COUNCIL BLUFFS — After the first day of the Council Bluffs Classic, top-ranked Drake Ayala, third-ranked Carson Taylor and fifth-ranked Kaden Smith are the remaining unbeaten Dodgers.

Ayala (12-0) picked up three falls and a technical fall at 113 pounds and Taylor (12-1) had four falls at 120 pounds, three in the first period. Smith (11-3) had two falls and two decisions at 170 pounds.

The Dodgers are in 12th place in the 40-team field with 86.5 points. Liberty is in the front of the pack with 163.5 points. Waukee (156.5) is in second place, followed by Apple Valley (143.5), Millard South (137.5) and Kearney (137).

In his first match of the day, Ayala won by fall in 40 seconds and followed with a second round pin in 19 seconds. He then earned a technical fall in 5:40 before beating Gardner-Edgerton’s Collin Smith by fall in 1:17 in the championship first round.

“Drake had a great day with three falls and a technical fall,” Thompson said. “He has a tough Nebraska City kid on his side, and a state runner up who is No. 1 in Minnesota.

“He just need to continue to take care of business.”

Taylor’s first two falls came in 50 seconds and 1:19, followed by 3:53. On the championship side, he pinned Woodbury Central’s Brackett Locke in 38 seconds.

“Carson had a great day, earning four falls,” Thompson said. “He’ll have Hunter Garvin of Iowa City West, who won his weight at Independence last week.

“With so many teams and tough wrestlers, every match is going to be tough from here on out.”

In Smith’s first match, he earned a fall in 5;01. He then had a 7-2 and 10-6 decision. He followed that with a fall over Brendan Oshel of Gardner-Edgerton in 3:07.

“It’s nice to see Kaden get in the quarterfinals, coming off a tough weekend,” Thompson said. “He’s getting more confident.”

Lane Cowell (106) and 10th-ranked Brooks Cowell (126) won two and three matches each.

Lane went 2-2 on the day and Brooks was 3-2. Brandon Mills (145) also picked up three victories.

“Lane lost in pool play to the No. 1 seed (Caleb Coyle of Millard South, 11-9), who was a Fargo All-American and a teammate of Drake’s,” Thompson said. “Lane out-wrestled him, but didn’t get the win. He’s working on his confidence in matches.”

Winning two matches were Dreyzon Phillips (132), Kody Cook (138), Dylan Zimmermann (152), Savion Wheat (160), Sawyer Springer (220) and Logan Finowski (285).

Quarterfinal action begins at 10 a.m. in Council Bluffs.