Waupaca holds on for first win
By Greg Seubert
Eight touchdowns, almost 550 yards of offense and a couple of breaks added up to the first win of the season for the Waupaca football team.
After starting the season with four consecutive losses to North Eastern Conference teams, the Comets opened their Bay Conference play Sept. 16 with a 55-48 win over Shawano at Comet Field.
Both teams came into the game with an 0-4 record and combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense.
The game’s first four drives ended in touchdowns.
Parker Krcmar’s 28-yard pass to Owen Smidt opened the scoring, but the Hawks answered with Jerzy Brocker’s 35-yard pass to Ashton Henning.
Krcmar scored on a 71-yard run on the first play of Waupaca’s second drive, but Logan Sipple returned Waupaca’s kickoff to tie the score at 14-14.
After the Comets turned the ball over on downs, Brocker gave Shawano its first lead with a 51-yard pass to Henning and the Hawks headed into the second quarter with a 21-14 lead.
Shawano added to its lead with its fourth touchdown in its first four drives, as Brocker connected with Sipple for a 10-yard pass and a 28-14 lead.
Both teams added another touchdown before halftime.
Xzaver Pittman scored from 10 yards out for the Comets. Shawano’s next drive ended with a three-and-out, but Henning recovered a loose ball after a punt and the Hawks took over on the Waupaca 22-yard line. Brocker’s 8-yard pass to Sipple in the final minute of the first half gave the Hawks a 34-21 lead at the break.
Second half
Shawano turned the ball over on its first two possessions of the second half and the Comets converted both of them into touchdowns.
Henry Mouw picked off Brocker’s pass to set Waupaca up at its own 32-yard line and Krcmar capped the drive with a 9-yard pass to Smidt.
Justin Olson recovered a fumble to give the Comets the ball at the Shawano 25-yard line and Krcmar scored on a 4-yard run to give Waupaca a 35-34 lead.
Brocker’s 50-yard touchdown run and his pass to Sipple for the two-point conversion gave the Hawks a 42-35 lead, but Waupaca cut the lead to 42-41 on its next drive that ended with Pittman’s 6-yard run.
Pittman found the end zone from 10 yards out on Waupaca’s next drive to give the Comets a 48-42 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Brocker tied the game with a 12-yard run that turned out to be Shawano’s final score.
Krcmar broke the tie on Waupaca’s next drive with a 9-yard touchdown run with 7:37 remaining in the game.
The Comets recovered Brocker’s fumble to end Shawano’s next drive, but soon had the ball again after Waupaca fumbled at the Shawano 19-yard line.
The Hawks converted a fourth-and-1 situation with 2:20 remaining to keep the drive alive, but ended up turning the ball over on downs with an incomplete pass with 38 seconds to go.
Brocker led all rushers with 227 yards, while Krcmar led Waupaca with 209 and Pittman added 183. Kcrmar completed six of 12 passes for 115 yards. Brocker completed 24 of 35 passes for 254 yards.
Waupaca will head to Appleton Friday, Sept. 23, to face Xavier for the Hawks’ Homecoming game. The game, which starts at 7 p.m., is scheduled to air on WACY-TV, Channel 32. It will also be livestreamed on the station’s website, nbc26.com.