THREE-POINT PLAY … Archbold’s DJ Newman converts while drawing a foul in the first quarter. Newman paced the Bluestreaks with 14 points. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
WAUSEON – The No. 10 seed Genoa Comets raced out to a 24-14 lead at halftime and then had to hold off the Bluestreaks in the second half for a 42-41 upset in the Division III sectional finals at Wauseon.
The Comets opened the game shooting well by going 5/9 in the first quarter while Archbold was 3/8 as Genoa grabbed an 11-7 lead.
Genoa would begin to pound the offensive boards in the second quarter as Aidan Hemmert had a stick back and later Hemmert pulled down another offensive rebound and found Robert Messenger for a layup to make 19-12.
The Comets collected five offensive rebounds in the second quarter and tallied 16 on the night.
DJ Newman stopped the 6-0 Genoa run with a bucket for Archbold before the Comets scored the last five points of the half on a field goal by Griffin Meyer and a triple by Jon Huston to make it 24-14.
Archbold started the second half like a ball of fire as Cade Brenner would knock down a pair of treys and then it was Brenner with a fastbreak layup after a steal by Gavin Bailey to trim the Genoa lead to 24-22 at the 6:26 mark.
Genoa answered the 8-0 Archbold surge with a 3-pointer by Meyer, two buckets by Messenger, and then a basket from Meyer to push the lead to 34-26.
The Bluestreaks would then put together another 8-0 run with Ashton Kammeyer scoring in the post, Newman added two more field goals, and Kammeyer would get an offensive rebound put back at the buzzer to tie the game at 34-34 entering the fourth quarter.
The Comets once again responded by scoring the first five points of the final quarter to go in front 39-34.
Missed opportunities at the free throw line by Genoa allowed Archbold to stay within striking distance in the final minutes.
Following an 0/4 stretch, including missing the front end on two one-and-one chances, Newman scored and Brenner hit two foul shots to cut the Genoa lead to 39-38 with 54.3 to go.
After a defensive stop by Genoa, it was another 0/2 trip to the line before Messenger would go 2/2 on Genoa’s next possession to increase their lead to 41-38 with 14.4 to go.
Archbold trying to push the ball up the floor would turn it over and Aiden Brunkhorst stepped to the line with a chance to seal the game with Genoa now in the double-bonus.
Brunkhorst missed them both but was able to get the rebound after his second miss which put him back at the line after being fouled.
Brunkhorst split the pair to increase the lead to four and Newman drained a triple at the buzzer to close out the scoring.
After going 14/28 from the field through the first three quarters, the Bluestreaks cooled in the fourth going 2/11 to end the game 16/36 (44%) with five 3-pointers.
Genoa was 16/40 (40%) from the floor and was able to overcome a 7/16 (43%) night at the free throw line, including 3/9 (33%) in the fourth quarter.
Meyer had a game-high 15 points for Genoa and Messenger added 12 for Genoa (11-13) who now faces Cardinal Stritch in the district semifinals on March 3rd.
Archbold, who ends the season at 15-8, was led by Newman with 14 points and Brenner finished with 13.
GENOA 11 13 10 8 – 42
ARCHBOLD 7 7 20 7 – 41
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com