Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Troy Banning Hayden Mayer shoots for St. Edmond in the Jefferson Gym on Friday night. For more photos, please visit CU.freemanjournal.net

WEBSTER CITY — Playing for the first time in almost eight years at Jefferson Gym, Drake Doering made sure the Webster City boys made sure they would leave the court with a win here Friday night.

Doering scored a team-high 18 points, including four points in the final 81 seconds, as the Lynx topped St. Edmond, 54-50.

Webster City (3-0 overall, 1-0 in North Central Conference) moved the game from the high school to the middle school for a special night.

Hayden Mayer led all scorers with a game-high 22 points for the Gaels (1-3, 0-1). Connor Bocken added 15, Jed Tracy had seven and Cael Kolacia six.

“They put a good run on us, but the kids battled back,” SEHS head coach Adolph Kochendorfer said. “We played a lot of different kids and hopefully this experience will make us better.”

Leading 48-46 with 1:21 to go in the game, Doering had a steal and followed up with a basket on the other end. He also knocked down two free throws with under 30 seconds left to give the Lynx a 52-46 advantage.

Mayer also grabbed six rebounds and Tracy dished out four assists. St. Edmond was without Drew Schaeffer and Jerris Duncan who are both injured. Schaeffer is battling a stress fracture in his foot and Duncan has a broken finger.

“Hayden is capable of doing that and he knocked down some big shots,” Kochendorfer said. “I thought the kids did a nice job of looking for him.

“We are getting better. They continue to play hard.”

The Lynx have been strong out the gates in the second half, outscoring Pocahontas Area, South Central Calhoun and St. Edmond 44-6, including a 13-2 run vs. the Gaels.

Next action for St. Edmond will be Tuesday when they host Algona, with Webster City heading to Clear Lake that evening.

WEBSTER CITY 54, ST. EDMOND 50

Webster City — Drake Doering 18, Tyler Olson 9, Carter Neuroth 9, Nick Hackbarth 7, Travis Eklund 7, Elijah Killian 2, Will Tasler 2.

St. Edmond — Connor Bocken 15, Hayden Mayer 22, Cael Kolacia 6, Jed Tracy 7.

Quarter scores: Webster City led 13-12, 23-22, 41-32.