Waupaca to host Little Chute
By Greg Seubert
The Bay Conference has not been very kind to the Waupaca football team so far this season.
The Comets fell to 0-4 in conference play and 0-4 overall Sept. 13 with a 42-9 loss to Xavier at Comet Field.
It looked at first like Waupaca may be able to compete with the Hawks, as the Comets drove 50 yards on the game’s opening drive and scored on Davis Levine’s 3-yard quarterback keeper on fourth down.
However, the Hawks then scored the game’s next 35 points to take a 35-7 halftime lead.
Ray Zuleger capped Xavier’s opening drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to John Bunks. Levine fumbled the kickoff after the touchdown and the Hawks took the lead for good on the next play, as Zuleger connected with Chris Vanden Heuvel for a 29-yard pass.
Xavier found the end zone three more times in the final 4:23 of the second quarter.
Zuleger scored on a 24-yard run and added a 6-yard pass to Vanden Heuvel before scoring from 2 yards out with 10 seconds left in the half.
The Hawks outgained the Comets 258-93 in the first half, but only scored once in the second half.
The Comets cut the lead to 35-9 in the third quarter after Zuleger was tackled and the ball rolled out of the end zone.
Xavier’s final points came on Zuleger’s 30-yard pass to Bunks in the fourth quarter.
The Hawks outgained the Comets 380-201, including 145-118 on the ground and 235-83 through the air.
“It was difficult, but we made some adjustments,” coach Tom Noltner said. “We held them to one score (in the second half) and got that safety. We did some good things. The guys had a great (opening) drive, but at times we had a breakdown here, a penalty there. You can’t have that when you play these good teams. You have to execute at all times.”
Waupaca will take a break from the Bay Friday, Sept. 20, as the Comets host Little Chute for their only nonconference game of the season. The Mustangs are 3-1 and are coming off of a 28-7 loss to Fox Valley Lutheran.
“The guys are trying,” Noltner said. “Their effort is tremendous. I know it’s the fourth week, but they’re still learning. They’re getting better and we’re making little strides. That’s all we can ask. Good things are going to happen.
“You can’t hang your head and dwell on this or that,” he said. “You just have to go forward. The schedule’s pretty good for us for the next three or four weeks. We’ll keep working and keep the kids positive. That’s all we can do.”