Meet Dru Ayala, the latest future Iowa wrestler to make a splash at Dan Gable Donnybrook

CORALVILLE − Fort Dodge wrestler Dru Ayala didn't win many matches against his brother Drake growing up. A lot of younger brothers will say they got one or two on occasion, but Dru is honest about how many scraps he was able to win.

"No, nuh-uh," Ayala said while laughing. "Never."

But those losses to Drake, who now wrestles for the Iowa Hawkeyes, pale in comparison to the ones he has taken in the state finals in back-to-back seasons. Both times, Ayala fell in the final moments of the third period after what coach Robert Thompson called "mental lapses" in his performance.

"It just shows I didn't have enough," Ayala said. "It's the final year. I got to get it done."

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As the old saying goes, you learn more in defeat than you do in victory, and that's exactly how Ayala is handing those moments. It's the fuel in his quest to go undefeated and become a state champion.

That journey began this past weekend with a huge test at the Dan Gable Donnybrook Tournament. 120 pounds was one of the toughest weight classes in the tournament, with several high-profile out-of-state wrestlers coming to Coralville for the event. Eight individual titles were won by non-Iowans.

Ayala beat Minnesota's Luke Koenen, a multi-time medalist holding a 67-14 record across his competitions all-time according to Trackwrestling, in the finals. Ayala earned a 2-0 decision.

Ayala showed how good he can be in a top position and defensively, but he said that's not even the best part of his skillset.

"My shots might not have been there this weekend, it's something I gotta work on," Ayala said. "It's something I train on so much, so I just gotta keep taking my shots."

That's a scary thought for opponents. Ayala's wrestling looks to be the most well-rounded of his career at this point. It's also a good sign for Hawkeye fans, who have Drake and Dru as the heirs apparent to Spencer Lee for the foreseeable future.

Dru saw Iowa as the best place to better himself and his career. He pointed to the team's effort and coaches Tom and Terry Brands' determination to succeed.

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For now, however, his focus is on his unfinished business at the high school level. At 120 pounds, he'll face one of the toughest weight classes in the state, but as a guy who has sought out the Super 32s and Fargo, he doesn't shy away from top-tier competition.

Competitiveness and talent have never been the issue for Ayala. His confidence level is what his coach sees as the barrier between him and glory.

"He can be a state champ," Thompson said. "He's just needs to believe in himself."

Saturday, he showed that wall may have been knocked down. Ayala was one of three champions for Fort Dodge, along with Dreshaun Ross and Koy Davidson, as the Dodgers finished in sixth place.

The Dodgers are young, but their showcase at the Donnybrook Tournament surely turned some heads in the Class 3A team race. While they've had several finalists in Coralville before, they had never had a champion in the Donnybrook.

"It's good to get over the hump," Thompson said. "We've had a lot of finalists, a lot of third-place matches. It's good to finally get through and not only have three in the finals, but come out victorious in all three."

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa wrestling recruit Dru Ayala wins Dan Gable Donnybrook Tournament