Wheat State crown moves Goessel to 36-0
Staff writer
Anticipation was high as Goessel played host for the six-team Wheat State League Tournament on Saturday, and the Bluebirds didn’t disappoint, notching coach Crysta Guhr’s 400th win and cruising to the championship.
The Bluebirds defeated Little River 25-10, 25-16. Eden Hiebert and Leah Booton scored from the left and Ciera Nolte and Stephany Meyer slapped winners from the right side as Goessel coasted to Guhr’s milestone win.
Against Solomon, aggressive serving staked the home team to a 15-7 lead. Kara Burkholder served an ace and Savanna Wuest fought through pain to keep feeding the hitters with multiple assists. Brittney Hiebert blocked and hit from the middle with success. Goessel closed out the first game with a 25-17 win. Alternating power hitting and tips, the Bluebirds scratched out another win 25-15 to secure the match.
Canton-Galva was to be the Bluebirds’ third victim of the day as they built a commanding 14-8 lead in the first game en route to a 25-18 win. Solid back row play Audessi Unruh and Madison Smith anchored the Bluebirds’ second set 25-12 victory.
Herington did not have an answer for the Bluebirds, who finished the match with identical 25-6 wins.
Rural Vista, winner of four matches in the other pool, faced off against Goessel for the title. Bolstered by early Rural Vista errors, the Bluebirds grabbed a 10-2 lead. Savanna Wuest punctuated a 25-10 win with a final serving ace. Rural Vista fought back from a 9-2 deficit in the second set to trail 17-14, but Nolte and the Hiebert cousins took control with cross-court and sideline winners. Firing her last serve in the Bluebirds gym, senior Kara Burkholder nailed an ace, giving the Bluebirds a 25-20 win and the title.
Goessel is 9-0 in league play and is 36-0 overall.
Guhr praised the play of seniors Eden Hiebert, Brittney Hiebert, Booton, and Burkholder.
“All four girls really know how to work hard and know what it takes to win,” she said. “They also are just outstanding individuals.”
Goessel is 39-0 as it ventures into a new classification for postseason play, participating in a Class 2A substate at Marion on Saturday.
Last modified Oct. 19, 2017