PLEASANT HILL — The Fort Dodge wrestling team wound up having a long stretch to prepare for top-ranked Southeast Polk.

The fourth-ranked Dodgers (3-0 overall) hit the mat for the first time in 12 days after winter conditions forced the cancellation of Thursday’s dual and Saturday’s tournament action.

The Dodgers pit their eight ranked wrestlers against the Rams’ nine in a CIML cross-conference clash. Varsity action will begin at approximately 7:30 p.m.

Weather permitting, it will be a busy week for the Dodgers. Head coach Bobby Thompson’s team also heads to Ames for a triangular with the Little Cyclones and Des Moines Roosevelt on Thursday, before the Waverly-Shell Rock Invitational on Saturday.

“Southeast Polk is a team we need to see,” said Thompson. “There are about eight teams that I feel will prepare us well for the state tournament, and they are one of them.

“It’s going to be weird having a dual on a Tuesday night, but that is the way this season has gone. We didn’t have school Monday and missed the weekend tournament, so we are out of our routine.

“Hopefully our guys will show up and compete hard.”

Fort Dodge’s No. 4 Max Bishop will face off against top-rated Nate Jesuroga at 113 pounds. Fourth-ranked Dodger senior Lane Cowell is set to face 10th-ranked Cooper Hanson at 120 pounds.

No. 2 Joel Jesuroga of Southeast Polk and third-ranked Fort Dodger Dreyzon Phillips are slated to square off at 145.

Ayden Kingery (132), who is ranked No. 3 (The Predicament) and No. 1 (IAwrestle), is scheduled to take on 10th-ranked FDSH freshman Damarion Ross.

Senior Drake Ayala, ranked No. 1 in the nation at 126 pounds, will look to add to his 151 career victories.

Also ranked for Fort Dodge is Dru Ayala (No. 6 at 103), Kody Cook (No. 6 at 160) and Tucker Pederson (No. 10 at 170). Other ranked wrestlers for the Rams are Carter Martinson (No. 2 at 138), Carson Martinson (No. 4 at 152), Andrew Reed (No. 6 at 170), Aiden Grimes (No. 4 at 182), and Kaleb Runyon and (No. 1 at 220).

“They are as good as anybody in the state, like usual,” Thompson said. “They are right there with Waverly-Shell Rock (No. 2) and Waukee (No. 3).

“The top three teams are going to be very tough to beat.”

On Thursday, the Dodgers will face Ames and Des Moines Roosevelt.

Ames enters with two ranked wrestlers in Brent Slade (No. 6 at 145) and No. 2 Gabe Greenlee (285).

“It’s nice that we will be able to get three duals this week,” Thompson said. “These are opponents we haven’t seen all year. Unfortunately it’s on the road, but we need the (live action).”

PROBABLE DODGER LINEUP

106 — Dru Ayala, fr., (15-3); 113 — Max Bishop, so., (9-1); 120 — Lane Cowell, sr., (15-2); 126 — Drake Ayala, sr., (16-0); 132 — Damarion Ross, fr., (12-9); 138 — Tyler Kasperbauer, jr., (1-3); 145 — Cal Hartman, fr., (9-9); 152 — Dreyzon Phillips, sr., (13-1); 160 — Kody Cook, sr., (12-3); 170 — Matthew Surles-Davis, sr., (2-6); 182 — Ben Egli, jr., (11-5); 195 — Ashton Patrick, jr., (10-5); 220 — Alex Read, so., (12-7); 285 — Keaton Nichols, so., (6-7).