Marathon scores big road win

Squad comes from behind

By Casey Krautkramer

Marathon’s boys basketball team significantly cut down its turnovers from the first half, 12, to only having four in the second game for a comeback 57-53 road win against Athens on Thursday.

Athens took a 28-19 halftime lead against Marathon. The Bluejays executed head coach Jeramie Penney’s game plan of shutting down Red Raiders star senior guard Jaden Koeller, who only scored three points in the entire game. Marathon sophomore forward Tyler Underwood was the hero off the bench with 10 points in the second half during the team’s comeback.

Tyler, the son of Kevin and Jen Underwood, said he was determined to help lead the team to a victory against the Bluejays in a battle of squads in first place in their respective Marawood North and South conferences.

“I basically turned my play up into second gear in the second half,” Tyler Underwood said. “At half-time, we knew we needed to come out in the second half with way more fire than we did in the first half. Our head coach, Adam Jacobson, told us at halftime this was a gut check for us to realize we needed to play to our potential in the second half.”

With the win, Marathon kept pace with Stratford atop the Marawood South Conference. Coach Jacobson said his squad was determined in the second half against Athens to not lose its second game in a row, after falling to Mosinee on the road in its previous contest.

“During the course of a long season, you are going to be in games like this but for us to respond from being down by nine points at halftime against Athens and come out with a victory means a lot for us going forward,” Jacobson said.

Sophomore Grant Warren led Marathon with a game-high 23 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Seniors Nathan Hanke paced the Red Raiders with five assists and Ben Robbins with three steals.

Senior Kody Lepak paced Athens with 16 points, followed by junior Aiden Janke with 15 points and senior Cooper Diedrich with 12 points. Janke led the Bluejays with 12 rebounds and Diedrich paced the squad with 11 assists. Lepak and junior Connor Sheahan led Athens with two steals each.

Coach Penney said although his Athens team wasn’t able to beat Marathon, he’s happy to know the Bluejays can hang with a tough squad like the Red Raiders, which should help its confidence during the rest of this season.

Tuesday victories

Marathon avenged an earlier 20-point loss to Edgar this season with an easy 68-40 home win on Tuesday. The Red Raiders improve their record to 10-1 in the Marawood South Conference and 13-2 overall this season, while the Wildcats fall to 5-5 in the South and 8-7 overall. Marathon remains tied with Stratford atop the Marawood South Conference.

Athens destroyed Abbotsford, 7735, at home on Tuesday. The Bluejays built a commanding 52-20 halftime advantage against the Falcons. Kody Lepak led four Athens players in double-digit scoring with 22 points. Cooper Diedrich contributed 16 points followed by Aiden Janke with 12 and junior Nathan Wolf with 11. Senior Even Guralski chipped in nine points.

Diedrich paced the Bluejays with 14 rebounds while Lepak added 10 and Janke had nine. Diedrich led the team with seven assists in the victory. Athens improves its record to 6-3 in the Marawood South Conference and 12-3 overall this season. The Bluejays have a two-game cushion for first place in the Marawood North Conference over the Chequamegon Screaming Eagles.

Stratford senior Camden Daul scored 16 points along with four steals to lead the Tigers to a 53-39 home win against Auburndale on Tuesday. The Tigers improve their record to 10-1 in the Marawood South Conference and 15-1 overall this season.

Senior Devin Ulrich contributed 14 points. Ulrich and fellow senior Caden Bruesewitz tied for the team lead with seven rebounds apiece. Bruesewitz paced the squad with five assists.

Wildcats down Falcons

Edgar dominated Abbotsford, 79-31, on the road Thursday. The Wildcats built a 47-19 halftime lead.

Senior Everet Brehm led a trio of Wildcats in double-digit scoring with 18 points, followed by sophomore Brett Baumgartner with 15 and freshman Leyton Schuett with 14. Senior Ashton Schuett and junior Justin Davis chipped in nine points apiece.

Ashton Schutt and sophomore Karter Butt paced Edgar with seven assists each. Ashton Schuett led the Wildcats with three deflections and five steals.

Stratford beats Phillips

Stratford upended Phillips, 63-47, on the road Friday.

Daul paced the Tigers with 21 points while junior Ashtyn Wrench contributed 11.

Wrensch led the squad with five steals and Bruesewitz with five assists.

“I basically turned up my play into second gear in the second half.”Tyler Underwood Marathon sophomore

SEEING SOME TIME ON THE FLOOR- Edgar’s boys basketball team was so far ahead during Thursday’s 79-31 dominating road performance against Abbotsford that the bench received playing time at the end of the game. Wildcats junior Dilan Yonker (23) handles the basketball while his sophomore teammate, Kohlbe Weisenberger (14) follows the action against the Falcons.STAFF PHOTO/SAMANTHA YOCIUS