Bluebirds Tame Cougars
Goessel Girls Basketball – Lost Springs / Centre Cougars @ Goessel January 31, 2023
Goessel raced to a 14-0 lead, allowed no field goals in either the 1st or 3rd quarters, led 36-13 at the half, and finished 59-23 against cross county rival Centre tonight. Centre came in 2-12 tonight against the Bluebirds’ 7-6 record. Goessel has wins against several Wheat State opponents but has also had to face tough games v. top ranked Little River and local rival Canton-Galva. The Bluebirds pulled front court pressure against the out-womaned Cougar team after one, used balanced scoring across the bench and showed speed up the court to secure the win tonight. Cheyenne Sawyer, named the most inspirational player at the recent Fairfield tournament, finished with 16 tonight. Abbigail Funk was named to the All Tournament team at Fairfield.
Sarah Spurlin played inspired defense tonight and started the Bluebirds off with a drive at 4:57, then Riley Graber caught a no look Sawyer pass for two, then Jaicee Griffin finished underneath to lead 6-0. Charities from Graber and Sawyer jumped it to 10-0, then Graber buried another short jumper and Braylyn Hoopes got a runner to fall for the 14-0 lead. With 13 seconds left, Carlson got two FT’s to jiggle in for the 14-2 lead after one.
Goessel got two more buckets from Sawyer and Aimee Funk off steals, and the Cougars called time at 6:37. The Bluebirds pulled back the front court pressure but still turned over the Cougar backcourt handlers and Griffin laid it in 20-2. A moment later, # 31 caught a high post pass, turned and slathered one in to go up 22-4. At 4:58 of the 2nd quarter, the Cougars’ Carlson found the hole for the first field goal of the game off a hard move in the paint, then the Cougars went on a 5-0 tear to get it back to 24-11. With three minutes left, Sawyer set and let one fly from so far out it caused the PA system at Allen Field House to start playing “Up Up with Bluebird Pride” for just a few seconds. The dagger three put the zing back into the blue feathers and Goessel ran it to 36-13 with finishes from Abbigail Funk, Tiffany Popp and Griffin to close the 22-11 quarter.
The start of the 3rd was all Blue, as Abbigail Funk and Sawyer delivered high octane deliveries, one off a fantastic assist feed from Griffin. Aimee Funk let a trey loose from beyond the clarinet section, dropping one in so smooth that Goessel Deli & Grocery’s smoothie sales will likely spike for the next month. 45-14. Sawyer speed jackaloped down the floor and gave a signature hand flourish after a spectacular touch off the glass. Graber fouled out with 1:04 left. Goessel again allowed Centre no field goals in the 3rd quarter. 47-17.
In running clock, Aimee Funk pumped up the hyperventilating student section with another perfect arc, this one causing all the remaining Goessel Christmas decorations to ascend on their respective utility poles and slither down again ever so slowly; not sure if anyone actually witnessed it or not. Sawyer’s three to follow almost got the student section going on the roller coaster but instead all we got was Brandon Moore with a giant WOOOOOOO! You can’t unsee that. Abbigail Funk tossed in a great break, Griffin buried another follow, and Aimee Funk closed this one out 12-6 in the 4th with a final of 59-23. Sawyer led all scorers with 16, Aimee and Abbigail Funk each had 10, Jaicee Griffin finished with 9, Riley Graber 6 (Graber and Abbigail Funk were perfect at the line tonight), Sarah Spurlin had 4 and both Braylyn Hoopes and Tiffany Popp scored 2. Also in for the Bluebirds: Logan Bryant and Brooklyn Wuest.
-Karl Brubaker
