Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Dru Ayala of Fort Dodge wrestles against Clear Creek-Amana Cale Nash during 3A state wrestling tournament on Wednesday inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

DES MOINES — Things didn’t go as planned for the Fort Dodge wrestling team on Wednesday on opening day at the state tournament, but that just means there is more work to do.

The Dodgers went 6-6 overall in Class 3A, advancing four wrestlers to the quarterfinal round inside Wells Fargo Arena.

“We didn’t perform well and we had some deer-in-headlights looks,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “We lost a lot of winnable matches. We didn’t match the expectations.

“Now the key is not being satisfied with just being at state. You should want to be on the podium. Keep climbing. Keep grinding.”

Top-seed Dru Ayala (113), fourth-seed Koy Davidson (138), No. 1 seed Damarion Ross (160) and third-seeded Dreshaun Ross (195) all advanced on the championship side.

No. 12 seed Sam Davidson (106) and No. 9 Max Bishop (120) won their first matches before dropping their second. Fifth-seed Kane Butrick (126), No. 20 Rylee Brown (132), No. 24 Jesse Egli (152) and seventh-seed Cal Hartman (170) lost their first matches.

The Dodgers are currently in 14th place with 28 points. Waverly-Shell Rock (55.5), Southeast Polk (54) and Bettendorf (43.5) are the top three teams in Class 3A thus far.

Ayala (35-2), who is making his third state appearance, picked up a fall in 5:07 over Clear Creek-Amana’s Cale Nash (37-7).

“Wells Fargo Arena is great to wrestle in; the atmosphere is awesome,” Ayala said. “The first match is good to always get the nerves out. I always just take it one match at a time.”

Next up for the junior is eighth-seed Malik DeBow (32-5) of Linn-Mar.

“Dru wrestled aggressively against a kid with a funky style,” Thompson said. “The first period was relatively tight, then Dru started to get a lot of turns and got some fall points.

“Dru said to me, ‘I could have teched him in the second, but I wanted that extra team point (with the fall).'”

Davidson (29-5), a state runner-up a year ago like Ayala, claimed a 7-2 decision over Iowa City High’s Jake Mitchell (26-7).

“I’m just taking it one match at a time,” Davidson said. “It’s definitely nice to get the first one out of the way.

“Now it’s just time to get back at it with the rest of my teammates.”

The Dodger sophomore will face fifth-seed Nolan Fellers (33-2) of Bondurant-Farrar in the quarterfinals. Fellers is the son of 2001 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Adam Fellers, a former bronze medalist for the Dodgers and University of Iowa team member.

“Mitchell has strong hips, but Koy put together a solid match,” Thompson said.

Junior Damarion Ross (41-3), who is making his third state trip after a seventh-place showing last season, won a tight 5-2 decision over Southeast Polk’s Nicklas Martin (25-17). Ross improved to 96-29 in his career.

“Damarion took care of business,” Thompson said. “He controlled the pace and the tempo. They had a game plan and took away his tie, but he wrestled solid.”

Damarion got settled in and found his comfort zone.

“The first match here is always nerve-racking. It’s such a big stage and a lot is going on,” Ross said. “Getting (the first victory) out of the way is a great feeling. It definitely helps get my mind right for the next round.

“When we walked in, we all knew it was go-time. From the first day we stepped into our room until that last match at districts, it’s all been for this moment. I think I and the rest of the team are ready to leave it all out there.”

In the quarterfinals, Damarion will meet No. 9 Gerald Norton (31-12) of Cedar Falls.

Dreshaun Ross (41-2) made quick work in his state debut, pinning Clear Creek-Amana’s Ethan Williams (26-15) in 52 seconds.

“It’s a big atmosphere, but I’ve wrestled in similar ones so it’s kind of just like another match,” Dreshaun said. “My focuses for the tournament are to get to my offense first and fast and control the center of the mat.

“I just want to wrestle my matches — not the opponent’s.”

Now on the horizon for the freshman is six-seed Isaac Thacher (40-7) of Fort Madison.

“Dreshaun is focused,” Thompson said. “He is ready. The key with him is he is enjoying the ride and instead of putting too much pressure on himself. He’s just going out and competing.”

Sam Davidson (22-16) pinned North Polk’s Charlie Boelman (29-15) in 1:13 of his first match and lost to fifth-seed Kale DiMarco (30-5) of Mason City. Next for the FDSH freshman is No. 11 Jayden Luna (26-17) of Bettendorf.

“Sam got a little overwhelmed for a minute against a solid freshman,” Thompson said. “He needs to come back on the backside and wrestle a tough opponent.”

Bishop (29-12), a four-time state qualifier and two-time medalist, pinned Noah Swigart (15-24) of Fort Madison in 47 seconds. He lost to No. 8 Mitchell Murphy (38-8) of Dubuque Hempstead, 5-2.

The senior will wrestle No. 23 Jose Mendieta (18-28) of Clear Creek-Amana on the backside.

“Max had that match all but won,” Thompson said. “He made some mistakes that cost him, but now he has to be the smart veteran he is and put a run together.”

Butrick (28-16) lost to 12th seed Ayden Golden (30-19) of North Scott, 6-2.

Brown (28-21), a freshman, dropped an 11-2 major decision to 13 seed Tyler Lee (40-9) of Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Brown’s next foe is Spencer’s Wyatt Heying (26-14).

Egli (24-24), a freshman, dropped a tough 2-1 match to ninth-seed Jack Miller (38-11) of Pleasant Valley. Miller is the grandson of Iowa legend Dan Gable.

Up next for the freshman is seventh-seed Jack Lewis (39-7) of Bondurant-Farrar.

“Rylee is better than he showed in that first performance,” Thompson said. “He just needs to relax and do what he knows how to do.

“Jesse had his match. That kid just rode him out. Jesse just needed to get out.”

Hartman (36-12) suffered a 6-2 decision to University of Northern Iowa quarterback recruit Braylon Kammrad (41-6).

Up next for the Dodger junior is Urbandale’s Cain Tigges (20-21).

“Kane just needs to feed off the positive energy and not get too down on himself,” Thompson said. “Cal lost to a tough kid that is going to play college football.”

Class 3A quarterfinal action and consolation matches begin at 6 p.m. inside Wells Fargo Arena.

“We just have to go one step at a time and stay alive,” Thompson said. “It’s down to whoever wants to do it and believes they can be on the podium.”