iowa teammates. Ayala, who is rated 14th at 125 by WIN Magazine, took a 2-0 lead with an early takedown, but McKee closed the second period with a four-point flurry to snap a 2-2 tie and held on from there.

Ayala’s takedown right before the whistle represented the final points of the match.

McKee (14-1), a three-time Minnesota prep state champ and former Fargo Nationals gold medalist, now has a career collegiate record of 61-19. Last March, he was seeded 15th at nationals but stormed back with six consecutive backside wins to secure bronze at 125.

McKee doubled up Ayala at the UNI Open in Cedar Falls last month, 8-4, then prevailed 6-5 in the semifinals at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. last Saturday.

While at Fort Dodge, Ayala was a three-time prep state champion and four-time finalist with 171 career victories. He also won three titles at Fargo Nationals, a Super 32 Challenge crown, was a two Dan Gable Iowa Mr. Wrestler of the Year recipient, and gained academic All-American status.

Photo by Brian Ray, University of Iowa Athletics: Iowa true freshman Drake Ayala, a three-time Fort Dodge state champ, introduced and makes his way toward the mat on Friday night in Iowa City.

No. 1 Iowa defeated Minnesota on Friday, 22-10. The Hawkeyes return to action at home again on Sunday versus Purdue.