GRIMES — The inaugural football matchup between Fort Dodge and Dallas Center-Grimes will carry added meaning both on and off the field here Friday.

The Dodgers (1-1 overall) and Mustangs (0-2) meet at 7 p.m. in the first-ever “Beisser Bowl,” a trophy-game tribute to a successful local business in both communities — Beisser Lumber Company. The winner will secure the hand-crafted travel trophy — designed and created by PJ Phillips of Beisser Lumber — and a number of activities and investments in FDSH and DC-G will be included in the festivities.

Make no mistake about it, though: the Dodgers and Mustangs will be hungry for a win once the contest begins.

“We made this a cool, fun incentive for the kids,” said Fort Dodge head coach Nik Moser, who initiated the conversation once DC-G had been added to his team’s Class 4A non-district schedule last spring. “Trophy games are meaningful. They add some incentive to the equation. We’ve seen it with the Decker (Sporting Goods) Trophy and Mason City (since its inception in 2005). We’re hoping to create the same energy here.

“It’s not a distraction from what’s happening on the field. We’re there to get a victory, and I know Coach (Scott) Heitland and (the Mustangs) feel the same way.”

The Dodgers are riding momentum from a dominant 42-21 victory over the Riverhawks last Friday. DC-G, meanwhile, is looking to get on track after consecutive losses to Gilbert (14-12) and Newton (20-3).

“They’re a really solid football team,” Moser said of the Mustangs. “We have nothing but respect for Coach Heitland and his program. They’ve been very good defensively, and are a play or two away from being 1-1 like us. They only gave up 120 yards of total offense to Gilbert (the Tigers are 2-0).

“They’ve had a number of impressive seasons and deep playoff runs (DC-G has won nine or more games five times in the last decade). A perennial 4A contender.”

Heitland, an Algona native and the son of long-time Bulldog head coach Brad Heitland, has been the Mustangs’ leader since 2004.

Last week, FDSH sophomore Dreshaun Ross rushed for 226 yards and three scores against Mason City at over 10 yards per carry. The Dodgers had 304 yards on the ground while holding the Riverhawks to just 34.

Ross, a state wrestling champion who has Div. I football offers to Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota and Purdue, also tallied a team-best 10.5 tackles and had four tackles for loss.

“We played a lot better than we did in the opener (a last-minute loss at No. 6 Webster City), but we still have plenty to clean up and need to keep improving,” Moser said. “We enjoyed the win but moved on by Saturday. It was fun to celebrate, but our goal isn’t just to beat Mason City. We’ve got bigger games and better teams on the schedule ahead now, and our guys know that.

“It starts with this one. This is a great litmus test for where we are and what we have coming up, even though it’s not a district game.”

Sophomore Noah Daniel also hit paydirt for Fort Dodge last week, and the Dodger defense forced seven Riverhawk punts. Senior Zeke Pineda, junior Royce Pederson and junior Jonathan Brown recorded sacks.

Senior Ty Mikkelsen is completing 58 percent of his passes for nearly 300 yards for DC-G. Senior Eli Carpenter has been the squad’s leading rusher. At 6-feet, 3-inches tall, Jaden Jones is the top receiving target to date.

Senior Dayne Mauk (6-3, 210) and senior Lane Nelsen paces the stout Mustang defense.

Dylan Lackland kicked a 32-yard field goal last Friday for DC-G’s only points versus Newton.