By DELBERT PETERS

Sports writer

Goessel High School girls basketball team continued their winning ways Friday with some good rebounding late in the game against Bennington. 

Goessel trailed 8-6 at the end of the first quarter, but snatched the lead, 13-12, on two free throws by Kendra Flaming. The Bluebirds led 18-16 at the half.

The lead then changed hands eight times in the second half. Karina Harvey hit a basket with four minutes to play. On the next possession, she took an offensive rebound in for another score and the Bluebirds led for good, 34-32. 

Flaming hit a 3-pointer on the receiving end of a cross-court pass. Karis Janzen hit two baskets from close range at the beginning of a six-point run, which included a field goal from Frey to seal the victory, 43-36.

Flaming led the team with 13 points, three blocks, and nine rebounds. Aspen Frey canned 10 points with three steals, Janzen ended with eight points, Harvey tossed in seven points and dished out three assists, Jessica Goertzen finished with four points, and Shanna Klassen grabbed seven rebounds and scored one point. 

The Goessel girls are now 7-2 overall and 4-0 in league play. The girls will have a game at Little River Friday.

GHS defeats Lady Warriors

“I’ve got a lot more confidence in our defense this year. The girls are starting to get it,” Goessel girls coach Ryan Hoopes said. “We rotate better in all our positions.”

He was all smiles after beginning the league season 3-0 with a win against Peabody-Burns Jan. 12. The game was tied at 6-6 at the end of the first period. Goessel’s Flaming, Janzen, and Harvey scored the first seven points of the second quarter. Peabody-Burns answered but Goessel led, 17-16, at halftime.

Goertzen scored on a drive to the bucket and another field goal from 15 feet. Frey converted a left-handed layup for a basket and Janzen hit a 10-footer in the lane to boost Goessel’s lead to 25-16. 

The third period ended at 25-19. The Warriors got as close as 28-23, but Goessel then scored six straight points on two free throws by Harvey and two layups by Janzen to go ahead by 11 points. The two teams matched baskets near the end of the game but the Bluebirds finished as winners, 38-28.

Janzen had a season-high 15 points on a sizzling 7-for-8 from the field. Flaming knocked in 10 points, Goertzen came up with six, Harvey notched five, and Frey ended the night with two points.