Photo by David Borer: Noah Daniel of Fort Dodge runs the ball at Webster City on Friday.

WEBSTER CITY — Nik Moser saw anger, frustration and even regret in the eyes of his Fort Dodge football players after Friday’s thrilling 35-28 season-opening loss to Webster City.

Despite facing a consensus Top-5 Class 3A squad on the Lynx’s home turf and knowing the way the last two meetings had gone in the series, Moser’s Dodgers didn’t make the trip just to be respectable or come home with a moral victory. They wanted to win.

A 22-yard touchdown pass from Keegan Hisler to Jesse Crutcher with 23 seconds left in regulation allowed Webster City to escape with a dramatic triumph in a physical, hard-fought contest. Moser shared the emotions of his squad, but was the first to remind the Dodgers to keep their heads up as they exited Lynx Field.

“We came to play,” Moser said. “It’s a tough one to take, because we fought our way back (from a 15-point deficit) and were right there. We had the momentum. They made a big (TD completion) and you give them credit, because (Webster City) is a really good football team again.

“I told our guys that if you come with that kind of effort for nine straight weeks, we’re going to be a dangerous ballclub before all is said and done. And I meant it. We have something — it’s a long way from where it could be, but this is a start. They’re upset that they weren’t able to (complete the comeback), which to me is a good sign. They played hard and they played for each other.”

Fort Dodge was far from perfect on a humid evening that saw a slew of players struggle with intermittent cramping. The Lynx struggled as well, coughing up five fumbles to stall multiple drives. In the end, Webster City all-stater Jaxon Cherry gave an as-advertised performance, carrying 27 times for 263 yards and three touchdowns to help will his team across the finish line.

Hisler, a left-hander making his spin back debut in head coach Bob Howard’s vaunted offensive attack, said and done. And I meant it. We have something — it’s a long way from where it could be, but this is a start. They’re upset that they weren’t able to (complete the comeback), which to me is a good sign. They played hard and they played for each other.”

Fort Dodge was far from perfect on a humid evening that saw a slew of players struggle with intermittent cramping. The Lynx struggled as well, coughing up five fumbles to stall multiple drives. In the end, Webster City all-stater Jaxon Cherry gave an as-advertised performance, carrying 27 times for 253 yards and three touchdowns to help will his team across the finish line.

Hisler, a left-hander making his spin back debut in head coach Bob Howard’s vaunted offensive attack, completed just his second pass of the game when lofted a perfect toss to Crutcher on the left side of the end zone in the waning moments. Crutcher was well defended, but the throw was right on the money and the Lynx crowd erupted.

A last-ditch Dodger effort did reach Webster City territory, but the Lynx defense sealed the deal as time expired.

Fort Dodge sophomore Dreshaun Ross, making his varsity debut on offense, rushed 21 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. Senior Ty Adams kickstarted the Dodger rally with an 86-yard kickoff return to paydirt after Webster City had built its largest lead of the game at 28-13 midway through the third quarter.

Adams also caught two passes for 81 yards.

Cal Hartman, Zeke Pineda, Caiden Fraher, Isaiah Caldwell and Drew Moritz all recovered fumbles for FDSH. The Dodgers held only a 21-14 edge in points off turnovers despite holding a plus-three TO margin.

“We let some opportunities slip through our hands,” Moser said. “Again, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Sometimes maybe it was because we were almost trying too hard. But I like that. We can work with that. We made plenty of mistakes, but if you look at our lineup, we have a ton of guys who were either playing for the first time at this level or kids who didn’t see the field at all (due to injury in 2022). So this is just the beginning.”

The Lynx had 377 total rushing yards on 55 attempts. Hisler (63 yards) and junior Cael Nixon (42) followed Cherry’s efforts.

Cherry, a three-year starter who has a Div. I offer from Marshall University with several other programs courting him, is now only 569 yards from becoming Webster City’s all-time rushing leader.

Fort Dodge struck first, as Hartman pounced on a loose ball and Daniel found Adams for a 43-yard completion to set up a first and goal. Junior quarterback Royce Pederson then found Grant Williams for an 8-yard scoring strike.

With the score knotted at 7-7, Luke Estlund recovered the first of his two fumbles that led to a 12-yard Cherry run and a 14-7 Lynx advantage. The Dodgers did pull back within 14-13 when the ball bounced to Fraher and Daniel powered his way into the end zone from eight yards out right before the end of the first half.

Webster City looked like it was seizing control with two long, impressive scoring drives to open the third quarter behind the patient Cherry. Adams flipped the script with his return, though, and Fort Dodge forced another turnover when Ross popped the ball loose and Moritz pounced.

The Lynx stuffed the Dodgers in a goal-to-go at the 7-yard line, however, to keep their 28-20 advantage early in the fourth period.

Fort Dodge forced consecutive Webster City punts — the first two of the night — on the ensuing Lynx possessions. Ross barreled in from 18 yards out, and a two-point conversion made it 28-28 with 6:24 to go in regulation. Chants of “FDSH” came from the large visitor crowd.

The Dodgers even had the ball late, but were deep in their own territory and the Lynx forced a punt. Estlund returned it 18 yards to the FDSH 28-yard line with less than a minute left, setting up the Hisler-to-Crutcher heroics.

“We kept chipping away,” Moser said. “We got knocked down a few times, but fought back. I thought our defense did a much better job down the stretch. We were strong in the fourth quarter. The goal now is to keep building on this and get better.

“Everyone, from myself on down, has to do that between now and (Friday’s home opener against Mason City).”

The Dodgers take on the Riverhawks at 7 p.m. this Friday. Mason City routed Marshalltown last night, 32-3.

Webster City is at Spencer on Friday.

FD WC

First Downs 15 22

Rushes-Yards 33-140 55-377

Passing Yards 141 35

Comp-Att-Int 7-13-0 2-3-0

Total Yards 281 402

Punts-Avg. 4-39.0 2-25.5

Fumbles-Lost 4-2 7-5

Penalties-Yards 7-50 3-37

Fort Dodge 7 6 7 8 — 28

Webster City 7 7 14 7 — 35

Scoring Summary

Fort Dodge — Grant Williams (8-yard pass from Royce Pederson), 6:37 left first. Parker Schillerstrom kick.

Webster City — Keegan Hisler (9-yard run), 2:19 left first. Briar Klaver kick.

Webster City — Jaxon Cherry (12-yard run), 5:36 left second. Klaver kick.

Fort Dodge — Noah Daniel (8-yard run), 1:44 left second. Run failed.

Webster City — Cherry (26-yard run), 10:02 left third. Kick blocked.

Webster City — Cherry (5-yard run), 7:14 left third. Cherry run.

Fort Dodge — Ty Adams (86-yard kickoff return), 7:01 left third. Schillerstrom kick.

Fort Dodge — Dreshaun Ross (18-yard run), 6:24 left fourth. Adams reception.

Webster City — Jesse Crutcher (22-yard pass from Hisler), 0:23 left fourth. Klaver kick.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — Fort Dodge: Dreshaun Ross 21-108, Noah Daniel 9-36, Jase Nekvinda 1-7, Team 1-(minus-3), Tytrell Mosley 1-(minus-8). Webster City: Jaxon Cherry 27-263, Keegan Hisler 12-63, Cael Nixon 12-42, Team 4-9.

Passing — Fort Dodge: Jase Nekvinda 7-13-0-90, Noah Daniel 1-1-0-43, Royce Pederson 1-1-0-8, Dreshaun Ross 0-1-0-0. Webster City: Keegan Hisler 2-3-0-35.

Receiving — Fort Dodge: Ty Adams 2-81, Grant Williams 4-41, Tytrell Mosley 2-14. Webster City: Jesse Crutcher 1-22, Cael Nixon 1-13.