-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Ellie White of Fort Dodge puts up a shot against Southeast Polk on Friday inside Dodgers gym

Fort Dodge girls head coach Scott Messerly knew what Fort Dodge was up against on Friday against second-ranked (Class 5A) Southeast Polk.

What Messerly wanted to see was a better overall effort than what his Dodgers had shown both Thursday night at No. 3 Johnston and the first time around against the Rams in Pleasant Hill.

For the most part, Messerly got what he was looking for despite the 70-23 final score on “Mama Beisch Night” in the FDSH gym.

Super sophomore Grace Larkins scored 30 points for Southeast Polk, which is now 15-1 overall with a 12-game winning streak. The 5-foot-10 Larkins put on a clinic in the first half, racking up 26 points on 12 made field goals. She only misfired twice.

“I thought we played better in the second half especially,” Messerly said. “We’re not playing with much confidence right now, and I thought there were times we were too tentative offensively in the first half.

“When you’re struggling offensively, you have to find a way to string some baskets together. Our (field goals) are just coming too few and far between right now; we just can’t create any momentum. But our kids competed and played harder than we did down there (Fort Dodge was outscored 23-9 in the second half on Friday, compared to 41-8 last month).”

Freshman Tory Bennett led the Dodgers with seven points. FDSH struggled from behind the arc, making just 2 of its 18 attempts.

Southeast Polk, meanwhile, shot 57 percent. Larkins was 14 of 18, with many of her buckets coming on breakaway layups off of Dodger turnovers.

“We obviously have to cut down on the mistakes we can avoid,” Messerly said. “And we have to find a way to not dig such an early hole both physically and mentally.”

Tristin Doster put Fort Dodge up 2-0 with a basket in the opening minute, but the Rams reeled off the next 17 points and never looked back. Larkins had 15 of those points.

The Dodgers head to Waterloo West (9-6) on Saturday for their third game in as many days. The Wahawks topped Marion Linn-Mar on Friday, 50-46.

SE POLK 70, FORT DODGE 23

Southeast Polk — Grace Larkins 14-18 1-1 30, Maggie McGraw 4-6 4-6 12, Sami Albertson 3-7 2-2 8, Liza Sutten 1-5 1-2 4, Rylie Kruse 0-3 0-0 0, Jessie Stuart 3-3 0-0 8, Jaycie Elliott 1-2 0-0 3, Brooke Woodyard 1-1 1-2 3, Grace Rosenboom 1-1 0-0 2, Kadence Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Magda McGowen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-47 9-12 70.

Fort Dodge — Tory Bennett 3-12 1-2 7, Jalen Adams 1-5 0-0 3, Tristin Doster 1-9 1-3 3, Cheyenne Miller-Hameed 0-3 2-4 2, Juliet Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, Ellie White 1-2 1-2 3, Aleaha Pommer 1-1 0-0 3, Ebonee Altman 1-1 0-0 2, Haley Wills 0-1 0-0 0, Nicole Guerin 0-2 0-0 0, Jebreuana Clark 0-0 0-0 0, Rachel Sporrer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 9-36 5-11 23.

Quarter scores: SE Polk led 24-7, 47-14, 61-18. Three-point goals: SE Polk 5-14 (Stuart 2-2, Sutten 1-3, Elliott 1-2, Larkins 1-1, Williams 0-2, McGraw 0-2, Kruse 0-2); Fort Dodge 2-17 (Adams 1-5, Pommer 1-1, Bennett 0-7, Doster 0-2, Guerin 0-2). Turnovers: SE Polk 13, Fort Dodge 24. Total fouls: SE Polk 11, Fort Dodge 11.