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Dodgers 2nd in Waverly

Phillips beats defending champ; Ayala takes first loss since ’18

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Kody Cook of Fort Dodge went 3-0 at the Caldwell Invitational in Waverly on Saturday.

WAVERLY — The fourth-ranked Fort Dodge wrestling squad ran the gamut of emotions at Saturday’s Rick Caldwell Invitational.

The Dodgers placed second to No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock, with sixth-rated Iowa City West taking third. The Go-Hawks accumulated 243.5 points in the five-team round-robin tournament, with Fort Dodge at 188.5 and West at 147.5.

Four Dodgers went undefeated, but it wasn’t necessarily the usual standouts who escaped unscathed. Senior Kody Cook (160 pounds) stayed hot and reeled off three consecutive victories, while freshmen Dru Ayala (106) and Cal Hartman (145) and sophomore Max Bishop (113) also had perfect performances.

For the first time in 109 matches and nearly three full years, senior state champion Drake Ayala suffered a setback. Ayala, the nation’s top-ranked 126 pounder, competed in the 132-pound division and was edged by No. 1 Ryder Block of W-SR, 9-7.

“There’s not much to say about (the specifics of the match),” FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson said. “I don’t really want to get into details about it. Ultimately, this will make Drake better and hungrier. I’m confident in that. He was up a weight and wanted the challenge. He got it. He knows what he needs to clean up and what to correct.

“I’ve never coached anyone in my 29 years quite like Drake — both the wrestler and the person. This will motivate him and fuel him in ways (a win) never could. That’s just the way he is and the way he thinks. I can guarantee you this: for the next three weeks, you’ll see a more determined Drake Ayala. He’ll be a man on a mission.”

Block was a freshman state champion last season at 106 pounds. He is now 14-0.

“Obviously a win like that is going to give me some confidence, and it helps me buy into what my coaches have been trying to get me to believe (as far as) how good I can really be,” Block said. “You have to give Drake credit for coming up a weight to wrestle. I respect him, and it’s always fun to have such good competition — especially against a guy of Drake’s caliber.

“Everyone knows he is one of the best in the country. I wish him luck on the rest of his season.”

Ayala (21-1) — a University of Iowa recruit — is expected to be back at 126 this week, according to Thompson. Whether or not that lasts remains to be seen.

Also wrestling up a weight, Fort Dodge senior Dreyzon Phillips (17-2) defeated last year’s 145-pound state champ, third-rated (152) Graham Gambrall of West, by a 5-3 count. Phillips, ranked fourth at 145, dropped a 5-1 decision to No. 1 (152) Aiden Riggins of W-SR in his next match, but bounced back with a pin.

“Dreyzon has been up at 52 and holding his own,” Thompson said. “The Gambrall match wasn’t really as close as the score indicated. Dreyzon was in control. Riggins is really tough, but Dreyzon battled.

“With COVID and everything else, we’re just trying to get our guys the best matches out there. It was good to see Waverly and West, and Waterloo East and Boone have some solid kids, too.”

Phillips said that at the end of the day, it was “just another match.”

“It was great to get the big win, but it’s time to move on and prepare for the future,” Phillips said. “It’s my last go-round, and I’m just enjoying my time left in a Dodger singlet. I believe in myself.”

Cook “continues to compete with a ton of confidence and just keeps getting better,” Thompson said. The fifth-ranked 160-pounder went 3-0 and is now 17-3 on the year.

Ayala, rated fourth at 106, swept through three opponents and is now 20-3 overall. He defeated seventh-ranked Zane Behrends of W-SR, 14-10.

Hartman was 4-0 and improved his record to 14-10 in the process. He had a pin, a technical fall, a major and a decision.

“Dru took care of the Waverly kid, which was big,” Thompson said. “Cal’s just out there having fun, competing and getting better every day. Being a 145-pound freshman at this level isn’t easy, but he’s really showing signs and we’re excited about his future.”

Bishop, who has been dealing with an injury recently, scored a major and a fall to push his record to 13-1.

“It was good to get Max back out there this week,” Thompson said. “We’ll need him healthy and ready to go.”

Fourth-rated Dodger senior Lane Cowell (20-3) went 3-1 with a 9-4 loss to No. 2 Bailey Roybal of W-SR. Freshman Damarion Ross (16-11) won two matches and dropped a pair to ranked foes at 138, while No. 4 Ben Egli (14-6) split his two decisions after coming up short against top-ranked Go-Hawk McCrae Hagarty at 182.

Fort Dodge returns to action with a Tuesday home dual against Marshalltown. The Dodgers will then host a CIML Invitational on Friday.

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