Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Koy Davidson of Fort Dodge controls JahKari Clark of West Des Moines Valley in a Class 3A semifinal match at 144 pounds during Friday’s state tournament action in Des Moines.

DES MOINES — The Koy Davidson highlight reel continues to get plenty of views, and on Friday, his latest clutch state wrestling performance went viral.

The Fort Dodge senior put on another clinic of grit and determination in the Class 3A state semifinals as Davidson, the 2024 state champion at 138 pounds, simply wouldn’t be denied a chance at becoming the school’s 12th-multi-time gold medalist ever.

This 144-pound semifinal had the full attention of everyone inside Wells Fargo Arena, and they were on their feet again after the second-seeded Davidson (37-2) turned in another crazy finish for what ended up being a 10-2 major decision victory over No. 2 JahKari Clark (38-3) of West Des Moines Valley.

After a 1-1 tie through three periods, the heroics came in SV-1. Clark picked up Davidson and took him down to the mat, but the Dodger star spun through with a couple of granby rolls to avoid the takedown, sparking a roar from the Fort Dodge faithful as the Oregon State recruit stayed in it.

The sequence was quick, as the rivals tossed and turned for a couple of seconds before Davidson — the 2024 most valuable overall wrestler of the state meet — was able to avoid the takedown and the match went to overtime.

“I couldn’t give up the takedown and just kept wrestling. I needed to give myself a chance to win,” Davidson said. “I need to stay in a better position, but stuff happens and you have to wrestle through it.”

In the first 30 seconds of overtime, Clark was dinged for locked hands and Davidson escaped for a 3-1 lead heading down the stretch.

Clark chose down and escaped with 19 seconds remaining, making the score 3-2. Clark then went for broke, trying to throw Davidson, who countered and sprawled for the takedown four near-fall points to secure the dramatic triumph.

“That’s actually not the way I wanted to wrestle,” Davidson said afterward. “I didn’t get to my offense and got dinged for stalling.

“I just have to approach everything the same, and believe in my ability.”

FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson noted the parallels to last year’s heart-stopping overtime victory for Davidson in the state championship round versus top-seeded Carter Freeman of Waukee Northwest.

“Koy showed the grit and heart that makes him who he is,” Thompson said. “That’s exactly what we preach. It’s what being a Dodger is all about.

“You try to coach your kids to never stop wrestling.”

It was the second meeting in the last month as Clark earned a SV-1, 4-1 victory in the finals of the Ed Winger Invitational at Urbandale.

“Koy has great reaction time and elite athleticism,” Thompson said. “He never quit. He had the attitude that you’re going to have to beat me.”

The sprawling technique was reminiscent of last year’s finals match versus Freeman, who was denied his fourth state championship by Davidson in that thriller.

“I just wrestled hard and fought every second,” Davidson said. “I dug deep and believed in myself.

“I went out and wrestled and got it done.”

Up next for Davidson — who has won 10 straight matches since losing to Clark — will be top-seeded junior Justis Jesuroga (33-3) of Southeast Polk. All three of Jesuroga’s losses in 2024-25 are to out-of state wrestlers.

Jesuroga took fourth last year, and was seventh as a freshman.

Davidson and fellow finalist Dreshaun Ross (215) became the fifth and sixth Dodger wrestlers to make at least three state finals appearances. The Dodger also advanced to the championship round as a freshman.

The Grand March and finals will begin at 5:15 p.m. inside Wells Fargo Arena.

FORT DODGE THREE-TIME FINALISTS

Brody Teske (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Drake Ayala (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

Dreshaun Ross (2023, 2024, 2025)

Koy Davidson (2022, 2024, 2025)

Triston Lara (2015, 2016, 2017)

Mark Rial (1994, 1995, 1996)