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Dodger girls avenge loss

The Fort Dodge girls sent an early message that things were going to be different this time around against Waterloo East.

The Dodgers raced out to an quick double-digit lead and made it stick, defeating the Trojans by a final of 62-49 on their home court to avenge a December loss at Wells Fargo Arena.

LJ Maehl had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds for FDSH (7-8 overall, 2-3 in the IAC North), which had dropped three consecutive decisions to East — including two by a single possession — dating back to last year. This was a much different story, as head coach Scott Messerly’s squad shot 59 percent from the field and never let the Trojans (5-8, 2-3) get within six points after hitting them with a 9-0 flurry right out of the gate.

“I thought that first quarter especially was arguably our best of the season so far,” Messerly said. “The girls came out and set the tone. They were ready to go.

“We’re still not to a point where we’ve executed for the full 32 minutes, but this was a good response both to the first time we played them (a 49-47 setback in Des Moines) and (Monday) night (at Humboldt, a 63-38 setback).”

Junior Dakota Pommer added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Dodgers, while senior Meah McCaleb also reached double figures with 10 points. Fort Dodge still struggled with turnovers, committing 26, and converted only four of 15 free throws. The home squad was crisp and efficient from the floor to make up for it, though, sinking 27 baskets on 46 field-goal attempts.

A Pommer three-pointer, a McCaleb bucket and two baskets from Maehl made it 9-0 less than three minutes in. That lead reached 23-7 at one point on a Pommer field goal in the second quarter.

The Trojans did creep back within 35-29 late in the third, but Maehl and sophomore Bella Lee answered to close the period. The Dodgers were then 9-for-11 from the floor in the final quarter, with a balanced attack led by the five starters: Maehl, McCaleb, Pommer, senior Brooklyn Pommer and sophomore Elle Doster.

“It was great to see us close like that (with 24 points in the last frame),” Messerly said. “I’m sure the kids were tired; we played the night before, and have had a lot of three-game weeks recently.

“This was a solid victory. We got good minutes from everyone, and we played to win instead of not to lose. The turnovers and free throw shooting have to get better, of course, but our energy was up and we did a nice job converting by breaking their press.”

Maehl is now sixth on the school’s career 5-on-5 scoring charts with 835 points. She passed Baileigh O’Brien (2004-08) this week, and is 30 shy of Tory Bennett (2018-22) for a Top-5 position.

The Dodgers head to Mason City on Friday to face the Riverhawks (10-4, 4-1), who defeated Marshalltown on Tuesday by a score of 44-30.

FORT DODGE 62, WATERLOO EAST 49

Fort Dodge — LJ Maehl 9-16 1-3 20, Dakota Pommer 5-9 1-2 13, Meah McCaleb 4-9 1-4 10, Brooklyn Pommer 3-3 1-5 7, Ellie Doster 3-4 0-0 6, Bella Lee 2-4 0-0 4, Malay Hollins 1-1 0-0 2, Grace Nichols 0-0 0-0 0, Janelle Derrig 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-46 4-15 62.

Waterloo East — Ja’Dajh Latiker 5-15 4-8 14, Ja’Miah Ceaser 3-6 6-8 12, Graysyn Downing 5-15 0-0 12, Siyanna Cody 3-11 3-5 9, Ka’Jhira Moon 1-6 0-3 2, Taliyah Matthews-Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Neela Phillips 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-53 13-24 49.

Quarter scores: Fort Dodge led 17-6, 27-13, 39-29. Three-point goals: Fort Dodge 4-9 (D. Pommer 2-2, Maehl 1-5, McCaleb 1-1, Doster 0-1); East 2-14 (Downing 2-6, Cody 0-5, Moon 0-2, Latiker 0-1). Turnovers: Fort Dodge 26, East 21. Total fouls: Fort Dodge 21, East 14. Fouled out: B. Pommer.

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