Girls Add "W" and Claim 3rd Straight Undefeated WSL Title
With a 46-15 win over Peabody Burns the Lady Bluebirds claim their 3rd straight undefeated WSL Championship! Way to go ladies!
For any team wanting to take their chances with a packed zone defense against Goessel’s Bluebirds, tonight illustrated what is possible. The Blue lit it up from 15 feet and beyond. Eden Hiebert finished with 22, including four treys, and pulled down an incredible 16 rebounds. Against the out-matched Warriors, Goessel’s trapping defense held the home team to one field goal until 2:43 left in the 3rd quarter, when Peabody doubled their score in minutes. The final in the lopsided WSL contest was 46-15.
On homecoming night in Peabody, visiting fans gathered en masse to support a girls’ team that needs good momentum going into sub-state. Jennifer Meysing coasted in a long 2 to start, then Brittney Hiebert pushed in hard, was fouled and got the back end charity. Jennifer looped in another solid-gold jumper, then Eden caught over the top for a nifty finish. Eden set and delivered from near the Warrior “ESPN booth” to go up 10-0 at quarter end.
Peabody was giving the Bluebirds totally open shots from 13.5 feet and out, trying to collapse and seal off the rebound. Goessel still was able to grab 25 offensive rebounds and totally dominated the limited quantity defensive boards. Lubbers hit a runner at 6:33 for the only Peabody field goal of the first half. Savanna Wuest and Abby Hannon were perfect from the line, going 4 for 4 to take it to 14-2. From the deep right corner, Eden found the range again, hitting nothing but “poof” with one foot in each of two homecoming “spirit wagons.” Moments later, the Birds challenged at half court, and out of the tie up, Wuest hit a running Hiebert for two more to lead 19-2. Harris hit two charities and Olivia the back end of two FT’s to leave it at 20-4 at the half.
Jennifer jumped a lateral Warrior pass and went coast to coast; the suffocating ‘Bird claws ran it to 31-4 on finishes from Eden, another perfect Eden arc, two Brittney charities and a left handed lay-in from Brittney off a Warrior turnover. Peabody called its third timeout but could not quell the carnage. Harris picked up only the 2nd field goal of the game at the 2:43 mark, 31-6, Eden buried yet another thriller, this one from so deep Grandpa Norman got up and danced in the aisle. At the buzzer, Hodges banked in a long three to take it to 34-9.
Brittney pushed into the paint for two, then Eden followed, was fouled and hit both ends. Now finding openings in the zone, Goessel pushed into Brittney for two more, including a nice feed from Kara Burkholder off a steal. Olivia Duerksen finger-rolled a nice follow to put it into running clock 42-11 and Peabody called time at 4:15. Brittney popped a soft arc to Leah Booton in heavy traffic underneath and Leah made a pretty turn for two down low. At 44-13 subs were in with 2:12 remaining. Madi Smith hit a smooth 8 footer to go to 46-15 to close out this contest between the top Wheat State League team and winless Peabody.
Eden Hiebert led the Bluebirds with 22 including four huge treys and was perfect from the line (2/2). In a double/double night, the Junior pulled down a huge 16 boards, 13 of them offensive. Eden nearly pulled off the triple double with 8 steals on the night. Brittney Hiebert added 7 points and Jennifer Meysing 6. Savanna Wuest and Leah Booton were both perfect from the line and finished with 4. Olivia Duerksen scored 3 and both Abby Hannon (perfect from the free throw line) and Madi Smith put up 2. Also in for the Bluebirds were: Stephany Meyer, Kara Burkholder, Jenna Nightingale, and Emily Meier. Three Bluebirds were 100% from the line and Goessel finished at 71% on the night. Goessel was 36% from 3FG and was 12 of 50 from 2FG (24%), but were able to put it up and go after it many times tonight.
