The Fort Dodge Gazelles got a taste of the girls state rugby experience a year ago.

With nine players back in 2025, head coach Corey Peterman is hoping his squad is ready to take another big step forward on the pitch.

“They’ve grown together as a group and are working hard,” said Peterman, who is in his fourth season of leading the program. “Cohesion and rugby knowledge are the main strengths of this team. (The veterans) have learned the game over the past few seasons, and are helping to pass the knowledge to our first-year players.”

Seniors Dakota Pommer, Jessenia Elias, Tyran Peterman and Emma Estlund are back as regulars from the 2024 group that went 8-6 overall and punched the program’s first-ever state ticket. Senior Sharol Corado, juniors Bella Lee, Ky’Mariana Mosley and Dari Ortiz-Colon, and sophomore Mariana Taute all return with rotation experience as well, along with junior Lilly Kliegl, who is currently injured.

The current starting lineup consists of Pommer, Elias, Peterman, Estlund, Mosley, Lee and Taute. Ortiz-Colon, Corado, Kliegl sophomore Cailey Cripe and freshman Brooklyn Lamoureux are also seeing playing time for the Gazelles, who opened their season with victories over Ankeny (36-5) and Mason City (19-10) last week.

Mosley and Elias had two tries each. Lee tallied five conversions.

Pommer, Estlund, Taute and Corado all added tries.

“The main goal this season is to finish better than last year,” Peterman said. “We qualified for state (in 2024) for the first time, but fell short of placing.

“We want to put ourselves on the front side of the state bracket this season.”

Fort Dodge’s first home invitational is Monday inside Dodger Stadium, as the Gazelles take on Norwalk at 6:50 p.m. and Valley/Roosevelt at 8:50 p.m.

Regardless of the results in the weeks to come, Peterman and his staff will continue to stress “communication and respecting the crest.”

“Sevens rugby is a fast paced and fluid sport,” Peterman said. “The situation on the field can change in a fraction of a second, so communicating with your teammates is essential to adjust and get everyone back on the same page. Effective communication is an important skill that will serve them well in both personal and professional aspects of adult life.

“Respecting the crest means that the team comes first. Make good choices on the field for team success rather than individual success, and good choices off the field because individual actions reflect on the entire team.”

2025 FORT DODGE GAZELLES

Roster

Seniors – Sharol Corado, Tyran Peterman, Emma Estlund, Jessenia Elias, Dakota Pommer.

Juniors – Dari Ortiz-Colon, Bella Lee, Lilly Kliegl, Ky’Mariana Mosley.

Sophomores – Cailey Cripe, Mariana Taute.

Freshman – Brooklyn Lamoureux.

Schedule

Sept. 15 – vs. Norwalk and Valley/Roosevelt in Fort Dodge; 22 – vs. Waverly-Shell Rock and Cedar Falls in Central Springs; 29 – vs. Urbandale and Southeast Polk in Fort Dodge.

Oct. 6 – vs. Cedar Rapids Prairie and Central Springs in Mason City; 13 – vs. Cedar Rapids Washington and Quad Cities in Cedar Falls.