Senior Night
Goessel Basketball – @ Goessel v. Hartford Friday, February 21, 2025
At 7:48 on Friday night after a scintillatingly cold week in Bluebird country, would Goessel’s Bluebird young men be ready for back to back games? After a rather desultory effort on Thursday v. the Rural Vista Heat, fans hoped for a better showing on Senior Night 2025. Early returns looked like more of the same, with the visiting Jaguars from Hartford going 0-5 (their biggest lead of the night) before you could say “Senior in a Top Hat.” With Goessel’s Elbiata Singers (led by “the man of music”) wowing a huge crowd with their National Anthem, this one promised all in attendance thrills and adventure, but required patience. Dispelling all previous accumulated scouting reports, tonight’s Bluebird team came to play, with Seniors Koy Smith and Jack Nickel particularly impressing the ESPN+Blue audience. For fans needing a shot of winter adrenaline, this was the ticket, with 7 lead changes and four ties in a down to the wire contest. It was 26-25 at halftime and Goessel was able to hold on down the stretch for the big 51-47 win.
Jack Nickel put the ‘Birds on the board first with a finish on the break 2-5 and Koy Smith made this one look manageable with a steal and finish, then Jack gave a premonition of things to come with a step move inside to close to 6-7. The visitors went 2 for 8 from the line in the first quarter. With 35 ticks left, Koy let loose with one from beyond the NBA arc, causing more fireworks than what went off at the Smith residence on Super Bowl night. 9-8. As the first stanza closed, Jack again went both ways in the paint and dropped one off the window to close 11-9. The Goessel Cheer team, Seniors bedecked in Senior sashes, led the large assembled flock of Bluebird faithful . Brooklyn did an unimaginably impressive series of flips.
Walker bounced perfectly to Brayton Base for two to go up 13-11 but the third tie came moments later. Wyatt Sommerfeld had what was deemed the jaw-dropping play of the night with a perfectly timed follow to go up 15-13. Some fans were heard to utter “who are these guys?” The Jags went up 15-16 on a trey, but Koy Smith went hard to the bucket, was fouled, and hit both to retake the lead. Two more lead changes and Coach Guhr called time at 4:26. Just out of the break, Koy set and delivered so smoothly that the stopped school bus (Main Street Thursday pm) unexpectedly came back to life (the intense heat from the shot somehow un-gelled the diesel). Jack had another spectacular follow of a missed Sommerfield charity to lead 24-20. In another jaw dropping moment, the Bluebirds left the Jaguars in the dust on a great rotate and Base went untouched to the bucket to lead 26-23, with this 15-16 quarter closing at half time 26-25
The Bluebird faithful kept waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop and those in attendance can say all shoes remained totally afloat tonight. On a great inbounds set, Smith caught the high pass and caressed one in, then at 4:47, after multiple back and forths, Koy let one loose from so far back the Bluebird at center court was nipping his backside. The shot hit the rim and it appeared the Buffalo Wild Wings guy (is that still a thing?) did his magic to allow the rim to drop the shot into the waiting nylon. Moments later, the crowd went into fever mode with a sensational coast to coast from Gaddis, threading his way through many trees. 33-27. The Jaguars put on a full court press which caused momentary confusion for Goessel and brought it back to 35-35 at the end of the tempestuous 9-10 quarter.
This one was going to be thriller. The student section did the roller coaster c/o Luke Stucky. The Cheer team brought the crowd to their feet. Out of the break, the visitors capped off a 10-2 run going up for the 6th lead change 35-37. Moments later, just like Curry quieting a crowd, Smith popped his fourth three of the night (he had one in every quarter ), this one so dramatic it caused an announcement in DC that half of the persons fired from government positions that actually help would be able to return to work. Walker fouled out at 3:57 and Goessel called time at 3:38. Go Big Blue resounded through the Coliseum. In a huge back to back combination, Gaddis bounced to Sommerfeld inside for two and then at 2:40 Gaddis lofted one from very near tonight’s quilt and TV winners for an absolutely sensational three 43-37. Timeout Hartford 2:32. Hartford found the range for three then called time again at 1:57. On an inbounds, Smith took off long and caught the NFL receiver reception in the red zone for a perfectly executed trick play 45-40. Timeout Goessel 1:23. Jack toasted yet another step move in the paint 47-41 and on the inbounds the Jaguars were called for a violation. Timeout Goessel 1:23. There was momentary confusion as to whether the Bluebirds had called too many timeouts, but it was resolved without controversy. Blue and White ! Blue and White! Hartford found paydirt to close to 47-43 and the tension was palpable. Goessel cracked the front end press by sending Nickel long (great play call!) for the easy finish 49-43. With 22 ticks left Hartford banged another long three in 49-46 and called time again. Goessel would execute the famous inbounds play from Coach Coup days and got Ndegwa to foul out with 19 seconds left. This time it appeared there were no shouts from the visiting crowd “Hey you can’t go that- did you see that? Ref they threw it out of bounds” Smith hit both ends of the charity opportunity to lead 50-46 and Hartford took its final timeout at 12.4. With 4.7 seconds left, Coy (Hartford) went to the line with two free throws, hit the first and fans debated whether he would deliberately miss the 2nd. He attempted to make but missed and Goessel got the board, Jack was fouled and went to the line for two charities with time nearly expired. After hitting the first, the 2nd clanged off mercifully and time expired for the 51-47 win. A very satisfying win for all in attendance and especially for the Seniors !
Thanks to Seniors Koy Smith, Jack Nickel and Adam Wonser for all you have meant to Goessel athletics and activities and especially to Goessel Basketball. Thanks to managers Levi Olson, Colby Nafziger, and Aiden Moore. The team is set to play in post-season v. Little River on Monday.
Tonight’s outstanding effort was led by Koy Smith with 21, including treys in each quarter, outstanding ball handling and defensive prowess. Jack Nickel put on the performance of his Bluebird career, showing how he has matured as a big man inside, moving against double teams and showing great inside post moves underneath. Nickel finished with 17. Trey Gaddis put up a huge three in the 4th stanza and finished with 5 points on the night. Both Brayton Base and Wyatt Sommerfeld contributed on the offensive and defensive ends and each scored 4. Others playing hard, with defensive team points and effort on the boards are Evan Walker and Adam Wonser.
Best wishes Bluebirds!
-Karl Brubaker
