Team wants full season

Marathon football was 1-2 last year

The only direction is up for Marathon’s football team that only played three games last season because of COVID-19.

Marathon fourth-year head coach Ryan Winkler’s squad finished the 2020 season with a 1-2 record. Marathon lost a road game to Colby, 28-0, and then won a road contest against Abbotsford, 15-0. Marathon lost, 400, to Amherst at home.

“I think there is always a learning curve for players on the varsity football squad for the first time,” Winkler said. “Unfortunately for our team, we only played three games last season so our players lost out on gaining valuable experience. It will obviously be nice to play a normal season again this year, as our players and coaches are hoping to play a full schedule.”

The Red Raiders return the follow- ing top junior players this season: Matt Annis, running back/linebacker; junior Hector Pintor, offensive guard/ linebacker; Drew Love, offensive tackle/ linebacker; Griffin Treankler, tight end/defensive back and Logan Werner, center/defensive lineman.

Marathon also returns the following top senior players this season: Jaden Koeller, wide receiver/linebacker; Noah Gage, running back/defensive back; Ben Robbins, quarterback; Nathan Hanke, running back/defensive back and Nick Sommers, linebacker.

The following Red Raiders are newcomers to the varsity squad who should make contributions on the field this year: Senior Rudy Rhyner, tight end/defensive lineman; junior Mason Seehafer, running back/ defensive back; junior Daniel LaQua, wide receiver/defensive back; junior David Duberstein, offensive and defensive lineman and sophomore Payton Lawrence, offensive lineman/linebacker. Last season was Ben Robbins’ first year as Marathon’s starting quarterback.

“Ben is a talented athlete who throws a really nice football,” Winkler said. “What I am trying to stress with Ben and the entire team this year is it takes more than talent to be successful. The team talks about having discipline, desire and character. We also talk about how it is tough to always follow these principles, but if we are united then it is much easier to be accountable. We can’t just talk about these things, but we must display and live these principles.”

Marathon’s schedule is full of nonconference opponents this season now that Athens, Owen-Withee and Thorp are no longer in the Marawood Conference because they are playing eightman football this year. The Marawood Conference thus only contains Marathon, Auburndale, Edgar, Colby and Abbotsford until Pittsville rejoins the conference next season.

“We prepare the same for every game, so whether a game is non-conference or conference really doesn’t matter,” Winkler said. “At this point players and coaches are just happy to have a chance to play a full schedule. I believe we have one of the toughest schedules in the state. All of the teams in the Marawood Conference are tough this season, and Colby and Edgar should be really good again this year. Abbotsford has been really successful over the years and Auburndale is always solid.

“Our non-conference schedule of Iola-Scandinavia, Stanley-Boyd, Bon- duel, Grantsburg and Rosholt will be challenging. I think the players on the Marathon football team are looking forward to the challenge of competing with some of the best teams in the area this year.”

Marathon’s assistant football coaches this season are Rob Love, Jeff Schneider, Brad Bernarde, Vince Dinkel and strength coach Joel Mroczenski.

The varsity squad has a scrimmage at 10 a.m. this Friday, Aug. 13, in Stanley- Boyd. Marathon’s regular-season schedule starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 20, at Iola-Scandinavia.