Sports writer
The season came to an end for the Goessel High School girls’ basketball team this past week at Burrton with a 54-31 regional semifinal loss to Central Christian.
The Bluebirds trailed 8-6 in the middle of the first quarter, but the Cougars went on a 12-3 run and Goessel had to try to play catch-up the rest of the game.
Central led by 17 at one point in the second quarter and increased its lead as the game progressed.
Goessel finished the season with a 7-15 record.
Kendra Flaming, for the 15th game this season, led her team in scoring with 11 points.
Karina Harvey scored her season-high of nine points with three, three-pointers.
Karis Janzen added four points, Aspen Frey three, Jessica Goertzen three, and Justine Plenert one point.
It is possible that Goessel will return all players from this year’s team, except for exchange student Isabell Tamoj.
Goessel dominated the first round regional tournament game Feb. 23 at Hope, 39-19.
The Bluebirds jumped out to a 7-0 lead against the Lions.
Instructions from the Hope staff did not result in any points during the first quarter as Goessel led 15-0 at the break.
Frey recorded her second three-pointer of the game with less than five minutes to play in the half giving the Bluebirds a 23-1 lead.
The visitors led 25-8 at half.
The Bluebirds held the Lions scoreless for more than half of the third period as Frey, Harvey, Janzen, and Flaming added points giving Goessel a 33-8 lead.
Hope showed some signs of life by scoring seven points late in the third quarter, but the Bluebirds had too big of a lead to cause any concern as they cruised to the 20-point victory.
Frey scored 14 points and Janzen added 12 points along with 17 rebounds.
Flaming dropped in six points, Harvey banked in four, Shanna Klassen scored two, and Goertzen added a free throw.