Woodbine boys head back to Des Moines
Tigers clinch second consecutive Boys State Tournament berth
By Matt Gengler, Sports Editor
sports@missourivalleytimes.com
Woodbine secured their second straight trip to Wells Fargo Arena, fifth time in school history with two more dominating performances in winning Class 1A Substate 7.
The Tigers’ first round game on at the 2025 Boys State Basketball Championships will be on Wednesday, March 12, at 3:45 p.m., as (6) Woodbine will face off against (3) Fort Dodge St. Edmond.
Lock down defense leads Tigers past Crusaders
Woodbine’s defense led the way, as the Tigers built a slim first half lead and made it stand up in a 50-41 win over Coon Rapids-Bayard in the Class 1A Substate Final at Abraham Lincoln High School on March 1 in Council Bluffs.
The win secured the Tigers’ second straight trip to the Boys State Basketball Tournament, taking place March 10-14 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. This will be the Tigers’ fifth state appearance in school history.
“Our mindset remained the same throughout every game this season,” stated Head Coach Kyle Bartels. “We didn’t dwell on past match ups or let the outside noise effect us. We wanted to set the tempo from the outset, and control what we could control.”
The Rolling Valley Conference co-champs, who split two regular season battles, took shots and stayed within striking distance the entire night. Woodbine held the lead the entire game, but Coon Rapids-Bayard stayed within five striking distance the entire night. The stat of the night was the rebounding edge, as the Tigers limited the Crusaders to many one-and-done possessions, winning the rebounding battle, 40-14.
“Making it to state is never easy, and doing it two years in a row speaks to the dedication and toughness of this team,” Bartels concluded. “We set goals at the beginning of the season, and we’ve given ourselves a chance to compete on the biggest stage. We want to take what we learned last year (2024), knowing we’re not just satisfied to be there, but focused on taking the next step forward, proving we belong among the best of Class 1A.”
Carson Kelley (12 points, 3 blocks), Brody Pryor (10 points, 10 rebounds), and Landon Blum (10 points, 1 assist) set the pace for the balance offensive attack.
Class 1A Districts, Substate Final
Boys BB: 3-1-2025 @ Abraham Lincoln, Council Bluffs
Woodbine 50 Coon Rapids-Bayard 41
Points: Carter Gruver 5; Carson Kelley 12; Brody Pryor 10; Landon Blum 10; Jax Pryor 8; Xander Johnson 5.
Rebounds: Gruver 10; Kelley 3; B. Pryor 10; Blum 6; J. Pryor 7; Johnson 2.
Assists: Gruver 6; B. Pryor 3; Blum 1.
Steals: Gruver 1.
Blocks: Kelley 3
Woodbine Tigers Record: (15-1 RVC); 23-2.
Tigers shut down Bulldogs for District Title
Woodbine used a dominating second quarter and held off a second half charge to secure a 60-48 win over Bedford in the Class 1A, District 13 Final on Feb. 25 at Red Oak.
Carter Gruver (17 points, 8 assists), Carson Kelley (13 points, 2 blocks) and Jax Pryor (14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) led the way for the Tigers.
“We knew going in, it was going to be a struggle to score points,” stated Head Coach Kyle Bartels. “That’s a heck of a defensive team, we hit some big shots at the start of each quarter to get the momentum back on our side, and our team defense set the tone the entire night.”
Woodbine locked up the win with a 12-21 effort at the free throw line, including 10-15 in the second half. Bedford finished 5-22 from the free throw line for the game.
Bartels said his team was excited for their second straight substate final.
“We’re in the Sweet 16 of Class 1A, and we have a chance to finish out the season at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, where every kid dreams of playing,” Bartels concluded. “We’re playing, and we have a shot. We know it will be a tremendous match –up whoever we get.”
Class 1A Districts, Semifinals
Boys BB: 2-25-2025 @ Red Oak
Woodbine 60 Bedford 48
Points: Carter Gruver 17; Carson Kelley 13; Brody Pryor 3; Landon Blum 8; Jax Pryor 14; Gunner Wagner 3; Xander Johnson 2.
Rebounds: Gruver 7; Kelley 2; B. Pryor 3; Blum 7; J. Pryor 10; Wagner 1; Johnson 2.
Assists: Gruver 8; Kelley 3; B. Pryor 1; Wagner 1.
Steals: Gruver 1; J. Pryor 2; Wagner 1.
Blocks: C. Kelley 2; Blum 1; Johnson 1.
Woodbine Tigers Record: (15-1 RVC); 22-2.
