Senior Night
Goessel Girls Basketball – Udall Eagles @ Goessel – February 20, 2024
In Goessel’s final regular season home game each year, the memories and tears flow freely. For Seniors Cheyenne Sawyer, Braylyn Hoopes, Jaicee Griffin, and Alece Lehrman, the sub-state hand-writing is on the wall; unless a miracle unfolds this week, those memories of Bluebird hardwood will need to be placed in the storehouse of treasures. Tonight, however, was a time to revel in celebration of Senior-hood! Goessel won every quarter against the visiting Eagles, with Senior Sawyer finishing with 25 and Goessel closing out the win 62-30.
Alece Lehrman notched the first two buckets for Goessel. The Eagles (Udall not Hotel California) were up just once, 4-5, but at 5:55 Cheyenne kicked it into overdrive with a three so spectacularly sumptuous that every guest in the house simply went “wow.” On steals and breaks, Goessel ran it to 23-9 after one on finishes from Sawyer, Abbigail Funk, and Hoopes. In the first stanza, the Bluebirds ran at a dizzying pace, putting up three treys and shutting down the Eagle ball-handlers.
Goessel got two more dazzling long shots from Aimee Funk and Sawyer and then from Abbigail Funk to lead 34-14. Logan Bryant put in the now traditional close in putback at the buzzer to leave the 13-7 2nd quarter at 36-16 at the half. There have not been too many quarters in Lady Bluebird history where the number of made threes exceeded the 2 point field goals in a quarter. Despite the separation between the two teams, the Bluebirds showed hustle and willingness to go after boards, loose balls and steals.
Lehrman again led off scoring in the 3rd with two charities, the only Goessel free throws of the night. At 5:44, Aimee Funk launched one from where the quilts were on display to lead 41-16, then sister Abbigail put one up from way over Emma Creek to lead 46-23. Greta Scholle, returned from the mountains, coasted a nifty left hander in off the glass and Cheyenne closed out the quarter with a hustle steal in the back court 48-26. Goessel just squeezed out the win in the 3rd 12-10.
Scholle bounced in a follow to lead off the 4th and it was again a scoring fest with finishes from Sawyer, including a coast to coast foray, and Lehrman, who was seen leading the break at one point. At 2:47 subs were all in and Logan Bryant put up the final 2 of the night to finish the 12-4 quarter at 62-30. Goessel (14-6) goes into sub-state Friday 2/23 at home v. Solomon (4-16). The Bluebirds are in the bottom of the Solomon sub-state bracket and if successful v. Solomon would play the winner of #2 seeded Sylvan-Lucas (15-4) and Rural Vista at Solomon on Friday 3/1.
Cheyenne Sawyer put up 3 treys tonight, scored in each quarter, and finished with 25 on Senior night . Abbigail funk screamed in 3 treys as well and put up 13. Senior Alece Lehrman had a career night with 8 and Aimee Funk put up 6 . Logan Bryant and Greta Scholle each scored 4 while Senior Braylyn Hoopes had 2. Senior Jaicee Griffin contributed big time in the post and inside. Also in for the Bluebirds were Hailey Rosfeld, Jayley Schmidt, Delaney Gibson, and Isabelle Alderfer. Goessel put up 6 treys in the first half, on pace to tie their record-setting performance (12 made threes) just last week, but cooled off in the 2nd half. The Bluebirds toasted the nylon with 8 made threes tonight. Best wishes Bluebirds for a miracle at sub-state! They do happen.
-Karl Brubaker
