Bluebirds take second at Canton-Galva tourney
Goessel loses 48-46
in final seconds
to Ell-Saline Cardinals
By DELBERT PETERS
Contributing writer
The Goessel High School boys' basketball team lost to Ell-Saline in a squeaker, 48-46, in the championship game of the Canton-Galva tournament held Friday in Canton.
Goessel fell behind in the first quarter by nine points. Early in the second quarter, the Bluebirds trailed 16-15, but the Cardinals pushed the score to 24-17 before the Bluebirds would mount a steady surge.
Goessel trailed 30-32 at half time.
Jesse Goertzen, who hit six three pointers in the game, nailed two long-range baskets in the third quarter to give Goessel a 36-34 lead with 5:32 to play in the third.
With 3:37 to play in the game and Goessel leading 46-43, Ell Saline came out of a timeout with a half-court pressure defense.
Fouls on Goessel players allowed the Cardinals to shoot free throws and a chance to take the lead.
The Cardinals were able to rebound their own missed free throw with the score tied 46-46 forcing the Bluebirds to turnover the ball with 33 seconds to play.
Goessel inbounded the ball, and the Cardinals came up with a steal and a lay-up, plus a free throw. Ell Saline missed the free throw but had the lead 48-46 with 19 seconds to play.
The Bluebirds nearly lost the ball, regained control and took an open 15-foot shot at the buzzer that would not go.
Scoring for the team were Goertzen with a season high of 20 points, Jeremy Voth with 14, Kent Peters 10, and Clinton Plenert two.
Last Thursday, against Belle Plaine, Goessel won 57-44. Goessel fell behind 16-13 at the end of the first quarter, but good decisions on the fast break allowed them jump to a 25-16 lead and then never look back.
Aaron Stehman and Kent Peters led the team with five assists each. The Bluebirds biggest lead came at 52-34 mid-way through the fourth quarter.
Scoring for the team were Voth with 23 points, Goertzen, Peters, and Plenert with nine each, Ben Schmidt with three, Stehman and Nicholas Peters with two each.
Voth was selected as Most Valuable Player of the tournament, and Plenert was voted to the All-Tournament team.
Goessel now posts an overall record of 9-5 and a 5-3 record in league.
They will resume play on Feb. 4 when they host Remington.
