Comets to host tournaments at Expo
By Greg Seubert
The Waupaca boys’ hockey team headed into the Christmas break with a 3-5 after splitting a pair of 7-5 games with Pacelli and Medford.
Waupaca snapped a three-game skid Dec. 20 with a 7-5 nonconference win over Pacelli, but ended up on the short end of the final score Dec. 19 in a Great Northern Conference matchup at Medford.
Waupaca 7, Pacelli 5
The Comets trailed 3-0 heading into the second period at the Waupaca Ice & Expo Center, but cut the Cardinals’ lead with a pair of unanswered goals in the second period.
Alex Gusmer had three goals and three assists to lead Waupaca, while Ryan Mace added two goals and three assists; Hesslin Trzebiatowski had a goal and an assist; and Sawyer Bohm had a goal.
Elliot Bartel, Zach Gusmer, Adam Mace and Blake Schoenecker each had one assist for the Comets as Waupaca outshot Pacelli 46-27.
Medford 7, Waupaca 5
Waupaca opened the game by outscoring the Raiders 2-0 in the first period.
Medford scored four of the game’s five goals in the second period to take a 4-3 lead and outscored Waupaca 3-2 over the final 17 minutes.
Warren Carlson and Ryan Mace each scored twice for Waupaca and Zach Gusmer also found the net.
Bohm had a team-high two assists for the Comets, while Alex Gusmer, Adam Mace, Cullen Frierdich, Cael Prey, Dylan Smith, Bartel and Schoenecker added one each.
Waupaca will host varsity and junior varsity invitationals at the Expo Dec. 27-29. The varsity tournament included Waupaca, Whitefish Bay and Negaunee, Michigan, while the JV tournament included Waupaca, Merrill, Mosinee and Whitefish Bay.
The Comets are scheduled to travel to Reedsburg Tuesday, Jan. 3, for a nonconference game with Reedsburg before resuming their Great Northern schedule Thursday, Jan. 5, with a 7 p.m. home game with Mosinee.