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Ashley Beaumont knows it's going to take time for her youthful squad to develop, but the improvement each time out has her excited for the future.
The Fort Dodge girls were back in the Dodger Pool for the second time this week on Thursday, and came away with a split.
The Dodgers beat Algona (48-45) and lost to Sioux City Metro (66-28).
"This team is so young," said Beaumont, who is in her 12th season as head coach for FDSH. "We have experience from the summer, but there is still so much we need to teach them.
"We may not look super fast yet and it may not even happen this year, but we can get there. These are very coachable girls."
With the largest roster she's had since her first season at the helm, Beaumont likes the way her squad is developing.
"I think swam better (last night) than we did on Tuesday," Beaumont said. "The results may not always look like it, but they were stronger and more confident."
Fort Dodge did pick up a tight victory over Algona.
"It's hard to keep a tally of points in a double dual with scoring the top three places instead of the top five," Beaumont said. "We knew we were going to be close with Algona, so we put together our strongest lineup.
"Both Ella (Welp of Algona) and Karlee (Pearson of FDSH) have been close all year in the 100 breaststroke, and that kept the scores close (Welp went 1:13.32 and Pearson touched the wall at 1:14.42)."
The Dodgers didn't come away with any event victories, but finished with four runner-up showings.
Senior Kylen Lubensky was second in the 200 freestyle (2:12.47), while Pearson – also a senior – finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:33.55) and the 100 breaststroke (1:14.42).
The 400 freestyle relay team of Lubensky, Pearson, freshman Clara Brown and eighth-grader Makayla Knox was also second in a time of 4:18.90.
Knox was third in the 500 freestyle (6:20.28), and Lubensky was third in the 100 backstroke (1:09.23). Brown hit the wall third in the 100 freestyle (1:05.29)
The 200 medley quartet of Lubensky, Pearson, Brown and Knox took third (2:08.17).
The Dodgers are back in action on Tuesday when they host Des Moines North. They will then continue a five-meet homestand with the Gary Winkler Invitational in the Dodger pool on Saturday, Sept. 19. The stretch ends on Sept. 22 against Marshalltown.