Top-seeded Bluebirds see state dreams disappear

This was a year the stars were aligned for the Goessel girls basketball team to head off to Hays for this week’s state tournament.

The Bluebirds, ranked in the top 10 in 1A Division 1 all season long, undefeated Wheat State League winners, were seeded No. 1 with a first-round bye in a substate played on their home court.

But the Rural Vista Heat, a team the Bluebirds beat by 1 point earlier in the season, didn’t care about stars. They cared about returning the favor and going to state, and in the end, that’s what they did in Saturday’s championship game, winning 42-39.

Goessel got off to a slow start, but riding the heels of a 15-5 run, they were on top heading into halftime, 21-18. Things were looking good late in the third quarter with a 30-24 lead, but their shooting touch suddenly disappeared, both from the field and from the free-throw line.

Rural Vista took advantage, igniting a 12-3 run and holding off a Goessel challenge in the final seconds to secure the win and a berth in the state tournament.

Eden Hiebert led Goessel scorers with 13 points, Brittney Hiebert scored 8, and Abby Hannon and Olivia Duerksen each hit for 7.