The Randolph Rockets did what all teams try to do defensively Thursday night in a 44-30 win over Faribault Bethlehem Academy.  Make the Cardinals uncomfortable when they were on offense.  It was a packed Randolph Launching Pad gym. The two teams are in the same section so the contest did have seeding implications.

The Cardinals had a look of frustration at the half heading to their locker room with just 7 points on the board.  A three point basket, a two point basket and two free throws were the only offense they had.  Randolph had a 21-7 halftime lead.  BA had 9 first half turnovers by my tally and the Rockets scored 12 points off those turnovers to help with their 14 point halftime lead.

The second half started with a Cardinal turnover but two underclassmen for Bethlehem Academy helped turn the Randolph team over repeatedly and the Cardinals had the lead down to 6 with about 6 minutes to go.  It was still an 8 point game around the 5 minute mark before Randolph closed out the game on a 10-2 run.

The Rockets are 8-1 and the Cardinals fell to 4-5 overall.  Bethlehem Academy statistics had them shooting 23 percent for the game and Randolph 36 percent.  The Cardinals had 9 total field goals.  The Rockets had 16.  Randolph was 8 of 10 from the free throw line and Bethlehem Academy 10 of 12.

Both teams struggled mightily from three point range with the Rockets connecting on 4 of 18 and the Cardinals 2 of 21.  Randolph had 32 rebounds, 9 offensive and Bethlehem Academy collected 27 rebounds, also 9 offensive boards.

A couple of underclassmen were named our Faribault State Farm Insurance Faribault players of the game after bringing some energy off the bench and fueling the Cardinal second half comeback.

Freshman 5'10 Brady Strodtman and sophomore 6'0 J.J. Malecha provided a number of hustle plays in the game that really don't show up in the box score.  Strodtman played 13 minutes 16 seconds with 4 points, 3 rebounds, an assist and two steals.  Malecha was on the floor 12 minutes 14 seconds with 2 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist.

Senior Zach Van Thomme led the Cardinals with 7 points, classmates Jack Clark and Damon Trump each had 6 points.  Trump had 3 of the team's 5 assists in the game.

Randolph had 11 assists in the game.  Senior 6'2 Andrew Wenstrom picked up a double double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.  Classmate 6'4 Carsyn Gunderson had 10 points and 9 rebounds.

The Rockets are 8-1 and Cardinals fell to 4-5 on the season.

Other area boys basketball scores from Thursday:

  • Northfield 72  Rochester Mayo 66 (Mayo had been undefeated in Big 9 action...Mason Madson 26 points Gabe Madson 20 points for Mayo.  Mason Zick 24 points, Blake Christensen 17 points for Northfield.  Raiders 20 of 28 free throws and Spartans 8 of 11)
  • Austin 80  Owatonna 59
  • John Marshall 68  Mankato West 57 (Matthew Hurt 45 points, 15 rebounds)
  • Mankato East 92  Albert Lea 34
  • Rochester Century 80  Red Wing 43
  • NRHEG 69  Tri-City United 36
  • Rushford-Peterson 65  Hayfield 32
  • Waseca 67  St. James 36
  • Pine Island 65  Wabasha-Kellogg 41
  • Kingsland 71  Goodhue 53
  • Prior Lake 93  Chanhassen 62
  • Eastview 83  Apple Valley 76
  • New Prague 64  Rogers 40
  • Southland 61  Fillmore Central 40
  • St. Charles 89  Lewiston-Altura 77
  • Mabel-Canton 73  Glenville-Emmons 63
  • Lyle/Pacelli 80  Medford 69
  • Caledonia 97  Chatfield 75
  • Dover-Eyota 58  LaCrescent  44
  • Plainview-Elgin-Millville 77  Winona Cotter 48

Girls basketball scores:

  • Houston 68  Bethlehem Academy 30
  • Red Wing 75  Rochester Century 27
  • Austin 70  Owatonna 49
  • Triton 80  NRHEG 69
  • Byron 68  Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 48
  • Pine Island 65  Wabasha-Kellogg 51
  • St. Clair 60  LeSeuer-Henderson 44
  • LaCrescent 58  Schaeffer Academy 45
  • Fillmore Central 61  Southland 54
  • Waseca 67  St. James 25
  • New Prague 44 Hutchinson 42
  • Farmington 63  Rosemount 40

Girls Hockey scores from Thursday:

  • Northfield 7  John Marshall 2
  • Owatonna 4  Austin 2
  • Red Wing 4  Albert Lea 1
  • Mankato East 3  Mankato West 2
  • Rochester Century 9  Rochester Mayo 2
  • Eagan 2  Lakeville South 1 (ot)
  • Shakopee 3  Eastview 2
  • Farmington 3  Lakeville North 0
  • Benilde-St. Margaret's 4  Dodge County 1
  • Burnsville 6  Prior Lake 0
  • Apple Valley 5  Rosemount 2

Boys Hockey scores :

  • Faribault 3  Winona 2
  • Rochester Century 2  Rochester Mayo 1 (ot)
  • Albert Lea 4  Red Wing 1
  • Northfield 3  John Marshall 0
  • Owatonna 6  Austin 1
  • Minnesota River 7  Worthington 4
  • Burnsville 7  Bloomington Jefferson 3
  • Edina 4  Lakeville South 1
  • Waseca 3  Dodge County 1
  • Shakopee 3  Hopkins 2
  • St. Thomas Academy 3  Rosemount 1
Randolph R in Launching Pad Gym. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Randolph R in Launching Pad Gym. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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