Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Koy Davidson of Fort Dodge works his way toward a win earlier this season.

The preparation is over.

Now, it’s time to push for trophies.

The fourth-ranked Fort Dodge wrestling team will host a regional dual for a state tournament bid on Tuesday night.

No. 14 Carlisle will compete against 22nd-rated Waukee at 6 p.m. The Dodgers (9-2 overall) will then wrestle the winner for one of eight spots in the state dual tournament next weekend in Coralville.

“It’s always good to wrestle at home in the postseason,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson who now has 290 career victories. “Carlisle has a solid team and Waukee has some good kids.”

Fort Dodge has competed in six of the last seven state dual tournaments. They were seventh a year ago, and finished in the top four or better every season from 2017 to 2021. They were state dual champions in 2018.

“State duals are still a little tricky to prepare for if you make it,” Thompson said. “It’s a week before, but you still have a chance to give up seeding spots.

“It all depends how things shake out for the individual state tournament, which is still the main goal.”

The Dodgers are coming off a weekend title at the Iowa Alliance Conference tournament, with individual gold medalists Dru Ayala (120), Sam Davidson (126), Kane Butrick (132) and Dreshaun Ross (215).

Koy Davidson (138), Rylee Brown (144), Damarion Ross (175), Cal Hartman (190) and Luke Fierke (285) were all second.

Carlisle enters with seven rated wrestlers, while Waukee’s lone ranked wrestler is Wesley Anderson (No. 4 at 165). Anderson is the son of former Fort Dodge state medalist Curtis Anderson and Kristin (Erickson) Anderson.

Thompson believes the Dodgers, with eight ranked wrestlers, match up evenly with Carlisle.

Fort Dodge’s Dreshaun Ross is No. 1, while Koy Davidson and Damarion Ross are both No. 2.

Ayala is third, Hartman sixth, Fierke seventh, Butrick eighth, and Sam Davidson 11th.

No. 6 Aiden Serrano (113), No. 5 Ryan Rider (126), No. 8 Sevastian Soto (138), No. 8 Mason Lucas (144), No. 3 Jaxon Miller (157), No. 10 Zach Streeter (165) and No. 3 Asa Hemsted (175) anchor Carlisle.

“Carlisle is a lot like us,” Thompson said. “They are more of a tournament team, and they have seven heavy hitters. They have a deep roster.

“It will come down to bonus points.”

Three Messenger-area Class 3A squads will look for state bids on Tuesday as well.

Seventh-ranked Algona hosts a regional dual with 10th-rated Hampton-Dumont-CAL and No. 21 New Hampton/Turkey Valley.

No. 9 Humboldt travels to Ballard and competes against No. 24 Williamsburg. The winner will meet eighth-ranked Ballard.

No. 17 Webster City is in Sergeant Bluff-Luton and faces No. 11 Glenwood. The winner meets Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

PROBABLE DODGER LINEUP

106 — Trace Rial, fr., (20-19); 113 — Hunter Kasperbauer, so., (14-17); 120 — Dru Ayala, sr., (33-2); 126 — Sam Davidson, so., (15-6); 132 — Kane Butrick, sr., (29-6); 138 — Koy Davidson, jr., (33-2); 144 — Rylee Brown, so., (23-17); 150 — Caiden Fraher, so., (3-10); 157 — Jesse Egli, so., (24-18); 165 — Bo Cowell, sr., (14-15); 175 — Damarion Ross, sr., (32-4); 190 — Cal Hartman, sr., (28-9); 215 — Dreshaun Ross, so., (36-0); 285 — Luke Fierke, so., (27-8).