Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Aubrey Alstott of Fort Dodge pitches against Sioux City East at Rogers Park last week.

The annual Fort Dodge Softball Invitational will once again featured a loaded field this weekend, headlined by two defending state champions.

Williamsburg, which captured the Class 3A title at Rogers Park last summer, and Clarksville — the 1A champ in 2025 — are both in the field, alongside host FDSH.

The third-ranked (Class 4A) Dodgers open play with No. 1 (1A) Clarksville at 10:45 a.m. Friday.

Ankeny Centennial is the No. 1 seed, as the second-ranked (5A) Jaguars play No. 12 (1A) Martensdale-St. Marys first. Fort Dodge could meet Ankeny Centennial in the semifinals on Saturday, but would need to also get through either Mid-Prairie or second-rated (3A) Dubuque Wahlert in the quarterfinals.

Top-rated (3A) Williamsburg is the No. 2 seed and plays Ames to start followed by a potential meeting with either Ankeny or No. 9 (4A) Winterset.

Other opening round matchups include 14th-ranked (5A) Des Moines Roosevelt vs. seventh-rated (4A) North Polk and No. 7 (5A) Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. seventh-ranked (1A) Newell-Fonda and No. 11 (3A) Atlantic vs. fifth-ranked (4A) Clear Creek-Amana.

In all, 13 of the 16 teams in the field are rated in the most recent rankings by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. A new set of rankings were scheduled to be released on Thursday.

Last year, North Polk claimed team honors, besting Winterset in the finals by a final of 10-0. Ames finished third, defeating Williamsburg.

Fort Dodge took sixth overall.

2026 FORT DODGE SOFTBALL INVITATIONAL

Friday’s Games

First Round

Ankeny Centennial vs. Martensdale-St. Marys, 9 a.m. (Diamond 1)

Des Moines Roosevelt vs. North Polk, 9 a.m. (Diamond 2)

Mid-Prairie vs. Dubuque Wahlert, 10:45 a.m. (D2)

Clarksville vs. Fort Dodge, 10:45 a.m. (D1)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Newell-Fonda, 2:15 p.m. (D2)

Atlantic vs. Clear Creek-Amana, 2:15 p.m. (D1)

Ankeny vs. Winterset, 4 p.m. (D2)

Ames vs. Williamsburg, 5:45 p.m. (D1)

Quarterfinals

Ankeny Centennial/Martensdale-St. Marys winner vs. Des Moines Roosevelt/North Polk winner, 12:30 p.m. (D2)

Mid-Prairie/Dubuque Wahlert winner vs. Clarksville/Fort Dodge winner, 12:30 p.m. (D1)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy/Newell-Fonda winner vs. Atlantic/Clear Creek-Amana winner, 5:45 p.m. (D1)

Ankeny/Winterset winner vs. Ames/Williamsburg winner, 5:45 p.m. (D2)

Saturday’s Games

Semifinals

Ankeny Centennial/Martensdale-St. Marys/Des Moines Roosevelt/North Polk winner vs. Mid-Prairie/Dubuque Wahlert/Clarksville/Fort Dodge winner, 2:15 p.m. (D2)

Cedar Rapids Kennedy/Newell-Fonda/Atlantic/Clear Creek-Amana winner vs. Ankeny/Winterset/Ames/Williamsburg winner, 2:15 p.m. (D1)

Championship

Semifinal winner vs. semifinal winner, 5:45 p.m. (D1)