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A change in plans won't impact the Fort Dodge football team's strategy for Friday's home game against long-time rival Waterloo West.
Kickoff, which had originally been scheduled for 7 p.m., has been moved up two hours to 5. Heavy rain and potential storms are anticipated for the area later on Friday.
FDSH head coach Nik Moser noted the schools worked together to make this timeline adjustment "for the safety of both the players and fans."
"We hope to still have a great crowd, and the kickoff at 5 will help ease any worries about weather concerns," Moser said. "We appreciate the cooperation with West officials in getting this done ahead of time so that people can make their plans accordingly, because it means a lot to our kids to have a big turnout and the community support - even with the (alteration to the schedule)."
The Dodgers bring an unblemished 3-0 record into a contest that promises to be their toughest to date. The Wahawks are 2-1 and coming off an impressive 31-7 rout of Dubuque Hempstead.
West has only given up 31 total points in three games - the second-best defensive total in all of Class 5A.
"They're just really well-coached," Moser said. "They've had success both running and throwing the ball, and their defense is very fundamentally sound.
"A solid football team that doesn't make many mistakes or hurt themselves. Our goal has always been to be 4-0 through (the non-district portion of the schedule), but West is our most difficult challenge yet and we have to be extremely focused on the task at hand (Friday)."
Fort Dodge also won big last week, dismantling Waterloo East by a final of 43-14 after scoring on its first six offensive possessions and taking a 43-0 lead into the halftime break. The Dodgers have outscored Mason City, Webster City and East by a combined 91-0 in the first half this season.
"I like how fast we've started these first three games on both sides of the ball," Moser said. "We've really concentrated on taking care of business early and setting the tone instead of (being reactive). But we'll need four full quarters of execution and effort (against West)."
Fort Dodge senior Tru McBride leads all of 4A in passing yards (637) and overall touchdowns (13), while classmate Will McElroy is second in rushing yards (455). The Dodgers have been incredibly balanced, with 637 yards passing and 657 rushing so far.
Seniors Jayce Skow, Sam Moser and Jayon Preston-Grady have the most tackles for FDSH, while junior Luke Beckley and senior Alex Beekman are leaders in tackles for loss.
West senior Luke Lindaman has rushed for 200 yards and three scores, but juniors Perignon Holmes and John Gardner are also threats to run the ball effectively. Junior quarterback Cole Dean is completing 60 percent of his passes and has yet to be intercepted.
Holmes, sophomore Jaylen Zuck and senior Jaxxon Carter have been the Wahawks' top defenders. Junior Ajdin Rizvic has been a strong and efficient kicker, not missing a PAT and converting two field goals.
West and Fort Dodge first met in football 114 years ago. The series has been extremely close, with the Wahawks currently holding a 36-35-4 edge.
The programs have only squared off three times since 1991, with the Dodgers taking all three matchups. West, a 5A playoff qualifier last fall, dropped a 35-14 decision to FDSH at the UNI-Dome in 2025.