Trojans roll; Warriors come up short
Staff writers
Top-seeded Hillsboro (17-3 going in) and seventh-seeded Marion (6-14) began the the Class 2A girls basketball substate Tuesday night while the county’s three other teams were eliminated in earlier play in Class 1A.
Goessel edged out by Eagles
Facing Canton-Galva (12-8 going in) for the fourth time this season, having lost each of the last two of those contests by 20 or more points, Goessel’s girls (11-8) faced a tough challenge in a four-vs.-five contest at the Class 1A Disvision I substate Friday.
After each team scored a basket to start the game, coach Ryan Hoopes made a tactical move.
“Our goal was to slow down and control the pace of the game and dominate the time of possession” he said.
Canton-Galva led at the end of the first quarter, 9-2.
Aimee Funk and Riley Graber scored points in the second period as the pace of play picked up. The Eagles led 21-11 at halftime.
Canton-Galva increased its lead to 14 points in the third period, but Goessel scratched its way back to a 10-point deficit at the end of the third quarter.
Goessel got on a roll, and with baskets by Cheyenne Sawyer and Jaicee Griffin and a free-throw from Aimee Funk, the Bluebirds trailed just 34-29.
“We just needed either to get a few more buckets to go in for us, or for them to miss a couple more,” Hoopes said.
Desperately trying to catch up, the Bluebirds fouled, and the Eagles converted six consecutive points.
In the final minute of play, Sawyer hit a three-pointer ,and Braylyn Hoopes tossed in a close basket, but the Bluebirds lost, 44-37.
Scoring leaders for Goessel in this last game of the season were Cheyenne Sawyer, 12 ,and Aimee Funk, 8.
Centre girls end season
In a physical game that yielded 56 free throws, the Cougars (3-7 going in) were defeated by 6-14 Burrton, 51-37, in the first round of the Class 1A Division II tournament at Burrton.
The game was close until late in the second quarter. Third-seeded Burrton led sixth-seeded Centre 28-18 at halftime.
“We never had a really good run after that,” coach Alan Stahlecker said.
Hailey Barton and Olivia Carlson were leading scorers, with 13 points and 10 points respectively.
All team members are expected to be back next year.
“We will have to get better,” Stahlecker said.
Peabody-Burns forfeits
The Warriors’ girls basketball team has had a tough time competing this season with only five active girls on the roster at any given game.
In some games, Peabody-Burns would be down to three or four active players in the second half because of rest or injury.
Even though the winless forfeit to Wakefield (9-11) in the first round of the Class 1A Division II substate tournament, managing to complete a 16-game season still was an accomplishment.