
Randolph Rockets Achieve Low Scoring Win Over Bethlehem Academy
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
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