Goessel girls tumble to Inman

With an entirely new starting lineup this year, the Goessel girls’ basketball team knew it would have to figure things out in a hurry Friday night in the season-opener.

Facing the seventh-ranked visiting Inman Teutons, Goessel couldn’t get on track fast enough, falling 43-21.

Inman exploded for a 6-0 lead before Madi Smith banked in a shot for the first points of the new season.

Elizabeth Schmucker hit one-of-two free throws and the Bluebirds trailed 8-3 at the end of the first quarter.

The Teutons took advantage of the Bluebirds’ inexperience, using a 10-0 run to open an 18-3 lead early in the second quarter.

Porclein Unruh hit one-of-two free throws, and Haley O’Neal scored a basket for Goessel’s only points of the second quarter, but Inman stretched its lead to 23-6 by halftime.

The Bluebirds seemed to learn from the first two quarters as they began to beat the Teuton pressure.

Senior Stephany Meyer scored four field goals and a free throw along with two points each from Schmucker and Rebecca Sawyer.

The Bluebirds inched their way back into the game the third quarter, pulling to 34-19 heading into the final lap.

A sole basket by Elizabeth Alderfer was all the Bluebirds could get to fall the fourth quarter, thwarting any attempt of jeopardizing the Teuton lead.

Meyer led the team with nine points, all in the third quarter.

Schmucker notched three points, and the quartet of Alderfer, Sawyer, O’Neal, and Smith combined for eight.