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Friendly surroundings and a familiar opponent await Fort Dodge on Friday, as head coach Nik Moser's football squad makes its 2022 Dodger Stadium debut against long-time rival Ames on Friday.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Fort Dodge returns to its stomping grounds a week after coming up short at Mason City, 35-30. The Little Cyclones, meanwhile, were impressive in a 33-17 victory over Marshalltown.
"We'll have our work cut out for us," Moser said. "Ames has really good skill kids, but honestly, I'm just as impressed with the way they look up front (on the offensive and defensive lines). They're just a very solid football team top to bottom.
"We had a good week of practice. Our captains stepped up and set the tone. No one was happy with the way things went (against the Riverhawks), but we're working hard at fixing some things and showing improvement from (Week 1 to Week 2)."
Dodger senior quarterback Connor Carver, a Bemidji State recruit, threw for 208 yards and scrambled for 76 more versus Mason City. Carver had three passing touchdowns -- to Nate Opande, Javion Jondle and Grant Williams -- while rushing for another score.
The Riverhawks' home-run balls -- with four touchdowns of 30 or more yards and three from their own territory -- were the focal point of practice this week.
"Too many mental breakdowns," Moser said. "We gave up a couple of really big plays, and that just can't happen. We just need to play better and show more consistency, especially in the defensive backfield given Ames' personnel."
The Little Cyclone offense, which welcomed back the majority of its weapons from a 4-5 squad a year ago, put up 471 yards on the Bobcats. Senior quarterback Dallas Sauser threw for 378 yards and five TDs. Six-foot-3 receiving target Jalen Leuth caught nine passes for 242 yards and three of the scores.
Former Fort Dodger Jamison Poe, just a sophomore, added the other two receiving touchdowns and 101 rushing yards. Ames scored the game's final 20 points.
"Everything starts with Sauser, who is a good quarterback. Leuth had a great game last week. Jamison reminds me a lot of (older brother) Monterio (Poe a 2008 FDSH graduate who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards in his Dodger career). They can beat you in a lot of ways (at the skill positions), but I also think their line play tends to get overlooked."
Moser is anticipating a big crowd, and his players "can't wait" to be back at Dodger Stadium. Fort Dodge plays five of its final eight regular-season games at home.
"There's nothing like the game-day atmosphere here," Moser said. "Our guys are really looking forward to it. We're hoping to see a lot of fans, and we'll be ready to go."
The Dodgers have defeated Ames six consecutive times and have nine victories in 11 matchups since 2009. The Little Cyclones hold a slim overall edge, 33-31-3, in a series that dates back to as early as 1913.
Fort Dodge and Ames have met in all but two seasons -- 2014 and 2015 -- since 1968.