Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Former Fort Dodge all-staters Jalen Adams and Tory Bennett stand together on Wednesday at Rogers Park. Adams is now a Dodger coaching assistant; Bennett is on the staff at Ankeny Centennial. Both are currently playing at the University of Iowa. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

A pair of first inning home runs helped defending Class 5A state champion Ankeny Centennial get by the fourth-ranked (4A) Fort Dodge softball team here Wednesday night, 6-2.

Jordyn Kennedy and Mady Ott sent back-to-back pitches over the fence at Rogers Park as part of a three-run opening frame. The sixth-ranked Jaguars (25-8 overall) would add single runs in the second, fourth and fifth to earn their second win of the year over the Dodgers (28-10).

Centennial also prevailed in the finals of the FDSH Invitational at Rogers Park last month.

“That’s as good of a hitting team as there is in the state,” FDSH head coach Andi Adams said. “They have some girls who are just true power hitters.

“I was proud of the way (Dodger starting pitcher) Lucy (Porter) battled back from that rough first inning. She showed her competitive spirit and was able to really limit them the rest of the way.”

Porter entered the game having pitched 15-plus consecutive scoreless innings. The junior had one of the seven hits for Fort Dodge on the night at the plate.

Freshman Hope Alstott was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Junior Ashlyn Willis had a double and two hits.

Freshman Ellie Doster drove in a run and sophomore Maeleena Meyer had a hit and a run.

“I don’t think we were quite ready to play at the start,” Adams said. “We can beat teams like Centennial, but not if we don’t come ready to go physically and mentally.

“This schedule is not easy. We, as coaches, understand that. But if we want to get to our ultimate goal, this is how we do it.”

Lauren Sandholm, a Jaguar freshman, pitched five innings over two different stints inside the circle, striking out three while allowing just three hits. Cora Boyle was 3-for-3 with a run scored, while both Kennedy and Ott drove in two.

FDSH honored seniors Macy Brown and Mackenzie McIlrath prior to the game. Both were named academic all-staters for softball this summer.

Centennial has former Dodger all-state shortstop Tory Bennett on its coaching staff this season, while one of Fort Dodge’s assistants is long-time classmate and friend Jalen Adams. Both Bennett and Adams are currently playing for the University of Iowa.

Bennett and Adams starred on the Dodgers’ 2021 state championship squad, as well as the 2020 and ’22 state runner-up ballclubs.

Fort Dodge concludes its regular season next week at No. 14 (5A) Waukee on Monday and at third-ranked (5A) Johnston on Wednesday. The Dodgers host either Humboldt or Le Mars next Saturday in a regional semifinal.

ANKENY CENTENNIAL 6, FORT DODGE 2

Centennial 310 110 0 – 6 11 1

Fort Dodge 000 020 0 – 2 7 2

WP-Lauren Sandholm (5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 1 BB). LP-Lucy Porter (7 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 1 K, 1 BB).

HR-AC: Jordyn Kennedy, Mady Ott. 2B-AC: Payton Drefke; FD: Ashlyn Wills, Aubrey Alstott. RBI-AC: Addi Starr, Jordyn Kennedy (2), Mady Ott (2), Mary Brantley; FD: Ellie Doster. SB-AC: Payton Drefke.