CORALVILLE — When Cal Hartman knew the third place trophy was on his shoulders, he went through a wave of emotions.

He was confident and nervous.

But he was ready.

“I realized it was going to come down to my match about three or four before mine,” Hartman said. “I was confident in my wrestling, but still nervous with the result of the dual in my hands.”

The fourth-seeded Dodgers trailed second-seed Indianola 29-27, with Hartman wrestling the final match.

The sixth-ranked senior, squared up with Indianola’s ninth-ranked Isaiah Kellow in the 190 pound showdown.

The Dodger senior built a 3-0 lead with an escape and takedown in the second period.

Kellow took Hartman (30-10) down with 52 seconds left and let him up with the score 4-2. Kellow tied the score with another takedown at 39 seconds.

Hartman escaped with 28 seconds left to earn the third place trophy For the Dodgers (30-29). It’s Fort Dodge’s eighth Top-3 finish in school history.

“Once I got to the mat, I was ready to go,” Hartman said. “After the match I was relieved I got it done for my teammates, because it really meant a lot to us this year.

“I’m super happy and proud of the team. We showed up and got it done, even though it wasn’t always pretty.”

As the dual played out, head coach Bobby Thompson was glad to see the outcome in the hands of one of his seniors.

“Cal has always been a team player, whether it’s in wrestling or football,” said Fort Dodge head coach Bobby Thompson. “It was a clutch win and he went out and claimed the dual.

“The team was very animated and happy for a trophy.”

It’s the fourth third place finish, too go along with three runner up showings. The Dodgers were the Class 3A state championship team in 2018.

“Everyone is pretty excited about what we accomplished,” Thompson said. “We beat the No. 2 ranked dual team in the state and we’re not the strongest dual team. We went out there and did it with a mix of veterans and young guys.

“We showed unity and beat a strong team (Indianola) that had only been beaten by Southeast Polk heading in (and Bettendorf in semifinals). The only team that beat us was nationally ranked Southeast Polk.”

With the Dodgers leading 24-12, Indianola (20-3) won four straight matches to gain a 29-24 advantage with Hartman and second-ranked classmate Damarion Ross left on the mat.

“Damarion had a really good day in all three of his matches,” Thompson said. “He had some big wins, especially against Indianola.”

In a must win situation, Ross (35-4) picked up a 5-1 decision to make the score 29-27, putting it in the hands of Hartman.

“I just treated it like every other dual and went into it knowing what we need to do as a team,” Ross said. “As for me and Cal knowing we had to win, we just treated it like every match we have wrestled. We went out there and wrestled 100 percent and got it done.

“I feel like us being seniors kind of gave the team the excitement of knowing we know what to do and we were going to finish out strong.”

The Dodgers built the early advantage with five wins in a dual that started with defending state champion Dreshaun Ross. The top-ranked 215-pounder earned a major decision over Carson Slorah.

The Ross brothers were the only two Dodgers to go undefeated in three matches, while second-ranked Koy Davidson (35-2 at 138) won his two matches.

Seventh-ranked sophomore Luke Fierke (29-9) pinned sixth-ranked Jaxson Boyd in 55 seconds. It was Fierke’s second fall over a ranked opponent on the day as he pinned Ankeny Centennial’s 10th-ranked (215) Mitchell Grider in 1:23 in the opener.

“We lost the flip at 215 and had to show first, so that’s when they bumped Grider up to face Luke,” Thompson said. “He just went out and got the job done (vs. Centennial) and got a huge win against Indianola, who is a district opponent.”

Third-ranked Dru Ayala (35-3) made quick work of Stoney Wood, pinning him in 20 seconds.

Eighth-ranked senior Kane Butrick (31-7) picked up a 6-0 decision over Ryan Young and Davidson earned a 20-5 technical fall over Eli Cox.

In matches won, the Dodgers earned 10 bonus points and gave up eight in their seven losses.

“Trace (Rial), Sam (Davidson), Rylee (Brown), Jesse (Egli) and Bo (Cowell) not giving up big points in their losses was a big part of the win against Indianola,” Thompson said. “These guys wanted to do it for each other.

“Trace got a huge win against Centennial and he wrestled a good match against Indianola.

“Kane has been stellar all year and came up with two big wins in a stellar performance.”

The Dodgers advanced to the semifinals with a 40-33 win over fifth-seed Ankeny Centennial (in quarters). Fort Dodge won the first five matches and eight overall.

Damarion Ross, Hartman, Dreshaun Ross and Fierke started the dual with falls, giving the Dodgers a 24-0 lead out of the gate.

Rial (21-21) earned a technical fall for a 29-0 lead.

Ayala beat fourth-ranked Cody Vandermark 10-6. Butrick and Davidson gave the Dodgers their final wins with 12-2 and 10-2 major decisions respectively.

Ankeny Centennial brothers, top-ranked Lucas Bruhl (150) and sixth rated Isaac Bruhl (157) picked up a fall and a decision.

The Bruhls are the sons of Fort Dodge state champion Brad Bruhl.

“Everyone came up big,” Thompson said. “At some point in the day, whether it was a win with bonus points, or not give up bonus points, everyone had a hand in this finish.

“Guys were trying to keep matches close and then open up to get points, that was big.”

The Dodgers lost to top-ranked and nationally ranked Southeast Polk, 53-18 in the semifinals.

Dreshaun Ross and Damarion Ross earned falls, while Jesse Egli (157) also picked up a pin.

Ayla had a showdown with second-ranked Carter Pearson at 126 pounds.

Pearson picked up a 5-0 victory. Pearson had a strong day, pinning top-ranked and defending state champion Jake Knight of Bettendorf in the championship match.

The Dodgers are back in action on Saturday when they host a Class 3A district meet.

“This should catapult us into districts and give us some momentum,” Thompson said. “We are fortunate we get to host districts and should be fired up for this.

“We will have a solid district with Indianola, LeMars and Waukee.”

Quarterfinals

Fort Dodge 40, Ankeny Centennial 33

175 — Damarion Ross (FD) over Ryan Smith (C) Fall 3:42; 190 — Cal Hartman (FD) over Jack Cahill (AC) Fall 1:17; 215 — Dreshaun Ross (FD) over Brandon Bogseth (AC) Fall 0:41; 285 — Luke Fierke (FD) over Mitchell Grider (AC) Fall 1:23; 106 — Trace Rial (FD) over Jamison Larsen (AC) TF 16-0; 113 — Cale Vandermark (AC) over Hunter Kasperbauer (FD) Fall 1:01; 120 — Dru Ayala (FD) over Cody Vandermark (AC) Dec 10-6; 126 — Ethan Sodergren (AC) over Sam Davidson (FD) Fall 1:07; 132 — Kane Butrick (FD) over Andrew Roland (AC) Maj 12-2; 138 — Koy Davidson (FD) over Tyler Brennan (AC Maj 10-2; 144 — Maximus Dhabolt (AC) over Rylee Brown (FD) Fall 1:06; 150 — Lucas Bruhl (AC) over Caiden Fraher (FD) Fall 1:30; 157 — Isaac Bruhl (AC) over Jesse Egli (FD) Dec 13-6; 165 — Ari Ehlts (AC) over Bo Cowell (FD) Fall 0:55.

Semifinals

Southeast Polk 53, Fort Dodge 18

190 — Brent Slade (SP) over Cal Hartman (D) Maj 16-6; 215 — Dreshaun Ross (FD) over Lafoy Hall (SP) Fall 0:46; 285 — Cooper Martinson (SP) over Luke Fierke (FD) Fall 1:03; 106 — Nico DeSalvo (SP) over Trace Rial (FD) Fall 2:45; 113 — Mat Prine (SP) over Hunter Kasperbauer (FD) Fall 1:15; 120 — Carter Pearson (SP) over Dru Ayala (FD) Dec 5-0; 126 — Maximus Riggins (SP) over Sam Davidson (FD) Maj 12-0; 132 — Justis Jesuroga (SP) over Kane Butrick (FD) Fall 1:24; 138 — Wil Oberbroeckling (SP) over Bo Marsh (FD) Fall 0:22; 144 — Dokken Biladeau (SP) over Rylee Brown (FD) Dec 6-4; 150 — Logan Trenary (SP) over Caiden Fraher (FD) TF 19-3; 157 — Jesse Egli (FD) over Easton Biladeau (SP) Fall 5:32; 165 — Wyatt Gibson (SP) over Bo Cowell (FD) Maj 11-1; 175 — Damarion Ross (FD) over Wyatt Baker (SP) Fall 2:53.

THIRD PLACE

Fort Dodge 30, Indianola 29

215 — Dreshaun Ross (FD) over Carson Slorah (I) Maj 14-2; 285 — Luke Fierke (FD) over Jaxson Boyd (I) Fall 0:55; 106 — Sawyer Nelson (I) over Trace Rial (FD) Dec 6-0; 113 — Mac Crosson (I) over Hunter Kasperbauer (FD) Fall 2:18; 120 — Dru Ayala (FD) over Stoney Wood (I) Fall 0:20; 126 — Rylan Hilton (I) over Sam Davidson (FD) Dec 4-3; 132 — Kane Butrick (FD) over Ryan Young (I) Dec 6-0; 138 — Koy Davidson (FD) over Eli Cox (I) TF 20-5; 144 — Elijah Blewitt (I) over Rylee Brown (FD) Maj 13-2; 150 — Jake Pontier (I) over Caiden Fraher (FD) Fall 4:35; 157 — AJ Pontier (I) over Jesse Egli (FD) Maj 17-7; 165 — Ethan McDonald (I) over Bo Cowell (FD) Dec 3-0; 175 — Damarion Ross (FD) over Dax Clatt (I) Dec 5-1; 190 — Cal Hartman (FD) over Isaiah Kellow (I) Dec 5-4.

(16 State Dual Appearances)

2024 3rd

2023 5th

2021 8th

2020 3rd

2019 4th

2018 Champions

2017 2nd

2009 Qualifier

2005 4th

2004 Qualifier

2003 Qualifier

1999 4th

1996 3rd

1994 2nd

1993 3rd

1992 2nd

CLASS 3A

Quarterfinals

Southeast Polk 54, Waverly-Shell Rock 24

Fort Dodge 40, Ankeny Centennial 33

Indianola 45, Dubuque Hempstead 11

Bettendorf 51, Waukee Northwest 15

Semifinals

Southeast Polk 53, Fort Dodge 18

Bettendorf 31, Indianola 30

Consolation

Ankeny Centennial 51, W-SR 22

Waukee NW 53, Dubuque Hempstead 16

Championship

Southeast Polk 48, Bettendorf 16

Third Place

Fort Dodge 30, Indianola 29

Fifth place

Ankeny Centennial 38, Waukee Northwest 16

Seventh place

Dubuque Hempstead 42, Waverly-Shell Rock 37

CLASS 2A

Quarterfinals

Osage 37, Humboldt 33

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 41, West Delaware 24

Mount Vernon 32, Algona 24

Creston 35, Independence 26

Semifinals

SB-L36, Osage 33

Creston 44, Mount Vernon 24

Consolation

Humboldt 51, West Delaware 22

Independence 34, Algona 20

Championship

Creston 36, SB-L 33

Third place

Osage 44, Mount Vernon 28

Fifth place

Humboldt 31, Independence 30

Seventh place

West Delaware 46, Algona 16

CLASS 1A

Quarterfinals

Alburnett 56, Wapsie Valley 18

Nashua-Plainfield 46, Lake Mills 22

Wilton 54, Hinton 24

Don Bosco 44, Jesup 18

Semifinals

Alburnett 47, Nashua-Plainfield 21

Don Bosco 45, Wilton 20

Consolation

Wapsie Valley 35, Lake Mills 32

Jesup 45, Hinton 27

Championship

Don Bosco 45, Alburnett 31

Third place

Wilton 48, Nashua-Plainfield 30

Fifth place

Jesup 45, Wapsie Valley 27

Seventh place

Hinton 33, Lake Mills 23