Fort Dodge will enter the new wrestling season as the seventh-ranked team in Class 3A, according to IAwrestle.

The Dodgers, who finished third last year with three state champions, begin this campaign with five rated wrestlers.

Despite being currently sidelined with an injury, two-time state champion and highly touted football and wrestling recruit Dreshaun Ross is the top-ranked wrestler at 215 pounds.

Defending state champion Koy Davidson, a senior, is No. 1 at 144 pounds.

State qualifiers Trace Rial (106) and Jesse Egli (175) are both ranked seventh. Sophomore Joe Constable (285) enters his first full varsity season as the eighth-ranked heavyweight.

St. Edmond’s two-time state qualifier Sam Myer is 12th at 138 pounds.

Ross’ return to the lineup is still up in the air after he underwent successful shoulder surgery at the end of July. Once cleared by the doctors, the 91-match winner’s return will be taken slowly and cautiously.

The Dodger junior was perfect in 47 bouts a year ago.

Ross isn’t the only Div. I recruit in the Dodger camp, as Davidson is headed to Oregon State University.

Davidson’s efforts on his way to the state title in 2024 garnered him the state tournament’s overall MVP honor. He denied Waukee Northwest’s Carter Freeman a fourth-state championship, which would have made him just the 34th in state history.

The future Beaver will likely break into Fort Dodge’s Top-10 all-time wins list this winter, as he sits at 108-16 heading into the season.

Rial, the oldest son of two-time Dodger state champion Mark Rial, won 26 matches in his first season as a Dodger and earned a state berth at 106.

Egli, who is now a two-time state qualifier, will likely wrestle at 190 pounds. He is 53-48 in his career.

Constable will step in at 285. In his freshman season, Constable got some mat time for the Dodgers.

Myers earned his second state tournament appearance last winter, going 29-15 overall with two wins and a fall at Wells Fargo Arena. He competed at 138 pounds last year, and will bump up to 144 now.