By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Goessel’s football team traveled to Bennington for the last game of its regular season, and the Bluebirds just missed the win, losing 56-54 in overtime.

Goessel led 12-8 at the end of the first quarter with touchdowns from Dylan Lindeman, running and Jacob Hagewood, receiving.

In the second quarter, Nate Zogleman scored, catching a pass from five yards and Caiden Duerksen ran 20 yards on another pass from Lindeman, and the Bluebirds led 28-12 at half time.

The Bulldogs scored twice in the third quarter, but another touchdown pass to Hagewood kept the Bluebirds in front 36-26.

Bennington, in the fourth quarter, scored two touchdowns, giving them a 40-36 lead with 5:20 left in the game. Zogleman caught a Lindeman pass for a 45-yard score, regaining the lead 42-40. Bennington scored eight points on a 7-yard run and the extra points to take the 42-48 lead with 1:25 left in the game.

With 35 seconds in regulation, Hagewood settled under a Lindeman pass for 34 yards to tie the game 48-48. Goessel’s attempt for the extra point failed and the game went into overtime.

Bennington scored first and got the extra points. Zogleman gathered in a pass for a Goessel score, but Bennington stopped a run for the extra points.

Had Goessel won, the team would have had home field advantage for the playoffs

Instead, the 5-3 Bluebirds visit 6-2 Lebo on Thursday in the first round of playoffs.