St. Edmond's takes second in boys state 2A basketball tournament

March 25, 2004

FORT DODGE - The St. Edmond boys basketball team finished the season with a 26-2 record after losing to Prairie City - Monroe in double overtime during the state championship game on March 19.

The Gaels started off tournament week with a win over Clarinda on April 15. The Gaels returned to Veterans Memorial Auditorium for the first time since 2000 - the year they walked away with the  state championship and beat the Cardinals 43-22. Clarinda had the fewest points in a tournament game since 1950. Tim Flattery led the Gaels with 16 points. Teammate Kyle Gapp scored the first two points and added nine more to the score board. Zak Clark had a career-high of 14 rebounds. The Gaels grabbed four more rebounds than the Cardinals, even though they suffered from a height disadvantage. The win advanced that Gaels to the semifinals against Pella Christian.

Pella Christian, 20-7, matched up with St. Edmonds on Thursday night. The Gaels trailed 41-36 with only 5:59 left to play. Flattery, Gapp and Nick Sandvig brought the score up to a tie at 43-43. Pella Christian sunk a basket gaining the lead. Flattery was then fouled and taken to the free throw line where he nailed both of his free throws, tying the game up again. With 25 seconds left on the clock, Flattery drove the lane and was fouled again taking him the free throw line. After a Pella Christian timeout, Flattery nailed both free throws taking the Gaels into the championship game with a 47-45 victory.

St. Edmond met the Prairie City - Monroe Friday night to battle it out for the tournament title. Prairie City - Monroe, 26-0, were too much to handle for the Gaels. St. Edmond fell to Prairie - City Monroe after double overtime. The Gaels were shy of one point with a finale score was 58-57.

Congratulations to the St. Edmond Boys Basketball Team and Coaches on finishing second in the 2A State Championship. A special congratulations to Nicholas Sandvig on being named a member of the 2A All Tournament Team along with his teammate Tim Flattery who also received the 2A Student-Athlete Achievement Award. A congratulations also goes out to all the fans, the Fish Tank and the St. Edmond Cheerleaders on bringing home the Sportsmanship Trophy. SE Cheerleader, Mila O'Rourke, received special recognition as being named one of 32 All-State Cheerleaders in the state of Iowa and preformed at different halftimes during the State Tournament.