In class 2A, second ranked Fort Dodge St. Edmond held off a fourth quarter rally by number ten Osage enroute to a 61-50 victory. Center Andy Nagel had 22 points and said the Gaels were happy to avoid the first round upset. Nagle says they had to focus in and play hard.
Trailing by eight heading into the fourth quarter Osage rallied to take a brief one point lead before St. Edmond responded. Osage coach Mark Mohl said he thought they had the Gaels tired by pressing and running, but he says they also made some nice plays and played a little better than his team. Mohl’s team ends the season with a record of 22-4.
In the final game of the night Dylan Diedrich’s shot turned out to be the biggest in ninth ranked Northeast Goose Lake’s victory over number five Battle Creek-Ida Grove. Trailing by three Diedrich picked up a loose ball, canned a 25 footer and was fouled. His free throw completed a four point play in the Rebels 62-61 win. He says he had a little space and even though they were just down three he says he decided to take the shot.
It was a big victory for the Rebels who had lost in the first round in all five of their previous trips to state. Diedrich says it’s nice to be the first team in school history to get the win at state.
It spoiled a huge rally by Battle Creek-Ida Grove which trailed by ten heading into the final quarter. Falcon coach Tyler Edwards says they didn’t lose the game in the fourth quarter, they lost it in the first three quarters.
He says Diedrichs shot was a back breaker after they’d fought so hard to get back into the game. The Falcons had a chance to send the game to overtime but Matt Cates missed the second of two free throws with two-point-four-seconds remaining.