Photo by Rick Thompson: Meah McCaleb of Fort Dodge tries to block a shot by Humboldt’s Kaitlyn Nelson on Monday in the Wildcat gym.

HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt girls showed off their long-range shooting here Monday night, picking up a 63-38 victory over Fort Dodge.

Morgan Mann, the school’s career scoring leader, had a game-high 15 to lead a balanced attack for the Wildcats. Ava Fischer added 13 and Paige Nelson 10 — all in the opening half.

For the Dodgers (6-8 overall), LJ Maehl had 11 points and 10 rebounds, with Dakota Pommer adding 10 points and Meah McCaleb seven. McCaleb also had eight rebounds and two steals.

“It was a game of two halves,” FDSH head coach Scott Messerly said. “We played a lot better defense in the second half, but we couldn’t get shots to fall.

“Still, I was proud of their effort in battling back before we kind of hit one last wall.”

Humboldt (8-6) hit five 3-pointers in the opening 16 minutes, helping them to a 25-13 advantage. Nelson had 10 points, with Mann adding eight.

The Wildcats then used a 17-10 run in the opening three minutes of the third quarter to go up by 19. The lead then stretched to 24 before the Dodgers got back within 14.

“I felt like in the first half, we let them get to the basket way too often,” Messerly said. “We didn’t do a very good job of contesting shots or finding their main offensive threats.”

Humboldt came into the night averaging just 50 points per game, but it surpassed that mark in the third period. They have won three of four around a loss to ninth-ranked (Class 3A) Algona, and are 4-2 over the last six.

Pommer gave Fort Dodge a quick 3-0 lead before the Wildcats scored the next eight. Humboldt would hold the advantage the rest of the way, leading 18-10 after the first quarter.

Pommer and Ellie Doster both had two steals.

These squads have met eight times since 2011, with Humboldt winning each of the last four.

Fort Dodge is set to host Waterloo East on Tuesday evening, while Humboldt welcomes in No. 4 (1A) Bishop Garrigan Thursday and Webster City on Friday night.

HUMBOLDT 63, FORT DODGE 38

Fort Dodge — LJ Maehl 11, Dakota Pommer 10, Meah McCaleb 7, Brooklyn Pommer 5, Malay Hollins 2, Bella Lee 2, Janelle Derrig 1.

Humboldt — Ava Fischer 13, Morgan Mann 15, Paige Nelson 10, Ava Newton 6, Kaitlyn Nelson 5, Meg Zweibohmer 5, Payton Elman 2, Landry Lash 2, Jada VandeWalle 7.

Quarter scores: Humboldt led 18-10, 35-21, 51-32.