Substate Preview: 1A-5
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District 9 The favorite: Winfield-Mt. Union has been absolutely dominant on the defensive end of the floor this season, allowing just 33.2 points a game, the best number in 1A. Their two losses have come to Illini Bluffs, a team…
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Continue ReadingDistrict 9
The favorite: Winfield-Mt. Union has been absolutely dominant on the defensive end of the floor this season, allowing just 33.2 points a game, the best number in 1A. Their two losses have come to Illini Bluffs, a team that has been ranked within the top three in Illinois’ Class 1A for most of the season, and West Burlington, a team currently ranked #8 in 2A and undefeated. The Wolves are led by a pair of Division I football players in Cam Buffington Cam Buffington 6'2" | PF Winfield-Mt. Union | 2024 State IA (17.9, 7.3 rebounds; Iowa) and Abram Edwards Abram Edwards 6'5" | PF Winfield-Mt. Union | 2024 State IA (14.8, 11.6 rebounds; Army), giving them a pair of dynamic athletes with great size, length, and toughness. Those two have been outstanding this season on both ends of the floor. Jake Edwards Jake Edwards 6'3" | PG Winfield-Mt. Union | 2025 State IA (10.7, 38.9 3P%) is the team’s top shooter and a solid third scorer, while Carter Loyd (9.9) has played a lot of good basketball for WMU over the last few years.
The biggest threat: Playing in the South Division of the SEISC, Notre Dame hasn’t played many of the teams in this district, which could be an advantage for a Nikes team that has been pretty darn good this season. Senior wing Liam Delaney (16.9, 3.2 assists) leads a balanced group of offensive weapons, with three other players averaging between 9.0 and 9.9 points a game in sophomore guard Shay Stephens Shay Stephens 6'2" | PG Burlington Notre Dame | 2026 State IA (9.9, 3.4 assists) and seniors Gedi Boal Gedi Boal 5'11" | PG Notre Dame | 2024 State IA (9.3) and Spencer Brent (9.0). A strong program that always has good athletes, plays solid defense, and knows how to win.
The dark horse: In senior guard Hunter Hughes Hunter Hughes 6'3" | PG WACO | 2024 State IA (16.2, 6.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 3.7 steals), WACO has one of the best two-way players in 1A basketball, which makes the Warriors dangerous in this district. Hughes is a versatile guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands, and he leads a strong defensive team that puts a lot of pressure on opposing teams. Colton Leichty Colton Leichty 6'4" | PF WACO | 2024 State IA (13.2, 8.2 rebounds) is an efficient interior presence, and Chase Waterhouse (10.2) has emerged as a reliable third scorer. This is a program that has had a lot of success in recent years and never quite gotten over the hump. Perhaps being the hunter instead of the hunted could be good for them here.
Players to watch
2024
Cam Buffington
Cam
Buffington
6'2" | PF
Winfield-Mt. Union | 2024
State
IA
, Winfield-Mt. Union
2024
Abram Edwards
Abram
Edwards
6'5" | PF
Winfield-Mt. Union | 2024
State
IA
, Winfield-Mt. Union
2025
Jake Edwards
Jake
Edwards
6'3" | PG
Winfield-Mt. Union | 2025
State
IA
, Winfield-Mt. Union
2024 Liam Delaney, Notre Dame
2026
Shay Stephens
Shay
Stephens
6'2" | PG
Burlington Notre Dame | 2026
State
IA
, Notre Dame
2024
Gedi Boal
Gedi
Boal
5'11" | PG
Notre Dame | 2024
State
IA
, Notre Dame
2024
Hunter Hughes
Hunter
Hughes
6'3" | PG
WACO | 2024
State
IA
, WACO
2024
Colton Leichty
Colton
Leichty
6'4" | PF
WACO | 2024
State
IA
, WACO
2024 Chase Waterhouse, WACO
2024 Titus Svoboda, Danville
2025 Jaden Bauer, Danville
2024
Carson Ourth
Carson
Ourth
6'6" | C
Danville | 2024
State
IA
, Danville
2024 Brendan Richey, New London
2026 London Franklin, New London
2024
Jackson Lanz
Jackson
Lanz
6'5" | C
Wapello | 2024
State
IA
, Wapello
2024 Carson Belzer, Wapello
2024 Sven Dahlstrom, Pekin
2024 JaeDon Wolver, Pekin
2025 Isaac Bruns, Sigourney
2026 Solon Yates, Sigourney
2024
Timothy Hills
Timothy
Hills
6'3" | SF
Columbus | 2024
State
IA
-Carrier, Columbus
District 10
The favorite: For the first time since 2016-17, Holy Trinity Catholic has clinched a winning season (12-10), and for the first time since 2014-15, they will win at least 16 games in a season. Of their four losses, two have come to 2A West Burlington, an undefeated team, and another came to Winfield-Mt. Union, their possible substate final opponent. the Crusaders have been strong on the defensive end this season, allowing just 44.8 points a game, while riding standout junior forward Luke Hellige Luke Hellige 6'5" | SG Holy Trinity Catholic | 2025 State IA (23.0, 8.1 rebounds, 52.8 FG%, 43.5 3P%) on the offensive end. Hellige, a talented 6-4 guard who can score from all three levels, create off the dribble, and provide some versatility defensively, has been fantastic this season and with his size and talent, he’ll be a major matchup problem within this district. Senior forward Conner Gehling (15.4, 2.0 blocks) is a strong rim protector who can limit interior scoring, and the backcourt of Maddox Rung (6.0, 5.3 assists) and Adam Sobczak Adam Sobczak 5'10" | PG Holy Trinity Catholic | 2025 State IA (5.0, 8.1 assists) give them two really good playmakers. With the best player in the district, a solid defensive team around him, and a strong resume, Holy Trinity has a chance to make history and reach the state tournament for the first time in school history.
The biggest threat: North Mahaska has played really well since the holiday break, going 7-2, with their two losses coming to Keota and Lynnville-Sully, teams with a combined 38-1 record (and that loss was to each other). Junior wing Asher DeBoef (15.5) leads a trio of double-figure scorers, joined by junior guard Gabe Hora (14.8, 38.8 3P%) and senior forward Nolan Andersen Nolan Andersen 6'3" | SF North Mahaska | 2024 State IA (11.4). Senior guard Nate Sampson (9.6, 4.8 assists) is another capable scorer and playmaker in the backcourt, and this team is averaging nearly 70 points a game, so they can put up points in bunches. They split with likely semifinal opponent Montezuma during the regular season, with each team winning on the road, but getting a third, playoff meeting, at home gives North Mahaska a slight edge.
The dark horse: Montezuma split with North Mahaska, so the Braves are obviously capable of beating the Warhawks again and reaching the district final. Sophomore guard Brady Boulton Brady Boulton 5'8" | PG Montezuma | 2026 State IA (24.2, 3.8 assists) has been scoring in bunches this year, routinely putting up huge numbers and showing that he can also create for his teammates off the dribble. Garrett Watts (13.4, 7.4 rebounds) is an undersized but athletic forward, and Max Anderson (10.2, 37.8 3P%) gives them some additional shooting. If Boulton has it rolling, Montezuma could certainly make some noise here.
Players to watch
2025
Luke Hellige
Luke
Hellige
6'5" | SG
Holy Trinity Catholic | 2025
State
IA
, Holy Trinity
2024 Conner Gehling, Holy Trinity
2025
Adam Sobczak
Adam
Sobczak
5'10" | PG
Holy Trinity Catholic | 2025
State
IA
, Holy Trinity
2026
Brady Boulton
Brady
Boulton
5'8" | PG
Montezuma | 2026
State
IA
, Montezuma
2024 Garrett Watts, Montezuma
2024 Wyatt Throckmorton, Moravia
2024
Shane Helmick
Shane
Helmick
6'2" | SF
Moravia | 2024
State
IA
, Moravia
2024 Jackson McDanel, Moravia
2025 Asher DeBoef, North Mahaska
2025 Gabe Hora, North Mahaska
2024
Nolan Andersen
Nolan
Andersen
6'3" | SF
North Mahaska | 2024
State
IA
, North Mahaska
2024
Rayce Snyder
Rayce
Snyder
6'6" | PF
Wayne | 2024
State
IA
, Wayne
2024 Connor Pruiett, Wayne
2026 Cameron Swarts, Moulton-Udell
2026
Holden Roberts
Holden
Roberts
5'10" | SG
Twin Cedars | 2026
State
IA
, Twin Cedars
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Winfield-Mt. Union vs. Holy Trinity Catholic
Winfield-Mt. Union hasn’t made it to the state tournament since going five straight times from 1992-96 and Holy Trinity has never qualified. The Wolves boast 1A’s best defense and hold a strong head-to-head win over the Crusaders, giving them the edge here again in the rematch. Someone call Jess Settles, Winfield-Mt. Union heads back to Des Moines.