Zumbrota-Mazeppa Impressive in Win Over Goodhue

The Zumbrota Mazeppa Cougar boys basketball team traveled to Goodhue and did something not many teams have done in recent years.

Won decisively, 58-43.

I was really impressed with the way the Cougars got after it defensively, primarily in their 1-3-1 zone.

6'2 senior Isaiah Nolte led Zumbrota-Mazeppa with 14 points, 6'4 sophomore Zach Hutton came off the bench to score 13 points and seniors Robvon Jackson and Kevin Niebuhr added 11 points each.

The Cougars held a 26-22 advantage at the half and pulled away after getting Goodhue into repeated turnovers.

Wildcat Head Coach Matt Halvorson credited Zumbrota-Mazeppa after the game with usuing their athleticism to get those turnovers and said if his team learned from the loss then it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Cougar Head Coach Fred Liffrig told KDHL his team was "fun to watch" and even he marveled at some of their plays.

Goodhue was led by senior Mitchell Hemenway with 15 points, but he fouled out with 5:11 to go in the game.

I had Goodhue with 15 turnovers in the game and the Cougars pounced for 17 points off those turnovers in the second half.

The Cougars are 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference while the Wildcats are 3-2 and 1-1 in league play.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa plays Plainview-Elgin-Millville in the HVL vs. TRC Showdown in Rochester Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in the Mayo Civic Center Arena.

Goodhue tangles with Wabasha-Kellogg in the Arena at 5:00 p.m.

KDHL will be broadcasting the Cannon Falls vs St. Charles boys game at approximately 2:00 p.m. and the Goodhue vs. Caledonnia girls game at 7:30 p.m.

Both of those games will be played in the more intimate Auditorium.