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Silver medals for Dodgers Taylor, Phillips

—Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Fort Dodge's Carson Taylor wrestle for a state title at 126 pounds Saturday night in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — The Fort Dodge wrestling squad had 11 wrestlers on the big stage with lofty individual goals this week, but the biggest one was to keep the team trophy streak alive.

The Dodgers proved that point on Saturday night, as they finished the state tournament with a Class 3A bronze showing.

Fort Dodge had 122.5 team points. Waverly-Shell Rock (177) repeated as champion, and Southeast Polk (141) was the state runner-up for the second consecutive year.

“It seems like kind of a mixed bag, but at the beginning of the season if you would have told me we’d have eight medals and two third place trophies — I would take it in a heartbeat,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “There are over 60 teams in the state who would love to say that.”

Fort Dodge had the school’s second-best medal haul ever eight. Junior Drake Ayala (120) won his second straight state title, while senior Carson Taylor (126) and junior Drezyon Phillips (138) both captured second place individually.

Senior Levi Egli (195) was third. Senior Brandon Mills (145) and junior Kody Cook (152) were sixth. Junior Lane Cowell (113) and senior Brooks Cowell (132) were seventh and eighth, respectively.

“This was a huge accomplishment for our school to do this with home-grown boys, grabbing two trophies (Fort Dodge was also third at state duals on Wednesday),” Thompson said. “It was definitely a grind, but I would take my Fort Dodge Senior High kids over anybody.”

This year’s bronze trophies were the 11th trophies in the past six seasons for the program. The Dodgers were state champions in the traditional tournament in 2018. In 2015, they were third, and FDSH followed that up with two runner-up showings.

On the dual side, with this year’s bronze, the Dodgers were fourth, first in 2018 and second in both 2017 and 2016.

On Saturday night, Taylor and Phillips lost to nationally ranked competitors in the finals at their respective weights.

“It felt great to be back in the finals,” Taylor said. “It’s a big rush, especially since I’m a senior.

“I love my teammates and I love everybody who’s helped me along the way to get to where I am.”

The Dodger duo had tough tasks ahead them, with 10th-ranked national wrestlers and future University of Iowa recruits Cullan Schriever of Mason City and Caleb Rathjen of Ankeny.

Taylor, who burst onto the scene with a fifth-place showing as a sophomore, quickly made a name for himself after winning the state championship a year ago.

Taylor will now take his talents to Grand View University.

“I will miss being a Dodger. It was the best experience I could have ever asked for,” Taylor said. “It made me who I am today, and I wouldn’t trade these guys for anybody.

“It’s (disappointing) I lost in the finals, but Cullan is a great wrestler.”

Phillips took a similar path to stardom as a qualifier last year and a quick rise to the 138-pound final match.

“Both Carson and Dreyzon came out of nowhere, so to speak, from where they were early in their careers,” Thompson said. “They do things that people don’t see. The training that they put in and the way they take care of their body and mind changed them from being on the outside to being in the limelight.

“They both worked extremely hard.”

For the second straight Saturday, Taylor (39-4) met Shriever (16-0) in a final (Taylor lost 11-5 at districts inside the Dodger gym). Taylor was able to close the gap in the 126-pound final, taking a couple of shots, but couldn’t earn a takedown. Schriever prevailed, 9-4.

Taylor completed his Dodger career with a 121-19 overall mark, finishing tied for 14th on Fort Dodge’s all-time win list.

“Carson wrestled a solid match,” Thompson said. “He was competing against a top Div. I recruit.

“Carson had a great career and was the definition of a Dodger.”

For the third time this season, Phillips (41-8) faced Rathjen (43-1). Rathjen was able to control the match for a 17-6 major decision.

“I’ve had an amazing year. The work I put in during the offseason showed here, and it’s definitely not just me,” Phillips said. “I have so many people behind me that want what’s best. I’m grateful for how far I’ve come.

“I plan on continuing to grow just like last year to get to that next level.”

The Dodger junior turned in a strong tournament, winning three matches, including two by fall and the major.

“Drake, Dreyzon and Kody aren’t going away any time soon,” Thompson said. “Dreyzon is going to be very dangerous next year. Dreyzon had a terrific season. He kind of took the same path as Carson, bursting onto the scene from last year to reaching the state finals against a nationally-ranked wrestler. That experience is huge for him moving forward.”

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