Waupaca, Xavier vie for playoff spot
Both teams need one more win to qualify
By Greg Seubert
Waupaca and Xavier have had a number of memorable football matchups over the years.
The next meeting might be one of the biggest yet.
Xavier will host the Comets in the regular-season finale for both teams at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, Both teams will take a 3-4 Bay Conference record into the game at Rocky Bleier Field in Appleton. Teams need to finish with a .500 or better record in conference play to qualify for the WIAA playoffs.
The Comets could have wrapped up a playoff spot in their latest game, but undefeated West De Pere put an end to that possibility with a 43-20 win Oct. 5.
The Phantoms scored in each quarter and racked up nearly 500 yards off offense, most of it on the ground.
West De Pere opened the scoring with 4:33 remaining in the first quarter on Joshua Blount’s 21-yard pass to Aaron Wagner. Blount ended the Phantoms’ next drive with a 58-yard touchdown run with 1:40 to go in the period.
Another touchdown run from Blount, this one from 10 yards out with 9:17 remaining in the first half, gave West De Pere a 20-0 lead.
Jack Menzies set up Waupaca’s first score with a 70-yard kickoff return that set the Comets up at the West De Pere 5-yard line. Davis Levine scored from a yard out three plays later to make it 20-6 with 7:38 to go in the half, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.
Sawyer Grovogel added to the Phantoms’ lead with a 22-yard field goal with 3:44 remaining in the half.
Waupaca’s special teams came up with another big play before halftime. Cody Rasmussen lined up to punt, but instead threw a 46-yard pass to Menzies, who was caught at the West De Pere 19-yard line. Waupaca eventually made it to the 14-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs.
Evan Frisque’s 21-yard touchdown run with 6:03 remaining in the third quarter gave the Phantoms a 29-6 lead, but WAupaca answered less than four minutes later on a 1-yard run from Menzies that made it 29-13.
Blount hooked up with Bill Wyatt for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 7:38 to go in the game, but Levine hit Hunter Marcom in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 3:44 to go that cut the Phantoms’ lead to 36-20.
West De Pere’s Sam Mommaerts wrapped up the scoring with a 24-yard run with 1:32 left in the game.
The Phantoms outgained the Comets 403-108 on the ground, but Waupaca had a 101-67 advantage through the air.
