Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Dru Ayala or Fort Dodge wrestles against Waverly-Shell Rock's Ryker Graff in a 3A semifinal at 113 pounds on Friday in Des Moines.

DES MOINES — The Fort Dodge state finalist trio knows exactly what’s at stake now and who they have to beat to bring home state gold.

Juniors Dru Ayala and Damarion Ross, along with freshman Dreshaun Ross, will meet familiar opponents in Saturday night’s state finals matchups inside Wells Fargo Arena.

Ayala (113 pounds), who is making his third state trip after a silver and fifth-place medal, is in his second straight championship matchup.

Damarion Ross (160) is in his third trip after a seventh-place showing a year ago. Dreshaun Ross (195) is in his first high school season.

For Ayala (37-2), the top seed, to bring home a state championship, he’ll have to win the rubber match with No. 2 seeded freshman Jake Knight (45-1) of Bettendorf.

“I need to go out there and finish shots,” Ayala said. “I just want to go out and wrestle my match and keep my pace.”

Ayala’s other loss this season was to national Top-5 Seth Mendoza of Mount Carmel, Ill.

Ayala won the first match against Knight at the Dan Gable Donnybrook, 6-4. Knight earned a 3-1 victory over Ayala in the first round of state duals.

“Dru is definitely focused,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “Our job now is to get him to clear his thoughts and wrestle his match with his pace. He needs to believe in himself and his training.

“Go out there and wrestle six full minutes.”

Ross (43-3), the top seed at 160 pounds, will meet unbeaten three-seeded Danny Diaz (23-0) of Waverly-Shell Rock.

“I just think the key for this finals match will be wrestling how I know how,” Damarion said. “I need to be going hard for six minutes until the last whistle blows.”

Damarion’s only loss to an Iowa wrestler was a 3-2 decision to Diaz.

“(Saturday) is another match,” Thompson said. “We’ve seen Diaz and it was a close last time,”

Damarion’s other two losses are to Eddie Enright of Mount Carmel, Ill. and Henry Reilly of Millard South, Neb.

Dreshaun Ross (43-2), the third seed, will face a familiar foe in No. 4 seed and fellow freshman Danarii Mickel (31-7) of Ames.

“The key to winning will just be keeping the pressure on him,” Dreshaun said. “I need to get to my offense. If I can do that, I think I’ll be at my best for sure.”

Dreshaun, who is looking to become Fort Dodge’s first freshman champion since Brody Teske in 2015, has won all three matches with Mickel so far in 2022-23. Ross won the first meeting 17-7, and owns a 3-1 overtime victory and 5-0 triumph.

Mickel upset No. 1 senior McCrae Hagarty, an Iowa State University recruit, when the star had to medically forfeit with an injured shoulder.

“It’s unfortunate that Hagarty had to bow out,” Thompson said. “That would have been the rubber match (Ross vs. Hagarty in the finals).”

Ross’s setbacks this season have been to Hagarty and Cole Miarsola of West Bend West, Wis.