Messenger file photo: Fort Dodge wrestling coach Bobby Thompson has announced this will be his final season as the program leader.

CEDAR RAPIDS — For the final time, head coach Bobby Thompson is leading the 12th-ranked Fort Dodge wrestling team to the mat this winter.

After 21 years as the Dodger leader, Thompson has decided to retire at season’s end.

“It’s time,” Thompson said. “No matter when I do it, I know it will be tough. I’m going to miss all of the relationships with the kids.

“For 37 years, I have been coaching wrestling. And I’m pretty happy with where I’m at.”

The Dodgers will compete against Cedar Rapids Prairie at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Prairie will also compete against Cedar Falls to open the night at 6 p.m.

The Dodgers will not face the Tigers.

“It will be nice to finally go against another team,” Thompson said. “We have some veterans that are very anxious to get on the mat.

“Prairie is a very tough opponent and has four or five ranked guys.”

Fort Dodge enters the season with six returning state qualifiers, led by three-time state champion and top-ranked (IAwrestle) Dreshaun Ross at heavyweight.

The Oklahoma State recruit is looking to become the 33rd or 34th four-time state champion. Osage’s Blake Fox will also go for his fourth gold medal this year.

Ross enters the season on a 104 match win streak, dating back to December of 2022. Ross is 111-2 in his career, coming off an unbeaten 20-win season a year ago and a 47-0 campaign as a sophomore.

The 6-foot-4 all-state football player has only dropped two matches total in high school, and one within the state of Iowa. Ross fell to McCrae Hagarty — currently a sophomore at Iowa State — and Cole Mirasola, now a redshirt freshman for top-rated Penn State — as a freshman.

Seniors Jesse Egli (190) and Rylee Brown (157) will look for their first state medals, as they both have competed at state for three seasons. Egli is rated 7th; Brown is ranked 10th.

Junior Trace Rial (120), ranked 8th, is a two-time state qualifier and sophomore Damien Yeoman (113), rated 6th, is coming off a state trip.

After a year away from the mat, senior Sam Davidson (132) is back. The ninth-ranked Davidson was a state qualifier in his first two seasons.

Freshman Knox Ayala (106), younger brother of three-time state champion Drake Ayala and four-time medalist Dru Ayala, will begin his Dodger career. Freshmen are not yet ranked by IAWrestle.

After Thursday’s action, the Dodgers will turn right around with their toughest tournament of the season on Friday and Saturday at the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Coralville.

“I don’t know if you can prepare the young kids for the Donnybrook,” Thompson said. “It’s a rude awakening to high school wrestling. There are a lot of schools from different states and an elite level of competition.”

Action begins at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

PROBABLE DODGER LINEUP

106 — Knox Ayala, fr., (0-0); 113 — Damien Yeoman, so., (0-0); 120 — Trace Rial, jr., (0-0); 126 — Brody Reimers, fr., (0-0); 132 — Sam Davidson, sr., (0-0); 138 — Hunter Kasperbauer, sr., (0-0); 144 — Open; 150 — Amari McCaleb, so., (0-0); 157 — Rylee Brown, sr., (0-0); 165 — Caiden Fraher, sr., (0-0); 175 — Mykel Benedict, fr., (0-0); 190 — Jesse Egli, sr., (0-0); 215 — Cael Adams, so., (0-0); 285 — Dreshaun Ross, sr., (0-0).