-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Jessie Egli of Fort Dodge wrestles against Marshalltown Kieron Sharp

With state medals on their mind the seventh-ranked Fort Dodge wrestling team will look to punch their state tickets on Saturday.

The Dodgers will host a Class 3A district meet in the Dodger gym, beginning at 10 a.m.

Joining the Dodgers in the fifth district will be Bondurant-Farrar, Denison-Schleswig, Indianola, Lewis Central, Sioux City West, Spencer and Storm Lake.

“I feel good with where we are at,” said Fort Dodge head coach Bobby Thompson, who is in his last season after 21 years as coach. “We’re in our home gym and it’s go-time.

“They have to go out and be stingy and think about themselves and get after it.”

Five Dodgers are looking to return as three seniors will vie to finish their careers as three-time qualifiers.

Top-ranked heavyweight Dreshan Ross (29-0) is in pursuit of his fourth state championship, while classmates, ninth-ranked (IAwrestle) Rylee Brown (165) and seventh-ranked Jesse Egli (190) are aiming for their fourth trips and first state medal.

Sixth-ranked Trace Rial (120) is a two-time state qualifier, while sixth-ranked sophomore Damien Yeoman (113) will try to return.

Fourth-ranked freshman Knox Ayala (106), the last of the Ayala siblings, is in line for his first state appearance.

“They (our returning state qualifiers) look good and it’s not foreign territory to them,” Thompson said. “They know what to expect and they just have to go out and wrestle hard.”

Ross has won 133 consecutive matches for FDSH, and is 140-2 in his career. He is one win from tying his older brother, Damarion Ross (141-34) for ninth on Fort Dodge’s all-time victory list — this despite Dreshaun missing a significant portion of his junior year with a serious shoulder injury.

The Oklahoma State commit is also looking to become Fort Dodge’s second four-time state champion behind Brody Teske. There have been 34 in the history of Iowa high school wrestling.

Ross will be joined by Osage’s Blake Fox, who is in search of his fourth this season as well.

Egli (23-8) is the last of five siblings, looking for his first medal, behind brothers Duke, Jonah, Ben and Levi. The Dodger senior is 111-69 and is tied for 21st on the FDSH’s all-time win list.

Brown (24-6) also went over the 100-win plateau and stands at 114-69 and is 22nd on the all-time list.

Rial (25-7) the oldest son of two-time Fort Dodge state champion and current assistant coach Mark Rial, lost in the blood round last season inside Wells Fargo Arena. Rial is 74-38 in three seasons.

Yeoman (24-10) was 33-19 as a qualifier in 2025 and is 57-29 in two seasons.

Ayala (25-5) the youngest brother of three-time state champion Drake Ayala and four-time state qualifier Dru Ayala is in line for his first trip to Des Moines.

Seniors Hunter Kasperbauer (132), Angel Sandoval (138) and Caiden Fraher (157) are trying for their first state tournament bids.

Also looking to punch their state tournament trips are freshman Aaron Perez (126), sophomores Mason Zuspann (144), Amari McCaleb (150), and Cael Adams (215).

“With the younger guys, we went over some things,” Thompson said. “They need to leave it all on the mat — they have nothing to lose.

“Go from the whistle and go the full six minutes with no regrets.”

PROBABLE DODGEER LINEUP

106 — Knox Ayala, fr., (25-5); 113 — Damien Yeoman, so., (24-10); 120 — Trace Rial, jr., (25-7); 126 — Aaron Perez, fr., (7-5); 132 — Hunter Kasperbauer, sr., (8-17); 138 — Angel Sandoval, sr., (3-17); 144 — Mason Zuspann, so., (4-8); 150 –Amari McCaleb, so., (10-17); 157 — Caiden Fraher, sr., (19-14); 165 — Rylee Brown, sr., (24-6); 175 — Open; 190 — Jesse Egli, sr., (23-8); 215 — Cael Adams, so., (7-21); 285 — Dreshaun Ross, sr., (29-0).