Red Raiders pile up the wins

Marathon wins last two out of three games

Every worries about his player’s response after a tough loss. Will they come out flat their next game? Will they come out stronger? It’s times like that when a coach relies on leadership to carry a team through. This year’s Red Raiders are blessed with seniors, and they quickly set the tone on Thursday in a road win over Colby Jan. 14.

“A strong senior class is the foundation of a great team,” said senior guard Jaeden Strasser. “Having that experience and dedication to a sport for that long means something. Luckily enough for ourselves we have a great group of solid seniors that bring it every day in practice and carry that leadership over to our games.”

Marathon would need the seniors and their steadying influence against a pesky Hornets squad that gave it to them for nearly two halves.

The Red Raiders zone defense chased the Hornets off the three point line, but it was only a 33-25 game at halftime.

Marathon went on a run to start the second half, but Colby stayed close, and a Richard Streveler three made it 40-31 with 14:26 remaining in regulation.

But everything Colby did, Marathon did better. For every three-ball that Colby made, the Red Raiders had the answer, and Marathon canned nine triples in their non-conference match.

Matt VandeBoom supplied the firepower, hanging a game high 19 points on Colby, connecting from deep five times, including three in the first half.

Brock Warren and Mike Hahn got in on the action in the paint, using their size to bully Colby in the post for 10 points apiece, and the Red Raiders closed the second half on a 30-8 run to win 76-45.

It was the perfect response after the Red Raiders loss to Edgar two days prior.

“We went over there and had some inconsistencies, and that’s a credit to Edgar,” Marathon head coach Adam Jacobson said. “I think sometimes the best thing you can do is get back out there and try to prove yourself again. Fortunately, we had this game, and we came out and I really thought it clicked for our guys.”

Red Raiders go 1 of 1

Marathon had little time to dwell on their victory over Colby. The very next day saw the Red Raiders go toe to toe with conference rivals Newman on Friday, The Red Raiders were playing hosts, but their guests rudely went on the attack in the first half.

Vande Boom continued to be an offensive whirlwind for the Red Raiders as he dropped 22 points on the ‘Cards, splashing three triples and attacking inside.

Vande Boom scored 11 first half points, but he wasn’t the only Red Raider making noise on offense. Senior forward Mike Hahn bulled his way down low, scoring ten of his 14 points in the first frame, but even with their efforts, Marathon went into the break down 40-36.

Jaden Koeller had a huge game, scoring a game high 23 points for Marathon, including 12 points in the second half, but the ‘Cards were carried all night long by Mason Prey, who matched Koeller with 23 points, and Jacob Pfiffner added 15 to Newman’s cause.

The game went down to the wire, but it was Newman who got the lucky bounces, and escaped from Marathon with a 71-69 victory.

But just as they did with their loss to Edgar, the Red Raiders put it behind them, and got back to work the very next game.

It was another challenging match-up as the Red Raiders pitted themselves against the Mosinee Indians. Mosinee has a pair of tall post players, but who needs points in the paint when you can strike from deep?

Marathon shot over 50 percent from Down Town, going nine of 15 from three. None was deadlier than Matt Vande Boom, who splashed the nets from beyond the arc three times.

Vande Boom was a perfect 10 for 10 from the charity stripe, scoring 21 points. He wasn’t the only one with the shooter’s touch. Brock Warren and Jaeden Strasser each scored on a pair of triples, and Warren’s all court game led to game high 22 points.

Jaden Koeller added 11 points and Nathan Hanke finished with 10 points, and the Red Raiders improved to 13-3 with a 77-68 win over the second ranked team in the Great Northern.

“Being a senior makes it so much easier to just give it everything we’ve got every night,” Warren said about the season. “We’re going to continue doing that and playing that way, and hopefully there will be good things down the road.”

HANDS UP WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!- Nathan Hanke gets in the face of Colby’s Mason Schmutzler on Thursday. The Red Raiders used a second half surge to romp to victory. Hanke scored 10 points against Mosinee to give Marathon a 13-3 record.STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN