Waupaca falls by one point

By Greg Seubert

Wins – especially in the North Eastern Conference – have been few and far between for the Waupaca girls’ basketball team this season.

The Comets had a chance to pick up their second conference win and third overall Feb. 7, but ended up falling to Clintonville 54-53.

Waupaca trailed for most of the game and headed into the locker room at halftime down 27-25.

The Comets took their first lead on Hailey Bechard’s basket with five minutes remaining. Waupaca eventually built a five-point lead after baskets from Bechard and Josie Nickel, but the Truckers cut the lead to 53-52 on a basket from Emily Taylor with 35 seconds to go.

A Waupaca turnover gave Clintonville an opportunity for a game-winning shot and Lauren Zwirschitz gave the Truckers a one-point advantage with seven seconds left on the clock.

The Truckers then kept the Comets from attempting a shot in the final seconds.

Bechard and Rossi Wehmeyer led Waupaca with 17 points each, while Natalie Sunita scored 13 of her game-high 19 points for Clintonville in the second half. Zwirschitz and Taylor also finished in double figures for the Truckers with 16 and 10 points, respectively.