Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Kam Gochee and the Fort Dodge softball squad is seeded sixth in their own invitational this weekend.

The temperatures are going to make it feel like state softball week at the Fort Dodge Invitational beginning Friday.

Many of the top teams in the state will be here for the two-day event from the host site of the state tournament, Rogers Sports Complex.

The Dodgers, who are ranked eighth in Class 4A, will face No. 1 (1A) Clarksville in the opening round at 2:15 p.m.

In all, 10 ranked programs are in the field, including two-time defending 3A state champion Williamsburg. The second-rated (3A) Raiders will face Mid-Prairie in the first round.

Other opening-round games include No. 4 (5A) Ankeny Centennial vs. Charles City, Martensdale-St. Marys vs. 15th-ranked (4A) Winterset, Des Moines Roosevelt vs. Ankeny, third-rated (1A) Newell-Fonda vs. No. 12 (5A) Ames, seventh-ranked (4A) North Polk vs. Atlantic and No. 6 (4A) Clear Creek-Amana vs. 14th-rated Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Winterset won back-to-back 4A titles in 2022 and ’23 while Ankeny Centennial claimed 5A gold in 2023.

Other recent former state champions in the field include Fort Dodge (5A, 2021), Newell-Fonda (1A, 2021), Clarksville (1A, 2020) and Cedar Rapids Kennedy (5A, 2020). Winterset also won the 4A crown in 2017 and ‘202.

The semifinals take place at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, with the championship game set for 5:45 p.m. on Diamond 1.

Last year, Ankeny Centennial claimed top honors with an 8-2 victory over the Dodgers in the finals.

FORT DODGE SOFTBALL INVITATIONAL

Friday’s Games

Ankeny Centennial vs. Charles City, 9 a.m. (D1)

Winterset vs. Martensdale-St. Marys, 9 a.m. (D2)

Ankeny vs. Des Moines Roosevelt, 10:45 a.m. (D2)

Ames vs. Newell-Fonda, 10:45 a.m. (D1)

Ankeny Centennial/Charles City winner vs. Winterset/Martensdale-St. Marys winner, 12:30 p.m. (D2)

Ankeny/DM Roosevelt winner vs. Ames/Newell-Fonda winner, 12:30 p.m. (D1)

North Polk vs. Atlantic, 2:15 p.m. (D2)

Fort Dodge vs. Clarksville, 2:15 p.m. (D1)

Clear Creek-Amana vs. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 4 p.m. (D2)

Williamsburg vs. Mid-Prairie, 4 p.m. (D1)

North Polk/Atlantic winner vs. Fort Dodge/Clarksville winner, 5:45 p.m. (D1)

Clear Creek-Amana/Cedar Rapids Kennedy winner vs. Williamsburg/Mid-Prairie winner, 5:45 p.m. (D2)