Comets stuff potential game-tying conversion

Needing a 2-point conversion to tie the score with 1:20 to play, Wilmington running back Chris Tworek was swarmed under by the Newman defense a half-yard short of the goal line, preserving the Comets’ 28-26 lead.

Newman senior Ryan Schaab then recovered the onside kick to secure the victory, sending the Comets on to next weekend’s 3A semifinals. They will play a home game against Aurora Christian, a 49-14 winner over Winnebago.

“Wheeeeew,” Newman coach Mike Pappoccia said. “When we don’t play as a team, we’re not very good, but we played as a team on that extra point, and that turned out to win us the game.”

It didn’t seem that late stop would be necessary. The Comets (12-0) led 28-14 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter after Nick Rude’s 10-yard TD run, set up by a 53-yard pass from A.J. Sharp to Maison Bittner – Sharp’s lone completion of the game – two plays earlier. It was Bittner’s 19th birthday.

But Wilmington (9-3) battled back. Nick Anderson recovered a punt blocked by Mike Wolfe in the end zone with 10:50 to play, but the extra point kick was wide right, leaving Newman with a 28-20 lead.

The Wildcats forced a punt, then took 5:50 to drive down and get within 28-26 on a 7-yard run by Tworek. But after back-to-back Wilmington timeouts – the Wildcats’ final two TOs – the Comets held on the conversion to hold on for the win.

“We knew where the ball was going; we just followed the big lineman when he went into their backfield,” Newman lineman Danny Trygstad said.

• In other area playoff games, Annawan/Wethersfield was knocked out in Class 2A by Clifton Central 48-27.

Stark County advanced in 1A with a convincing 50-20 win over Forreston. The Rebels (10-2) will travel to top-seeded Stockton (12-0) at 2 p.m. Saturday