Contributing writer
In a game that looked like a 7-point deficit would be a huge hurdle to cross, the Goessel High School girls’ basketball team came from behind and clipped the Canton-Galva Eagles for another non-league win on Friday. Neither team could take a commanding lead in the first half as the score was tied at 6 at the end of one quarter and then at 13 at halftime.
Johanna Hoffman scored first in the second half and D’Ambra Kruger hit one of two free-throws to tie the game at 16. Aimee Flaming got her hands on a rebound and went back up for 2 points, but then the Bluebirds were stuck. Canton-Galva scored 8 consecutive points to take what looked like a commanding 25-18 lead. The Bluebirds called timeout without having scored for more than two minutes. Flaming was open on the right side and swished a 3-pointer to bring some life into the Goessel crowd. On the next trip down the floor, Flaming was at the same spot on the court and swished another 3-pointer to get the Bluebirds within 1 point and the momentum seemed to swing to the home team. The third period ended with Goessel trailing, 25-24.
The Eagles scored first in the fourth quarter followed by a Kruger basket. Again, Canton-Galva hit a wide-open layup to take a 29-26 lead. Hoffman tied the game with a 3-pointer from the same spot that Flaming had hit her two baskets and then the Eagles would not be able to score the rest of the game. Jessica Harvey hit two free throws and Kruger drove the right side of the lane, glancing a nice shot off the glass to give Goessel a 33-29 lead with just over a minute to play. The Bluebirds went into a slowdown game to run time off the clock, and Harvey was able to connect on one of four free throws in the last 35 seconds to snap a five game losing streak. Goessel defeated Canton-Galva, 34-29, at home.
Hoffman led the Bluebirds in scoring with 12 points, Flaming ended with 8, Harvey and Kruger each had five points, Alex Hiebert had 3, and Ali Buller had 1 point.
Udall 42, GHS 37
Goessel traveled to Udall on Feb. 14 for a non-league game. With a long dry spell in the third period, Goessel had a spirited rally in the fourth quarter to nearly come home with a win. Goessel fell behind early but trailed, 10-8, at the end of one quarter. In the second period, Hiebert scored from an offensive rebound and then Hoffman hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 16. Udall outscored the Bluebirds 5-2 to end the half with the Eagles in the lead, 21-18.
Hiebert and Buller scored baskets in the third period to get as close as 1 point, but then the Bluebirds went into a turnover funk and the Eagles scored 9 consecutive points to take a 10-point lead with less than a minute to play in the third quarter. Hoffman hit a free throw and then a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 32-26 at the end of the quarter. Kruger hit a jumper followed by another Hoffman 3-pointer, a steal and jumper by Kruger and suddenly the Bluebirds only trailed by 1, 34-33, with 6:28 to play in the game. Goessel got several steals, but Udall was able to score 4 consecutive points before Hiebert broke the scoring drought with a layup. The Eagles hit four of four free throws to keep Goessel out of the win column and Udall won by a final score of 42-37.
Hoffman led the team with 16 points; Hiebert, 6; Harvey, 5; Kruger, 4; Flaming, 4; and Buller, 2. The girls were 4-15 before finishing the regular season at Berean on Tuesday. The sub-state tournament begins for the girls on Tuesday at the place of the higher seed.
Winners on Tuesday will be at Goessel on March 2 and 3 for the conclusion of the sub-state tournament.