STATE TOURNAMENT: Championship Friday Game Recaps

3A Championship: #1 Ballard 43, #2 ADM 39 (OT)   It was physical. Extremely, extremely physical. It was ugly. Extremely, extremely ugly. But at the end of the day, or in this case, at the end of the overtime, it was the Ballard Bombers who came out on top, winning the school's first ever state basketball championship. The Bombers outlasted Raccoon River rival ADM, 43-39, in overtime to claim the crown.   The teams combined to shoot just 30-96 (31.3%) from the floor, 3-35 (8.6%) from 3, and combined for 30 turnovers. It's probably what you can expect when two teams this talented, this athletic, and this familiar with each other meet with all the pressure in the world on them. Since Iowa high school basketball went to the current 1A-2A-3A-4A format in 1993, this was the lowest scoring state championship game in Class 3A, with just 82 combined points.   With 21 seconds left in regulation, and the score tied at 33, ADM star guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] got to the rim but his look went off the back iron. Ballard grabbed possession and raced downcourt, but turned it over, leading to a [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] floater with eight seconds left to give ADM a 35-33 lead. On the ensuing Ballard possession, standout guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] got to the rim and was fouled with 0.2 seconds left on the clock. Needing to make both free throws to send the game into overtime, he calmly sank the first, and after an ADM timeout to freeze him, rattled home the second one as well.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tonysroe/status/2032541374969414080 </div></figure>   In the extra period, scoring was again tough to come by. With Ballard leading 41-37, [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] made a bucket with eight seconds left. ADM didn't have any timeouts remaining, but coach Trevor Mickelson attempted to call one, resulting in a technical foul. [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] missed both technical free throws, but was fouled on the ensuing inbounds and made both. Ball game, Ballard. State championship trophy heading to Huxley.   Ballard's season finishes with a 26-1 record and the school's first state basketball title. The Bombers were led by [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'], who had 17 points and 9 rebounds in the win. He was one of the only players in this game to shoot with any sort of efficiency, going 7-14 from the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] added 14 points, including the clutch free throws, in the win. Gibson and [player_tooltip player_id='2419714' first='Evan' last='Abbott'] were named to the All-Tournament team. The Bombers will graduate Gibson, [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'], [player_tooltip player_id='3255116' first='Mojoe' last='Nybong'], and Dillon Shoen, with the former two being starters and the latter two top bench players, but will return three starters and should be formidable again next season.   ADM's season ends with a 24-3 record and the school's first ever state title game appearance. The Tigers were led by [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'], who had 14 points and 17 rebounds, and [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'], who had 11 points, both playing in their final high school games. ADM will graduate four starters, including Lorensen, the school's all-time leading scorer, and Bryte, another all-time great. Bryte and Lorensen were both named to the All-Tournament Team, with Lorensen being named captain. The Tigers have some intriguing young players in the program and Trevor Mickelson is a fantastic young coach who will keep this thing rolling with a lot of new faces.   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Team</td><td>1Q</td><td>2Q</td><td>3Q</td><td>4Q</td><td>OT</td><td>Final</td></tr><tr><td>ADM</td><td>8</td><td>7</td><td>14</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>39</td></tr><tr><td>Ballard</td><td>9</td><td>13</td><td>4</td><td>9</td><td>8</td><td>43</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   Scoring ADM: [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] 14, [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] 11, [player_tooltip player_id='1978146' first='Hudson' last='Shull'] 7, [player_tooltip player_id='2520020' first='Hayden' last='Dohlman'] 5, Reece Strittmatter 2 Ballard: [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'] 17, [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] 14, [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'] 7, [player_tooltip player_id='3255116' first='Mojoe' last='Nybong'] 3, [player_tooltip player_id='2754660' first='Bryce' last='Miller'] 2   Team stats ADM: 15-49 FG (30.6%), 1-17 3P (5.9%), 8-11 FT (72.7%); 32 rebounds (9 offensive); 5 assists, 16 turnovers Ballard: 15-47 FG (31.9%), 2-18 3P (11.1%), 11-20 FT (55%); 38 rebounds (12 offensive); 5 assists, 14 turnovers   All-Tournament Team: [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] (ADM), [player_tooltip player_id='2419714' first='Evan' last='Abbott'] (Ballard), [player_tooltip player_id='1765515' first='Jaidyn' last='Coon'] (Storm Lake), [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] (Ballard), [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] (ADM, Captain)   4A Championship: #1 Cedar Falls 56, #6 Johnston 48   Perfection. For the first time since 2013 Iowa City West, there is an undefeated state champion in Class 4A. Cedar Falls overcame a red-hot start from Johnston, smothering the Dragons in the second half en route to a 56-48 record.   Johnston got off to a scorching hot start. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2124069' first='Nicare' last='Cavil'] made five 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping the Dragons build a quick 22-7 lead before Cedar Falls even knew what hit them. The Dragons started the game 10-15 from 3-point range, and held a 34-21 lead at the half. But Cedar Falls did what state championship teams do. They never wavered, stayed poised and calm, and knew that they could get things changed in the second half.   Get things changed they did. The second half was an entirely different story than the first 16 minutes. Johnston went ice cold, in part due to the length and ball pressure supplied by Cedar Falls on the perimeter, and in part due to natural regression. The Dragons missed 11 straight 3-pointers before making one late in the fourth quarter while in comeback mode, but the damage had been done. Cedar Falls held them to just 5-24 shooting in the second half and just 14 points, with five of them coming very late.   Going through a season undefeated in the biggest class has become a rarity in Iowa, with so much talent flooding our state in recent years. What Cedar Falls just accomplished can't go understated. They took everyone's best shot on a nightly basis and rose to the occasion. They may not be up there with the Harrison Barnes' Ames teams, but history is going to look back on the 2026 Cedar Falls Tigers pretty fondly once we're a little more removed from it.   Cedar Falls finishes with a picture-perfect 25-0 record and the school's third state title, all coming since 2018. The Tigers were led by [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'], who had 19 points and 7 rebounds in the win. He was named captain of the All-Tournament team for his work throughout the week. [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'], also named to the All-Tournament team, and [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] each added 13 points in the win. The Tigers will graduate four starters, but return [player_tooltip player_id='2446123' first='Carsen' last='Gary'] and have a slew of young talent waiting in the wings. They aren't going to be undefeated next year, but Ryan Schultz has built a dominant program that will once again be among the best in the MVC, and that will make them among the best in 4A.   Johnston finishes with a 17-9 record and the school's sixth state championship game appearance. The Dragons were led by [player_tooltip player_id='2124069' first='Nicare' last='Cavil'], who had 25 points, 17 coming in the first quarter. [player_tooltip player_id='2124045' first='Emri' last='Jones'] added 12 points in the loss. Cavil and [player_tooltip player_id='1765517' first='Tino' last='Daye Jr'] were named to the All-Tournament team. The Dragons will enter next season as potentially the top-ranked team in Class 4A, bringing back four starters and one of their top bench players.   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Team</td><td>1Q</td><td>2Q</td><td>3Q</td><td>4Q</td><td>Final</td></tr><tr><td>Johnston</td><td>22</td><td>12</td><td>3</td><td>11</td><td>48</td></tr><tr><td>Cedar Falls</td><td>7</td><td>14</td><td>15</td><td>20</td><td>56</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   Scoring Johnston: [player_tooltip player_id='2124069' first='Nicare' last='Cavil'] 25, [player_tooltip player_id='2124045' first='Emri' last='Jones'] 12, [player_tooltip player_id='2116043' first='Joshua' last='Jenkins'] 7, [player_tooltip player_id='1765517' first='Tino' last='Daye Jr'] 4 Cedar Falls: [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] 19, [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'] 13, [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] 13, [player_tooltip player_id='2446123' first='Carsen' last='Gary'] 6, [player_tooltip player_id='1765505' first='Parker' last='Berns'] 5   Team stats Johnston: 17-45 FG (37.8%), 11-27 3P (40.7%), 3-4 FT (75%); 21 rebounds (9 offensive); 8 assists, 10 turnovers Cedar Falls: 15-31 FG (48.4%), 6-17 3P (35.3%), 20-23 FT (87%); 25 rebounds (6 offensive); 8 assists, 12 turnovers   All-Tournament Team: Noah Martens (Dowling Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='1765517' first='Tino' last='Daye Jr'] (Johnston), [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'] (Cedar Falls), [player_tooltip player_id='2124069' first='Nicare' last='Cavil'] (Johnston), [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] (Cedar Falls, Captain)   1A Championship: #1 St. Edmond 54, #6 Marquette Catholic 42   No matter what happened in the Class 1A championship game on Friday night, we were going to get a good story to tell. For top-ranked St. Edmond, it ended up being a storybook ending. For Marquette Catholic, another nightmare finish to their season. St. Edmond used a 20-0 run to storm past Marquette Catholic, 54-42, for their first state title since 2000.   It's only fitting that legendary coach Adolph Kochendorfer was able to end his coaching career with a state title. Retiring after 40 years on the sidelines, he gets to go out on top, winning his 620th career game and claiming his second state title.   The first half was tightly contested, seeing the game tied seven times, with three lead changes. Marquette Catholic, using a hot 6-13 shooting from the arc, took a 30-28 lead into the break. The Defenders came out of the break hot, building a 39-32 lead with 2:16 left in the third quarter. Then it all went downhill.   St. Edmond held Marquette Catholic scoreless for the next 8:03, going on a 20-0 run in the process, to grab control. The Gaels held the Defenders to just three points in the final 10:16 of action, delivering the state title back to Fort Dodge with a dominant defensive showing.   St. Edmond finishes the year with a 26-2 record and the school's second boys basketball championship. They were led by [player_tooltip player_id='1907683' first='Hunter' last='Horn'], who had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and was named captain of the All-Tournament team for his stellar play throughout the week. [player_tooltip player_id='2517050' first='Carson' last='Bargfrede'] added 13 points in the win. The Gaels will graduate all five starters and need to replace a legendary coach, so next year could be a bit of a program re-building year for whoever takes over.   Marquette Catholic's season finishes with a 25-3 record and the school's third straight loss in the 1A championship game. The Defenders were led by [player_tooltip player_id='3554354' first='Koen' last='Roeder'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2523923' first='Tate' last='Kueter'], who each had 10 points in the loss. Coach Isaac Sturm will return two starters, their top two scorers off the bench, and has a nice young group of talent coming up as well, and they very well may be the team to beat in Class 1A next season.   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Team</td><td>1Q</td><td>2Q</td><td>3Q</td><td>4Q</td><td>Final</td></tr><tr><td>Marquette Catholic</td><td>14</td><td>16</td><td>9</td><td>3</td><td>42</td></tr><tr><td>St. Edmond</td><td>14</td><td>14</td><td>8</td><td>18</td><td>54</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   Scoring Marquette Catholic: [player_tooltip player_id='3554354' first='Koen' last='Roeder'] 10, [player_tooltip player_id='2523923' first='Tate' last='Kueter'] 10, Justin Severson 8, [player_tooltip player_id='3344000' first='Canden' last='Weber'] 6, [player_tooltip player_id='2828832' first='Taegin' last='Smith'] 6, Cameron Gerlach 2 St. Edmond: [player_tooltip player_id='1907683' first='Hunter' last='Horn'] 21, Carson Bargrede 13, [player_tooltip player_id='2887801' first='Jakob' last='Koopman'] 9, [player_tooltip player_id='2887821' first='Jack' last='McElroy'] 5, [player_tooltip player_id='3547985' first='Grant' last='Galles'] 3, Ty Mericle 3   Team stats Marquette Catholic: 16-41 FG (39%), 7-25 3P (28%), 3-3 FT (100%); 27 rebounds (9 offensive); 8 assists, 16 turnovers St. Edmond: 19-48 FG (39.6%), 4-12 3P (33.3%), 12-24 FT (50%); 29 rebounds (14 offensive); 6 assists, 5 turnovers   All-Tournament Team: Justin Severson (Marquette Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='3255100' first='Kamden' last='Bork'] (MMCRU), [player_tooltip player_id='1978106' first='Shay' last='Stephens'] (Notre Dame), [player_tooltip player_id='2906540' first='Louis' last='Gonner'] (Marquette Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='1907683' first='Hunter' last='Horn'] (St. Edmond, Captain)   2A Championship: #2 Unity Christian 67, #1 Kuemper Catholic 64   Another boys state basketball trophy is going back to Orange City. A year after MOC-Floyd Valley, the public school in Orange City, won the 3A title, Unity Christian, the private school in town, won the Class 2A title, knocking off top-ranked Kuemper Catholic, 67-64, to win their first state title since 2005.   There was no denying that these were the top two teams in Class 2A this season, and there was no denying that Unity Christian was the best team in the class this week. Throw these teams into a best-of-7 series? Maybe it ends differently. But on Friday night, it was Unity Christian's title and they went out and snatched it.   UC started the game on a 12-0 run, and while Kuemper Catholic climbed all the way back and eventually gained a lead as large as five early in the third quarter. But there was too much [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge']. The junior forward concluded a sensational week of play by taking over the game for the final 12 minutes. He had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in the second half, dominating the game and helping deliver the Class 2A state title to Unity Christian.   UC left the door open late with some missed free throws, and with 6.1 seconds left, Kuemper had a chance to tie it. [player_tooltip player_id='2420798' first='Griffin' last='Glynn'] got a contested look at a 3 off, but it hit the side of the rim and trickled out of bounds with 1.9 seconds to go. They got the ball inbounded, and that was all she wrote. State title headed back to Orange City, just 1.4 miles further down the road than last year.   Unity Christian's season ends with a 25-2 record and the school's fifth boys state basketball championship, first in 21 years. The Knights were led by [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge'], who had 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, and was named captain of the All-Tournament team for his stellar play all week. Brayden Harskamp had 13 points, and [player_tooltip player_id='2407223' first='Keagen' last='Winterfeld'] added 12. Unity will graduate three starters, but brings back Van Donge, Winterfeld, and a few intriguing pieces off the bench, and they should be a factor in Class 2A again next season.   Kuemper Catholic's season ends with a 24-4 record and their first state championship game appearance since 1993. They were led by [player_tooltip player_id='2420798' first='Griffin' last='Glynn'], who had 25 points and was named to the All-Tournament team. [player_tooltip player_id='1765513' first='Ryan' last='Clair'] added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and was also an All-Tournament selection, and [player_tooltip player_id='2420805' first='Dylan' last='Schon'] added 12 points in the loss. The Knights will lose two starters, and injured star [player_tooltip player_id='1765503' first='Brock' last='Badding'], to graduation, but bring back Schon, Glynn, and Theodore Perkins, and will once again be one of the better teams in Class 2A.   The best game of Championship Friday, and a fitting way to not only end the 2025-26 boys basketball season, but a great way to send out the Casey's Center era of the state tournament.   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Team</td><td>1Q</td><td>2Q</td><td>3Q</td><td>4Q</td><td>Final</td></tr><tr><td>Unity Christian</td><td>19</td><td>15</td><td>16</td><td>17</td><td>67</td></tr><tr><td>Kuemper Catholic</td><td>8</td><td>24</td><td>17</td><td>15</td><td>64</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   Scoring Unity Christian: [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge'] 25, Brayden Harskamp 13, [player_tooltip player_id='2407223' first='Keagen' last='Winterfeld'] 12, [player_tooltip player_id='2413578' first='Dylan' last='Bosma'] 9, [player_tooltip player_id='2413600' first='Austin' last='Wieringa'] 8 Kuemper Catholic: [player_tooltip player_id='2420798' first='Griffin' last='Glynn'] 25, [player_tooltip player_id='1765513' first='Ryan' last='Clair'] 18, [player_tooltip player_id='2420805' first='Dylan' last='Schon'] 12, [player_tooltip player_id='2519974' first='Jack' last='Badding'] 4, Theodore Perkins 3, Tanner Badding 2   Team stats Unity Christian: 24-44 FG (54.5%), 5-13 3P (38.5%), 14-23 FT (60.9%); 25 rebounds (4 offensive); 10 assists, 9 turnovers Kuemper Catholic: 22-51 FG (43.1%), 6-22 3P (27.3%), 14-16 FT (87.5%); 32 rebounds (9 offensive); 9 assists, 9 turnovers   All-Tournament Team: [player_tooltip player_id='2420798' first='Griffin' last='Glynn'] (Kuemper Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='1978103' first='Alec' last='Lovely'] (Treynor), [player_tooltip player_id='2413578' first='Dylan' last='Bosma'] (Unity Christian), [player_tooltip player_id='1765513' first='Ryan' last='Clair'] (Kuemper Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge'] (Unity Christian, Captain)

3A Championship: #1 Ballard 43, #2 ADM 39 (OT)