Comets give up 16 points in fourth quarter
By Greg Seubert
Waupaca football coach has been waiting all season for a quality win over a quality opponent.
He almost got it in the final game of the regular season.
Menasha overcame a 14-10 deficit with 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and went on to hand the Comets a 26-14 Bay Conference defeat.
Jadin Sell opened the scoring with a 49-yard touchdown run in the first quarter after Menasha’s Dakota Kerr recovered a fumbled punt return.
Dalton Knaack added a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter to give the Bluejays a 10-0 lead, but the Comets found the end zone on their next drive, as Walker Smith scored on a 2-yard run with 27 seconds to go in the first half and Waupaca trailed 10-7 at the break.
Christian Overman’s 89-yard set up Waupaca’s next score, a 1-yard Smith run, with 2:51 in the third quarter that gave the Comets a 14-10.
The Bluejays blocked Hayden Neidert’s punt deep in Waupaca territory and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety to make it 14-12.
Menasha took the lead for good on a 15-yard run from Tyler Szews with 4:16 to go in the game. Parker Wittmann added the two-point conversion and the Bluejays led 20-14 lead.
The Comets had a chance late in the game after Waupaca recovered quarterback Alex Zeinert’s fumble at the Menasha 45-yard line with 2:46 left. However, the Bluejays got the ball back after a defender stripped Jason Ellie of the ball inside the Menasha 30-yard line and Szews wrapped up the scoring with a 40-yard run with 37 seconds remaining.
The Bluejays outgained the Comets 469-204 and Sell finished with 356 yards on 37 carries.