After watching Fort Dodge dismantle Indianola, can the Dodgers be a threat to Waukee in District 4? Sam Cook is a beast, the passing game is coming around and the defense is playing lights out. They should at least be in the running for second in the district with a huge game against Urbandale to close the season.
Fort Dodge
- Thread starter DodgerAlum
- Start date
They might finish 2nd at 7-2, but I think they are the beneficiary of the weakest non-district and district schedule in the state. They play 5 of the 7 worst teams in 4A this year. That's a winning record by default. I think it will be a battle with Urbandale, but I think the Waukee game will reveal that Fort Dodge still has a long way to go as a program. There are 40+ teams in 4A that have "a long way to go" to catch up with the elites though, so that's not a knock on Fort Dodge, just the way it is currently.
I think Fort Dodge is still in the up-and-comer phase of their progress. They will return a lot of starters for next year's team so that certainly bodes well for the future.
This year's team has continued to build off of last year's momentum. in which they just missed the playoffs. A win at Marshalltown would guarantee them a playoff spot, though I think they're already in because I don't see Mason City or Indianola winning enough games to pass them either.
It's gradual climb for the Dodgers, but I think they've finally established an identity to mesh around what they have with Sam Cook (and I started noticing this last year as well), and it's really helped to jump start their improvement as a program.
This year's team has continued to build off of last year's momentum. in which they just missed the playoffs. A win at Marshalltown would guarantee them a playoff spot, though I think they're already in because I don't see Mason City or Indianola winning enough games to pass them either.
It's gradual climb for the Dodgers, but I think they've finally established an identity to mesh around what they have with Sam Cook (and I started noticing this last year as well), and it's really helped to jump start their improvement as a program.
They remind me a lot of the 2009 and 2010 teams there. 2009 went 7-2 and had a lot of talented juniors playing and good seniors to fill the spots necessary. 2010 went 8-1 and won the CIML Iowa Conference with a 5-0 record with a senior-dominated lineup.
How good will Fort Dodge be next year? They had a soft schedule this year and will again next year. They have allot of their skilled positions back.
A lot of good talent coming back for the Dodgers - if they can get the line bigger/stronger to a) give Bice a bit more time, and b) open holes between the tackles for Cook, they could be a sleeper next year.
For Cook's size, too much side-to-side running last night vs. Polk - negated his strength - power - and gave the swarming Polk defense the opportunity to make tackles when he was slowing or changing directions.
Also, (and this is tough one to fix I realize) - too many guys going both ways for the Dodgers. Saw a lot of hands on hips in the 2nd half, and it is just tough to compete at the highest level without fresh legs (saw this with the good Indianola teams a few years ago). Polk (and Waukee a few weeks ago) just wore them down late in the game.
They will be a playoff team next year, and could sneak into a #2 spot in that District (assuming it stays the same) ahead of Urbandale, but will run into a lot of the same issues the deeper they get into the playoffs.
For Cook's size, too much side-to-side running last night vs. Polk - negated his strength - power - and gave the swarming Polk defense the opportunity to make tackles when he was slowing or changing directions.
Also, (and this is tough one to fix I realize) - too many guys going both ways for the Dodgers. Saw a lot of hands on hips in the 2nd half, and it is just tough to compete at the highest level without fresh legs (saw this with the good Indianola teams a few years ago). Polk (and Waukee a few weeks ago) just wore them down late in the game.
They will be a playoff team next year, and could sneak into a #2 spot in that District (assuming it stays the same) ahead of Urbandale, but will run into a lot of the same issues the deeper they get into the playoffs.
