Goessel girls advance to sub-state
By DELBERT PETERS
Contributing writer
The semifinal round of 1A regional tournament witnessed the Bluebird girls defeating the Burlingame girls 65-41.
The Bearcats, a number six seed, had defeated White City to earn a spot in the semi-finals. Goessel realized at the onset of the game that Kayla Banzhaf was the sprinter and player that made the Bearcats effective.
At the end of the first quarter, Goessel worked their way up to a four point lead, but as the second quarter began, Tara Goerzen lighted up the scoreboard with a barrage of three-pointers. Burlingame was unable to control the Bluebirds in the second half as well, as Goessel coasted to a 27-point lead.
"We prepared for this kind of game," said assistant coach Crysta Guhr.
Goessel led at the quarters: 13-9, 36-17, 49-27, and 65-41.
Scoring for the Bluebirds were Goerzen with 32 points (seven three-pointers), Melinda Stucky with 20, Lindsey Unruh with seven, Jessica Graber, Darla Funk, and Carolyn Unruh with two points each.
Goessel played the Hope Lions in the finals, knowing that both teams would advance to sub-state play regardless of a win or loss. Hope defeated Goessel 45-33. Hope came into this game undefeated.
Stucky scored Goessel's first six points as the Bluebirds contained one of the best teams in the state. Goessel led at the fist quarter 10-8.
Goerzen started the second quarter with a three, but then Goessel would go scoreless for six minutes.
Goerzen picked up her third foul, but still the Bluebirds trailed by only four, going into the halftime break, 19-15.
The Lions scored first in the third quarter, but Goessel scored seven straight points, to take a 22-21 lead, causing the Lions to call a time-out.
The lead changed hands several times during the rest of the quarter, with Funk hitting a three for the last points of the quarter, giving the Bluebirds a 29-27 lead at the end of three quarters.
Hope crept back into the game, taking the lead at 33-31 with 3:30 to play. Katie Schroeder's basket would tie the game, but it would be the last time the Bluebirds could manage to score.
Hope was successful on 16 of 22 free throws . Goessel never went to the charity strip for the whole game.
Scoring for the team were Stucky with 16 points, L. Unruh with seven, K. Schroeder with four, and Funk and Goerzen with three each.
Goessel, 13-9, will play Centralia, 22-1, at 6 p.m. Friday at Clay Center for the first round of the 1A sub-state tournament. One winner of the four teams will go on to the state tournament in Hays. Only 32 teams out of the 113 1A schools are still playing basketball, and this is the second year in a row that the Bluebird girls have advance to the sub-state level.
