Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Dreyzon Phillips of Fort Dodge wrestles against West Des Moines Valley’s Brendan Nielsen on Thursday inside the Dodger gym. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

AKRON, Ohio — Four Fort Dodge wrestlers — two active and two alums — will be in action at the UWW Cadet and U23 World Team Trials at the Louis and Freda Stile Athletic Field House on the campus of the University of Akron beginning Friday.

Soon-to-be Dodger juniors Drake Ayala and Dreyzon Phillips will be on the mat in the UWW Cadet brackets. The tournament, which offers both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition, is a qualifier to represent the United States at the 2019 UWW Cadet World Championships. The winner at each weight division advances to Worlds in Bulgaria.

Ayala, an unbeaten 2019 Iowa high school state champion, placed fifth here two years ago and eighth last spring. He is now the nation’s fifth-ranked 113 pounder, according to FloWrestling.

Ayala will compete at 51kg on the freestyle this weekend — the equivalent of 113 pounds.

Phillips was a state qualifier at 132 pounds in February for FDSH. He’ll be in the 60kg freestyle bracket (132 pounds).

Former two-time Dodger state champions Sam Cook and Triston Lara are entered in the U23 field. Cook recently completed his sophomore year on the University of Iowa’s wrestling squad. Lara is a sophomore-to-be at the University of Northern Iowa.

Cook is entered at 97 kg (214 pounds) this weekend on the freestyle side. Lara is at 70kg (154 pounds) in freestyle action as well.