Contributing writer
The Goessel boys’ basketball team placed fourth in the Burrton tournament, defeating the hosts in overtime Jan. 20, then losing to Fairfield on Thursday and Little River on Saturday.
Burrton
It was the second time this season Goessel and Burrton had met in a tournament, and it was a close, back-and-forth game in which each team held small leads.
At the end of the first quarter, Goessel led 18-16. Burrton controlled the second quarter and went into halftime with a 29-27 lead.
Ben Wiens and Brian Hiebert lit up the scoreboard in the third quarter, but Goessel only cut one point off the Charger lead. The Bluebirds trailed 43-42 at the end of third quarter.
Lawton Makovec hit a three-pointer early in the fourth quarter to give the Bluebirds a spark and Wiens worked hard for more points. The teams were tied at 60 at the end of regulation.
In overtime, Reece Hiebert added six points and Makovec scored three to give the Bluebirds a 69-66 victory.
Scoring
Ben Wiens, 23; Makovec, 23; Brian Hiebert, 11; Reece Hiebert, 8; Zach Wiens, 2; and Zach Showalter, 2.
Fairfield
Goessel expected to be in a battle against undefeated Fairfield. The Bluebirds lost composure in the second quarter, but battled back in the second half to put a scare into the Falcons.
The Bluebirds trailed 4-0 at the end of the first quarter. Makovec, Zach Wiens, Showalter, and Reece Hiebert all made baskets to give the Bluebirds a 11-10 lead. But with Makovec on the bench with foul trouble, Fairfield finished the half scoring 17 consecutive points. Goessel trailed 27-11 at halftime.
Goessel began scoring again in the third period with Ben Wiens picking up buckets from close range. The Falcons stretched their lead to 17 points. Goessel began to close the gap with Showalter hitting four free-throws, Makovec scoring twice, and Connor Davis hitting a shot. Goessel trailed 39-27 at the end of the third quarter.
Goessel trailed by six after a Makovec 3-pointer and free throws from Ben Wiens. Fairfield was able to expand its lead to 10 points. Kellen Froese hit a basket with less than two minutes to play, but the Bluebirds ran out of time as the game ended with a Goessel loss 49-42.
Scoring
Ben Wiens, 12; Makovec, 10; Showalter, 6; Zach Wiens, 6; Brian Hiebert, 2; Reece Hiebert, 2; Davis, 2; and Froese, 2.
Little River
Playing for third place at the Burrton tournament on Saturday, Goessel faced Little River for the first of two meetings in less than two weeks.
The Redskins had just too much fire power late in the game for Goessel to make any kind of attack. Little River ended the game with a 21 point win, 63-42.
Goessel took fourth place at the tournament and now owns a record of 6-5 and will play Moundridge at Goessel on Friday.
Scoring
Ben Wiens, 20; Brian Hiebert, 8; Davis 4; Makovec, 4; Showalter, 3; Reece Hiebert, 2; and Zach Wiens, 1.