TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Merrill Varsity Football Team played against Wausau East at Thom Field in Wausau last Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, at the Wausau East Homecoming Game and came away with a 14-16 tough loss.
The game’s first quarter was a pretty equal playing field, with both teams remaining scoreless. Then in the second quarter, the Lumberjacks took the lead with a touchdown on a 25-yard pass (kick no good). The Bluejays followed and one-upped them with a 36-yard pass for their own touchdown, and their kick was good, edging out a one-point lead, 7-6. But that didn’t last long either. Wausau East pulled off another touchdown, on a 21-yard pass with a good kick, going into halftime with the lead, 13-17.
Coming back into it, both teams were again focused on defense and neither let the other score during the entire third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Merrill Bluejays looked like they were going to take the game. They made a touchdown on a run, their kick was good, and the Bluejays were in the lead 14-13.
But it wasn’t meant to be. The Wausau East Lumberjacks pulled off a three-point field goal in the final seconds of the game, pulling ahead for the win, 16-14.
“We dropped a hard fought defensive battle at Thom Field on Saturday,” said Merrill Varsity Head Football Coach Jason Wadzinski. “The boys battled hard until the end of the game.”
“Jax Hanson kept us alive with a late interception to get us in scoring position,” he said. “EJ Weix did a little bit of everything on Saturday with Callum Wheeler pitching in offensively, as well.”
“We fell short due to a late field goal with under a minute left,” Wadzinski said.
“Our boys are resilient and our goal is playoff qualification,” he said. “We get another shot this Saturday, Oct. 12, at Jay Stadium.” The game starts at 1:30 p.m. against Tomahawk.
Box Score
Merrill 14 @ Wausau East 16
