The Fort Dodge basketball teams open the new year on Friday with a home twinbill against Des Moines East.

Action begins at 6:15 p.m., with the Dodger girls taking on the Scarlets. The boys game will follow at approximately 7:45 p.m.

Prior to the extended break, the Fort Dodge girls (3-3 overall) posted a 40-21 victory at Marshalltown, finishing the month off 3-2. They also stopped Des Moines Lincoln and Boone around losses to Waterloo East and Spencer by a combined five points.

Junior LJ Maehl leads FDSH with 18 points and seven rebounds per game. Senior Meah McCaleb adds nine points, five rebounds and four assists, while junior Dakota Pommer is at 7.5 points.

Sophomore Maddisen Hoshaw is averaging six rebounds per game.

The Dodger girls have won each of the last seven meetings with the Scarlets, including 54-25 and 71-18 victories last year.

Des Moines East (0-7) has not scored more than 26 points in a game this year on the girls’ side, averaging just 14.6. That includes a 105-point loss to Cedar Rapids Washington.

Brooklyn Smith paces the Scarlets at 5.6 points, followed by Nyabuk Tuoch at 4.5.

Willie Williams and the Fort Dodge boys (0-5) are hoping 2025 brings better results after dropping a 56-31 decision to conclude last month at Marshalltown. Seniors Cade Westerhoff and Carter Woodruff lead the way in scoring at 12 and eight points per game, respectively, with junior Hayden Zuspann adding 7.6.

Junior Kauner Jensen is the top rebounder at almost six per night. Woodruff dishes out 4.4 assists.

Des Moines East (1-3) is paced by Abel Mikele, who averages 14 points, and Damarius Parker, who is adding 13. The Scarlets closed out 2024 with a 56-45 win over Ottumwa.

Since 2008, Fort Dodge leads the overall series by an 11-4 count, including two wins last year (74-64 and 77-28).