Girls' basketball: Five seniors back this year
By DELBERT PETERS
Contributing writer
The Goessel High School girls' varsity team will return five seniors and one junior that were letter winners a year ago.
Goessel finished the season with a 13-11 overall record in 2002, and they hope to add a few more victories this season.
Coach Brian Holloway will be at the helm, assisted by Crysta Guhr again this year.
"This year the five seniors are real leaders in practice, and practices are going good," Holloway said.
Most of the scoring last year came from Melinda Stucky and Tara Goerzen, with great defensive support coming from Becky Schroeder and Lindsey Unruh.
Jessica Graber contributed with inside defense and rebounding, and Darla Funk added ball handling skills
"Other teams will key our two offensive threats (Stucky and Goerzen), and the difference this year will be the other teammates that step up and score to balance the Bluebird attack," Holloway said.
Goessel will attempt to improve on rebounding from last year, and their strengths will again be their speed and quickness.
Brittany Goerzen, Candice Bailey, and Carolyn Unruh are also expected to contribute to varsity action this season. There are 18 girls out for practice this year, so the junior varsity will be competitive.
Goessel will play 13 games that count in league standings and will be in two tournaments during the regular season. Most of those games will be with 2A schools. The teams that are expected to contest Goessel for the top spots in the league standings are Moundridge, Little River, Inman, and Trinity.
Goessel managed to make it to sub-state last year with 13 wins and was defeated by the team that won state, Centralia.
"Our league is so tough, I haven't even tried to figure out which non-league teams will be powers," Holloway said.
Holloway is hoping for a few more than 13 wins and will have to wait to see where that will put the Bluebird team at the end of the season.
The team's first home game is Friday against Ell Saline.
