CLARION — The St. Edmond boys finally hit the hardwood for the first time this season here on Friday night for a North Central Conference doubleheader with Clarion-Goldfield/Dows.

Tip is set for 6 p.m. in the girls game.

Last year, the Gaels reached the Class 1A state semifinals. They now return four of the five starters from that team, led by all-stater Hunter Horn.

Horn averaged 24 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game as a junior, shooting 59 percent from the field. He is flanked by fellow seniors Jakob Koopman, Jack McElroy, Grant Galles and Carson Bargfrede in the starting lineup for Adolph Kochendorfer.

Koopman posted 11 points and eight rebounds a night, McElroy dished out six assists and scored six points per game, Galles added 6.6 points and Bargfrede scored over 10 points per game off the bench.

Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (1-0, 0-0) opened with an 81-54 victory over Eagle Grove earlier this week. Junior Chaz Lane scored 17 poinra, senior Johnny Lomeli had 16, and junior Huxley Lingenfelter recorded nine points with 11 rebounds and five steals.

As a squad, the Cowboys drained 10 three-pointers, as Lomeli was a perfect 4-for-4 from deep.

This will be the second game of the season for the St. Edmond girls (0-1, 0-0), who lost to second-ranked (Class 1A) Bishop Garrigan on the road. Freshman Eden Horn had 16 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and three steals, junior Abby Huss scored 10 points, and both junior Chloe Palmer and senior Anna Lursen had six points each.

Palmer also had six assists, five rebounds and four steals.

The Cowgirls (0-2, 0-0) did not have a varsity team last season due to low participation numbers. They lost to Eagle Grove earlier this week after falling to Southeast Valley last month, 43-26.

Sophomore Audrey Egland has a team-high 10 points with 13 rebounds. Classmate Brianna Reyes and junior Kalli Schermer have each scored seven points and grabbed nine rebounds through two games.