MASON CITY — Fighting injury and illness, the Fort Dodge boys basketball team was no match for Mason City on Friday.

The Dodgers dropped a 78-44 road decision to the Mohawks.

“Our team is pretty beat up right now; we have a lot of guys who are sick,” FDSH head coach Tom Daniel said. “We looked really sluggish. The defense, in particular, was awful in the first half (giving up 46 points). They beat us a lot in transition; we were just a step or two slow and played flat.

“It got away from us in the second quarter, and we started forcing shots. Itsnowballed from there. Mason City played really well, but it’s not acceptable to lose like this in a rivalry game.”

Junior Dayson Clayton finished with 13 points for the Dodgers. Tysen Kershaw, the program’s leading scorer, added nine before getting sick at halftime and leaving midway through the third quarter with an illness.

Fort Dodge trailed just 24-17 at the end of the first quarter, but it was 46-23 by halftime. After an even third period, the Mohawks pulled away with a 16-6 fourth-quarter advantage.

“We just have to weather the storm,” Daniel said. “We have to get healthy and ready for the playoffs.”

Mason City is now 7-11 overall, but 5-5 since Jan. 13 with two victories over both FDSH and Marshalltown.

Corey Miner had 13 for the Mohawks, while Jeffrey Skogen added 12 and Carter Thomas 11.

The Dodgers close the regular season on Tuesday against top-ranked Ankeny Centennial at home.

Fort Dodge received its Class 4A Substate 1 assignment on Friday. The Dodgers will face Sioux City West (9-10) on the road Monday, Feb. 24.

The winner heads to Ankeny (14-5) for a substate semifinal.

MASON CITY 78, FORT DODGE 44

Mason City — Carter Thomas 11, Jess Cornick 3, Jeffrey Skogen 12, Corey Miner 13, Neil Gogerty 5, Isaiah Washington 0, Austin Richardson 10, Avery Mellman 9, Brandon Shipman 9, David Willemsen 0, Malakai Johnson-Bassey 3, Kale Hobart 3.

Fort Dodge — Asle Thorson 0, Bradley Vodraska 0, Drake Callon 5, Carson Pederson 7, Nolan Daniel 0, Tysen Kershaw 9, Brycen Bell 3, D’Arien Calahan 0, Ashton Hage 0, Jaheim Clayton 0, Monterius Altman-Abrams 3, Dayson Clayton 13, James Daniel 0, Javion Jondle 4.

Quarter scores: Mason City led 24-17, 46-23, 62-38.