Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Fort Dodge sophomore Max Bishop is off to a 6-0 start at 113 pounds. He is ranked fourth.

It will be anything but a typical home opener, but the Fort Dodge wrestling team is still looking forward to its debut in the FDSH gym on Thursday.

The fourth-ranked Dodgers take on No. 8 Ankeny in a warm-up for Saturday’s Don Miller Fort Dodge Invitational. The CIML Iowa Conference dual begins with junior varsity matches at 6:30 p.m.

There will be no general admission for either event this week. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds loosened COVID-19 restrictions for sporting events and activities, but CIML rules will remain intact and keep attendance limited to two people per household at both of these meets.

“Now is not the time to let our guard down,” FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson warned. “We need to be as careful as ever about where the wrestlers go and with what’s going on in the stands. Masks are still mandatory. Social distancing is still mandatory. Those rules are critical to follow.

“If these kids want to have a season, I’m asking everyone who will be at Thursday’s dual or the Don Miller Invite on Saturday to take extra precautions and be respectful of the student-athletes who are trying to be safe.”

Thompson is expecting a “spirited dual” with the Hawks, who will bring a lineup spearheaded by five ranked wrestlers to Fort Dodge. Though the matchups may not perfectly align, Thompson is still hoping for as many main head-to-heads as possible.

“Ankeny is in our district, and without the CIML Invitational (which has been postponed), this is the only time our kids will have a chance to get their hands on (the Hawks before districts in the Dodger gym on Feb. 13),” Thompson said. “I think that’s important, especially given Ankeny’s a really solid squad with some outstanding athletes.

“It’s a big dual for us, knowing what we know about them and given we’ll see them again in the postseason.”

The marquee showdown could come at 120 pounds, where junior Trever Anderson — rated second — is slated to face No. 4 Fort Dodge senior Lane Cowell (7-0).

Senior Cael Cox is ranked sixth at 126 for Ankeny, but Dodger champion Drake Ayala (8-0) is likely moving up to 132. Sophomore Jace Anderson is ninth there for the Hawks.

Senior Caleb Rathjen — like Ayala, a University of Iowa recruit — is No. 1 at 152. Thompson anticipates Rathjen will compete at 160 on Thursday.

Another potential ranked clash could happen at 182, where ninth-ranked junior Nate Nessa and No. 10 junior Ben Egli (6-1) of Fort Dodge are both in the Top-10.

Other rated Dodger wrestlers include freshman Dru Ayala (ninth at 106), sophomore Max Bishop (fourth at 113), senior Dreyzon Phillips (third at 145), senior Kody Cook (fourth at 160) and sophomore Tucker Pederson (eighth at 170).

“We’re making progress,” Thompson said. “We just have to stay healthy and away from COVID. That’s really important here right before (winter break). So we’re going to need a commitment and the cooperation of the families and the communities involved who are going to be (in the Dodger gym on Thursday and Saturday).”

PROBABLE DODGER LINEUP

106 — Dru Ayala, fr., (7-1); 113 — Max Bishop, so., (6-0); 120 — Lane Cowell, sr., (7-0); 126 — Carter Forbes, sr., (3-0); 132 — Drake Ayala, sr., (8-0); 138 — Damarion Ross, fr., (5-5); 145 — Cal Hartman, fr., (5-4); 152 — Dreyzon Phillips, sr., (8-1); 160 — Kody Cook, sr., (5-1); 170 — Tucker Pederson, so., (1-2); 182 — Ben Egli, jr., (6-1); 195 — Pry’Shayn Mosley, jr., (1-3); 220 — Alex Read, so., (7-3); 285 — Keaton Nichols, so., (1-6).