Lady Bluebirds 2023-2024
Bluebirds 2023 -2024
Goessel Basketball – Goessel Bluebird Classic – December 4, 2023
Goessel began its 2023-2024 season this week with a strong 2nd half showing at Marion. This year’s Seniors Cheyenne Sawyer, Braylyn Hoopes, Jaicee Griffin, and Alece Lehrman have their eye set on an enjoyable and successful season. Facing off against perennial Wheat State rival Canton-Galva in the opening round of this year’s Bluebird Classic looked like a good first home stand. The Eagles have no Seniors playing this season. The Bluebirds were challenged both from the floor (26%) and the free throw line (35%) tonight and in a contest that saw 7 lead changes could simply not put away a physical young team. Raegan Hawkinson hit a runner at the buzzer to win 41-40.
The Bluebirds faced full court pressure most of the night and on occasion were able to turn the press break into makes. Abbigail Funk led things off with a nice break and Braylyn Hoopes kept it at 4-6 in close. At 4:00 Cheyenne Sawyer let one fly with an arc so perfect math teacher Lightner used it as an illustration in class the next day. 5’-11” Gretta Scholle will help the Bluebirds inside this year with deft handling in the paint and the ability to finish. Goessel retook the lead 11-10 with Scholle and Abbigail Funk picking the Eagle handler for another long distance break. Gretta tossed long to Logan Bryant, who turned and banked for the 15-10 lead. Moments later, Sawyer launched from the Eagle eyrie corner and saw nothing but net to go to 18-12, the largest Bluebird lead of the night; there’s always a mini-pirouette/smile type of celebration (don’t blink or you’ll miss it) from #5 after each long trey. Jaicee Griffin had a block so fierce, reports have come in that several shelves of vintage grocery containers at GG & D flew off their moorings. Solid free throw shooting from Espinoza kept it at 18-16 at the quarter.
After a table review, the score was adjusted to 16-17 apparently due to a scoring flap around the 9-10 mark. In a low scoring, defensive 2nd quarter neither team could find the hole. Goessel only mustered a single free throw from #20 and a put back FG underneath from Scholle while the Eagles got two more FT’s from Hoppes and one lay in to leave it at 19-21 at the half. The Eagles played a 1-3-1 zone against Goessel most of the night with the Bluebirds mostly in woman to woman.
With 5:30 left in the 3rd, Abbigail Funk found the range on a runner to knot at 21-21, then Sawyer set and delivered yet again, this time from so far downtown the community Christmas tree at Bethesda glowed 5 different colors then went pure blue and white. The 9-6 3rd quarter was also a physical tussle, with the Eagles going 1 for 5 from the line to leave it at 28-27. This year’s rule change eliminating 1-1 foul shooting and instead moving to the double bonus each quarter after the 4th team foul will likely see the importance of free throw shooting shoot way up in team preparation.
The 4th stanza began with a bang, as Abbigail Funk again saw the assembled Bluebird fans rise as one with a great steal and finish. Scholle had a giant reject, but things turned sour as Hawkinson was fouled on a successful inside move, then inside post Hailey Barton was fouled inside on the FT rebound and hit the free throw, a five point turnaround. Aimee Funk pegged 2/2 from the line (the only Bluebird to hit 100% from the line tonight) to knot at 32-32, then Abbigail Funk picked the ball handler’s pocket and went coast to coast for two more. 34-32. Goessel connected with quite a few nice finishes off steals tonight and Sawyer got one more to lead 36-33. Ominously, both teams were in the bonus already at 4:57. The rest of the quarter was who was going to hit charities. Canton-Galva put away 6 of 12 and Goessel hit 3 of 12, which looks like the difference in this game. Jaicee Griffin fouled out at 2:19 and Aimee Funk at 1:32. At 1:07 with the Bluebirds up 40-38, Espinoza was able to steal the ball but could only convert one FT. Goessel was able to control down to :38, then to :18, but the Bluebirds could not put the charities in the hole, leaving the door open and, after a time out with 10 seconds left, gave the ball to Hawkinson, who drove and plopped a slow-motion runner from 7 feet into the net for the buzzer beating win 40-41. Cheyenne Sawyer and Abbigail Funk both had 11 for the Bluebirds, Gretta Scholle finished with 9, Logan Bryant scored 5 and both Braylin Hoopes and Aimee Funk put up 2. Also in for Goessel were Jaicee Griffin and Alece Lehrman. Aimee Funk was perfect from the line (2/2), Sawyer was credited with 6 assists and 7 rebounds, Gretta Scholle pulled 11 boards and hit 3 of 4 (75% ) from the charity stripe. Goessel is coached by Ryan Hoopes with assistance from Olivia Duerksen.
This year’s theme of “Day 111” shows the length of a long basketball season from start of practice into the sub-state world, with many opportunities along the way for development of yourself, your team and others. May progress be made in all we do!
-Karl Brubaker
