—Messenger photo by Britt Kudla state wrestling qualifiers for the Fort Dodge wrestling team are (front row, left to right): Dreshaun Ross, Dru Ayala, Koy Davidson, Max Bishop, Sam Davidson and Damarion Ross. Back: Rylee Brown, Jesse Egli, Cal Hartman and Kane Butrick.

DES MOINES — The family tradition lives on for the Fort Dodge wrestling program.

Ten Dodgers, rooted deep into the Dodger family tree, will get their shot at adding their names to Fort Dodge’s record books.

“This group is really tight and are bonded like family,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “With all of our long distance tournaments and overnights, they have built this cohesive unit.

“This is where they feel comfortable: in a hotel together the night before a meet.”

Brothers Damarion (junior at 160) and Dreshaun Ross (freshman at 195), along with Fort Dodge’s second set of brothers — freshman Sam Davidson (106) and sophomore Koy Davidson (138) — enter state as district champions.

The Ross sibling line goes deeper, with three-time qualifying older brother Drevon and state champion sister Alexis Ross.

Three-time state qualifying junior Dru Ayala (113) is the brother of three-time state champion Drake Ayala and state-qualifying father Sam Ayala.

Senior Max Bishop (120) and Cal Hartman’s (170) fathers were both wrestlers as well. Jason Bishop was a wrestler for the Dodgers and Mark Hartman was an athlete at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Freshman Jesse Egli (152) is the youngest brother of the Egli (Duke, Jonah, Levi and Ben) pipeline.

Junior Kane Butrick (126) and freshman Rylee Brown (132) also have a family history.

Brown’s grandpa Dave was a wrestler and a boxer and his cousin Kyle Whittington was a state qualifier for the Dodgers.

With many more ties amongst their families, one thing is clear: the Dodgers are a tight knit unit.

Six Dodgers will make their first trip to Des Moines.

“The younger guys are leaning on the veterans as we start a new routine for them,” Thompson said. “We stay at the Comfort Inn (owned by Fort Dodge natives, the Bockens) every year, we meet in the lobby in the morning every year. We walk over and walk back together.

“The upperclassmen train the youngsters and help them get acclimated and comfortable.”

This will be the fourth time since 2017 that the Dodgers have had double digit qualifiers.

Fort Dodge, who finished fifth at state duals, went into that tournament with a chip on their shoulder, feeling overlooked. Now heading into the traditional meet, they feel they have some work to do.

“I think that’s (unfinished business) partially why we’re so close as a group: we all want our team on top and know it takes all of us to get there,” Damarion Ross said. “I’d love to see 10 guys on the podium on Feb. 18th. This will also be my brother’s first state tournament and I’m glad I get to be with him to experience it, so yeah this will definitely be a fun experience, but when we get there I think everyone knows it’s business.”

Ayala (34-2) and Damarion Ross (40-3) were tabbed as top seeds. Butrick (28-15), Davidson (28-5), Dreshaun Ross (40-2) and Hartman (170) all earned first round byes.

“It’s a good feeling knowing I’m headed back to the Well,” said Damarion Ross. “I know me and some of my other teammates have some unfinished business there, and for some others it’ll be their first trip there.

“But with that being said, we all have the same goal in mind.”

Ayala, who was the runner up a year ago and fifth as a freshman, will have the winner of Johnston’s Shandrel Thompson and Clear Creek-Amana’s Cale Nash, the 16 and 17 seeds.

Damarion Ross, who was seventh a year ago, has either Southeast Polk’s 16th-seed Niklas Martin or Pleasant Valley’s Ike Swanson (26-16), the 17th seed.

“We got some tough draws,” Thompson said. “But we are eager to go out and win some matches as a unit.”

Dreshaun Ross, who is ranked No. 1 at 195 pounds, will have either 14th seed Ethan Williams (25-14) of Clear Creek-Amana (25-14) or No. 19 Derek Hoemer (29-12) of Western Dubuque.

Davidson, who was a state runner up a year ago, could face No. 13 Jake Mitchell (25-6) of Iowa City High or No. 20 Levi Johnson (24-9) of Spencer.

“It means a lot to be back at the state tournament,” Davidson said. “I’m looking forward to bringing back some hardware with my teammates.

“My mind is just focused on one match at a time and I just have to battle through a little bit of adversity, but I’m ready and excited.”

Butrick, who was a district runner up, could face No. 12 Ayden Golden (28-19) of North Scott or Urbadnale’s Dayne Rew (19-17).

Hartman, making his first state tournament, would face either No. 10 Braylon Kammrad (39-6) of Lewis Central or No. 23 Gavin Benton (3-2) of Iowa City Liberty. Benton is the son of 1995 Fort Dodge graduate Mark Benton.

“It’s nice to know I’ll be down there with so much of my team,” Hartman said. “I didn’t get what I wanted (finishing second at districts) at all. I had expectations coming into districts that I didn’t meet and that will be a big chip on my shoulder for the last week of the season.

“My coaches and partners have worked with me well to peak at the right time of the year so, I’m excited to go down to Des Moines and show what I can do.”

Bishop (28-11), a four time state qualifier with fourth and eighth place state finishes, is the No. 9 seed. He’ll face Fort Madison’s Noah Swigart (15-23) in the 120 pound opener.

Sam Davidson (21-15), the 12th seed, drew North Polk’s Charlie Boelman (29-14) in the 106 first round match.

Brown (28-20), No. 20 at 132 will face No. 13 Tyler Lee (38-9) of Cedar Rapids Prairie in his first state appearance.

Egli (24-23) will face ninth-seed Jack Miller of Pleasant Valley (37-10) in the 152 pound bout.

“My message to the younger guys is, don’t be satisfied,” Thompson said. “Take it one match at a time and once you know you’re on the podium, try to climb it and keep thinking you’re not satisfied and work higher.

“If you get on the back side — stay hungry. I have a lot of respect for guys that win on the back like Riley Lindner did some years back. He lost, sat on the side of my bed, with an apple, and asked, ‘What do I have to do next? Man that fired me up.

“That’s the type of mentality we have to have.”

Class 3A tournament action will begin inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Wednesday. 3A action will start at 6 p.m. on the first three days.

Saturday’s schedule will begin at 9 a.m. with medal match ups. Finals begin at 5:15 p.m.