Goessel USD 411 Logo

Bluebirds 5th in Classic

Karl Brubaker on December 10, 2018

With a collective yell of “Work!” Goessel’s team emerged from their huddle to face rival Canton-Galva in the fifth place contest of the 2018 edition of the Bluebird Classic.    Fans had prepared all the proper omens, Jonna L. had the lucky shirt and the right earrings, Jayce Schmidt took the ceremonial “lucky ref” picture with the superhero skull & crossbones official glasses.  The Bluebird mascot was in prime colour.  The first quarter was a tussle, but the Bluebirds won each of the succeeding quarters to emerge the victor 41-32 and claim their first “W” of the 2018 season and this year’s 5^th place prize. Dylan Lindeman led all scorers, putting up 17, again including three key gigantic smooth as silk treys.

The Eagles went up quick 1-4, but at 5:45 Dylan L. powered one in from the top of the key to even the score.  On a Jerah Schmidt miss, Jake Hiebert floated in with perfect timing and followed to go up 6-4 as Goessel looked impressive crashing the offensive boards tonight.   Dylan had to sit with his 2^nd foul at 5:15.  Showing hard work inside, Drew L. pivoted, faked and posted impressively in the paint to two more to lead 9-6, but nemesis Kinser Colgin kept coming, single handedly scoring a 2FG and two 3FG’s for the Eagles.   Jake Hagewood put up a muscle drive to lead 11-9 but the feisty quarter ended 11-12.

Back in for Goessel, Dylan L. was poised and ready.    With a shooting style scintillatingly smooth, the 6’-2” Junior point-guard/swing forward ignited the crowd with back to back perfect arcs from so far south all the Bluebird pictures in the jr/sr hallway were seen winking.  Canton immediately called time at 5:53 to discuss what came next.   Going to the hoop on the next possession, Dylan was fouled and was 2 for 2 from the line to lead 19-15.  Now in the 1-1, Zack Zogleman also hit perfectly from the stripe to stay ahead 4 21-17.   At 2:02 Lindeman was called for his 3^rd.   Skylar Wuest showed well in the final two minutes with a steal, run coast to coast and huge finish.  To close the half, the Eagles went to the line twice but converted only 1 of 4 and Goessel emerged the victor in the 12-8 quarter with the score at the half 23-20.  The Bluebirds looked solid from the line at 6-9 and got help from the Eagles who went 1-7.

To start the 3^rd, Dylan stroked one from short range, then off a nifty Jerah pick went the length of the court for two more.  The Eagles stormed backed with efforts from Struber; down the floor Drew L. put up a touch inside, caught his own miss, went up again, drew the 2^nd rebound, and went up a third time, this time with absolute authority for the 29-24 lead.   Dylan was credited with a sensational wraparound hustle steal and Goessel called time at 3:22.  Out of rhythm, the Blue allowed the Eagles three trips to the line but again the Eagles could not convert, going 2 for 6.    In a Sport Center highlight moment, Dylan inbounded underneath to Drew who poked it right back for the A-B-A inbounds set and 31-26 lead.  Fouls stood at Goessel 5, Canton-Galva 0.   At the close of the quarter, Dylan put up a “pass” off the glass to a waiting Miguel Ballesta underneath.   Ballesta caught the carom, popped up for the quick finish to close the 10-6 quarter at 33-26.  Goessel held the Eagles to one field goal in the third quarter.

To the beat of a great band and the wonderful leadership of the cheer team doing “there is no competition like the…….” The Bluebirds stepped into the 4^th stanza with hopes of pulling off a victory.  The Spanish Inquisitor, Ballesta, caught the pass in the corner, used a head fake and slid baseline for an excellent finish, then at 6:58 found himself open at the top of the key.   Miguel absolutely buried one from beyond the Pyrenees giving the Blue their biggest lead of the night 38-28.  Time out Goessel 6:40.  Moments later Dylan rejected a Colgin attempt inside; the ball was last seen heading between the hot and cold water towers in Canton.  Within four seconds, Colgin collected his 3^rd and 4^th fouls (or 5^th depending on your perspective).  Everett stroked a three to give the Eagles hope, but the Spanish slinky (Miguel) went hard to the hoop for two more and the teams ended this contest at the free throw line.   Goessel missed three times in the 1-1 and was able to dribble out the contest 41-32.    Dylan led all scorers with 17, Miguel put up 9 in a breakout night, Drew added 5 and Jake Hiebert added 3.   Jake Hagewood, Wuest, Zogleman each scored 2 and Jerah had 1 as the Bluebirds earned 5^th place in this year’s Classic.                           -Karl Brubaker