By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Goessel scored on the first play of its first two possessions last week against Peabody-Burns, and that put the Bluebirds ahead for good.

Jacob Hagewood ran for a 37-yard score on Goessel’s first play. Hagewood then received a Dylan Lindeman pass that went for a 51-yard touchdown, putting Goessel up 14-0 to end the first quarter.

“I am really proud of our underclassmen who have been practicing hard all week,” coach Garrett Hiebert said. “We have a few kids banged up at this time of the year. I’ve been proud of our unselfishness and our ability to make adjustments.”

Midway through the second quarter, Hagewood outran the Warriors on a 59-yard catch-and-run.

Peabody-Burns passed into the end zone with 55 seconds left in the half, but the ball squirted loose, preventing a Warrior score.

Despite having under a minute left, the Bluebirds managed one last score before the half ended. The offensive line of Logan Sterk, Eddie Gaeddert and Caiden Duerksen gave Lindeman enough time to loft a pass to Wiens, for a 62-yard touchdown.

The quick strike set the halftime score at 28-0 in Goessel’s favor.

The defensive line of Gaeddert, Duerksen and Dylan Riley clogged up the running lanes, only allowing 104 yards rushing.

After a short Warrior punt, the Bluebirds began the fourth quarter on the 25-yard line, leading 36-0.

The Warriors eventually scored on a three-yard run with 9:16 left in the fourth quarter, but Goessel added two more scores, to end it 56-8 with 4:51 left in the game.

Friday’s game at Bennington will determine the district’s second and third place. Goessel and Bennington are both 5-2 overall and 3-1 in district play.