Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: 2025 Henry W. Schultz Award winner Koy Davidson stands with his parents, Brittany and Andy. The Schultz Award is given annually to the top male senior athlete at Fort Dodge Senior High.

Koy Davidson spends very little time looking back.

The recently-graduated Dodger experienced plenty of success, dealt with bouts of failure and faced a lion’s share of adversity on his way to the Henry W. Schultz Award on the 100th anniversary of the honor, which annually recognizes the top male athlete senior at Fort Dodge Senior High.

Typically, the future Oregon State University wrestler just keeps moving on and forward. This moment gave Davidson an opportunity to reflect on his high school career before he turns the page and moves to Corvallis, though.

“It means a lot to be a part of (the Schultz Award) legacy, given all of the other great athletes on that list,” Davidson said. “Most of all, though, it’s something I can reflect on and point to (in retrospect) as a reminder to always work hard in everything I do.”

Davidson’s prep career on the mat had plenty of twists and turns at the highest of levels. He had a captivating performance at the 2024 state tournament, when Davidson denied Waukee Northwest star Carter Freeman a fourth state title in the championship round.

The encore this past February was on track to be just as thrilling, but Davidson suffered a compression fracture to his T4 through T8 vertebrae in a tense state semifinal victory and was forced to withdraw from the tournament one step away from gold.

A devastating blow at the time of the incident, Davidson slowly but surely found a way to move on from the disappointment thanks to his strong support system.

“My parents, coaches, friends, family and everyone who took the time and went out of their way to help me … they’re the ones who have influenced me most and made me the person I am today,” Davidson said. “I’m forever grateful for all of them.”

Davidson won 145 matches as a Dodger — the 8th-highest total ever at FDSH — and is one of only six wrestlers in school history to reach the state finals at least three times. He was the 2024 state tournament’s overall wrestler of the meet.

“My best memories as a Dodger are just bonding with my teammates and being able to work alongside them every day,” said Davidson, who went 79-5 in his final two seasons and placed in the Top-4 at state in all four years.

Davidson is the 11th Div. I wrestling prospect to come out of Fort Dodge since 2014, joining Duke Egli (Iowa State), Sam Cook (Iowa), Triston Lara (Northern Iowa and Oregon State), Brody Teske (Penn State, Northern Iowa and Iowa), Cayd Lara (Northern Iowa), Drew Bennett (Northern Iowa and Iowa), Drake Ayala (Iowa), Dru Ayala (Iowa), Damarion Ross (Northern Illinois) and Dreshaun Ross (Oklahoma State). Cook (2016), Triston Lara (2017), Teske (2018) and Drake Ayala (2021) were also Schultz Award recipients.

Davidson keeps his advice for younger student-athletes simple.

“Always stay humble, work hard in both sports and the classroom, and treat others the way you want to be treated,” Davidson said.

FDSH HENRY W. SCHULTZ AWARD WINNERS

2025 Koy Davidson

2024 Ty Adams

2023 Connor Carver

2022 Jake Erickson

2021 Drake Ayala

2020 Tysen Kershaw

2019 Drake Miller

2018 Brody Teske

2017 Triston Lara

2016 Sam Cook

2015 Austin Halligan

2014 Andrew Stover

2013 Tyler Vaughn

2012 Ben Schnurr

2011 Levi Peters

2010 Jay Johnson

2009 Tyler Wingerson

2008 Sam Wiss

2007 Reid Branderhorst

2006 Mitch Eslick

2005 Zach Mason

Spencer Cady

2004 Chase Holmgaard

2003 Kurtis Taylor

2002 Seth Zehr

Dan Taylor

2001 Nik Moser

2000 Brad Klein

1999 Josh Porter

1998 Matt Salvatore

1997 Terry Reiners

1996 Mark Rial

1995 Randy Reiners

1994 Nick Lara

1993 Alonzo Clayton

1992 Darin Astor

1991 Rick Pederson

1990 Don Stahl

1989 Joe Bennett

1988 Brad Bruhl

1987 Bob Edwards

1986 Rob Rhodes

1985 Brian Lomica

1984 Randy Reitsma

1983 Mark Huffman

1982 Jon Crouch

Ted Camamo

1981 Bill Reed

1980 Brad Huseman

Steve Harder

1979 Mike Jorgensen

1978 Keith Yoder

1977 Dave Wilson

1976 Bart Warren

1975 Pat Lynch

Randy Kolbe

1974 David Hanson

1973 Craig Michehl

1972 Joel Suhr

1971 Tim Sweeney

1970 Tom Walters

1969 Bruce Edmundson

1968 Kent Magnusson

1967 Bruce Presley

1966 James Egge

1965 Tom Goodman

1964 Kent Osboe

1963 Tom Chapman, Jr.

1962 John Shierholz

1961 Mike Stitt

1960 Jack Allen

1959 Dennis Hobbs

1958 Sherwyn Thorson

1957 Ronald Fitzgerald

1956 James Rohden

1955 Thomas Schwieger

1954 Joseph Camamo

1953 Frank Johnston

1952 John Groff

1951 Connie Gerdes

1950 John Tarr

1949 Harry Kiliper

1948 James Fitch

1947 Richard Fevold

1946 George Constantine

1945 George Knack

1944 Richard Woodward

1943 Richard Muhl

1942 John Wold

1941 Bruce Lefler

1940 Richard Johnson

1939 Arthur Johnson

1938 Donald Tepfer

1937 Roger Isaacson

1936 Robert Wasem

1935 Thomas L. Hill

John Rhodes

1934 Richard Wasem

1933 Chuck Heileman

1932 Robert Larson

1931 Fordyce Crouch

1930 George Harless

1929 Willard Minkel

1928 Samuel Etzel

1927 Andrew Pontius

1926 Rupert Fitzgerald

1925 David Brown