Sports writer
The Goessel High School football team took another step Friday in their quest for the eight-man division I, District 4 title by crushing Little River 48-0.
Little River held the ball far more minutes than Goessel, but could never find its way to the end zone.
Goessel’s defense sparkled again as Travis Fensky recorded five solo tackles while Weston Hiebert and Nathan Walker each had four individual stops.
In 26 minutes of play, the Bluebirds rushed for 136 yard and passed for 86.
Fensky started the Bluebird scoring with a 45-yard sprint on the first offensive play for the Bluebirds.
Less than three minutes later the Bluebirds marched down field with Craig Banman taking the ball across the goal line from one yard out.
Austin Unruh rushed three yards for the two-point conversion and Goessel led 14-0.
Goessel scored again on a 54-yard pass play from Unruh to Banman with 4:52 left in the first quarter.
Fensky crossed the goal line from one yard to make the score at the end of the first quarter 28-0.
Little River continued using the clock on its possessions and the Bluebirds did not score again until 2:36 left in the first half.
Unruh connected with Fensky for a 19-yard pass play. With less than a minute gone by, the Bluebirds again crossed the goal line with Unruh going the last eight yards on the ground.
Banman kicked the extra points after the last four touchdowns and the Bluebirds led at halftime 42-0.
In the third quarter, Banman took a Little River punt 55 yards for a score and the game ended by way of the 45-point rule, giving the Bluebirds their sixth win of the season and their first in Heart of America action.
Goessel will host a non-district game Friday with St John Military.
Claflin defeated Pretty Prairie, the only other unbeaten team in District 4, in last week’s action.
Goessel is now 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the district, and holds on to its second-place ranking in the state according to the Wichita Eagle poll.