Contributing writer
The Goessel girls’ basketball team went 1-2 in the Eli Walter Invitational Tournament at Berean Academy, defeating Sunrise Academy on Jan. 28, then losing to Douglass and Trinity Academy to place fourth.
Sunrise Academy
The girls snapped a four-game losing streak in the first round of the tournament on Jan. 28. Page Hiebert started the scoring for the Bluebirds and ended up with all nine points in the first quarter as Goessel led 9-2 at the first break.
Sunrise scored 10 consecutive points before Olivia Duerksen hit two free throws to get the Bluebirds back in the scoring column. Hiebert, Aleena Cook, and Makayla King connected for eight consecutive points to finish the quarter with a 19-13 lead for the Bluebirds.
Goessel continued to add to its lead in the third period as various players dropped in baskets for the Bluebirds, who led 33-19. The Bluebirds sent the Buffaloes to the free-throw line 15 times in the fourth quarter, but Sunrise missed seven of those opportunities as the Bluebirds hung on to win 40-38.
Douglass
Although the Bluebirds had the game tied at 4, relentless full court pressure from the Bulldogs doomed the Goessel squad’s chances. Alicen Meysing and Cook scored for the Bluebirds as Goessel trailed 10-6 at the end of the first quarter. One field goal each from Meysing and Cook would be the only offense Goessel would convert against the bigger girls and the team went to the locker room down 27-10 at halftime.
Hiebert hit two free throws and Meysing scored one bucket, but four points would be the scoring in the third period for the Bluebirds, who trailed by 23 at the end of three quarters. Hiebert scored twice and King hit two buckets late in the game, but the Bluebirds lost 51-22.
Trinity Academy
In the game for third place, the Bluebirds only scored four points in the first quarter. Trinity Academy from Wichita poured in points consistently every quarter and led 14-4 at the end of the period.
Although the offense performed better in the second period, cutting the deficit to five points, the Bluebirds still trailed 31-15 at the half. Hiebert scored a season-high 19 points with eight of them coming in the third period, but Trinity’s lead continued to grow, 44-23.
Jennifer Meysing knocked in a jump shot as Hiebert added seven more points. The Bluebirds had too much to handle from the 4A school in a 52-32 loss, earning fourth place in the tournament.
The Goessel girls are 4-8 overall. They travel to Centre on Friday.