Bluebirds take wins over Ell Saline, Peabody
By DELBERT PETERS
Contributing writer
In the Heart of America League, an 11-point lead with four minutes to play is not a cushion, but the Bluebirds managed to hang on for a 49-45 win Friday. Goessel started the season against Ell Saline, the 2002 league champions who are rated sixth in 2A in some pre-season polls this year.
Goessel showed defensive quickness and an up tempo transition game which led to some high percentage baskets in the first half. The Bluebirds led 20-12 midway through the second quarter, but the Cardinals cut the lead to four points by half-time.
Ell Saline got as close as two points, but Goessel connected on a couple of three-pointers and took a 31-25 lead starting the fourth quarter. Four key free throws by Ryan Janzen, a three-pointer by Jesse Goertzen and two free throws by Kent Peters gave the Bluebirds their biggest lead 46-35.
But the feathers started to fly, following a technical foul on the Bluebirds. Ell Saline outscored the host team, 10-1, forcing Goessel to take a time out with 1:21 to play and a Bluebird lead of 47-45. Aaron Stehman connected on two of four free throws for the last points of the game, as Goessel came up with a big defensive stand in the final minute, winning 49-45.
Goertzen scored 11 points and had four steals. Peters canned 10 points and had three assists. Clinton Plenert and Jeremy Voth had seven points each; Ryan Janzen, six; Stehman and Ben Schmidt, four each.
Against Peabody on Monday night, the game was very competitive for two and half quarters, as the two teams battled in the first round of the Bennington tournament. In the first quarter, Goessel got a seven-point lead, but with three minutes left in the second quarter, the Bluebirds led 27-26. After a Bluebird time-out, Goessel outscored the Warriors 10-4, to take a seven-point lead to the locker room.
In the third quarter, the teams matched each other bucket for bucket. With Goessel ahead 45-40, Jesse Goertzen found his stroke and hit three three-pointers in a row as Peabody mustered only two points. To the Warriors disappointment, they would only score six more points during the rest of the game, as Goessel went on a tear in the fourth quarter, scoring another 23 points. The Bluebirds finished the game with a victory by a score of 83-48.
Scoring for the Bluebirds were Voth with 22 points and eight rebounds, C. Plenert with 21 points and eight rebounds, and J. Goertzen, 13, five assists, and four steals. Josh Schmidt scored six points; Stehman, four; B. Schmidt, two points and four assists; and Ryan Janzen, two.
