Red Raiders are shut out by the Pirates
Marathon’s varsity football team succumbed to Grantsburg, 40-0, Friday in a home non-conference game. The Red Raiders hung tough against the Pirates in the first half, by only losing 14-0 at the break, thanks to hard running by senior Noah Gage and nice kickoff and punt returns by senior Dakota Erdman.
Gage reeled off a 20-yard run in the second quarter that fired up Marathon’s sideline. Gage finished the game by rushing 18 times for 138 yards. Erdman, meanwhile, had two kick returns for 51 yards and one punt return for 22 yards. Senior Jaden Koeller averaged 42.5 yards on his four punts for 170 total yards.
Junior linebacker Mason Seehafer led Marathon’s defense with eight tackles, while senior linebackers Nathan Hanke and Nick Sommers and senior defensive back John Stoffel had five tackles each. Junior linebacker Hector Pintor and defensive back Koeller added four tackles apiece.
Marathon falls to 1-6 overall in actual games this season, while Grantsburg improves to 4-3. Marathon can still qualify for the WIAA playoffs this season if it beats Auburndale this Friday, Oct. 8, on the road. Marathon is credited with Marawood Conference wins against Athens, Owen-Withee and Thorp this season because those teams ended up switching from playing 11-man to eight-man football. Should the Red Raiders beat the Ea- gles this Friday, then they’d have an over .500 conference record and qualify for the WIAA playoffs. Marathon will conclude the regular season with a non-conference game at Rosholt on Friday, Oct. 15.
‘Jays down Clippers
The Athens varsity football squad destroyed Sturgeon Bay, 68-0, on the road Friday to remain undefeated this season. The 2-1/2 hour road trip didn’t stop the Bluejays from continuing to dominate their opponents this season.
Athens racked up 477 yards of total offense compared to only 87 yards for Sturgeon Bay. Bluejays senior Cooper Diedrich completed six of eight passes for a touchdown and he rushed 10 times for 195 yards and four touchdowns.
Bluejays senior Caden Decker rushed four times for 71 yards and two touchdowns, while senior Caleb Borchardt had five rushes for 97 yards and a touchdown. Junior Kyler Ellenbecker caught a 38-yard touchdown from Diedrich.
Athens improves to 7-0 overall in games this season, while Sturgeon Bay falls to 2-4. No. 6 ranked Athens will duel No. 2 ranked Wausau Newman at home this Friday, Oct. 8, in a matchup of unbeaten eight-man squads.
Tigers pound Warhawks
Stratford’s varsity football team dominated Weyauwega-Fremont, 48-7, on the road Friday. The Tigers’ quarterback duo of senior Dillon Kirsch and junior Braeden Schueller enjoyed great games.
For example, Kirsch completed five of eight passes for 126 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Schueller, meanwhile, was a perfect five for five passing for 115 yards and one touchdown. Schueller also ran the ball four times fo 44 yards and one touchdown.
Stratford senior Elijah Lucio caught four passes for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while senior Caden Bruesewitz added three receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown. Senior Kaden Griesmer rushed three times for 18 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Raife Smart added six rushes for 50 yards.
Senior defensive back Darin Heeg led Stratford with nine tackles, while junior linebacker Ryan Becker added eight. Senior middle linebacker Noah Barrett, junior strong safety Connor Weigel and junior middle linebacker Johnny Seitz added five tackles apiece.
Stratford improves to 4-1 in the Central Wisconsin Conference-Large (CWC-Large) and 6-1 overall this season. Stratford plays its homecoming game this Friday, Oct. 8, against CWCLarge foe Spencer/Columbus, which is 3-2 in the CWC-Large and 5-3 overall.
