For years, Carson Bargfrede has listened closely as dad has told over and over again the story of the St. Edmond state championship basketball team in 2000.

Cory Bargfrede was a key part of that squad, helping the Gaels to their only title to date.

Now, on the 25th anniversary of that special season, Carson Bargfrede and fourth-ranked (Class 1A) St. Edmond get its shot at glory beginning Wednesday afternoon in Des Moines from Wells Fargo Arena.

The Gaels (22-3 overall) will meet Woodbine (23-2) in one of four 1A quarterfinals at 3:45 p.m.

“My dad used to always talk about his high school basketball days and how much of a team he and all his teammates were,” Carson said. “He made it seem like they were the toughest dogs around, and they proved it by winning the title and it became my favorite story of his.”

St. Edmond is back in the state field for the first time since 2012 when they were the 2A runners-up. The Gaels have not lost to a 1A team this season, falling only twice to fellow qualifier Clear Lake and Humboldt, who are both 3A programs.

In the substate final win over Bishop Garrigan, Bargfrede drained three 3-pointers and scored 19, giving him 51 during the last four postseason games.

After spending the last two years in a Webster City uniform, Bargfrede joined a Gael team coming off a 12-12 season while returning the bulk of their production.

“This team and group has been a dream to get to know and play with,” Carson said. “When I transferred over, I was nervous. I’ve played against these guys my whole life and wasn’t sure if they’d like a Webster City kid playing with them.

“Now I call all these guys my best friends and playing with them has been amazing. I’m so glad I came over and helped to contribute to us making it to state.”

Carson is not only carrying on the Bargfrede legacy in playing at state for St. Edmond, he is continuing on an even bigger family tradition by wearing the number 42.

“My favorite by far was Carson’s first game at home,” Cory said. “When he took those first steps on the court during the game wearing the same 42 jersey I wore, I got goosebumps and was a little emotional.

“That number is special in my family as it was first worn by my cousin in Idaho who was killed by a drunk driver his senior year of high school. Two years later when I made the varsity team as a sophomore, there was only one number I wanted to wear. And now watching Carson play in that jersey makes me extremely proud as his middle name is Michial, named after my cousin.”

On the year, Bargfrede is averaging just under 10 points per game and 3.5 rebounds, knocking down a team-leading 43 triples. He missed just two games after going down with a leg injury early in the year.

“It is crazy how things work out sometimes,” Cory said. “How we ended up moving back to Fort Dodge, Carson playing for the same high school team, and coach, that I did 25 years ago, blows my mind. It was never something that I thought would happen, but here we are all that time later heading back to Des Moines to chase the same goal of a championship.”

Earlier this season, a number of the players from the state championship team were recognized during halftime of a Gael game including Cory Bargfrede, Kyle Bargfrede, Jack Brownlee, Joe Kuhlman, Nate Joslin, John Lewis and Conley Nash.

Cory Bargfrede is a 2000 graduate of St. Edmond while his wife, Meredith (Tharp) Bargfrede graduated from Webster City in 1999. Carson’s older sister, Delainey, recently graduated from WCHS and is currently a freshman pitcher at Western Kentucky University.

“Meredith and I are super proud of the young man he is starting to become on and off the court,” Cory said. “In basketball and life, he has had setbacks and dealt with things that really tested him and those things have made him learn how to be mentally tough.

“He is young and still learning how life isn’t always fair, but he has great support form his family and his team.”