Contributing writer
This year’s Goessel volleyball team repeated as Champions of the Wheat State League Tournament on Saturday. This follows a successful 7-0 record in the Wheat State League regular season.
It was the third year in a row that Goessel has won both the Wheat State League regular season and tournament championships. This achievement was attained with no seniors on this year’s squad.
Goessel began the day defeating Elyria Christian 25-15 and 25-11. In similar fashion, Goessel finished a two-set match with Solomon 25-19 and 25-10. Peabody-Burns put up a good fight in the first game with the Bluebirds winning 25-18 and then Goessel dominated the second game, 25-9.
Rural Vista, a combined team with Hope and White City, upset Little River in pool play and advanced to play Goessel in the semifinals.
Rural Vista squeaked out a win in the first game, 26-24, but then the Bluebirds shut the door winning 25-15 and 25-16. Solid back row defense by Makayla King and Shelbi Stultz contributed to the success of the day.
Aggressive serving by Alyssa Booton, Gentry Thiesen and Anna Wiens kept the opponents on edge. The front line play of Page Hiebert, Olivia Duerksen, Erin Brubaker and Alicen Meysing kept churning out points.
In the championship match, Goessel competed against cross-county rival Centre. The Bluebirds eased to a 25-13 win in the first set, but the Cougars found inspiration in the second set. Goessel got off to a 7-0 lead, but Centre tied at 17. Scoring alternated for both teams and Goessel edged out a 25-22 victory.
At Inman on Oct. 15, the Bluebirds faced Little River for the fourth time this season. Goessel jumped ahead 4-1 but trailed the Redskins 18-15 behind good hitting and blocking.
Goessel tied the game at 21 on a Hiebert hit but Little River took a 24-22 lead, forcing a Bluebird time-out. Duerksen and Hiebert combined on a block and a Little River error tied the game 24-24.
A long ball by Little River and an ace from Booton gave Goessel the win in the first set 26-24. Although the Bluebirds led 18-12, the Redskins would get as close as three points before Meysing, Brubaker and Hiebert were able to pound out the winning points 25-20.
Against Ellinwood, a top 10 team in 2A, the Bluebirds began game one staying close to the Eagles, trailing 12-11. Ellinwood converted seven consecutive points and finished the first set 25-16. In the second set, the game was tied many times, even as late as 17. The Eagles were able to hit winners consistently and ran eight points, to finish the second game 25-17.
In the match against Inman, the Teutons got ahead 10-7. The Bluebirds gained some momentum and tied at 11 and then went on to a 19-14 lead. But the shift in momentum happened suddenly as Inman tied the game at 21. Brubaker hit a winner, Thiesen dropped in an ace and Meysing tipped for the winning point 25-21.
In the second set, Goessel methodically built a 22-14 lead, fighting off Teuton rallies. Inman would cut into the eight-point lead, but Goessel closed the match with two kills for a 25-20 win.
The Bluebirds end the week with a record of 29-8. Goessel will host the 1A sub-state tournament on Saturday with teams from Burrton, Flint Hills, Hartford, Pretty Prairie and Centre.