Messenger Photo by Britt Kudla: St. The Edmond Players celebrate after beating Woodbine in the Class 1A State Quarter Finals at Des Moines on Wednesday. For more photos, please visit Messengernews.net CU
Des Moines – There were many moments when the boys in St. Edmond were able to decide that wasn’t their day.
But they didn’t.
Instead, the Gaels rely on returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2012, securing a thrilling 52-49 victory over Woodbine on Wednesday in the Class 1A quarterfinals.
The victory will allow St. Edmond (23-3 overall) to the final four interior four inside the Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday, meeting Madrid (26-0) at 7:05pm.
Jacob Koopman wasn’t sure he would play after being injured in the Subgensi final and Bishop Garrigan, but he scored 18 points, including an eight in the opening half, as the Gales survived roughly 16 minutes.
Carson Bargfrede added 16 points with three three pointers, while Hunter Horn scored nine times (all in the second half) with game-high 12 rebounds.
“We just had to step up and find a way to make a play. Horn said. “Whether it was setting the screen, getting a rebound, or just a ball movement. We had to be together as a team, so we did, and we won for that.”
The Gaels returned to the state for the first time since 2012 when they finished second in the 2A. He won everything in 2000, earning three runner-ups under coach Adolph Kochendorfer.
“We had to resort to what led us to this point. It made rebounds and extra passes.” Kochendorfer said. “We’ve been in a lot of tough games this year, and that’s a real advantage to playing the schedule we do.”
St. Edmond played 18 games against non-1A schools this year, going 15-3 with two losses coming to Clear Lake, where two losses are competing in the 3A semi-finals. The Lions attended this one, met Gale in the tunnel and pumped them up in front of the tip.
By contrast, Woodbine (23-3) lost to Treynor earlier this year, playing just one game against schools outside of 1A. Still, it seemed destined to win their first state tournament game after being knocked out last quarter.
Brody Pryor scored a team high of 13 points, Carson Kelly added 12 and Jax Pryor scored 11. Woodbine fired 33% from the 3-point line, but only 8 times the 35-point line.
Instead of Koopman, he set off a second start of the season, sinking the triple early to give St. Edmond a 5-3 lead after the Grant Galles bucket scored a starter for scoring. He had nine in the first half and added a second triple before the break.
“I was really nervous.” His father, Corey, Bargfrede, was a member of the 2000 state title team. “It was definitely nervous with the environment and all the fans, but when that first shot went down, it calmed me down.”
Gale makes the first push in the second half after fighting a 22-22 draw on a break as the horn filled the three-pointer. However, Woodbine had the answer, bringing together a 15-2 run to a 9.
Horn launched a quarterly closing burst that included a basket of Koopman and Galles, which appears to have rekindled St. Edmond. The Gaels went 5 out of the 10 in fourth, hitting all five shots from The Charity Stripe, and hit all three shots, including the two that Bargfrede and Jack McElroy won.
After locking and tying the loose balls following multiple shots by Woodbine, the horn let out a huge scream directed at the packed bleachers filled with St. Edmond fans.
“Yeah, I just had to put out some energy.” He said. “It feels great to move on, but there are two more games left.”
st. Edmund 52, Woodbine 49
St. Edmond – Andrew Cravy 0-1 0-0 0, Jack McElroy 0-1 2-2 2, Grant Gal 2-8 0-0 4, Hunter Horn 3-8 2-2 9, Carsonburg Ferede 5-14 3-4 16, Jacob Koopman 8-11 1-1 18, Timelickle 1-3 0-0 3.
Woodbine – Carter Gruber 3-16 1-1 7, Carson Kelly 4-15 0-0 12, Brody Plyer 4-10 2-5 13, Landon Blum 3-7 0-1 6, Jack Plyer 4-7 2-6 11, Gunner Wagner 0-0 0-0 0, Xander Johnson 0-10-0, CODY Dickinson 0-0 0-0.
Quarter score: Woodbine lead 19-15. We tied 22-22. Woodbine Lead 39-34. 3-point targets: St. Edmond 6-24 (McElroy 0-1, Galles 0-5, Horn 1-3, Bargfrede 3-11, Koopman 1-1, Mericle 1-3), Woodbine 8-35 (Gruver 0-11, Kelley 4-15, B. Pryor3-7, Blum 0-1). Total rebound: St. Edmond 33, Woodbine 33. Assist: St. Edmond 8, Woodbine 11. Block shot: St. Edmond 1, Woodbine 4. Steel: St. Edmond 1, Woodbine 5. St. Edmond 8, Woodbine 6.
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