Cold shooting leads to loss

By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Cold shooting by both teams kept Friday’s Goessel boys game close until the end , when Goessel fell 31-30 in overtime at Rural Vista.

Goessel’s biggest lead was five; the Heat’s.

After Drew Lindeman scored the first points for the Bluebirds and Miguel Ballesto added two more. Goessel went scoreless for several minutes until Dylan Lindeman hit a three to end the first quarter tied at 9.

Goessel did not score for more than three minutes in the second quarter until Dylan Lindeman hit another three, Zach Zogleman popped in a jumper, and Jake Hiebert got a steal and a layup to give the Bluebirds a 16-13 lead at half.

Both teams scored only six points in the third period, but Rural Vista scored five unanswered points to start the fourth quarter. Ballesta then tied the game, and Goessel grabbed the lead with a Dylan Lindeman three. The Bluebirds missed twice from the free-throw line in the last 40 seconds, and Rural Vista sank a three with 9 seconds remaining, to send the game into overtime.

Drew Lindeman hit one of two from the line, and Ballesta gave the Bluebirds a three-point lead with a made basket.

Rural Vista then tied the game on the traditional three-point play, and with two seconds left went to the line and hit one of two free throws to win.

The Bluebirds hit 27 percent from the field and 17 percent from the line.

Dylan Lindeman led the team with 11 points; Ballesta 6, Drew Lindeman 5, and two points each for Hiebert, Schmidt, Z. Zogleman, and Skyler Wuest.

Goessel moved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the Wheat State League.

Girls also lose

Against highly ranked Rural Vista, Goessel girls matched the home team in the first quarter.

Madi Smith started with a three-pointer, Stephany Meyer hit a free throw, and Elizabeth Schmucker knocked down a jumper, tying the game at 6, but the quarter ended with Goessel behind 12-9.

Defensive pressure by the Heat forced turnovers, and Goessel saw the deficit grow to 29-13 at halftime.

Scoring only four points in the third quarter, Goessel trailed by 29 as the fourth quarter began and lost the game, 53-24.

Schmucker hit a season high 10 points.

The Goessel girls moved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in league play.