×

COMING UP CLUTCH

Dodgers top rival Marshalltown again

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Javion Jondle of Fort Dodge leaps into the endzone for a touchdown against Marshalltown on Friday inside Dodger Stadium

There’s something about a win inside Dodger Stadium that stirs a special energy in Fort Dodge football players.

Senior quarterback Connor Carver knows the feeling well, but there’s nothing like the first time in a new season. Junior linebacker Cal Hartman got emotional and struggled to put it into words.

Thanks to a speedy start on offense and a defense that sealed the deal in the fourth quarter, Fort Dodge defeated Marshalltown for a sixth consecutive time by a final of 37-23 to secure its first home victory of the 2022 campaign.

The Dodgers evened their record at 2-2 heading into district competition by

coming up with timely stops at pivotal moments in the second half. Carver scored four times — twice through the air and twice on the ground — while Hartman’s interception late in the final period with Fort Dodge clinging to a six-point lead ostensibly locked down the program’s ninth win over the Bobcats (1-3) in their last 10 meetings.

“I thought the defense came up with some huge stops in pressure situations,” said Carver, who threw for 179 yards and didn’t turn the ball over. “They’re a young group overall that’s gone through a lot of changes (with eight new starters), but they stepped up when we needed them most time and time again.

“Winning here (at home) is just different. You get to celebrate with your teammates and you have your family, friends and classmates cheering you on. It’s special.”

Hartman picked off an errant Dalen Huston throw with 3:50 remaining and the Dodgers up 29-23. With pressure applied by senior linebacker Orion Larson-Trott and a host of others, the play was a microcosm of FDSH’s fourth-quarter turnaround on that side of the ball.

After surrendering 130 yards on just 15 carries in the third period, the Dodgers buckled down and didn’t allow a single net yard on eight Marshalltown carries the rest of the way.

“Credit our defense and the adjustments made by (coordinator) Coach (Blake) Utley,” Moser said. “Cal came up with a big turnover, because he’s a hard-working kid that does the right thing and puts himself in position to succeed. When you do that, eventually, it pays off. We had a lot of kids make a play when their name was called.”

The most notable was arguably freshman Dreshaun Ross. The linebacker — already a household name on the national amateur wrestling circuit — zoned in on talented Bobcat tailback Allah Holmes, who had carved Fort Dodge up to the tune of 76 yards on 11 totes in the third quarter. With the 200-pound Ross on the hunt, Holmes was stuffed time and time again in the final 12 minutes with six rushes for a total of four yards.

“This was a breakout night of sorts for Dreshaun,” Moser said. “You have to remind yourself that he’s only 15 years old and this is just his fourth varsity game. You can see it on film, though…he’s getting active, confident and figuring it out. Coach Utley put him on the edge and he was all over the place (in the fourth quarter).”

The Dodgers also made a huge goal-line stand when senior Kaleb Lynch dragged Holmes down shy of the end zone on fourth down at the 3-yard line in Marshalltown’s opening drive of the final period.

Fort Dodge built early advantages of 15-3 and 22-9. Carver hit senior all-stater Javion Jondle from 13 yards out on a dominant initial possession, and Carver barreled in from a yard out in the last minute of the first quarter. Larson-Trott did the same before halftime.

Carver and Jondle hooked up again for a 15-yard scoring strike with 2:08 left in the third to give the Dodgers some breathing room after the Bobcats had crept within 22-20. On that drive, Carver found Grant Williams and Larson-Trott for key first-down receptions on third and long.

“We had two juniors, Grant and Ty (Adams), come up with some huge catches,” Moser said. “Ty had his best game (three receptions for 54 yards). That was great to see.”

Jondle had nine more receptions for 83 yards, adding to his 4A-best season total. Carver became just the fourth Dodger quarterback ever to clear the 3,000-yard passing mark for his career, joining Drake Miller, Randy Reiners and Andrew Stover.

Lynch recorded a sack. Larson-Trott returned one kickoff for 58 yards and another for 40.

“They were both senior leaders for us,” Moser said of Lynch and Larson-Trott.

Fort Dodge allowed only 54 passing yards, with 31 coming on the contest’s last possession as Marshalltown went into scramble mode.

“We still have areas we need to clean up and fix, obviously, but we’re heading in the right direction,” Moser said. “This one wasn’t always pretty, but we scored five touchdowns on seven possessions and the defense didn’t break when it bent. No turnovers (committed), either. That’s how you get the job done.”

Hartman called it “an incredible moment.”

“There’s a lot going through my mind right now,” said Hartman, the only junior co-captain. “I’ve been working hard for this. We’ve been working hard for this. It’s an awesome feeling, just being able to contribute and get a win at home. Celebrating with my teammates, my brothers…just thankful and emotional. Something I’ll always remember.”

The Dodgers meet defending Class 4A, District 1 champion Webster City (2-2) on Friday at home. The Lynx steamrolled Mason City last night, 49-14.

FD M

First Downs 15 20

Rushes-Yards 20-67 47-265

Passing Yards 179 54

Passing 17-30-0 8-17-1

Total Offense 246 319

Punts 3-29.0 0-0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-Yards 10-83 8-69

Marshalltown 3 6 11 3 — 23

Fort Dodge 15 7 7 8 — 37

Scoring Summary

Fort Dodge — Javion Jondle (13-yard pass from Connor Carver), 8:54 left first quarter. Parker Schillerstrom kick.

Marshalltown — Johan Gomez (35-yard field goal), 3:31 left first.

Fort Dodge — Carver (1-yard run), 0:46 left first. Jondle run.

Marshalltown — Allah Holmes (4-yard run), 5:11 left second. Kick failed.

Fort Dodge — Orion Larson-Trott (1-yard run), 2:29 left second. Schillerstrom kick.

Marshalltown — Gomez (31-yard field goal), 8:41 left third.

Marshalltown — Holmes (12-yard run), 6:04 left third. Holmes run.

Fort Dodge — Jondle (15-yard pass from Carver), 2:08 left third. Schillerstrom kick.

Marshalltown — Gomez (28-yard field goal), 5:40 left fourth.

Fort Dodge — Carver (2-yard run), 1:31 left fourth. Carver run.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Fort Dodge: Orion Larson-Trott 13-43, Javion Jondle 1-23, Tucker Pederson 2-13, Connor Carver 4-(minus-12). Marshalltown: Allah Holmes 26-129, Dalen Huston 13-104, Tate Riang 3-19, Carter Hunt 2-8, Nick Rebik 3-5.

PASSING — Fort Dodge: Connor Carver 17-29-0-179, Javion Jondle 0-1-0-0. Marshalltown: Dalen Huston 8-17-1-54.

RECEIVING — Fort Dodge: Javion Jondle 9-83, Ty Adams 3-54, Orion Larson-Trott 3-24, Grant Williams 1-12, Nate Opande 1-6. Marshalltown: Cory Smith 3-24, Treshaun Brooks 1-11, Nick Rebik 1-7, Carter Hunt 2-6, Tate Riang 1-6.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today