BRONZE BOMBERS
Dodgers open state week with third-place showing
DES MOINES — Bobby Thompson and the Fort Dodge wrestling team got a little bit of everything from the Dodgers’ state dual performance inside Wells Fargo Arena.
FDSH sent a couple of seniors out with victories, and the squad was able to get some underclassmen a feel for the big stage while bringing home a duals trophy for the fourth consecutive season.
The third-seeded Dodgers took third after routing No. 5 North Scott 75-6 in the third place match. No. 3 seed Fort Dodge advanced to the semifinals after an opening-round victory over Waukee, 41-21.
“It’s a tribute to our program to bring home our fourth straight (duals) trophy,” Thompson said. “It’s also a credit to the depth of our program that we’ve put together.”
The Dodgers won 13 of 14 matches against the Lancers, who competed with mostly a junior varsity lineup. On paper, the North Scott varsity team would have only been favored in four matches.
Senior Savion Wheat (160) and Colten Munter (285), who didn’t qualify for the traditional tournament, ended their high school careers with victories. Wheat earned a fall in 1:21 and Munter picked up a pin in 2:11.
Munter also had a victory in the quarterfinals.
“It’s a good opportunity to compete together as a team one more time,” Thompson said. “Everyone came together.”
Against the Lancers, the Dodgers picked up 10 falls, a technical fall and a major decision. Along with Wheat and Munter, picking up falls were Tucker Pederson (170), Levi Egli (195), Sawyer Springer (220), Lane Cowell (113), Carson Taylor (126), Brooks Cowell (132), Brandon Mills (145) and Kody Cook.
Max Bishop (106) had a technical fall, and Drake Ayala (120) won by forfeit.
The Go-Hawks got off to a huge start against the Dodgers, winning seven of the first nine matches, all by bonus points and five by falls.
Second-ranked Egli won a tight 4-0 decision over No. 8 Jake Walker and No. 10 senior Austin Lee (182) had a major decision over Jentry Staack (10-1).
“A couple of matches here or there and things could have been different,” Thompson said. “If we would have won some of the swing matches (against W-SR), we would have been right there with them.”
The Dodgers picked up only three more victories in the dual, as the top-ranked Ayala (44-0) earned a 27-11 technical fall over Dylan Stockdale in 2:06. Taylor (36-3), ranked second, had a fall in 2:43.
No. 8 Mills pinned Abram Wrage in 1:08.
Junior varsity wrestlers Caleb Caldwell (132) and Tyler Kasperbauer (138), along with Thomas Daniel (170), saw action for FDSH as well.
“It was a good chance to get some younger kids on the mat,” Thompson said. “Win or lose, they were able to be on the big stage in this type of atmosphere. “After we were out of it (against W-SR), we decided to throw in some JV kids and get them some experience.
“That’s why we bring them down here: to get a feel for Wells Fargo Arena.”
Waukee started off hot in the quarterfinal matchup, winning five of the first seven matches to build a 21-9 advantage before the Dodgers ended the dual with seven straight victories.
“We lost some matches that I didn’t think we should have,” Thompson said. “It’s a testament to the overall balance of our team. It was a solid performance for us.”
Munter started the win streak with an 8-5 decision over Cael Winter. Bishop and Lane Cowell continued the streak with two straight major decisions. Bishop won 10-1 over Elijah Hofbauer and Cowell won 19-6 over Tanner Smith.
“Colten had a good run, coming off a good district tournament with some close matches,” Thompson said “He barely missed qualifying for state. He got some solid wins.
“It was a positive way to end his career.”
Defending state champions Ayala and Taylor followed with two straight falls. Ayala’s pin came in 25 seconds over Caden Bell to put the Dodgers in front for good.
Taylor stuck JJ Fielder in 50 seconds.
Brooks Cowell earned a 9-4 decision over Carter Smith. Second-ranked Phillips recorded a fall in 5:41.
Mills started the dual with 10-9 triumph over Colin Driscoll and Egli pinned Gavin Jones in 5:17.
QUARTERFINALS
FORT DODGE 41, WAUKEE 21
145 — Brandon Mills, FD dec. Colin Driscoll, 10-9; 152 — Cody Anderson, W tech fall, Kody Cook, 16-0; 160 — Jermaine Sammier, W pinned Savion Wheat, 5:59; 170 — Tanner Spyksma, W dec. Tucker Pederson, 7-4; 182 — Griffin Gammell, W major dec. Austin Lee, 13-4; 195 — Levi Egli, FD pinned Gavin Jones, 5:17; 220 — Cael Thorson, W dec. Sawyer Springer, 10-3; 285 — Colten Munter, FD dec. Cael Winter, 8-5; 106 — Max Bishop, FD major dec. Elijah Hofbauer, 10-1; 113 — Lane Cowell, FD major dec. Tanner Smith, 19-6; 120 — Drake Ayala, FD pinned Caden Bell, :25; 126 — Carson Taylor, FD pinned JJ Fielder, :50; 132 — Brooks Cowell, FD dec. Carter Smith, 9-4; 138 — Dreyzon Phillips, FD pinned Dominic Rubino, 5:41.
SEMIFINALS
WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 51, FORT DODGE 24
152 — Evan Yant, WSR major dec. Kody Cook, 9-0; 160 — Carter Proffitt, WSR tech fall Tucker Pederson, 15-0; 170 — McCrae Hagarty, WSR pinned Thomas Daniel, :58; 182 — Austin lee, FD major dec. Jentry Staack, 10-1; 195 — Levi Egli, FD dec. Jake Walker, 4-0; 220 — Brayden Wolf, WSR pinned Sawyer Springer, 2:34; 285 — Luke Walker, WSR pinned Colten Munter, 1:48; 106 — Ryder Block, WSR pinned Max Bishop, 5:29; 113 — Bailey Roybal, WSR pinned Lane Cowell, 2:51; 120 — Drake Ayala, FD tech fall Dylan Stockdale, 27-11; 126 — Carson Taylor, FD pinned Sam Hornyak, 2:43; 132 — Aiden Riggins, WSR pinned Caleb Caldwell, 1:33; 138 — Noah Heise, WSR pinned Tyler Kasperbauer, :34; 145 — Brandon Mills, FD pinned Abram Wrage, 1:08.
THIRD-PLACE MATCH
FORT DODGE 75, NORTH SCOTT 6
160 — Savion Wheat, FD pinned Seth Madden, 1:21; 170 — Tucker Pederson, FD pinned Maxwell Solis, 1:54; 182 — Thade Gottschalk, NS pinned Austin Lee, 1:37; 195 — Levi Egli, FD pinned Joey Petersen, 1:05; 220 — Sawyer Springer, FD pinned David Borchers, 4:27; 285 — Colten Munter, FD pinned Will Burklow, 2:11; 106 — Max Bishop, FD tech fall Ayden Golden, 15-0; 113 — Lane Cowell, pinned Eli Pence, :45; 120 — Drake Ayala, FD won by forfeit; 126 — Carson Taylor, FD pinned Logan Schmidt, :32; 132 — Brooks Cowell, FD pinned Cael Straley, :46; 138 — Drezyon Phillips, FD major dec. Trenten Doty, 17-6; 145 — Brandon Mills, FD pinned Aydan Cary, 1:40; 152 — Kody Cook, FD pinned Nate Link, 3:37.