MARSHALLTOWN — Regular-season is winding down for the fourth-ranked Fort Dodge wrestling team, as the Dodgers continue to fine-tune their skills.

The Dodgers (8-2 overall) will face Marshalltown in dual action on Thursday. Junior varsity begins at 6:30 p.m. with varsity to follow.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier after this evening. Fort Dodge heads to Urbandale to compete in the Winger Invitational on Saturday.

“Our big thing is trying to clean up technique,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “We are nearing the postseason and we are quickly winding down with only 17 practices left until districts.

“We have to evaluate and do some self-reflection.”

Fort Dodge finishes the regular season with a dual at Mason City next week before the Iowa Alliance Conference Tournament at Des Moines North.

Then the push for state begins with a regional dual at home (Jan. 30) and the district meet in the Dodger gym.

Fort Dodge is coming off a dual win against Ames (61-14) last Thursday after the snow-storm canceled tournament action in Cedar Rapids.

This will be Fort Dodge’s first tournament action in two weeks.

“Urbandale is going to be a bearcat,” said Thompson, who has 289 career dual victories. “It’s like a mini-state tournament, with No. 1 Southeast Polk, Bettendorf (No. 3), Waukee Northwest (No. 6) and Waverly-Shell Rock (No. 8).

“Blair (Nebraska) will be there as well.”

Joining the Dodgers and host Urbandale will be ADM, Ames, Ankeny Centennial, Bettendorf, Blair, Cedar Falls, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, Dallas Center-Grimes, Dowling, Emmetsburg, Fort Madison, Greene County, Johnston, Lewis Central, North Scott, Norwalk, Monroe PCM, Southeast Polk, Underwood, Valley, Waukee, Waukee Northwest and Waverly-Shell Rock.

“The 138-pound bracket will be loaded,” Thompson said. “With (Dodger) Koy (Davidson at No. 1) there is also a tough kid from Blair and three-time state champion Carter Freeman, as well as Ames’ (No. 4) Jabari Hinson.”

No. 5 Cody Trevino of Bettendorf, No. 6 Will Oberbroecking (Southeast Polk) and No. 10 Zane Behrends are also at 138.

The 120-pound weight class will have the Top-3 ranked wrestlers with No. 1 Jake Knight of Bettendorf, second-rated Dru Ayala and third-ranked Carter Pearson of Southeast Polk.

“There will be some really good matchups, starting in the quarterfinals,” Thompson said. “120 will be a strong weight class as well.

“This will be a huge measuring stick for our guys.”

Action on Saturday will begin at 9 a.m. in two gyms.

PROBABLE DODGER LINEUP

106 — Trace Rial, fr., (17-15); 113 — Hunter Kasperbauer, so., (11-13); 120 — Dru Ayala, sr., (26-1); 126 — Sam Davidson, so., (8-5); 132 — Kane Butrick, sr., (21-5); 138 — Koy Davidson, jr., (26-0); 144 — Rylee Brown, so., (17-15); 150 — Caden Fraher, so., (1-6); 157 — Jesse Egli, sol, (17-15); 165 — Bo Cowell, sr., (8-6); 175 — Damarion Ross, sr., (26-3); 190 — Cal Hartman, sr., (23-7); 215 — Dreshaun Ross, (29-0); 285 — Luke Fierke, so., (20-5).