Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Koy Davidson of Fort Dodge rolls during his semifinal match at the state tournament in Des Moines. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — Fort Dodge senior Koy Davidson suffered a compression fracture to his T4 through T8 vertebrae during his semifinal match at the state wrestling tournament on Friday, and the senior star has been ruled out for the championship round tonight.

After the thrilling showdown at 144 pounds with JahKari Clark of West Des Moines Valley, Davidson learned of the injury.

“Koy was obviously crushed,” said FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson. “Nobody wants to go out this way. He’s an ultimate competitor and it shows after what happened in that match. It’s just devastating.

“This is a tight group of kids that have been there for each other through the ups and downs. I’m sure it’s really devastating for all of them to hear, too. But we love Koy and his safety is the number one priority.”

Davidson, who won the semifinal match to reach Saturday night’s 144-pound championship, closes his career with 145 wins.

In the match with Clark, the rivals got into a wild scramble as Davidson was trying to avoid a takedown.

“It hurts. It’s going to sting for a long time,” Thompson said. “We’re not sure when exactly it happened, but it could have been when he was returned to the mat or during the scramble.

“You realize he still fought through the first 30 seconds when he was down and then when Clark was down. He handled the pain as best and for as long as he could.”

The Oregon State University recruit was just the sixth Dodger to become a three-time finalist in school history.

“The doctors said recovery would be enough to heal the injury (without surgery) as long as we didn’t push it further (on Saturday),” Thompson said. “Just rest and no strenuous activity would help the process, but it’s going to take a while.”

Thompson has always looked at the Dodger program as a family, and with the injury, it was even more evident.

“It’s not a cliche when I talk about how these guys are my kids, and we are always going to be there for each other,” Thompson said. “They are more than athletes and wrestlers. And they’re not just teammates, they’re brothers.

“It shows when (now three-time champ) Dreshaun (Ross) cares more about Koy’s matches than his own. He’s more excited for his teammates and that’s not an exaggeration. Last year, when he and Damarion were in the finals and won it, he was happier for him than his own (title).”

The Dodger culture showed during the semifinal round on Friday.

“These kids are special,” Thompson said. “I do attribute that to the community and the family we’ve built together. It takes time and trust. They know they can call or text the coaches and I at any time.

“The guys that are in the tournament now coaching, like (former Fort Dodge state champs) Drew Bennett, Sam Cook and Triston Lara, were excited for Koy before his match and made a point to come over and talk. They’re all Dodgers, even if and when they’re with other programs.”

For the past four years, Davidson has been a mainstay in the FDSH program. He placed second as a freshman, fourth in his sophomore campaign, and was a champion and a runner-up as an upperclassman.

Davidson finished eighth on the program’s all-time win list with a final high school record of 145-19.

“Koy has been with me for a long time,” Thompson said. “I’ve been in his corner for as long as I’ve known him. Talk about how fast time goes by.

“We had just talked about how this was his last state tournament and that he wanted to go out with a bang. It’s really tough, watching him go through this and processing it all.”

Davidson was scheduled to wrestle top-seeded Justis Jesuroga of Southeast Polk in pursuit of a second state gold. He was able to stand on the podium Saturday night to receive his silver medal.

Davidson had won his first two matches by technical fall and decision.

Davidson’s semifinal match was the talk of the tournament, just as it was last year in the finals when he had a crazy sprawl and takedown to deny Carter Freeman of his fourth state championship.

A year ago, Davidson’s efforts garnered him tournament wrestler of the meet honors.

“Every time that Koy steps on the mat, it’s a treat,” Thompson said. “He is always positive and is a tough competitor. That’s why he’s so exciting to watch.

“He is Fort Dodge…he goes out there to throw down and give his all. This is a really hard way for him to go out, but it doesn’t overshadow everything he’s accomplished as a Dodger.”