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Please enjoy the recap below from Karl Brubaker.

Iron Sharpens Iron – Stronger Together

Goessel Volleyball –  @ 1A-I Sub-State – Little River     Saturday, October 26, 2024

For Bluebird Seniors Brooklyn Wuest, Logan Bryant, Abbigail Funk and Aimee Funk, this has been a huge year.  Goessel’s outstanding successes (including wins at the Bluebird Invitational v. state bound 2A Sedgwick) as well as close losses to state bound Lebo in 1A-II, state bound Little River in 1A-I, state bound Inman in 2A, and state bound Halstead in 3A have proven that this Bluebird team has indeed built stronger together.  Goessel faced rival Wheat State Little River for the fourth time this season on their home floor, Shane Cordell court, on a cool and crisp fall October afternoon.   The road to a state tournament berth the last few years has been thwarted by salty Little River teams.   Would this year be the one the Bluebirds could resume their almost annual trek to the state tournament?   Goessel’s crowd at times matched the home crowd decibel level as these two rival teams went at it in a long-awaited finale to this season.

Following opening ceremonies of this year’s KSHSAA regional-substate format, Regional champion Goessel first faced Regional runner-up Colony-Crest at 3:17.    Colony-Crest finished 22-12 in the KSHSAA standings in 4th place in the regional groupings while Goessel finished in 3rd with a 32-8 record (KSHSAA).    The Lady Lancers drove nearly three hours from their Anderson County location to participate today.   This matchup would see twins (senior Funks) on the Goessel side of the net face twins ( sophomore Schmidts) on the Lancer side.   

Both teams showed initial jitters after Delaney Duerksen’s initial service ace escaped the hall and was found near the concession stand.   Trading forays back and forth until Brooklyn Wuest slalomed one down to stay at 5-6, Aimee Funk stepped to the line and went on a key 6-0 run.   Interspersed with a Lancer timeout, the Blue rolled with a picture perfect tip from #13, an absolute smack-o-matic sidespin knuckler serve from Funk, and a crushing finish from Logan Bryant that left popcorn flying out of the hands of several close-in fans.   Several excellent finishes from each side of the net later, the Lancers appeared poised to get back in it.     Duerksen had a great hitting day, with one left side punch so potent an Australian firm called trying to brand it the boomerang slam.  Next time up, she blasted one crosscourt with such inertia several motorcycles tipped over at the Marquette museum.  15-11.    After another left side close from Wuest, the Lancers called timeout 17-13 and caused a deep “that’s incredible” murmur a moment later with yet another sweeping kill.  The hammer was now down with Bryant finding paydirt in the middle and it went to 22-15 on yet another Space-X launch from Wuest.   Aimee Funk poked a 2nd hit across into the blank space for an excellent move 23-18, Isabelle Alderfer put one down left-side, then rolled one across the net (we think a smile emerged ) in the middle to finish this one off 25-18.    With two lead changes and three ties, Goessel earned 16 and the Lancers earned 9.  Goessel would need to shut down the errors to be in good shape today.

The first point of the 2nd set proved a decisive one for setting the vibe of this round.   Aimee Funk finished a long rally with a nice poke in and the Blue rolled to 8-0 on an ace from Duerksen and huge finishes from a now ready to roll Wuest.   Timeout Colony-Crest.  At 9-3, Wuest gathered the set and swept it over in a college style finish, and with Wuest serving, Goessel got finishes from Bryant rolling off the net sideways, left side from #9 and a punch down so hard from Duerksen the rebound hit the ceiling.  After another scintillating service ace, it was another timeout for the Lancers 15-5.     Goessel got an absolutely stellar smart back row tip from Wuest, a fandango left side from Duerksen, and a nifty smooth ace from Abbigail Funk to jump to 18-6.   Goessel was now lighting it up with pops off the block from #17 and #13 that just wouldn’t stop and a near perfect drop in the middle from Alderfer complemented with a power ace from Duerksen and a final Ursula (The Little Mermaid) slam dunk from #13 to close this one out 25-8.  After the first set jitters this set felt more like what the Blue are capable of.

The Bluebirds earned 20 of their points and made only 4 errors, with the Lady Lancers earning 4, a very solid performance warming up for the championship match.

Little River had earlier defeated Olpe in the first sub-state match of the day.    Goessel fans had been rooting for the green and yellow to defeat #1 Flint hills in their regional so that the Bluebirds would play Flint hills instead of moving on to face Little River.   As the Flint Hills regional runner-up they moved over to this sub-state to face the winner of the Little River regional, and Goessel, the winner of the Goessel regional, would play Colony Crest, the runner up of the Crest regional.

Goessel’s Bluebird volleyball squad had hoped against hope that somehow the KSHSAA gods would put Little River in another sector this year.   Once again, despite being in the very center of the 1A universe, the Team From Little River was placed in the same quadrant as the Bluebirds.    So, after a season of endless strategizing on how to best defend/attack the current state champion juggernaut, today is the day where we’re playing for all the marbles.   At Canton-Galva, Goessel got a set from Little River.  Would the Bluebirds be able to push that success even further today?  The team that wins this match has as good a chance as any to win the state tournament.    The fans believe that their team will be the one.   Energy from the players in warm ups show they are ready make it happen.   PA music portends a coming storm.  Today is the day.

Little River pleased its fans out of the chute, pummeling everything they touched to go up 2-6.  Arika Feldman up front is, shall we say, hard to stop when she finds one in her wheelhouse.  Goessel’s Duerksen returned the favor with solid punches up front and back row, but coach Guhr called timeout.     #17 found the back line with another back row swat, then Wuest unloaded with a shot that resounded all the way to Lyons.   Goessel brought it back with an excellent floater ace from Aimee Funk, but several unforced errors took it to 6-9.  Duerksen got a left side kill then Abbigail Funk hit a walloped knuckle-floater serve that would have outfoxed the best MLB world series hitter.    Alderfer found the floor to stay at 10-11 and fans were not just biting their nails, they were yelling things they haven’t shouted since, well, awhile ago.  With an excellent 3-0 run and another sweeping finish from Wuest, Goessel took its first lead 12-11, enough for the Little River coach to call timeout.   With cheers of “Go Big Blue” resounding through Cordell court, it was back and forth with six more ties to 17-17.   At that moment,  the mood seemed to change as Little River upped the ante with blocks and swats that led to a 1-4 run and Goessel called time at 18-21.   With nerves and tentative shots, it coasted to 19-23 before Alderfer found another finish in the middle, puddling another drop 20-23.   Wuest gave hope with a kill to stay at 21-24, but that was all she wrote and the first set concluded at 21-25.  There were 4 lead changes and 7 ties in this exciting set.  Goessel earned 13 with 8 Little River errors and the home team earned 16 with 9 Goessel errors.

The 2nd set, Goessel came ready.  After another long first point rally, the Blue found Alderfer ready on the right for a great kill, then Wuest smashed one just like Page Hiebert used to do it.    Page was in the house today and was seen nodding in approval.   The Blue went up 4-2 on an absolutely sensational wheelhouse set from Aimee Funk for Wuest, then got a finish from Funk back row and Wuest slotted one perfectly in the open space right side 5-3.   Goessel looked in rhythm with a rolling outside shot from Duerksen that left the bench and fans alike in awe.   Timeout Little River, the biggest lead of the match for Goessel 7-4.     The Bluebirds remained in the lead or tied to 11-11, trading excellent finishes with the home team.   #17 was in great form today, a great hope for the future of Bluebird volleyball.     At 11-11 a cold wind flowed through the hall and Coach Guhr called time at 11-13.   Despite a swat from Wuest, the tone seemed to have changed and the Blue could not keep the rhythm.   Before you could say  “Dodge City is fading fast” it was 14-19 and Goessel again called time.  Claire Claassen got a push at the net to drop to stay at 15-20.  A mini-barrage from Duerksen and a sensational back row wallop from Wuest, followed by yet another smackdown from Duerksen gave the collective Blue fans hope at 18-22, with Little River calling time to quell the rush.  Goessel attempted to have a missed “out” over the antenna call reversed but the officials declined to review what appeared to be a critical missed call.   Duerksen continued to deliver left side with a punch so sumptuous nearly everyone’s sweet spot was shimmering.   At 19-23, Funk’s set fell in for the point 20-23, but two salvos from the opponent put this one in the deep freeze at 20-25 and sent Little River back to the state tournament again.    Congratulations to the Bluebirds for a great season and for a valiant effort against a very solid team.

Seniors Abbigail Funk, Aimee Funk, Logan Bryant, and Brooklyn Wuest played their last Bluebird volleyball match.   Junior Hailey Rosfeld as well as Sophomores Jenna Flaming, Jayley Schmidt, Isabelle Alderfer and Freshmen Athena Funk, Delaney Duerksen, and Claire Claassen as well as others on the Bluebird squad will look forward to a good future for Bluebird volleyball.   Thanks to Managers Adriana Duerksen and Elly Mai as well as coaches Crysta Guhr and Olivia Duerksen for all their work this year with this incredible team.

-Karl Brubaker

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