The Fort Dodge girls basketball team opens their 2025-26 season with a home game against 10th-ranked (Class 4A) Waverly-Shell Rock on Friday.

Varsity tip is set for 7 p.m. in the FDSH gym.

Four-year starter L.J. Maehl is back to anchor the Dodgers. Maehl is 19 points away from 1,000 for her career, and her 14.9 point per game clip is behind only Loretha Mosley (16.3) all-time in program history.

Only Molly Nelson (1,172 points from 1994-98) and Morgan Paulson (995 from 2002-05) have scored more points than Maehl.

Head coach Scott Messerly’s squad also welcomes back junior starter Ellie Doster, along with juniors Bella Lee, Addison Lentsch and Emma Lloyd. Sophomore letterwinners Malay Hollins, Grace Nichols, Linnie Pratt and Charlotte Breeser also return. Freshman Brooklyn Gilliland joins the lineup this season.

Junior Maddie Hoshaw is expected back in January after recovering from a knee injury suffered last season.

Fort Dodge went 8-15 a year ago.

The Go-Hawks reached a 4A regional final last season. They return leading scorer Lizzy Frazell, a junior who averaged 16.7 points in 2024-25, along with senior starter Brittney Bodensteiner (10.4).