It’s going to sting and hurt for a while, but Ayala is already focusing on turning the corner and moving forward.

The Fort Dodge sophomore was bested in the final minute of the 106-pound championships at Wells Fargo Arena, losing 7-4 to Bettendorf’s Timothy Koester after being in control of the match for the first five-plus minutes.

“Dru is already back to work,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “He knows and I know that that match will not be his lasting moment. He has bigger and better things to build on.

“Dru wants to do better and get to that national level.”

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Koy Davidson of Fort Dodge takes on Southeast Polk's Nate Jesuroga Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Dodger freshman Koy Davidson ran also ran the way to the top of the 126-pound field, finishing second — like Ayala — in his first season on a varsity match.

In what was tabbed a rebuilding year for the Dodgers, Fort Dodge finished eighth overall with 74.5 points. The squad was only 12 points away from breaking into the top five.

Senior Ben Egli (3rd at 182), junior Max Bishop (4th at 113) and sophomore Damarion Ross (7th at 138) gave the Dodgers at least five medalists for the eighth consecutive season.

“We finished eighth in the state of Iowa in a year where we were supposed to be rebuilding. There are 56 schools that would like to be us,” Thompson said. “This is the culture that Fort Dodge wrestling has built. We are doing it with our own kids, our community, our schools and our children.

“We are Dodge. That’s a tribute to our community and our families.”

Ayala, Class 3A’s top-ranked 106-pounder, couldn’t hold off Koester (41-1) in a rematch of a regular-season match at the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Coralville.

“This one is going to sting for a while,” Thompson said. “It’s going to be a motivating factor, though.

“It’s a teachable moment.”

Just hours after the loss, Ayala (42-3) was prepared to move on.

“It’s just a match to learn from,” Ayala said. “It will help me come back better and stronger.”

Ayala scored the first points of the match with a takedown in the first period, and led 4-2 heading into the third.

Koester recorded a takedown with 44 seconds left to tie the score at 4-4. With five seconds left, Koester picked up three nearfall points to secure the upset.

“The only thing that can beat Dru Ayala is Dru Ayala,” Thompson said. “He has to use this as a catalyst. If he controls himself and does that, nobody can stop him.

“We all have to remember he is a 16-year-old who is still learning,” Thompson said. “He has a lot of pressure on him. Dru and (older brother) Drake (Ayala) are two different wrestlers and I don’t like seeing comparisons…there is just a lot of natural pressure following Drake (who graduated last spring after winning a third consecutive state title). Dru is his own person and an elite competitor in his own right.”

Ayala, who was fifth a year ago, was a wrecking ball at state leading up to the finals with three technical falls and 71 points scores. He had 31 takedowns and eight near-fall points in his four matches at Wells Fargo Arena.

“What makes wrestling so special and a unique sport is that it takes more than physical ability,” Thompson said. “Wrestlers are out there one-on-one in a singlet. It’s just you and your opponent.

“So much goes into it physically and mentally. It’s an exhausting sport.”

Davidson (34-7), who was only the third freshman in Fort Dodge history to reach the finals, made an immediate splash on the Class 3A scene.

It was a tough task in the 126-pound final as the Dodger rookie was pitted against top-ranked world junior bronze medalist Nate Jesuroga (43-1) of Southeast Polk.

Jesuroga recorded nine takedowns in the match before pinning Davidson in 4:59.

“It took a lot of hard work and grit to get here,” Davidson said. “It was great to be wrestling in an atmosphere like that on Saturday night.

“I didn’t get the job done, so there’s more room for improvement and in the practice room is where I’ll get better.”

Jesuroga had three falls and a major decision on his way to gold. The Ram has gone back-to-back as a state champion, and was third as a freshman. He is 105-2 in his career.

The second-ranked Davidson beat No. 6 freshman Maximus Riggins (45-5) of Bondurant-Farrar in the semifinals and fourth-ranked Brayden Parke (36-5) of Linn-Mar in the quarterfinals.

“Coming in and doing what Koy did as a freshman is a testament to his character,” Thompson said. “He handled himself on the mat and has set himself up for years to come.”

In his rookie campaign, outside of Jesuroga, Davidson was 8-0 against Class 3A wrestlers in the Top-10. Of his Top-10 victories, two were over a senior and a junior, five versus sophomores and one against a freshman.

“A lot of people didn’t realize, until he got on the podium, that he had beaten the third through seventh and 10th-ranked wrestlers,” Thompson said. “Luna, who is ranked third, placed seventh. This bracket was tough and it was a statement by Koy, the way he went through it.

“There are huge things in front of Koy.”

Of Davidson’s seven losses this season, three were at 132 pounds. Of the four at 126, two were to Jesuroga, one two third-rated Quincy Happel of Lisbon (1A) and an out-of-state opponent. All were older opponents.