High hopes in 2 sports
Staff writer
Goessel fall sports will consist of cross country, volleyball, and football this year.
The volleyball team looks to make a serious postseason run while a cross country state champion returns for his senior year.
Volleyball
The Bluebirds return all seven starters from last year’s team that qualified for the state tournament.
Head coach Crysta Guhr looks to build on that experience and success Goessel gained from last season, with hopes of battling for a top spot again within the Wheat State League.
“One thing that is important to me as a coach is to continue to evolve as the game evolves, and as new generations of players develop,” Guhr said. “Each team is different and it’s important to adapt to the athletes that participate each year.”
One of Guhr’s favorite parts of each season is the rebuilding process.
Close to 20 players will be active for the team this year, and a majority of them are freshmen and sophomores.
Playing time will not be a guarantee, Guhr said, and she wants there to be competition for it.
Returning seniors are Isabelle Alderfer, and Jenna Flaming.
Returning juniors are Delaney Duerksen, and Claire Claassen.
And returning sophomores are Bella O’Neill, Mackenzie Voth, and Sofia Flores.
“We were very young last season,” Guhr said. “So this year, our challenge is to take what we learned and elevate it to the next level.”
As simple or cliché as it sounds, she said, each element of the game can be improved whether that be through consistency, pace, or trying something new.
Guhr said that her team’s strong non-league and tournament schedule this season will help contribute to what she is hoping to be a successful and lengthy postseason run.
“It’s extremely important that athletes are always challenged, so finding new ways to do that in practice is something that I enjoy and find very important,” Guhr said. “I never want my athletes to feel complacent or that any part of practice is easy, both mentally and physically.”
Goessel traveled to Argonia Aug. 25 for a jamboree against three teams: Skyline, Stafford, and Argonia.
The Bluebirds traveled to Herington Tuesday to officially open the season with three games against Herington, Lebo, and Central Christian Academy.
Their first home match will be Thursday against Bennington, before hosting Canton-Galva and Peabody-Burns next Tuesday.
Football
Goessel football will compete in eight-man Division II this season under 15-year coach Garrett Hiebert.
Hiebert said he’s looking forward to the change in competition, which will bring new schedules and opponents.
Hiebert has spent his coaching career at Goessel, and will be assisted by Luke Freeman and Dylan Lindeman.
Core values have always come first. In the last few years, those have been controlling attitude and effort.
Hiebert said with those things in mind, they should bring “the best version of ourselves as individuals which will lead to us becoming the best team we can be.”
“These core values will be critical for us again this year as we look to learn from last year and build a strong foundation for success going forward,” he said.
Mental toughness, shared leadership, and competitive fire, Hiebert said, are important skills the team will need to carry with them.
“Finding the right combination of kids in the right positions is always an important early season task,” he said.
Brayton Base, Claudio Flores, and Wyatt Sommerfeld are three seniors this year poised to lead the team.
Base ended last season with 771 yards through the air to go along with 10 touchdown passes.
Flores rushed for 353 yards, and Sommerfeld caught 253 receiving yards — about 33% of the Bluebirds’ production at receiver.
After graduating five players from last year’s roster, Goessel this fall, has seen a healthy mix of newcomers and experienced players.
In past seasons, Hiebert has run a spread misdirection offense and a 3-2 defense.
An atmosphere where players celebrate with their teammates for their success as much as their own has been at the forefront of practices so far.
“The idea that individuals succeed only when the team succeeds is important to us,” Hiebert said.
Other players to watch for are returning juniors Gage Abbott, AJ Hagewood, and Josh Kahns.
Abbott finished last season with five sacks, and 35 tackles.
Hagewood and Kahns also finished with five sacks each.
“We must strive for precision in everything that we do — academics, warm ups, every rep at practice, and every play on Friday nights,” Hiebert said.
Friday night lights turn on for the Bluebirds this week on the road against Canton-Galva.
Goessel’s first home game is at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 against Rural Vista.
Cross Country
Seven girls and a lone boy make up this year’s cross country roster for the Bluebirds.
Eli Gaeddert is the only boy on the team as well as the only senior.
Gaeddert is looking to defend his 1A state championship from last season. He also won a state championship in the 3200-meter and 1600-meter last spring in track and field.
“He will be looking to repeat,” sixth year coach Donna Washmon said. “He is the only senior on the team, and I will be putting him into some bigger meets throughout the year to get him more experience.”
On the girls’ side, Maddie Olson is returning for her sophomore year and qualified for state last season. She is looking to qualify again this season.
Elaina Graber, Lydia Rodeman, and Moriah Guhr are the other returning runners on the team from last season to look out for.
“We will be hitting the hills at least one time a week and working on getting faster with sprint workouts,” Washmon said. “We have a grass 5k course that we run frequently to get us ready for meets so we will be putting in work.”
Three new runners joined the girls’ side is Rosie Gaeddert, Lily Mai, and Mia Hiebert.
“I expect Rosie and Mia will be in my top three along with Maddie,” Washmon said.
The first meet of the season for the girls’ team will be Thursday at the Great Life Golf Course in Abilene.
“It will be hot so we will work hard to get through it,” Washmon said.
Eli Gaeddert will be there as well, representing the boys’ side of the meet.