CEDAR RAPIDS — On paper, Bobby Thompson wasn’t exactly sure how his 12th-ranked Fort Dodge wrestling team would stack up against Cedar Rapids Prairie in their season opener.

Thompson was pleasantly surprised as the Dodgers (1-0 overall) came away with a 41-31 road victory here on Thursday.

“I thought it went pretty well relative to our expectations in the early going,” Thompson said. “We have a young group and they really got after it. We went out and got a lot of bonus points.”

The Dodgers picked up six falls on the evening, with five coming in the first period. Fort Dodge won seven matches overall, and the other triumph was also by bonus points on a tech fall.

“It was a little awkward dual (wrestling on two mats),” Thompson said. “It wasn’t a typical dual and we weren’t able to get into a good rhythm, but all the guys rallied around each other. Jesse was the last match on the mat and everyone was around him watching, building team camaraderie.

“It’s nice to go on the road and get a win and get the cobwebs out.”

Three-time state champion and top-ranked (IAwrestle) Dreshaun Ross (285) took very little time to extend his streak to 105 straight and earn his 112th career victory, recording a fall in 18 seconds.

The victory moved him into a tie on Fort Dodge’s all-time win list with his older brother, Drevon Ross (112-38), in 21st place.

Freshman Knox Ayala (106), the younger brother of three-time state champion Drake Ayala and four-time state medalist Dru Ayala, started his career with a pin in 1:04. Sophomore state qualifier and No. 6 Damien Yeoman (113) then earned a 15-0 technical fall in 3:13.

Senior two-time state qualifier Sam Davidson (132), rated ninth, returned to the mat for the first time in a year with a fall in 1:20.

Sophomore Amari McCaleb (150) would open a string of three straight pins for the Dodgers, earning a second-period fall in 3:49.

“That should be a big confidence booster for Amari,” Thompson said. “He was losing 7-0 and he was able to come back and win. He should be able to use that as momentum and keep moving forward.”

Three-time state qualifier and No. 10 Rylee Brown (157) earned his 91st career victory with a fall in 51 seconds.

Senior Caiden Fraher (165) then made it a trifecta, winning in 1:39 for the Dodgers.

“Those were two big wins for Caiden and Sammy,” Thompson said. “Caiden is coming off an injury (in 2024-25), and Sammy was back after missing last season.”

The Dodgers lost three rated matchups against tough Prairie opponents at 120, 190 and 215 pounds.

Fort Dodge is right back in action on Friday when they compete in Coralville at the Dan Gable Donnybrook, which runs through Saturday.

FORT DODGE 41, CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 31

106 — Knox Ayala, FD pinned Kierman Dunlay, 1:04; 113 — Damien Yeoman, FD tech fall Kellen Johnson, 15-0, 3:13); 120 — Chase Watkinson, CRP major dec. Trace Rial, 13-5; 126 — Ethan McManus, CRP dec. Brody Reimers, 8-4; 132 — Sam Davidson, FD pinned Aiden Kirk, 1:20; 138 — Teagan Kendall, CRP dec. Hunter Kasperbauer, 5-0; 144 — Keagan Blair, CRP, won by forfeit; 150 — Amari McCaleb, FD pinned Gavin Rogers, 3:49; 157 — Rylee Brown, FD pinned Cohen Yossi, :51; 165 — Caiden Fraher, FD pinned Garan Hynek, 1:49; 175 — Owen Langhurst, CRP pinned Mykel Benedict, 1:39; 190 — Louden Bloxham, CRP dec. Jesse Egli, 7-1; 215 — Conner Bistricty, CRP pinned Cael Adams, 2:34; 285 — Dreshaun Ross, FD pinned Will Clausen, :18.