Goessel snuffs out Wakefield; other teams lose
Staff writers
As soon as Goessel got the ball on Friday, they headed for the basket. The Bluebirds scored 31 points in the first quarter. Many of those baskets were a result of steals and Wakefield scored only one free-throw as Goessel took a commanding lead 31-1 at the first break.
All players on the bench were in the game by the end of the second quarter and Goessel led 44-6 at halftime. The Bluebird dominance continued in the third quarter, although the intensity was dialed back. Goessel led 53-13 at the end of the third quarter and with a running clock the whole fourth quarter the Bluebirds finished with a 53-15 win.
For the first time this season, all ten players listed in the scorebook for Goessel also scored points in this contest. Joey Lapp led the Bluebirds with 11 points and Jake Wiens added 10. Koy Smith, Caleb Burkholder and Noah Schrag all netted 7 points apiece.
The Goessel boys are now 4-3 in the Wheat State League standings and 7-8 overall. Goessel will finish league games with Elyria Christian and Herington (4-10).
Hillsboro looks ahead
You probably won’t hear any grumbling from either Hillsboro basketball team about not having to face another week like they did this past one until perhaps the postseason.
The good news is it should be relatively smooth sailing the final five games of the regular season.
The boys are more likely to breathe a huge sigh of relief after dropping a pair to Top 5 teams, capped Friday with a 46-37 home loss to Hesston.
It was an 18-4 first-quarter outburst in the first meeting that led to the Trojans’ demise last month in the Trojan Classic.
Hillsboro slogged through the first quarter Friday without the game unraveling, playing the Swathers to a 20-20 tie at the half.
But it felt as if the floor would give way on the Trojans at any moment.
It did during the third quarter with the Swathers hitting Hillsboro with another 17-4 run to push the Trojans down for good.
It wasn’t so much a matter of what Hesston did as much as it was what Hillsboro couldn’t. The Swathers took advantage of a 30-16 edge in points in the paint, shooting 53% inside and taking care of the ball while holding the Trojans to 37% from the field and 33% from long range.
Seven Trojans broke into the scoring books, paced by Brekyn Ratzlaff’s team-high 12 points. Tyson Plenert tossed in 8.
“We battled hard to the end,” said Trojan coach Darrel Knoll, who dropped to 5-9 on the season. “We had a few defensive breakdowns and weren’t as efficient on offense the second half, especially the third quarter”.
Centre lacks leading scorer
With Gentri Holub on the bench with a season-ending injury, the Cougars fought hard against Little River in a home game Friday but came out on the tail end, 59-23.
Santiago Knepp scored Centre’s first point, a free throw, with 40 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Nick Krch followed up with a three-point shot, but Little River led, 20-4.
The Cougars added 10 points in the second quarter on two buckets by Krch and three-point baskets by Knepp and Robert Spohn.
Matthew Basore opened the second half with a basket, but the Redskins continued to pile up points. Krch and Spohn added two more threes, and Ja’Quin Smith made a free throw, but in the end Little River walked away with a 36-point victory.
Centre’s will play at Peabody-Burns on Friday.
Marion collectively comes together
The Warriors lost Friday’s home non-conference game against Sterling, 68-47, but their coach praised their efforts.
Jack Lanning led Marion with 20 points followed by Cole Smith with nine points. Luke Wessel shot 66% from the three-point line.
Smith crashed the boards again this week on defense, grabbing seven rebounds.
Mitch Norris, Cooper Bailey, Jonathan Frese, Brayden Blackman, and Luke Watkins ended the game with three fouls each.
“Overall, we played our best game of the season collectively,” coach Donald Raymer said. “I hope this week we can have all of our guys back from injuries and sickness so we can have four good days of practice.”
The Warriors (3-13) will be hosts Friday for the Ell-Saline Cardinals (9-5).
“Ell-Saline comes to town, and they are a good basketball team,” Raymer said. “They are athletic and like to get up and down the court at high speed.”
Peabody-Burns down
Peabody-Burns Warriors lost Friday’s road non-conference game against Canton-Galva, 85-20.
The Warriors will play Centre on Friday in hopes to get revenge for a Jan. 27 loss.
Last modified Feb. 9, 2023