DES MOINES — LJ Maehl became Fort Dodge’s all-time five-player scoring champion on Tuesday at Des Moines Roosevelt.

Maehl had 18 points and 11 rebounds in the Dodgers’ 55-31 loss to the Roughriders. Her career point total of 1,316 surpasses Thomas Clark, who had 1,309 for the FDSH boys program from 1984-87.

“I thought this was one of LJ’s better overall games this season,” Dodger head coach Scott Messerly said. “She took the ball aggressively to the basket, didn’t settle, and really had good energy. She got after it. Roosevelt’s coach commented on just how hard she played, despite the fact that they made it tough on her to get good looks.”

The Roughriders (16-6 overall) won their fourth straight game to close the regular season. Fort Dodge, which will now take a 7-14 record into the Class 4A regional tournament next week, was right there with Roosevelt for the entire first half. The Dodgers led by three points midway through the second quarter and trailed by just a single possession in the last minute of the frame.

From there, the Roughriders began to pull away — thanks in large part to their pressure defense and a trifecta of three-point baskets from senior guard Fatima Ali. Roosevelt drilled six total triples in the second half alone.

“Their speed and athleticism really disrupted our rhythm,” Messerly said. “Sometimes, it would make us hurry and force a bad pass or difficult shot. Other times, we’d get hesitant, like we were hearing footsteps.

“We had a really strong effort for most of that first half, but they got some clean looks and ramped up the defensive intensity (the rest of the way).”

Maehl is now just six rebounds shy of Molly Nelson’s five-player program career mark of 682 boards as well. Tuesday marked the 87th game of Maehl’s four-year varsity career; Nelson also played in 87 contests from 1994-98.

The Dodgers will receive their opening-round postseason assignment on Thursday.

DM ROOSEVELT 55, FORT DODGE 31

Des Moines Roosevelt — Fatima Ali 5 0-0 14, Malaina Hackley 4 2-2 11, Judy Bokhary 4 0-0 10, Kenna Ledinsky 3 1-1 7, Keke Walker 2 2-2 7, Savanna Kual 2 0-0 4, Jaeliah Lee 1 0-0 2. Totals: 21 5-5 55.

Fort Dodge — LJ Maehl 7 3-4 18, Malay Hollins 3 0-0 6, Brooklyn Gilliland 1 1-2 4, Ellie Doster 1 0-0 3, Grace Nichols 1 0-2 2, Macy Wills 0 0-0 0, Linnie Pratt 0 0-0 0, Addie Lentsch 0 0-0 0, Charlotte Breeser 0 0-0 0, Emma Lloyd 0 0-0 0, Bella Lee 0 0-0 0, Rylan Hewett 0 0-0 0, Adele Seltz 0 0-0 0, Syndal Castaneda Rogers 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 4-8 31.

Quarter scores: Tied 9-9; Roosevelt led 22-16, 45-26. Three-point goals: Roosevelt 8 (Ali 4, Bokhary 2, Hackley, Walker); Fort Dodge 1 (Doster).