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MASON CITY - The Decker Sporting Goods trophy remains in the capable hands of the Fort Dodge football team.
For the 21st time in the last 22 years, the Dodgers took care of business against their arch rival in a series that has remained lopsided this millennium. Senior quarterback Tru McBride accounted for four total touchdowns in Fort Dodge's 36-6 road victory on Friday night.
McBride threw for 243 yards and two scores - to Spencer Smith and Will McElroy - while McElroy added 127 rushing yards in the rout. The Wayne State (Neb.) College recruit - a three-year starter - spread the wealth, finding seven different FDSH receivers.
The Dodgers had 425 yards of total offense.
Riverhawk senior quarterback standout Jameer Falls did have 246 total yards, but Fort Dodge made him earn it. Falls threw 22 passes and had 23 carries.
The visitors immediately set the tone, scoring less than two minutes into the game as McBride found Smith - a junior - streaking wide-open up the right side of the field for a 45-yard touchdown.
McElroy caught a 14-yard TD pass from McBride on the opening snap of the second period, and McElroy - another three-year FDSH regular - scored on a short scoring run for the Dodgers' first rushing touchdown of the season with 2:25 to go before halftime.
With the exception of a long drive to open the third quarter that resulted in their lone score, the Riverhawks were unable to fully solve the Fort Dodge defense. The Dodgers got a 4th-and-goal stop at the 1-yard line to stuff Mason City's first possession, and Jayon Preston-Grady and Javion Soppeland - both seniors - recovered fumbles.
Sophomore Mason Hughes hauled in two long McBride tosses in the fourth quarter covering 76 yards. Senior Zak Jorgensen had three receptions for 44 yards - all in the first half - and senior Cal Pederson, junior Reggie Pederson and junior Dexter Johnson also recorded catches.
Junior Luke Beckley had a pair of sacks for Fort Dodge, which has now won three straight in the series. The Riverhawks prevailed here in 2023 to end a 18-game Dodger stranglehold, but it's been all Fort Dodge ever since.