By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Berean’s state-ranked boys and girls teams proved formidable foes, as Goessel lost both games Friday in Elbing.

In a battle of ranked Class 2A girls teams, No. 10 Berean defeated No. 8 Goessel 34-20.

After a 6-6 tie in the first quarter, Goessel’s three-point shooting went cold. The Bluehirds missed all 12 attempts as Berean grabbed a 20-10 halftime lead that stretched to 29-15 after three quarters.

Defensive pressure that usually propels Goessel to easy baskets was handled well by Berean as Goessel only picked up two steals in this game.

Brittney Hiebert led Goessel five points. Leah Booton and Eden Hiebert each had four. Kara Burkholder scored three, and Madison Smith and Stephany Meyer scored two each.

With a 15-4 season record going into Tuesday’s game at Udall, Goessel may have to face Berean again.

Both teams will be in the same sub-state tournament, brackets for which will be prepared after Tuesday’s games. Top-seeded teams will have a home game, with winners advancing to Hillsboro for the sub-state tournament.

In the boys game Friday, seventh-ranked Berean held Bluebird scoring to a minimum and extended its lead in every quarter as Goessel struggled to find offensive rhythm in a 49-22 loss.

Berean led 12-4, 22-10, and 30-15 at quarter breaks.

The Bluebirds shot a disappointing 15 percent from the field but a respectable 71 percent from the free-throw line.

Dylan Lindeman led Goessel with nine points and nine rebounds. Jordan Griffin scored four; Jacob Hagewood and Jerah Schmidt, three each; Carson Sterk, two; and Zach Zogleman, one.

Going into Tuesday’s final regular season game at Udall, the Goessel boys had a 3-16 season record.