KAUKAUNA — Kaukauna-West De Pere has turned into one of Wisconsin’s most thrilling high school football rivalries over the past three seasons, and Thursday’s contest only added the the drama.
The Kaukauna Ghosts came from two scores down in the first half to defeat the Phantoms 35-31.
Kaukauna leaned on its defense to build momentum in the first quarter.
The Ghosts got on the scoreboard first after senior DB Reed Wittman’s second interception of the first quarter set up an Aiden Reardon two-yard touchdown run.
But Kaukauna’s 7-0 lead didn’t last long.
West De Pere scored 21 unanswered points late in the first and early in the second to take a 21-7 lead.
But Kaukauna responded with a Bron Schaefer pass to Reardon out of the backfield to close the gap to 21-14 by halftime.
Schaefer’s 38 yard scramble sparked the Ghosts opening drive of the second half.
The Ghosts’ junior quarterback finished the drive with a 2-yard keeper to tie the game at 21.
Late the third, the Phantoms regained the lead at 24-21 on a 31-yard field goal.
But Kaukauna came roaring back on a Schaefer to Parker Schuh bomb to give the Ghosts their first lead of the night at 28-24.
The back and forth continued with another West De Pere score to regain the lead at 31-28.
That left Kaukauna less than four minutes for a do-or-die final drive.
That’s when the Ghosts dug deep, moving methodically the length of the field to score on a Kyle Kress touchdown to give Kaukauna the lead. Kick Linkoln Xiong, 5-for 5 on extra points for the night, put the Ghosts up 35-31.
But the game wasn’t over until Will Clark’s dramatic punchout as the Phantoms appeared to be going in for the winning score that the victory was sealed.
