Goodwin brothers leave stamp on 1A title-game win for Belgrade

Connor Goodwin tumbled hard into a row of press tables early in the second half, but it was younger brother Brian Goodwin who had Southwest Minnesota Christian wondering what ran into its game plan.

The sophomore guard switched jerseys after getting blood on his first one during Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa's 54-45 Class 1A championship victory Saturday over the Eagles. Time after time he sliced through the lane, scoring on a bevy of layups.

"Just tried to create," Brian Goodwin said.

By the time he was done, he had 29 points to lead the Jaguars to their first state championship. They finished as the state's only unbeaten high school basketball team, capping a 33-0 season. Their only loss in the past two years was last season's Class 1A championship game.

"We came out ready and used last year's loss as motivation," Brian Goodwin said. "We were more prepared. I just came out and played my game to see what would happen."

Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa fans chanted "M-V-P, M-V-P" as he was announced for the all-tournament team. There was no argument from a joyous locker room about that.

Well, almost no dissent.

Connor Goodwin, one of only two seniors on the team, got a steal and handed the ball to his younger brother on the game's final contested possession.

"Whatever got into him today was perfect," Connor Goodwin said. "He stepped up and played great for a sophomore. He's got a great basketball mind."

Southwest Minnesota Christian (28-2) led by four at halftime but Klint Knutson - the Trojans' defensive spark plug - picked up his fourth foul just 47 seconds into the second half. He was whistled for a fifth with 8:16 to play.

"Klint is our leader in putting pressure up front and that definitely made a difference," Trojans coach Jamie Pap said. "Brian just did a great job attacking us."

Foul trouble or not on the other end of the court, that was the plan all along.