Bluebirds are undefeated in the league

By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Little River came to play Friday night, giving Goessel football team a run for their money. However, in the end, the Bluebirds prevailed defeating the Redskins, 42-14. Goessel is one of two teams in the league who remain undefeated.

Little River’s first play from scrimmage went 35 yards, deep into Goessel territory. An interception by Weston Hiebert on the goal line stopped the drive. For the first time this season, Goessel punted four times in the first half. Neither team would score in the first quarter. 

Although Goessel would penetrate several times, deep into Little River territory, key penalties nullified long plays. Goessel scored first with 5:36 left in the second quarter on a Cameron Stultz sprint for 46 yards through the right side of the line. 

Little River scored its first touchdown at the three-minute mark on an 8-yard run. The half ended with the score tied, 6-6.

Tyler Schmidt connected with John Berkholz for a 48-yard pass play early in the second quarter. The Bluebirds led 12-6 and five seconds later Berkholz recovered a Redskin fumble. Goessel began to march down the field. Schmidt faked a handoff to Stultz and Schmidt ran untouched up the middle for a 6-yard touchdown.

Again, the extra points failed, but the Bluebirds led, 18-6. The Bluebird defense came up with a sack on their own 10-yard line and took over on downs. Schmidt connected with Hayden Goerzen on a long pass that went 34 yards for another score. Schmidt found Hiebert in the end zone for the extra points and Goessel now seemed to have a comfortable 26-6 lead. 

Little River moved the ball down the field and scored with 2:02 left in the third period making the score 26-14 at the end of three periods. 

Jake Schmucker recovered a fumble with 7:43 left to play in the game. Penalties again nullified a touchdown pass to Hiebert, but with the Bluebirds facing a third down and 25 yards to go, Schmidt connected on a quick pass to Goerzen who got behind the defense and went 74 yards for a touchdown. Schmidt found Stultz for the extra point and Goessel led, 34-14.

Stultz followed the blocking of Bryant Miller, Austin Cooper, and Alex Ross on his way for a 28-yard score and he followed the whole offensive line into the end zone for the extra points. 

Schmidt passed for 174 yards and three touchdowns. Goerzen led the team with 105 receiving yards. Stultz had 114 rushing yards.

On defense, Goessel was led by Hiebert with 10 solo tackles. Braden Unruh had eight solos and Austin Cooper had six. Hiebert and Stultz each had an interception. Schmucker and Berkholz each recovered a fumble.

Pretty Prairie handed Claflin their second loss of district play, leaving Goessel and Pretty Prairie as the only undefeated teams in the district with two more games to play. 

The Bluebirds’ next contest is at St John’s Military School of Salina, not a district game.