Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Jack McElroy drives and scores for the St. Edmond boys in the Gael gym.

DES MOINES — The ultimate goal of every basketball team is to make the state tournament field and play at Wells Fargo Arena.

St. Edmond and South Hamilton will get a dress rehearsal of sorts here on Thursday, as the Gaels and Hawks square off in a varsity hoop doubleheader as part of the Iowa Wolves High School Hoops Series.

Head coach CJ Tracy’s Gael girls take on South Hamilton at 6:30 p.m. Adolph Kochendorfer’s St. Edmond boys then meet the Hawks at approximately 7:45 p.m.

This event showcases schools from across Iowa periodically throughout the regular season. St. Edmond and South Hamilton agreed to move their originally-scheduled twinbill back in November.

The St. Edmond boys are off to a perfect 5-0 start, while the Hawks (0-7) are looking for their first win of the year. The Gaels have reeled off four consecutive victories by double digits, led by junior Hunter Horn’s 24-point, 12.4-rebound average.

Classmates Jakob Koopman (11 points, 8 rebounds) and Jack McElroy (7.2 points, 5.8 assists) have also been steady contributors for St. Edmond.

Kochendorfer received some good news over break as well. Top reserve Carson Bargfrede, also a junior, did not suffer any structural, cartilage or ligament damage in a left leg injury against Hampton-Dumont/CAL to close the 2024 portion of the campaign. Bargfrede will still miss a few weeks as he recovers and works his way back into shape.

South Hamilton, which graduated all five of its starters from a year ago, has been led by freshman post player Benjamin Swanson (10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds) and junior Sam Koehnk (8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds).

The Gael girls are 1-5 so far, but three of their losses have been by 12 or fewer points. Senior Josie Harvey (8.2 points, 7.2 rebounds), sophomore Chloe Palmer (8.0 points, 6.8 rebounds) and senior Payton Bradley (7.3 points) anchor the offense, while junior Anna Lursen is contributing 3.5 assists and 3.7 steals a night.

The Hawks are 2-5. Junior Isabel Swenson is averaging 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 steals, while classmate Claire Hewitt checks in at 6.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and is shooting 47 percent from the field.

Sophomore Tessa Skartvedt grabs 8.4 rebounds per contest.