The Zumbrota-Mazeppa Cougars defeated the Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinals 69-50 in a rare game at Mazeppa Monday night.  The Cougars led 12-3 early after going on a 9-0 run.  The Cardinals responded with a 21-8 score the rest of the first half to take a 24-20 lead at the break.  6'1 senior Damon Trump fueled the Bethlehem Academy offense with 4 three point baskets and 13 total points in the first half.

The Cougars put 5'10 senior guard Peyton Liffrig on Trump in the second half and he held him to 5 points and no three point baskets.  The Cardinals leading scorer this season senior Jack Clark was held scoreless in the second half after scoring six points in the first half.  Clark was able to make his way into the lane but a few floaters were rejected by 6'2 junior Zach Hutton.

Both teams played a zone in the first half.  Zumbrota-Mazeppa appeared content to try and shoot the Cardinals out of their match up zone but could not connect on any long range shots.  Bethlehem Academy had 5 three point baskets in the first half led by Trump's 4.  The Cougars had one three point basket at the half.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa came out in the second half and in the span of just a few minutes turned their 4 point halftime deficit into a double digit lead.  The Cougars attacked the zone and the basket, then pitched the ball behind the arc to connect for 5 second half three point baskets.

Bethlehem Academy was led by Damon Trump and Zach Van Thomme with 18 and 12 points respectively.  Senior 6'1 Griffin Malecha finished with 8 points, freshman Brady Strodtman scored 5 points off the bench.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa had terrific balance on the score sheet with Hutton's 17 points leading the way.  Senior 6'0 Cole Peters added 16 points, senior 5'11 Nathan Mensink 12 points.  Junior 6'1 Anthony Cylkowski was a spark plug off the bench with 10 points, 8 in the second half.

Turnovers were the story of this game.  The Cardinals tallied 15 turnovers by my count and Zumbrota-Mazeppa scored 18 points off those miscues.  The Cougars had a stretch of turnovers themselves and finished the game with 10.  Bethlehem Academy scored 8 points off ZM turnovers.

Trump and Van Thomme were named our Faribault State Farm Insurance agents Faribault players of the game.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa improved to 15-7 and the Cardinals are now 10-9.

Bethlehem Academy is scheduled to host Wabasha-Kellogg Tuesday night.  Zumbrota-Mazeppa has a game at Tri-City United Tuesday on their schedule.

Other boys  basketball action around the area Monday night:

  • Goodhue went on a 15-1 to end the first half with a 30-23 lead over Blooming Prairie.  The Awesome Blossoms came back in the second half to score a 61-59 win.
  • Pine Island 57  Chatfield 42
  • Rochester Lourdes 79  Kenyon-Wanamingo 46  (Colin Sviggum led K-W 14 pts)
  • Hayfield 76  Leroy-Ostrander 59
  • Byron 56  Stewartville 50
  • Spring Grove 52  Grand Meadow 32
  • New Ulm 72  Belle Plaine 53
  • Alden-Conger 61  Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial 45
  • Martin County West 61  Nicollet 57
  • Gale-Ettric-Trempeleau, Wi. 64  Rushford-Peterson 59
  • New Prague 79  Hastings 69
  • Wabasha-Kellogg 61  Winona Cotter 49
  • Kingsland 54  Fillmore Central 46
  • St. Peter 70  Sibley East 39
  • Mankato Loyola 60  Truman/Martin Luther/GHEC 58

Girls high school basketball Monday night:

  • Kasson-Mantorville 65  Austin 61  (Avery Irish 18, Bailey Berge 16 pts to lead KoMets who were 15 of 26 from free throw line and Austin 9 of 16)
  • Rochester Lourdes 75  Kenyon-Wanamingo 49  (Riley Dummer 21 for K-W)
  • Zumbrota-Mazeppa 72  Triton 55 (Ali Hunstad 19 points, Makayla Arendt 15, Sarah Mensink 10 points for Cougars)
  • Goodhue 65  Pine Island 50
  • Caledonia 69  Southland 40
  • Dover-Eyota 73  Rushford-Peterson 44
  • Fillmore Central 69  Spring Grove 58
  • Houston 51  LaCrescent 34
  • Leroy-Ostrander 69  Wabasha-Kellogg 51
  • Mabel-Canton 45  Lanesboro 32
  • Jordan 71  Sibley East 40
  • Norwood-Young America 64  Belle Plaine 47
  • Red Wing 74  Owatonna 33

Boys hockey Monday:

  • Albert Lea 4  Red Wing 1
  • Austin 2  Owatonna 2 (OT)
  • Rochester Lourdes 3  Mankato West 1
  • Redwood Valley 6  Waseca 5
Mazeppa Color Guard at Z-M boys basketball game with Bethlehem Academy. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Mazeppa Color Guard at Z-M boys basketball game with Bethlehem Academy. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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