Substate Preview: 2A-6
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District 11 The favorite: The highest scoring team in 2A resides in Carroll, and it’s Kuemper Catholic. The Knights are putting up 76 points a game with four players averaging in double figures, and one more just outside. A dynamic…
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Continue ReadingDistrict 11
The favorite: The highest scoring team in 2A resides in Carroll, and it’s Kuemper Catholic. The Knights are putting up 76 points a game with four players averaging in double figures, and one more just outside. A dynamic offensive team that has put up impressive shooting numbers (50-38-65 splits as a team), they’ve also done a tremendous job protecting the ball, committing just eight turnovers a game. Sophomore guard Brock Badding Brock Badding 6'1" | SG Kuemper Catholic | 2026 State IA (13.4, 46.8 3P%) is the team’s leading scorer and an electric perimeter shooting threat, and twin brother Jack Badding (7.2, 44.2 3P%) provides more dynamic shooting. Junior guard Carson Kanne Carson Kanne 5'11" | PG Kuemper Catholic | 2025 State IA (10.1, 5.2 assists, 41.9 3P%) is a skilled playmaker and shooter, while Tregan Beiter Tregan Beiter 6'0" | SG Kuemper Catholic | 2025 State IA (11.4) and Michael Kasperbauer Michael Kasperbauer 5'11" | PG Kuemper Catholic | 2024 State IA (12.2) can each do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor for the Knights. Carter Putney (9.3, 40.6 3P%) provides even more shooting for a team that averages more than 10 made 3-pointers a game. With their depth of shooters, it’s unlikely that the whole team will go cold for an extended period of time, and they have so many weapons that they’ll be really tough for opposing teams in this district to keep up with them.
The biggest threat: If there is a team in the district that may have the players to slow down Kuemper, it’s South Central Calhoun, who have been strong defensively this season, allowing just 47.4 points per game. They’re led by senior Gavin Batta Gavin Batta 6'3" | SF South Central Calhoun | 2024 State IA (19.9, 1.8 blocks) and junior Cole Higgins (15.0), a pair of strong, athletic guards in the backcourt. Keegan Soard (8.5, 10.2 rebounds) commands the paint on both ends of the floor and with Kuemper down their top forward, DJ Vonnahme, the Titans could have an edge in the paint with Soard. If they want to stick around with Kuemper, they’ll need to drag the game into the mud, but they can do that.
The dark horse: When you’re looking for a team who could get hot and make a run, you generally want to find a dominant guard, and that’s what you can see when you look at South Hardin. Senior Lane Luiken Lane Luiken 6'2" | SF South Hardin | 2024 State IA (20.6, 35.2 3P%) is a volume scorer who has knocked down 50 3-pointers this season and is able to get to the rim at will off the dribble. Juniors Jaxson Drury (13.8) and Traven Wheeler (13.6, 8.8 rebounds) provide more scoring, and Wheeler is an interior scorer and rim protector. Luiken is a good enough offensive weapon to take over a few games, get hot, and pull off some upsets.
Players to watch
2026
Brock Badding
Brock
Badding
6'1" | SG
Kuemper Catholic | 2026
State
IA
, Kuemper Catholic
2024
Michael Kasperbauer
Michael
Kasperbauer
5'11" | PG
Kuemper Catholic | 2024
State
IA
, Kuemper Catholic
2025
Tregan Beiter
Tregan
Beiter
6'0" | SG
Kuemper Catholic | 2025
State
IA
, Kuemper Catholic
2025
Carson Kanne
Carson
Kanne
5'11" | PG
Kuemper Catholic | 2025
State
IA
, Kuemper Catholic
2024 Carter Putney, Kuemper Catholic
2024
Gavin Batta
Gavin
Batta
6'3" | SF
South Central Calhoun | 2024
State
IA
, South Central Calhoun
2025 Cole Higgins, South Central Calhoun
2024 Keegan Soard, South Central Calhoun
2024
Drake Canavan
Drake
Canavan
6'3" | PF
Eagle Grove | 2024
State
IA
, Eagle Grove
2024
Tyreon Franklin
Tyreon
Franklin
6'1" | PG
Eagle-grove | 2024
IA
, Eagle Grove
2024
Lane Luiken
Lane
Luiken
6'2" | SF
South Hardin | 2024
State
IA
, South Hardin
2025 Traven Wheeler, South Hardin
2024 Carter Ferry, Southeast Valley
District 12
The favorite: Prior to a loss on Thursday night against Grand View Christian, Grundy Center had won 16 straight games, earning the top spot in this district. The Spartans are a really good, athletic defensive team that allows just 43.6 points a night, using their blend of depth, length, and athleticism to frustrate teams on the defensive end of the floor. Junior wing Jalen Kirkpatrick Jalen Kirkpatrick 6'6" | SF Grundy Center | 2025 State IA (16.2, 5.9 rebounds) is the headliner, a 6-6 wing who can score from all three levels and defend multiple positions, while Tiernan Vokes Tiernan Vokes 6'4" | SF Grundy Center | 2025 State IA (10.8), Tate Jirovsky Tate Jirovsky 6'5" | PF Grundy Center | 2024 State IA (9.8), Colin Gordon (9.1), and Brayden Wallis Brayden Wallis 6'4" | SG Grundy Center | 2025 State IA (7.8) are all solid scoring threats as well. They move the ball extremely well, averaging just under 20 assists a game, and their depth is a major advantage.
The biggest threat: Aplington-Parkersburg lost their regular season meeting against Grundy Center by 15 points, but that loss came without star guard Gavin Thomas Gavin Thomas 6'1" | SG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024 State IA (19.6, 42.5 3P%), who had injured his hand in the previous game. Thomas, a versatile three-level scorer and playmaker, is back in the lineup now and playing high-level ball for the Falcons. Sophomore guard Benny Waller Benny Waller 6'1" | PG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2026 State IA (16.3, 41.1 3P%) has paired with Thomas to give them some great shooting, whiel Nick Neuroth Nick Neuroth 5'10" | PG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024 State IA (9.9, 4.2 assists) is the floor general who sets the tone for the team offensively. A-P always likes to get up-and-down, and they go deep into their bench.
The dark horse: Dike-New Hartford was swept by Aplington-Parkersburg during the regular season by 15 and 10 points, but would like to get a third shot at the Falcons. The Wolverines are led by a pair of double-figure scorers in juniors Colin Meester Colin Meester 6'1" | SG Dike-New Hartford | 2025 State IA (16.7, 4.1 assists, 53.1 FG%) and Carson Costello (11.5, 7.3 rebounds), giving them a pair of solid scoring threats to lean on. Turnovers have been an issue for D-NH this season, giving it away nearly 16 times a game, so if they’re able to protect the ball a little better this time around, they could pull an upset and get to the district final.
Players to watch
2025
Jalen Kirkpatrick
Jalen
Kirkpatrick
6'6" | SF
Grundy Center | 2025
State
IA
, Grundy Center
2025
Tiernan Vokes
Tiernan
Vokes
6'4" | SF
Grundy Center | 2025
State
IA
, Grundy Center
2024
Tate Jirovsky
Tate
Jirovsky
6'5" | PF
Grundy Center | 2024
State
IA
, Grundy Center
2024 Colin Gordon, Grundy Center
2025
Brayden Wallis
Brayden
Wallis
6'4" | SG
Grundy Center | 2025
State
IA
, Grundy Center
2024
Gavin Thomas
Gavin
Thomas
6'1" | SG
Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024
State
IA
, Aplington-Parkersburg
2026
Benny Waller
Benny
Waller
6'1" | PG
Aplington-Parkersburg | 2026
State
IA
, Aplington-Parkersburg
2024
Nick Neuroth
Nick
Neuroth
5'10" | PG
Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024
State
IA
, Aplington-Parkersburg
2025
Colin Meester
Colin
Meester
6'1" | SG
Dike-New Hartford | 2025
State
IA
, Dike-New Hartford
2025 Carson Costello, Dike-New Hartford
2026 Jackson Bidwell, East Marshall
2024 Jaden Damiano, Iowa Falls-Alden
2024 Carson Nesheim, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows
2027 Chaz Lane, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Kuemper Catholic vs. Grundy Center
The #1 offense in the class against the #3 defense. This one would be very interesting, as Grundy Center has a lot of length and athleticism that they can throw at the Knights on the defensive end. But the overwhelming depth of Kuemper Catholic on the offensive end, and their vast array of shooters, carries the Knights through and back to Des Moines.