Ross returns for Dodgers in win
AMES — Dreshaun Ross needed just 69 seconds to show he is back and ready to compete for a third state wrestling championship here Thursday night.
Ross, a Fort Dodge junior, made his season debut following shoulder surgery for the Dodger wrestling squad against Ames in an Iowa Alliance Conference North matchup that the Dodgers won, 45-36.
Competing at 215 pounds, Ross — who already owns two state titles and nearly 100 career wins — pinned Tyson Grosz to push Fort Dodge head of the Little Cyclones at 39-36.
“It was definitely nice to get back out there and start competing again,” said Ross, who had shoulder surgery nearly six months ago. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this one.
“I’m just thankful to be back doing what I love with my teammates, family and friends there with me.”
Ross is a Top-5 national high school wrestling recruit in the Class of 2026. This fall, he visited Iowa, Iowa State, Penn State, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Northern Illinois. His finalists, should he choose to wrestle collegiately, are Iowa, Iowa State, Penn State and Oklahoma State, in no particular order.
Ross also holds football offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Minnesota and Purdue as a four-star linebacker prospect.
In the final match of the dual on Thursday, FDSH’s sixth-ranked heavyweight — Joe Constable — earned a forfeit to secure the dual victory for the visitors.
Fellow defending state champ Koy Davidson also prevailed in his return after a three-plus week absence, as did Damien Yeoman, Hunter Kasperbauer, Kadince Kisler, Rylee Brown and John Phan.
Yeoman picked up a fall at 106 in just 75 seconds, with Kisler earning a major decision at 132. Davidson, who has been out of action with an injury, scored a technical fall in just 2:20 at 144.
Brown was awarded a forfeit at 157, and Phan claimed a fall at 175 in 2:42.
For Ames, Jabari Hinson — who committed to Arizona State University earlier this week — had a pin, as did Christian Castillo, a three-time state champion in Arizona who will wrestle for Iowa State University next year.
The victory was the 299th overall in the career of long-time head coach Bobby Thompson, the FDSH graduate who has been leading the Dodgers since 2005.
Earning junior varsity wins for Fort Dodge were Cobey Applegate, Braxton Hines, Mason Zuspann, Noah Essman and Coy Nichols. Zander Jones picked up two victories.
The Dodgers are back in action on Saturday at the Cedar Rapids Jefferson Invitational. The tournament begins at 10 a.m.