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The Fort Dodge football team isn't looking back or ahead in their approach to the regular-season finale on Friday at home against Sioux City West.
The Dodgers are making sure they'll be where their feet are for Senior Night - not just out of respect for the opponent, but because both the past and the future are completely out of their hands now.
"There's kind of a simplicity in this, and it feels like the pressure is off in a lot of ways," Moser said. "We're not worried about last week. We're not worried about next week. We have one job to do: win a ballgame in what will be the last time our seniors take the field at Dodger Stadium. For now, nothing else matters."
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Fort Dodge (5-3 overall, 1-3 in Class 4A, District 1) hasn't mathematically been eliminated from postseason consideration. The Wolverines (4-4, 1-3) haven't either, for that matter.
Neither squad controls its own destiny, though. So the playoffs won't be a topic of conversation at all until a win is first secured on Friday night. That's step one.
"Six wins is better than five," Moser said. "I know that's obvious, but winning at least six times in three straight seasons hasn't been done here in almost 80 years. These seniors have a chance at being 21-8 (in their three seasons combined). That's a big deal.
"We're just trying to finish things the right way and see where that takes us."
The Dodgers are currently 17th in the 4A RPI rankings according to the IHSAA. The top 16 squads reach the postseason, which means Fort Dodge must win first and then needs help in order to be considered.
Playoff pairings are expected to be released at or around midnight on Friday.
West has at least four wins in a season for the first time since 2012. The Wolverines hung tough with both Spencer and Le Mars, and Moser knows his squad must be physically and mentally ready given the Wolverines are looking to secure their first winning campaign in two decades.
"They've taken a big step forward this year," Moser said. "Their quarterback, (junior Tavin) Irvine, is one of the best all-around football players we've seen all year. He's really good athletically and he makes things happen. They have some nice complementary pieces around him, too."
Irvine has rushed for 743 yards and thrown for 590 more. He has accounted for 13 total touchdowns, including nine on the ground, and has only been intercepted twice in over 100 passing attempts.
"We have to be fundamentally sound defensively and take care of the play when the opportunity is there rather than letting (Irvine) extend it or make something happen in open space," Moser said. "Again, it sounds simple, but we need to be a good tackling team first and foremost."
Fourteen Dodger starters are suiting up for their final home game, including returning all-district performers Tru McBride, Will McElroy, Sam Moser, Jayce Skow, Jayon Preston-Grady, Alex Beekman, Cal Pederson, Zak Jorgensen and Kyree Rochon. Fellow starters Ezrah Barkhaus, Korben Davis, Javion Soppeland, Kingston Phillips and Conrad Greathouse are also taking the field for the last time, as well as Will Jones, Kason Echevarria, Kellin Crouse, Aidin Grady, Jayden Stanley, Teddy Johnson and Rylan Crouse. Patrick Clay suffered a season-ending injury early in the year.
McElroy needs just eight yards to become the eighth Dodger running back ever to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark. At 4,152 yards and 38 passing touchdowns, McBride is 237 yards and one TD behind Randy Reiners on those all-time FDSH lists.
Moser, Skow and Preston-Grady are the Dodgers' top tacklers. Beekman leads the way in sacks.
Rochon and Jorgensen are behind only junior Reggie Pederson for receiving yards, and the senior duo has been McBride's most consistent targets at 17 and 16 catches, respectively. Rochon has four touchdowns.
"It's a big group that has accomplished a lot here," Moser said. "But they aren't done yet. We're going to control what we can, be ready to play, and take the field one last time in front of our home crowd. They've had a good week of practice (after a crushing 24-21 loss at Le Mars) and we want to make the most of this opportunity together while we still have it."
The last time Fort Dodge won at least six games in three consecutive seasons was 1948, '49 and '50. The Dodgers have never reached the playoffs in three straight years under the current postseason format.