Goessel 56, Peabody-Burns 49
Staff writer
The momentum pendulum at the Goessel High School boys basketball game Friday in Peabody was swinging wildly.
Goessel jumped out to a 19-9 lead at the end of the first period in a quarter that saw the Bluebirds penetrating offense causing foul problems for the home team. Goessel maintained a lead through the second quarter, although the Warriors steadily chipped away at the Bluebird lead. Goessel shot 22 free throws in the first half and led, 33-26, at the break.
Peabody-Burns took control of the third period, and tied the score at the 4 minutes, 11 seconds mark. When the quarter ended, the Warriors had outscored the Bluebirds 20-6 and now Peabody-Burns owned a 46-39 lead. The contest was far from over, as the Bluebirds scratched their way back into the game, tying the score at 49-49 with 1:30 to play in the game. The Bluebird defense held the Warriors scoreless for the last five minutes in the game, taking control of the game. Goessel ended the contest with a 56-49 win in a team effort at both ends of the floor.
Corey Buller led the Bluebirds with 16 points, Davis Cook finished with 15 points and Braden Unruh scored 14. John Berkholz scored 4 points, and Tyler Schulz and Nic Buller each had 2 points. Neal Brubaker, Trey Schmidt, and Jake Smucker each scored a point.
The Goessel boys are now 4-3 in the Wheat State League and 8-8 overall. The Bluebirds will play at Argonia Tuesday and at Canton on Friday.
Little River 48, Goessel 40
It was a disappointing shooting night for the Bluebirds Thursday as the Goessel boys lost a Wheat State League game to Little River, 48-40.
Goessel seemed to struggle from the start and an 11-0 burst from Little River gave the home team the lead they needed later in the game. Goessel trailed at the end of the first quarter, 17-8. The Bluebirds clawed their way back into the game, trailing by only 6 at halftime, 26-20.
Goessel still trailed, 36-31, at the end of three periods. Corey Buller and Unruh each scored 2 points to start the fourth stanza to get the Bluebirds as close as 36-35. Goessel was not able to match the Redskins point for point in the last four minutes of the game. Little River massaged their lead to 10 points, 47-37, before the final buzzer sounded with the Bluebirds behind, 48-40.
Goessel’s 35 percent shooting from the field doomed their chances from the start.
Corey Buller led the Bluebirds with 10 points followed by Unruh with 9, and Berkholz with 7. Cook added 6 points and Brubaker, Nic Buller, Schmidt, and Smucker each scored 2 points.
Flint Hills 61, Goessel 56
At a rescheduled game Feb. 7, the Bluebirds played at Flint Hills in a non-league contest and suffered a loss.
The Bluebirds fell behind 19-12 at the end of the first quarter. Sophomore Nic Buller scored 10 consecutive points for the Bluebirds in the second quarter to get Goessel as close as 26-23. Brubaker hit a 3-pointer and the game went into halftime with the score tied at 26.
What seemed to work for the Bluebirds in the second quarter failed in the first part of the third quarter as the Mustangs outscored Goessel, 13-2, to take a 49-36 lead at the end of three periods.
Flint Hills extended their lead to 57-40 with three minutes to play, but then the Bluebirds found the mark. Nic Buller again scored 6 points, Unruh buried a 3-pointer forcing several Flint Hills timeouts. Goessel would get as close as 60-56, before the Mustangs would hit a free throw and time expired with a final score of 61-56.
Nic Buller had a season high 18 points. Berkholz added 10 points, with Unruh scoring 9. Corey Buller finished with 8 points, Cook banked in 7 points, and Brubaker added 4.