MFL MarMac advances with win over New Hampton
Junior Carver Blietz-Bentien picked up 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds in MFL MarMac’s second round win against New Hampton. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Defense continues to play a large role in the Bulldogs’ success. Here, sophomore Parker Kuehl contests a Chickasaw shot in the Feb. 16 game.
Wyatt Powell flies past the Chickasaw defense in last week's MFL MarMac victory.
Sophomore Zach Driscoll led the Bulldogs with 28 points and eight assists.
Brock Hackett's smothering defense helped limit New Hampton's scoring in the second half.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
A 74-47 win over New Hampton on Feb. 16 advanced the MFL MarMac boys basketball team to the Class 2A - Substate 4 semifinals.
The Bulldogs managed the 27-point victory despite a slow start that saw them down four points after the first quarter and trailing much of the first half. A late second quarter run put the team up 31-24 over the Chickasaws.
From there, MFL MarMac took over, increasing the lead to 15 by the end of the third period. A 27-point fourth quarter sealed the victory.
The Chickasaws actually shot five percentage points better from the field, at 43.2 versus MFL MarMac’s 38.3 percent. The Bulldogs were also uncharacteristically quiet from three-point range, making just two of 13 attempts.
MFL MarMac made up a lot of the difference at the free throw line, where players drained 26 of 31 chances. New Hampton, meanwhile, had only 11 attempts and made six.
In this physical match-up, the Bulldogs won the rebound advantage 35-25, including holding the Chickasaws to only three offensive rebounds and few second-chance scoring opportunities. MFL MarMac also snagged 15 steals, contributing to New Hampton’s 23 overall turnovers.
Sophomore Zach Driscoll led the Bulldogs with 28 points and eight assists. His six rebounds and four steals were also among team highs.
Fellow sophomore Parker Kuehl netted 15 points, two rebounds and an assist, while junior Carver Blietz-Bentien picked up 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds along with an assist and a steal. Sophomore Landyn Miene was 3-5 off the bench and scored eight points.
Junior Wyatt Powell didn’t let a hand injury hamper his night, contributing seven points, six rebounds and two assists along with a team leading five steals.
The now 22-1 Bulldogs will face 16-6 Beckman Catholic in a Feb. 21 semifinal match-up. The game will start at 7 p.m. at Central Elkader.
The victor will play the winner from the Lake Mills/Osage game in the substate final at Charles City Middle School on Saturday, Feb. 25.
