By Greg Seubert
A slow start hurt the Waupaca girls’ basketball team Dec. 9 in a 58-27 Eastern Valley Conference loss to Fox Valley Lutheran.
It was the third straight loss for the Comets, who also dropped recent games to Little Chute and Weyauwega-Fremont.
FVL 58, Waupaca 27
APPLETON – The Foxes held the Comets to a single free throw in the first quarter and rolled to the win.
FVL led 15-1 after one quarter, 36-11 at halftime and 49-18 after three quarters before both teams scored nine points over the final eight minutes.
Josee Waitrovich led Waupaca with 10 points, while Sierra Patzke added seven. Bailey Diersen and Abby Radue led FVL with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Little Chute 43, Waupaca 22
WAUPACA – The Mustangs spoiled the Comets’ home opener Dec. 5.
Waupaca outscored the visitors 14-11 in the first quarter, but was held to only eight points the rest of the way.
Little Chute led 23-17 at halftime and took a 31-19 lead into the fourth quarter.
Morgan Smith and Patzke led Waupaca with six points each while Mckenna Joosten and Alaina Schepp scored 10 points for Little Chute.
W-F 33, Waupaca 30
WEYAUWEGA – The Comets trailed by nine points early in the fourth quarter, but nearly came back to knock off the Indians Dec. 3 in the season opener and coaching debut of Laine Lazers and Mike Nellis.
Both teams struggled from the floor throughout the game. Waupaca led 7-5 after one quarter, but W-F outscored the Comets 12-8 in the second quarter to take a 17-15 halftime lead.
The Indians led 25-19 heading into the fourth quarter and eventually built a 31-22 lead before the Comets went on an 8-1 run. Emily Barlow’s three-pointer cut the Indians’ lead to 32-20, but the Comets couldn’t get any closer.
“The girls fought hard, especially on defense,” W-F coach Joe Titus said. “Waupaca had some size advantages on us, but effort was a big difference for us. Morgan (Wilson) and Karissa (Akey) did a great job on the boards for us and their defense was outstanding. Hailey (Krause’s) defense on the perimeter and in the post was physical and smart and Alyssa (Goode) did a great job managing the offense and hit a couple big buckets for us that were at times that we really needed them.”
“Being our first game, we played a little star-struck,” Lazers said. “The minds just weren’t running the plays we needed to be running.”
The Comets hit only eight of 35 shots in the game, but did make three of six three-pointers. W-F, on the other hand, made 10 of 33 shots, including one of four from behind the arc.
“We had a height advantage, but we just didn’t take advantage of it when we had it,” Lazers said. “We had opportunities underneath with six or seven shots that could’ve gone in.”
Akey led all scorers with 12 points, but the Comets held Wilson to only four.
“Defenses are keying on Morgan right now, but in back-to-back games, she has had career highs in assists and steals,” Titus said. “You take that, add 12 rebounds and it is a complete game.”
Waupaca will host Winneconne Friday, Dec. 13, before heading to New London Tuesday, Dec. 17, for a nonconference matchup with the Bulldogs. Tipoff for both games is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
Waupaca Girls’ Basketball 2013-14 Schedule
Varsity
Tuesday, Dec. 3 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 5 – vs. Little Chute, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 9 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 13 – vs. Winneconne, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 17 – at New London, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 19 – vs. Berlin, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 3 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 6 – at Freedom, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 10 – at Ripon, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 13 – vs. Mosinee, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 16 – vs. Clintonville, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 21 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 24 – at Little Chute, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 30 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 – at Winneconne, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 – at Berlin, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 10 – vs. Tomahawk, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14 – at Adams-Friendship, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 18 – vs. Freedom, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 21 – vs. Ripon, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 24 – at Clintonville, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 27 – at Appleton Xavier, 7:15 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Tuesday, Dec. 3 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 5 – vs. Little Chute, 5:45 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 9 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 13 – vs. Winneconne, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 17 – at New London, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 19 – vs. Berlin, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 3 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 6 – at Freedom, 6 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 13 – vs. Mosinee, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 16 – vs. Clintonville, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 21 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 24 – at Little Chute, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 30 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 – at Winneconne, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 – at Berlin, 5:45 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 10 – vs. Tomahawk, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 14 – at Adams-Friendship, 5:50 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 18 – vs. Freedom, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 21 – vs. Ripon, 5:45 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 24 – at Clintonville, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 27 – at Appleton Xavier, 5:45 p.m.