MFL MarMac boys enter postseason on 15-game winning streak
Junior Parker Kuehl totaled 17 points in MFL MarMac’s win over Central on Feb. 6. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Landyn Miene defends a Warrior player in last week’s dominant Bulldog victory. MFL MarMac swiped 17 steals and blocked four shots in the game.
Bryce Diehl reaches toward the basket in MFL MarMac's dominant 87-43 performance at Central.
Carter Lightfoot races up the court in last week's regular season finale against the Warriors.
Against Central, Wyatt Powell put up 19 points with an 8-11 night.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The MFL MarMac boys basketball team finished off its regular season schedule with two more victories last week—making for 15 straight wins. The Bulldogs defeated Crestwood and Central to improve to 18-3 overall and 13-3 in the Upper Iowa Conference.
Ahead just 13-12 after the opening period of a Feb. 5 non-conference match-up with Crestwood, MFL MarMac started to pull away in the second quarter, up 30-22 at halftime. A 23-14 run pushed the lead to double digits in the third quarter, and the Bulldogs went on to win 74-61.
MFL MarMac benefitted from eight three-pointers, and shot 46.7 percent from the field—outpacing the Cadets’ 41.7 percent. The Bulldogs also won the rebounding battle, 34-22, and turned the ball over two fewer times.
Junior Parker Kuehl continued to solidify his role as the Bulldogs’ top scorer, dropping 22 points—nine of which came from behind the arc. He had three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Carver Blietz-Bentien added 13 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Landyn Miene connected on six of his eight shots for 13 points off the bench. He also had five rebounds and an assist. Brock Hackett chipped in another 11 points off the Bulldog bench, after hitting a trio of three-pointers.
MFL MarMac wrapped up the week with a dominant 87-43 performance at Central on Feb. 6. The Bulldogs knocked down nearly 54 percent of their shots—aided by six threes. The defense swiped 17 steals, contributing to the Warriors’ 25 turnovers, and blocked four shots.
Blietz-Bentien racked up 19 points on 7-14 shooting, and also led the team with seven rebounds. Wyatt Powell matched those 19 points with an 8-11 night, and topped the assist column with eight. Kuehl totaled 17 points, six rebounds, four steals and two assists, while Eli Hanson made three of his four shots off the bench for seven points, two rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.
The Bulldogs hope to keep winning on Thursday, Feb. 15, when they host Union Community for a Class 2A Substate 3 second round playoff game. Tip off is at 7 p.m. in Monona. The winner will play in the district final on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
