Prep athletes of the week: Senior rink rat helps Cambridge-Isanti reclaim 'Rusty Skates' trophy

Cambridge-Isanti • hockey

Typically, this spot is reserved for an athlete whose play was exemplary, full of gaudy stats that jump off a page.

But in this anything-but-normal year, it's nice to dig little deeper and recognize the little things that give high school sports richness and flavor, without concern for who's best.

Ziebarth, a senior forward, is a rink rat in the truest sense. He led Cambridge-Isanti in scoring last year, and he's on track to do so again. He scored but one goal last week; many others scored more in a single period. But Ziebarth's goal, a third-period tally that lifted the Bluejackets to a 2-1 victory over Princeton, came with a bonus.

It meant that the "Rusty Skates," a traveling trophy between the two programs, was coming back after spending the five previous seasons in Princeton.

While understandably proud of his game-winner, Ziebarth said the 35-year-old trophy carries more weight with former players.

"It's just fighting for pride, and the skates are pretty old, but all the alumni take it pretty seriously," he said.

"It was the first time I've played outside," Ziebarth said. "It was fun, a new experience."

Watertown-Mayer • basketball

The Royals are 4-0 thanks to the 6-1 senior forward. Last week, she had 33 points and five rebounds in a 77-48 victory over Heritage Christian, and added 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven steals as they defeated Holy Family 67-57.

AVERY FARRELL

Rogers • hockey

Delano • basketball

The 6-7 small forward posted back-to-back 30-point efforts in two Tigers' wins last week. He had 36 points in an 89-82 victory over Princeton, topping 1,000 for his career, and added 31 points as they won 73-67 at St. Thomas Academy.

ADALIA MCKENZIE

Park Center • basketball

Through three games, the senior, who is making a transition to point guard, led the Pirates to a 2-1 record, averaging 26.3 points, seven assists and five steals per game with at least 13 total rebounds. She's signed to play in college at Illinois.

The senior forward, who is heading to the U.S. Naval Academy to play lacrosse after graduation, had two goals and two assists in a 6-0 shutout of Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato. She had a hat trick and an assist in an 8-2 rout of Waconia.

Mahtomedi • basketball

After scoring 30 points in the Zephyrs' season opener, Underwood, a sophomore, followed up with 26 and 29 points in victories over North St. Paul and Hastings.

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