Girls Basketball: Goodhue overpowers Zumbrota-Mazeppa

ZUMBROTA – The Goodhue girls basketball team struggled from the free-throw line but used a 10-0 run early in the second half to pull away from Zumbrota-Mazeppa Tuesday in a 62-46 victory.

The Wildcats (10-1, 1-0 HVL Blue) shot just 35 percent from the field and 19 of 38 from the free-throw line but got 18 offensive rebounds and forced 25 turnovers in the victory.

“We got real anxious,” Cougars’ head coach Scott Paukert said. “We just rushed things a little bit and offensive rebounds, that just killed us.”

Poor second half play is becoming a pattern for Z-M (4-7, 0-1 HVL Blue) as well as putting other teams on the foul line.

“Right now, our opponents have made more free throws than we’ve shot,” Paukert said.

Goodhue sophomore Mikayla Miller made just 7 of 17 free throws but led the Wildcats with 15 points and nine rebounds.

“She goes to the basket really well,” Paukert said. “In the second half, our help defense was non-existent.”

Senior Allison Cordes scored 10 points and had five rebounds. Sophomore Mikayla Tipcke finished with 11 points, including three 3-pointers, and had five rebounds.

Cougars’ junior Laura Brunner had nine points to lead Z-M. Sophomore Carley Henning tallied eight points, seven rebounds, two blocks and an assist in the loss.

Goodhue had a tough time pulling away from the Cougars in the first half because of solid defense on Miller, who scored just six points before halftime, and 8 of 19 shooting from the free-throw line. Neither team shot over 45 percent from the field but the Wildcats took a 30-26 lead into the break.

“We didn’t get much flow at all,” Goodhue head coach Josh Wieme said.

In the second half, Z-M had opportunities to cut into the lead by breaking Goodhue’s full-court press but turnovers in the front court stifled any chance of catching the second-ranked Wildcats. The Cougars fell behind 51-34 with 9 minutes, 34 seconds left in regulation and faded down the stretch.

“I think we came out a little more aggressive in the second half,” Wieme said. “I think we’re a team of runs. (Z-M) eventually did wear out. We want to speed them up and make them uncomfortable. (We want) constant ball pressure.”

Despite playing sloppy at times – Goodhue committed 14 turnovers - and missing too many shots, the Wildcats got contributions from bench players and found a way to win an ugly game, Goodhue senior Erica Tipcke said. She scored eight points and had six rebounds before fouling out in the second half.

“We knew what we had to get done,” she said. “Having different people step up at different times is awesome. It shows we’re a well-rounded team.”

Goodhue plays Friday at Kenyon-Wanamingo and Z-M plays at Pine Island.

Tags: sports, prep, girls, basketball, goodhue, zumbrota, mazeppa