—Photo by Jake Ryder/Times Republican FORt dodge’s makayla liska hugs Mariaha Benedict after both advanced to the medal round after the first day of the Class 2A state tournament.

CORALVILLE — Mariaha Benedict and Makayla Liska aren’t on the side they wanted to be, but they will finish the 2025 girls state wrestling tournament where only one other Dodger resides.

With two victories each on Thursday, the Fort Dodge wrestling duo officially became Fort Dodge’s second and third state medalists.

“They did a great job coming out and moving on. Getting the first win is huge,” said FDSH head coach Jon Koenig. “They knew if they lost after that they had to come up big on the backside and they did that.

“Their goal was to get on the wall with Alexis (Ross). They both came down here wanting to medal. Now they have to fight to upgrade their spot on the podium.”

In the third year of sanctioned wrestling in the state of Iowa, the tournament was divided into two classes.

Benedict and Liska now have a chance to finish anywhere from third to eighth on Friday.

Fort Dodge four-time medalist Alexis Ross had been the lone Dodger on the medal wall. Ross was a state runner-up in the first year of sanctioned wrestling. She was a bronze, silver and gold medalist in her first three seasons as well.

Benedict (44-6) the fifth seed, earned a fall in 3:45 of her 135 pound match against Josephine Budederi (21-10) of Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

In the semifinals, Benedict lost for the second time this season to fourth-seed Lexa Rozevink (39-3) of Ames, by fall in 33 seconds.

“Mariaha did the same thing that she did last time against Rozevink,” Koenig said. “She tried to throw her and she didn’t keep her leverage and ended up going on her back.”

Benedict, who is the school’s career wins leader at 116-28, assured herself a medal with a fall in 41 seconds over Gilbert’s Kate Melody (32-15).

“She quickly moved on, saying that nobody is going to be thinking about that loss, it’s where you finish,” Koenig said. “She has to let it go and move on. She got a big win on the back.”

Now Benedict will face Cedar Falls’ Lainey Schreck (29-9) in the next round.

Liska (36-12), a freshman for the Dodgers, opened her state tournament experience with a fall in 2:46. The seventh-seeded Dodger pinned 10th seed Luisa Meade (41-13) of Cedar Rapids Prairie in 2:46.

Liska ran into a buzzsaw in the quarterfinals against state champion and runner up Skylar Slade (40-0) of Southeast Polk. Slade recorded the fall in 2:59.

To stay alive, Liska needed a consolation win. She earned that with a fall in 1:58 over Jenna Hansen (22-14) of Sioux City North.

“Makayla was down in both of her wins,” Koenig said. “But she was able to catch the girls with her skill and knowledge.

“She went to one of her moves and was able to do it and get on the podium.”

Now Liska will meet Ankeny’s sixth-seeded Jammie Krah (33-10) to move on in the consolation bracket.

Action begins at 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The night session will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the finals, third and fifth place matches.