Bluebirds @ White City
Goessel Girls Basketball – Rural Vista Heat – December 15, 2023
The Goessel girls put on a solid defensive clinic in the friendly confines of White City Coliseum in the Morris County mists on Friday night 12-15-23. Quick hands and unselfish play made it 16-2 after one quarter. The Bluebirds took their defensive foot off the gas in the 2nd quarter, leaving it at 28-8 at the half. The 3rd quarter played even and the final stanza was 15-12 for the 54-31 final against Wheat State rival Rural Vista. Rural Vista hosts games at either the White City or Hope schools, so it has been some time since the Bluebirds have been in White City.
Goessel needed to prevent the in-pass to taller bigs Linder and Riedy and incorporated full court pressure on the Heat’s younger ball-handlers. Off turnovers, Goessel’s Abbigail Funk and Cheyenne Sawyer converted to lead 7-0, then Sawyer bounced inside to Jaicee Griffin for a nifty turn and pop in the paint. As the cheer team led in “Let’s Get Fired Up” full court pressure put the kibosh on the Heat’s efforts to move the ball. Greta Scholle hit a charity followed by Braylyn Hoopes own FT, then Goessel went over the top to Scholle and Sawyer launched one so impeccable from the top of the key, the mists cleared in all adjoining counties. It was 16-2 after one as Goessel held the home-standing Heat to one FG on a put back underneath.
Successful pushes to Scholle over the top left it at 20-2 and Griffin did the proverbial fist pump / no holds barred end zone celebration after another excellent execution / turn in the lane. 22-2. At 5:45, the Heat’s Linder found the glass to go to 11-4. A moment later, Griffin stole an exterior pass and was seen leading the break, surely a moment to remember for this season. With 1:36 left Aimee Funk drove hard to the bucket, was fouled and hit both charities, Sawyer had another point off steal, and Funk closed again off the glass to lead 28-6. The 12-6 quarter closed the half 28-8.
To start the 3rd, Abbigail Funk was called for her 3rd foul and had to sit, but RV’s big Reidy was also called for #3 and sat as well. More importantly for RV, #11 Linder was whistled for her 4th at 30-10. Braylyn Hoopes got hustle points as she took a charge. Sawyer launched her 2nd long bomb of the night and showed nonchalant as the crowd went absolutely bonkers. 33-10. RV’s ball handler, Rapp, was called for her 3rd, so three key Heat starters were in severe foul trouble. Goessel’s shooting hand went cold and the Blue could muster no further FG’s for the remainder of the quarter and this one was an 11-11 effort and closed 39-19.
The cheer team took the floor and Brooklyn wowed the crowd with the cartwheel routine. To start the quarter, Scholle baseline popped for two, Angie Linder fouled out at 6:46, then at 6:24 Sawyer’s long corner three caused all the decorations on Main Street White City to turn from a white glow to a blue glow. Blue City! 49-21. Without Linder in the middle Goessel immediately went over the top to Scholle and found pay-dirt twice. Griffin did some sort of post reverse crossover inside leaving two Heat players strewn across the lane and fans on the sidelines tumbling over themselves with glee. Sawyer found Logan Bryant open underneath for a great assist. 52-25. Fans also took note of some sort of bear hug foul on #31; thankfully no explanation was offered by the official. Bailey Rapp, the RV ball handler, fouled out at 3:10. To close out the contest, Isabelle Alderfer had two on a put back to close the 15-12 quarter and the final of 54-31.
Greta Scholle and Cheyenne Sawyer shared scoring honors with 13 each. Aimee and Abbigail Funk each put up 8 and Jaicee Griffin added 7. Aimee Funk was perfect (4/4) from the line. Isabelle Alderfer, Logan Bryant scored 2 each and Braylyn Hoopes finished with 1 on the night. Goessel improved their free throw shooting immensely and finished 12/16 (75%) from the line for the night. Also in for the Bluebirds: Alece Lehrman, Hailey Rosfeld, and Delaney Gibson.
-Karl Brubaker
