Wildcats Claw Bluebirds
Goessel Varsity Guys Basketball v. Moundridge @ Moundridge January 25, 2019
Goessel’s Bluebirds played way up in last week’s Burrton Invitational, going 2 and 1 and nearly pulling the upset over Little River 60-67, then playing very solidly against Pretty Prairie 59-41 and finishing in 5th place with a great win over host Burrton 67-45. Dylan and Drew Lindeman were named to the all-tournament team. Going into the Wildcat den at Moundridge always seems a daunting venture, but with three solid games under the post-Christmas belt, the ‘Birds had high hopes. Goessel came out in superb shape in the 1st stanza and led after one 14-13. The Wildcats bared their teeth in the middle quarters, however, and used a phenomenal 24-2 run to push to a 19-37 lead at the half. Led by Senior sharpshooter Dylan Vogts with 26, the Wildcats took it to running clock at 5:10 and the contest finished 41-73. Dylan Lindeman led the Bluebirds with 24 on the night.
Fans looking for a classic Moundridge/Goessel tussle thought they had hit the right night. At 7:40, Dylan Lindeman stroked one from 10 feet, then went up 4-2 on the break and Goessel looked like they came to play. Lindeman caught a dish out and laced one from beyond the pizza concession stand to lead 7-3. In great rhythm Jake Hiebert finger rolled inside for two, then Jake Hagewood drove hard, laid it up +1 for the biggest Blue lead of the night 12-6. Moundridge’s bigs, Kaufman and Heims, woke up and started crashing the boards (see 2nd quarter). The quarter ended 14-13 on a great effort by the visiting Bluebirds.
The lead changed hands for the third and final time as Heims was fouled going hard on the offensive board and hit both charities. At 14-19, Coach Guhr called time at 6:52. Jerah Schmidt kept the Blue in it with a drive at 6:30 to stay at 16-19, but the Wildcats kicked it into an unbelievable gear on defense and ran with points off turnovers from nearly every player on the bench (even the tuba player scored on one break). Moundridge used great ball movement to create foul opportunities and went to the line for 11 attempts, hitting 7. Between inside punches and charities, the huge 24-2 run to 16-37 took all the air out of the Bluebird effort in the first quarter. After Goessel’s defense secured a 5 second call, with 5 ticks on the clock, Dylan lit it up with a huge outside shot from somewhere close to the Grasshopper plant to leave it at 19-37 at the half. The Wildcats had absolutely devastated the stat book with their efforts on the offensive board and floating quick hands half court pressure D.
Dylan sparkled from 16 feet to start the 3rd and created a glimmer of hope with a giant trey to go to 24-41 but Vogts immediately nailed one with a quick release that reminded fans of Trey Unrau’s ability to find openings back in the day. Goessel was plagued with turnovers, bad choices, and poor passes. Miguel Ballesta caught a carom and went up out of the scrum to go to 26-46. Drew hit the back end of two, Dylan picked the ball-handler’s pocket and went to the hoop, was fouled and hit both to close to 29-48. Hagewood put up three more. At 1:36, big man Heims was called for his 4th and had to sit, but Vogts continued his outside barrage despite strong face-guarding and the 15-21 3rd closed 34-58.
Another finesse three from Dylan at 6:41 took it back to 37-58, then in the 1-1, Lindeman hit both ends to take it back to 19, 39-58. Drew was whistled for his 4th at 6:25. Once again, however, the Wildcats bared their teeth and brought out the claws, creating an unstoppable onslaught with another 11-0 run to put it on ice. In running clock at 5:10 after Unruh hit one FT 39-69, all subs were in. Schmidt hit one FT and Wuest another as everyone except Dylan Lindeman for Goessel had a tough night at the charity stripe, going 11 for 21. Lindeman was 6 for 6 but the rest of the squad went 5 for 15. Goessel put up 7 in the final quarter, going 7-15, and this episode in the Wildcat den closed 41-73.
Goessel’s Dylan Lindeman put up 24 with a three pointer in every quarter and was perfect at the line 6 of 6. Jake Hagewood scored 6, Drew Lindeman and Jerah Schmidt 3, Jake Hiebert and Miguel Ballesta 2 apiece and Skyler Wuest added 1. Zach Zogleman started for the Bluebirds but did not score. Also in tonight to close the contest were: Kale Funk, Nate Zogleman, Luke Wiens, and Eddie Gaeddert.
-Karl Brubaker
