By DELBERT PETERS

Sports writer

It’s a good thing games are not won by who is ahead for the most minutes, because it was in the fourth quarter before Goessel snatched the lead in Friday’s game against Bennington.

The Bulldogs took advantage of steals in the first nine minutes of the game to go ahead 20-9. After a Bluebird timeout, Goessel began to close the gap. As the half ended, Goessel trailed 23-20.

Bennington pushed their lead to 32-24 and the Bluebirds took another timeout. Weston Hiebert scored under the bucket, Corey Buller took a drive all the way for a score, Hiebert connected on a free throw, and Aaron Reimer made a 3-point play by way of a free throw. The Bluebirds tied the game 32-32 with 1 minute, 32 seconds to go in the third period.

The Bulldogs scored four free throws to again take the lead. At the 4:54 mark in the fourth quarter, an Issac Fast layup gave the Bluebirds their first lead of the game.

For seven possessions the lead changed at each end of the floor. Two free throws by Reimer, then a jumper by Fast and a 3-pointer by Neal Brubaker all sandwiched around Bulldog points and Goessel led, 44-42. A Weston Hiebert free throw gave the Bluebirds a 45-42 lead. A Bulldog basket with 32 seconds to play trimmed the lead to only one point. 

As Goessel was looking for someone to get open on the inbounds play, a Bennington player touched the ball in the hands of the Goessel player standing out of bounds. An automatic technical foul allowed Chad Wedel to sink one of two free throws for a 46-44 lead. A big rebound on a Bulldog missed shot forced Bennington to foul and Brubaker sank two free throws to clench the win with 13 seconds left in the game.

“We shot 40 percent from the field tonight,” head coach Justin Coup said. “This was a big win for us.” 

Scoring against Bennington, Brubaker and Reimer each had 12 points, Hiebert picked up 10, Fast knocked in 6, Buller 4, Wedel 3, and Braden Unruh 1.

Goessel snapped a three-game losing streak and picked up their first win in the Heart of America League. 

The Bluebirds were at Burrton for a tournament game Monday. They toppled Burrton, 58-50 and will play Berean Thursday. Goessel boys are 5-4 overall and 1-3 in league play.

PBHS defeats Bluebirds

With a high shooting percentage in the first period, Peabody-Burns attacked with an 11-0 lead at Goessel Jan. 12. The Bluebirds ended the first quarter in the lead, 13-6. 

Goessel got within four points at 18-14 after Brubaker hit a 12-foot jumper in the lane and a 3-pointer. But that would be as close as the Bluebirds would get. Goessel trailed at halftime, 24-17.

The Warriors went on a nine-point run early in the third period to take a commanding 33-22 lead. Peabody-Burns increased their margin to 52-31, before the Bluebirds were able to score near the end of the game to make the final score, 53-35.

Fast scored two 3-pointers for six points. Reimer and Miller each scored six points and gathered in six rebounds apiece. Hiebert led the team with 12 rebounds and five points. Brubaker knocked in five points, Buller came up with four points, and Unruh scored three.