Bluebirds bow out at sub-state
By DELBERT PETERS
Contributing writer
The team that had the last possession was the team with the best chance of winning. It was that type of game in Clay Center as the Goessel boys played Pike Valley in the semifinal game of the 1A Sub-State.
Clinton Plenert gave Goessel the lead on a lay-up, 61-59 with 1:20 to play in the game.
Goessel knocked the ball away from the Panthers, but on the ensuing inbound play, Pike Valley made the basket and free-throw to take back the lead 62-61.
Goessel missed a shot on their next possession, but Pike Valley missed two free throws. The Bluebirds were satisfied to run some time off the clock and with 13.2 seconds remaining called a time out.
Goessel inbounded the ball, and Aaron Stehman was fouled with 8.3 seconds. Stehman went to the line with a one and one and made the first shot to again tie the game 62-62. He missed the second, and the Panthers began to weave the ball down the floor. With two seconds remaining, a Pike Valley guard scored a three pointer, and Goessel could not get the ball inbounds before the buzzer sounded.
Goessel's season scoring leader, Jeremy Voth, scored four points in the first minute of the game, but was also whistled for two fouls and had to spend time on the bench in the first half. Sophomore Ryan Janzen contributed two points in the first quarter as he filled in for Voth.
The Bluebirds trailed at the end of the first quarter 11-14. Pike Valley outscored Goessel 14-2 early in the second quarter to take a lead 30-15, but the Bluebirds found a way to scratch their way back into the game.
Kent Peters scored 11 points in the second quarter, and Goessel trailed at half-time 28-35. The Bluebirds kept the momentum in the third quarter and tied the game 39-39, with a Jesse Goertzen three pointer and four points from Clinton Plenert.
From the 4:45 mark in the third period till the end of the game, both teams would have leads of three points, but neither team more than that.
Peters got a steal and lay-up with 2:50 to play and then hit a three pointer to give the Bluebirds a 46-43 lead, but the Panthers hit a three pointer on their next possession to tie.
Ben Schmidt's ten footer would give the Bluebirds a 48-46 lead at the end of three quarters.
Voth scored five points, and Plenert dropped in six points in the fourth quarter as the teams matched each other basket for basket.
"The last half of the second quarter got our offense restarted," said an exhausted Coach Justin Coup after the game. "This was a great season, with great guys."
Goessel hit 51 percent of field goals and made nine of 11 free throws. Pike Valley out rebounded the Bluebirds 27-17.
Scoring for the Bluebirds were Kent Peters with 18 points, eight assists, seven of seven free throws; Jeremy Voth with 17 points, Clinton Plenert with 16 points and seven rebounds; Jesse Goertzen with six points; Ben Schmidt and Ryan Janzen with two points each; and Stehman with one point and five assists.
