Senior Night
Goessel’s Seniors were recognized tonight and the Bluebirds’ Porclein Unruh and Elizabeth (Liz) Alderfer took their places in the hallowed halls of the home team’s hearts. Tonight’s girls game saw some excellent action from each squad, as both Goessel and Herington each put up 4 threes. The Bluebirds put on a superb finish, going 15-11 in the final quarter, but it was too little too late as the contest closed 35-44.
The Bluebirds looked ready to go on Valentine’s Day 2020, with Freshman Riley Graber racing coast to coast, getting hammered, and taking it to 1-2 to start. Senior Porclein Unruh caught a nice in-pass in the paint, feinted left and dropped in a nice finish to knot at 3-3. Moments later Sophomore Lyna McCombs found herself unguarded on the break and loop cavorted one in to lead 5-3. To close the quarter, Graber got smacked hard to the floor and could not get the charities to fall. 5-6.
Goessel showed excellent woman to woman, with slight half court pressure and at 6:22 Junior Lizzie Schmucker buried one from that empty space where the recycling container used to be for the 8-6 lead. After a Bluebird timeout, Unruh let one fly from beyond the pumpkin patch for the biggest lead of the night 11-8, but the Railers went on a 6-0 run to retake the lead for the final time 11-17. Alderfer caught a nifty board and followed back up to get back within 4, and with 33 ticks left in the half Schmucker absolutely sizzled one in, causing all the camouflage in the house to turn a different shade of grey/green/black. The Half closed 16-20.
The Bluebirds had difficulty corralling 5’10” Junior #15 Carrie Roe. Her post moves created many opportunities for the visitors. Junior Bethany Herrel turned and faloomphed one in underneath but the Railers responded with an 11 point run to leave it at 18-31 before Unruh could find the bucket with another fine turn in the paint. The painful 4-13 quarter ended 20-33.
To start the 4th, Freshman Sarah Spurlin launched a nice 10 footer. Nothing but net. Then Graber put her head down and dove to the bucket for a great finish to close within 9 24-33. Graber cut off a passing line, coasted the length of the hardwood, was fouled, and hit both ends from the stripe. At 3:57 Schmucker smoked one in with such veracity it caused the buzzers from tomorrow’s State Scholars Bowl event to all go off at once. Unruh brought the collective large home crowd to their feet with a sensational drive to close to 31-42, then went coast to coast next time, got punched and poked in both free throws. On offense the next time down at 1:03, Unruh got utterly pummeled by a Tomahawk Chop by Roe in what looked like a frustration foul finale that could have been called intentional. It was Roe’s fifth personal foul. With time running out, Schmucker locked in and hit for two more to show very strong in the 15-11 4th quarter and the contest closed at 35-44.
Goessel looked like it was truly Building the Bridge tonight . Schmucker and Unruh led Bluebird scorers with 11 each, Graber had 5 and Alderfer, Spurlin, Herrel and McCombs each put up 2. Also in for the Bluebirds were: Sophomore Emily Flaming, Sophomore Kaleigh Guhr, and Sophomore Rachael Zogleman. Goessel will play one more regular season home game Monday night, then two more away games before moving into post-season action away against either Elyria Christian or Centre.
Karl Brubaker
