The top-ranked (Class 1A) St. Edmond boys hope to take advantage of a change in the postseason guidelines this year.

If the Gaels (19-2 overall) are to advance to the Class 1A state tournament for a second consecutive season, they will not have to leave the SEHS gym until a substate final.

St. Edmond hosts West Hancock (3-18) on Monday at 7 p.m. in a 1A, District 7 contest. The Eagles eliminated AGWSR in the opening round, 61-51.

The path to Des Moines and the Casey’s Center will see either Earlham (12-10) or Colo-Nesco (10-11) awaiting in the quarterfinals on Thursday, with that game also being at St. Edmond if the Gaels advance.

From there, the district semifinal would be inside the SEHS gym on Tuesday, Feb. 24 against either Ankeny Christian (18-4), Glidden-Ralston (6-15), Southeast Warren (15-6) or East Union (8-14).

The co-North Central Conference champions reached the state semifinals a year ago and return four starters from that group along with two key players off the bench.

Seniors Hunter Horn, Jakob Koopman, Jack McElroy and Grant Galles are now joined by classmate Carson Bargfrede in the starting rotation, with junior Ty Mericle and freshman Logan Hanson providing depth.

Horn, who became the program leader in career points earlier this year, is averaging 26.2 points on 57 percent shooting from the field, 31 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 71 percent at the free throw stripe. He also averages nine rebounds and two assists per game.

Koopman, a returning all-stater like Horn, adds 9.4 points on 59 percent shooting with nearly nine rebounds while Bargfrede supplies almost 14 points and is shooting nearly 40 percent from deep.

McElroy has a 6-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio while Galles averages over seven points, four rebounds, two steals and two assists.

West Hancock features Keagan Albertson, as the junior is leads the team in scoring. Seniors Paxton Johnson and Cooper McLaughlin are next in line, with Johnson also the leading rebounder.

The Eagles had dropped four in a row entering the postseason, including an 88-59 setback to fourth-ranked (1A) Bishop Garrigan in the regular season finale.