MARSHALLTOWN — A long-standing high school rivalry taken off the board by COVID-19 was reinstated for the same reason this past week, giving Fort Dodge the opportunity to face Marshalltown on the football field after all.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday night at Leonard Cole Field.

The Dodgers (2-1 overall) are sacrificing a home game in the process, but in this day and age, programs are doing whatever it takes to find alternatives to cancellations. Head coach Nik Moser’s squad was originally scheduled to play Des Moines North this week, and the Bobcats (1-2) had Des Moines East on their slate. When the Des Moines Public School District paused live activities after going strictly to online learning, both North and East were sidelined, bringing FDSH and Marshalltown together on the gridiron for the 29th consecutive season.

“We’ve always played tough games against (the Bobcats), for as long as I can remember,” said Moser, a former Dodger all-stater and 2001 FDSH graduate. “I think there’s a mutual respect between the programs, and we’ve been similar in our style and competitiveness through the years.

“It’s good to have this opportunity. We were disappointed (originally) that they were taken off the schedule (when the regular season was reduced from nine to seven contests in August).”

In 52 all-time meetings, Marshalltown holds a slim 26-25-1 overall edge. The schools squared off every year from 1967 through 1990 as members of the Big 8, and missed only the 1991 campaign as the CIML transition began. Their rivalry was renewed the next fall, and has been a staple ever since.

Fort Dodge has prevailed in six of the last seven meetings, eking out a 21-17 victory to end the 2019 campaign.

The Bobcats are anchored by senior tight end Carson Williams, a University of Buffalo recruit. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder has a team-best 11 catches for 125 yards through the first three games, and also plays linebacker on defense.

“He’s a really good, physical player on both sides of the ball, which is obvious given he’s a Div. I recruit,” Moser said. “Their quarterback, (Brendan) Bates, is a returning starter, and (Malik) Haynes is an experienced (running) back and a big kid at about 210 pounds.”

Haynes has rushed for 303 yards at 8.2 yards per carry so far. Bates has 288 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Junior Austin Close (17.5 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss) is the Bobcats’ top defender.

Marshalltown is coming off a sloppy 6-0 setback against ninth-ranked Cedar Rapids Washington last Friday at home in a driving rainstorm.

“You couldn’t take much away from that,” Moser said. “It was a mess. Neither team was able to do much offensively; it’s tough when you’re just trying to hang on to the ball.

“They were impressive in a (42-8) rout of Newton (the week before).”

Fort Dodge tasted defeat for the first time against fifth-ranked Ankeny last Friday, 52-18. The Hawks eventually wore the Dodger defense down and the offense sputtered against a stout AHS defense, but Moser saw a more glaring weakness in reviewing the film.

“We have to execute better on special teams,” Moser said. “We just weren’t very good (against the Hawks); the field-position situation was lopsided all night.

“Again, the effort was there. I’m not worried about that. But we have to be more consistent with the fundamentals. It will be a positive to be close to full-strength again (after playing two consecutive games without five starters).”

Regulars Thomas Daniel (linebacker), Collin Munter (offensive line), Amaris Harris (wide receiver), Jake Wagner (offensive line) and Gavin Schillerstrom (kicker) are expected to rejoin the rotation tonight at their respective positions. All five have been out since Week 1.

Senior captain Sawyer Springer, who rolled an ankle late in the fourth quarter last week, will be on the field and starting at center.

Senior tailback Dayson Clayton needs 43 yards to pass Zach Mason for third on the school’s all-time rushing list.