Tuesday, October 15, 2024
SUAMICO – With many in attendance saying it might have been the greatest high school football game they’ve ever witnessed, the West De Pere Phantoms finally got over the hump against Bay Port.
Brandon Schaefer’s 49-yard field goal as time expired lifted West De Pere to a dramatic 45-43, come-from-behind Fox River Classic Conference-North victory over the Pirates in front of a packed house on Friday, Oct. 11, at Bay Port High School in Suamico.
With the win, the Phantoms (7-1 overall, 6-0 FRCC) only need to beat Appleton West (2-6, 1-5) on Oct. 18 to win the conference title outright.
For the Pirates (6-2, 5-1), it was their first conference loss of the season.
“All you can do is visualize the make,” Schaefer said. “We were ready for the kick and have done it in practice. The guys blocked perfectly, and we had time. This victory means everything to us.”
After Bay Port pulled to within 42-41 on a Brady Moon four-yard touchdown run with under 30 seconds remaining in the game, Pirates Head Coach Steven Jorgensen elected to go for two and the possible win.
Quarterback Matt Stevens hit tight end Bennett Deppeler on the conversion attempt to put Bay Port up by one.
On the game-winning drive, West De Pere quarterback Patrick Greisen got Schaefer in field goal range with a completed pass to the 32-yard line with three seconds showing on the clock before calling timeout.
Schaefer’s boot from the right hash had plenty of distance, sending the West De Pere crowd into a frenzy.
Bay Port led 35-21 after three quarters, but the Phantoms outscored the home team 24-8 over the final 12 minutes of the game.
Greisen was 24 of 30 passing for 328 yards with five touchdowns.
Brock Story caught eight balls for 116 yards and had three scores for West De Pere.
For the Pirates, Moon scored three touchdowns – two rushing and one receiving.
Stevens was 18 of 25 passing for 255 yards with three touchdowns.
Bay Port outgained the Phantoms in total offense, 465-447
