March Madness will not include the three remaining local high school boys basketball squads that were still playing in the postseason as of last week.

The Columbia, Gibault and Waterloo hoops squads all saw their seasons come to an end in regional play last Wednesday.

For Columbia (22-10), the farewell came in heartbreaking fashion as the Eagles lost 68-65 at home in overtime to Mater Dei in a Class 2A regional tilt. 

The Eagles had taken care of the Knights in the Wesclin tournament back in late November, winning by 12 points. But Mater Dei was out for revenge with its season on the line. 

The Knights, who shot 60 percent from the floor and made 19 of 22 free throws on this night, led by six at halftime and were up 41-37 after three quarters.

Columbia mustered a fourth quarter rally to send the game into overtime, but the Knights pulled it out in the end. 

Gavin Peppenhorst scored a game-high 37 points for Mater Dei.

The Eagles shot 20-for-29 from the charity stripe in the loss.

Eddie Smajic, a senior, led Columbia with 32 points in his final high school game.

Brody Landgraf, also a senior, ended his high school hoops career with 17 points.

“He was our most valuable player this season, by far,” Columbia head coach Mark Sandstrom said of Landgraf.

Yet another Eagles senior, Elliot Nelson, added 10 points.

Columbia lost six of its last seven games after being 21-4 on Feb. 3.

Smajic led the team in scoring this season at 21.2 points per game – including 83 percent shooting from the free-throw line. 

Landgraf averaged just under 16 points per game in addition to 7.4 rebounds and 1.53 blocks per contest. He shot 61.6 percent from the floor.

Gibault (12-19) won six of its last eight games to close the season, which came to an end last Wednesday with a 68-27 defeat at the hands of Woodlawn in the Class 1A Sparta Regional.

There’s hope for a bright future with Hawks basketball, however, as the only departing senior from legendary coach Dennis Rueter’s squad is Kole Schilling. 

Among the returners for the 2026-27 campaign are the top two scorers for the Hawks, that being junior Jack Holston (12.4 points per game, 42.4 percent three-point shooting) and sophomore Colby Kincheloe (11.7 points per game, 2.6 assists per game).

Waterloo (5-27) saw its dismal season conclude last Wednesday with an 84-32 loss to top-ranked East St. Louis at the Class 3A Mascoutah Regional. 

For the 2025-26 season, junior Tyler DeVilder led the way in scoring at about 10 points per contest. 

Other key scorers for the Bulldogs this season included junior Kruz Latchem and senior Owen Niebruegge, both at about nine points per game. 

Waterloo High School serves as the site of a Class 3A sectional this week, with the final set for 7 p.m. Friday.