The season is finally here and in full swing for the Fort Dodge girls and boys basketball teams.

The Dodgers make their 2024-25 home debuts on Tuesday in a twinbill against Boone, with the varsity girls contest scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. and the boys to follow.

Spencer then visits the FDSH gym on Friday, with the same tip times.

Head coach Scott Messerly’s Dodger girls have spent the last 10 days fine-tuning their product after a season-opening loss at No. 14 Waverly-Shell Rock — last year’s state runner-up in Class 4A. Senior Meah McCaleb, senior Brooklyn Pommer and junior LJ Maehl scored 10 points each in that game, but Fort Dodge struggled to convert offensively against the pressing Go-Hawks.

The Toreador girls are off to an impressive 3-0 start, with lopsided wins over Webster City, Des Moines East and Nevada. Boone has been paced so far by senior Sydney Adams (19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds) and sophomore Macy Chesnut (9.0 points, 5.7 steals).

McCaleb, Pommer and Maehl will be flanked by sophomores Ellie Doster and Maddie Hoshaw in the Dodgers’ starting lineup. McCaleb added six steals against W-SR. Maehl pulled down five rebounds.

Spencer is 0-1 with a loss to MOC-Floyd Valley. Junior Avery McEntee (nine points), sophomore Addison Olson (seven) and junior Madelyn McWhirter (seven) paced the Tigers.

The Fort Dodge boys will take the court for the first time. Head coach Willie Williams plans on using a starting lineup of senior Cade Westerhoff, senior Carter Woodruff, junior Tytrell Mosley, junior Tayven Altman and junior Kauner Jensen.

Westerhoff (14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds a year ago), Woodruff (8.1 points, 3.0 assists) and Mosley (4.5 points, 3.1 rebounds) are all three-year varsity regulars.

The Boone boys are slated to return their entire starting five from a season ago: senior Wes Van Pelt (10.5 points per game in 2023-24), senior Braden Brooks (9.0), senior Tyson Shivers (8.4), senior Reid Carr (4.9) and junior Jude Baumgardner (7.8). The 6-foot-4 Shivers also hauled in 10.4 rebounds a night while shooting 59 percent from the field.

Spencer is also led by a number of veterans, including returning offensive leaders Cael Burning (14.1 points) and Jack Berends (8.3). Junior Dylan Timmer (7.1) and senior Ethan Hansen (5.8) are also back with plenty of experience.