Area talent pools together to fuel Dodgers
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The numbers are up for the Fort Dodge girls swim team, and so is the enthusiasm surrounding the program.
Head coach Ashley Beaumont isn't quite sure what the year will produce from the perspective of results, but she is confident these Dodgers will show growth and support each other as the season progresses.
"It's great to have a much bigger roster," Beaumont said. "It's a very young lineup overall (eight upperclassmen on a roster of 25 athletes) and a lot of them are untested, but they're all showing a willingness to work hard and learn what it takes to succeed at this level.
"It's an interesting dynamic overall. Some kids have swam competitively basically since they could walk. But we also have a lot of newcomers to the sport. We're still trying to figure out where everyone fits best (in events), which will take some time. We're represented by a lot of different (area) schools (Fort Dodge, St. Edmond, Humboldt, Manson Northwest Webster, Southeast Valley, Webster City, Eagle Grove, Clarion-Goldfield/Dows and Newell-Fonda), and we have five eighth-graders, so we're still in the process of (establishing an identity)."
The Dodgers have almost tripled the size of their roster from a year ago. Manson Northwest Webster students Karlee Pearson and Kylen Lubensky, both seniors, are the linchpins. Pearson qualified for state a year ago; Lubensky made it in 2024.
"It's good to have Karlee and Kylen setting the tone," Beaumont said. "Karlee is such a positive leader and holds herself to a very high standard, which is great for some of the more inexperienced swimmers to be around. Having Kylen will help offset the loss of Gracie Harvey (to graduation)."
Teagan Loots (Fort Dodge Senior High) and Breeanna Kalvig (St. Edmond) are the other seniors, along with Humboldt's Danica Diedrick.
"Teagan is doing double duty again (with tennis), but she works very hard at both and she utilizes and manages her talents and time well. Bree is a versatile swimmer who knows what to expect and how to be an (upperclass leader).
"Danica is such a talented wrestler (the Wildcats' career wins leader who took bronze at state last season), so it's been great having her around as a newcomer (to the program). She's a tough competitor."
Freshman Clara Brown (St. Edmond), freshman Amelia Lincoln (Fort Dodge) and eighth-grader Makayla Knox (Webster City) have shown early promise as well. Humboldt juniors Morgan Townsend and Adelyn Meyer are other returning letterwinners back in the mix.
"They're all showing a lot of potential at a young age," Beaumont said. "The kids all have their own individual goals, and I have mine (collectively) for the team. As long as they continue to put in the work and buy in, we'll keep making progress and see where we stand (for the postseason).
"It's a pretty quiet group overall (vocally), but they're determined."
At the Mason City Riverhawk Invitational on Saturday, Lubensky (6th in the 200 freestyle and 8th in the 100 backstroke), Pearson (6th in the 100 breaststroke and 7th in the individual medley) and Knox (8th in the 500 freestyle) all had Top-8 performances, as well as the 200 freestyle relay quartet of Pearson, Lubensky, Loots and Brown.
Charity Vogel is Beaumont's assistant coach this year.
The Dodgers are at Des Moines East for their opening dual on Tuesday. Fort Dodge's home debut is next Tuesday against Des Moines Lincoln.
The annual Gary Winkler FDSH Invitational is Sept. 19.
2026 FORT DODGE GIRLS SWIMMING
Roster
Seniors - Teagan Loots (Fort Dodge), Karlee Pearson (Manson Northwest Webster), Kylen Lubensky (Manson Northwest Webster), Breeanna Kalvig (St. Edmond), Danica Diedrick (Humboldt).
Juniors - Morgan Townsend (Humboldt), Adelyn Meyer (Humboldt), Natasha Conine (Southeast Valley).
Sophomores - Iris McAtee (Fort Dodge), Caitlyn Bilstad (Manson Northwest Webster), Hailey Johnson (Eagle Grove), Neveah Robinson (Webster City), Adrian Bohlmann (Newell-Fonda), Jolee Brooke Gore.
Freshmen - Amelia Lincoln (Fort Dodge), Clara Brown (St. Edmond), Artemis Winter (Humboldt), Lydia Kienzie (Eagle Grove), Norah Fishburn (Clarion-Goldfield), Annika Weisberg (Webster City).
Eighth Grade - Maysen Draper (Fort Dodge), Saraphina Stewart (Fort Dodge), Embree Meyer (Humboldt), Ellen Townsend (Humboldt), Makayla Knox (Webster City).
Schedule
Sept. 1 - at Des Moines East; 8 - Des Moines Lincoln; 10 - Algona and Sioux City West; 15 - Des Moines North; 19 - Winkler FDSH Invitational; 22 - Marshalltown; 24 - at Algona.
Oct. 6 - at Des Moines Roosevelt; 8 - Spencer and Carroll; 15 - at Mason City; 22 - Iowa Alliance Conference meet at Fort Dodge.