Submitted photo: Mackenzie McIlrath makes a pass for Fort Dodge against Boone on Wednesday night.

A slow start led to an abrupt end to the season for the Fort Dodge girls here Wednesday night.

Boone raced out to a 16-6 lead and never looked back, holding off a late Dodger rally to advance, 42-39.

The Toreadors (5-17 overall) will now face Humboldt (17-4) on Saturday night in a Class 4A, Region 7 semifinal.

“We played a much better second half,” FDSH head coach Scott Messerly said. “I felt like we were mentally ready before the game started, but once we got on the court, we lacked something.

“We just never really got it going much outside a small window there in the third quarter.”

Down by as many as 14 points, Fort Dodge (9-12) took the lead in the third quarter on a bucket by sophomore LJ Maehl that capped an 18-4 run. Boone, though, quickly answered and would hold serve through the final eight minutes.

Maehl scored a team-high 16 points, with Mackenzie McIlrath adding eight and 10 rebounds in her final game as a Dodger.

Junior Brooklyn Pommer had six points and nine boards.

For the Toreadors, Erin Ades — who had 25 in the regular-season meeting between these programs — had a game-high 19 points, with 11 coming after the break. Sydney Adams, averaging just over eight per game, had 18. Nine were in the first quarter.

“We only lose Mackenzie (from the regular rotation),” Messerly said. “We asked her to do a lot, especially after Meah (McCaleb) got hurt.

“Over the last four years, she’s been named all-conference, is an academic all-stater. She’s going to be tough to replace.”

With just over three minutes to go, a Maehl 3-pointer tied it at 37-all. Boone, though, made 5 of 7 attempts from the free throw line down the stretch to seal the win.

BOONE 42, FORT DODGE 39

Fort Dodge — Mackenzie McIlrath 3 0-0 8, Ashlyn Wills 1 3-4 5, Dakota Pommer 1 2-2 4, Brooklyn Pommer 2 1-4 6, LJ Maehl 6 3-4 16, Ellie Doster 0 0-0 0, Addison Lentsch 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 9-14 39.

Boone — Addie Tungesvik 0 0-0 0, Carly Busch 1 0-0 3, Erin Ades 7 5-8 19, Sydney Adams 6 3-6 18, Macy Chesnut 0 2-2 2. Totals: 14 10-16 42.

Quarter scores: Boone led 16-6, 23-10, 30-29. Three-point goals: Fort Dodge 4 (McIlrath 2, B. Pommer 1, Maehl 1), Boone 4 (Adams 3, Busch 1). Total rebounds: Fort Dodge 42, Boone 24. Steals: Fort Dodge 6, Boone 9. Turnovers: Fort Dodge 33, Boone 18. Team fouls: Fort Dodge 18, Boone 15. Fouled out: B. Pommer.