Fort Dodge defending state champion Koy Davidson out of finals match

Davidson, an Oregon State signee, suffered injury during semifinals

Due to an injury, Fort Dodge senior Koy Davidson will not be able to compete in Saturday's championship match. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Defending state wrestling champion Koy Davidson of Fort Dodge will not be able to complete his senior season on the mat.

Davidson, an Oregon State University signee, was injured during a wild semifinal victory over West Des Moines Valley’s Jah’Kari Clark on Friday morning in Des Moines from Wells Fargo Arena.

Early Saturday morning, the Fort Dodge Messenger reported that Davidson suffered a compression fracture to his T4-through-T8 vertebrae and would not be able to compete in the finals. Davidson was scheduled to square off with Southeast Polk’s Justis Jesuroga in one of the featured Class 3A championship matches at 144 pounds.

“Koy is obviously crushed,” FDSH head coach Bobby Thompson told the newspaper. “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 No. 1 priority.”

Davidson, who claimed the title at 138 pounds last year, was a three-time finalist, becoming the sixth in program history. 

Southeast Polk, which had already clinched the 3A team title for the seventh time in program history, broke the all-time state scoring record with the decision. 

“Wishing (Davidson) a speedy recovery,” the official Twitter account posted. “No one wants to win (or lose) that way.”

It’s official. SEP’s 1st State Champion of 2025 State Tournament is Justis Jesuroga (3A - 144 lbs).

Unfortunately, Fort Dodge’s 144 pounder (and returning State Champion) had to medical forfeit. Wishing him a speedy recovery - no one wants to win (or lose) that way.

— SEP Wrestling (@sepwrestling) February 22, 2025