Raiders can’t keep up

Royals score 29 straight points to win

By Casey Krautkramer

Early on, it appeared Marathon’s varsity football team would be in a close battle against Wisconsin Rapids Assumption throughout Friday’s entire game at South Wood County Stadium. The Red Raiders’ fortunes quickly changed, however, as the Royals scored 29 consecutive points for a 51-20 win.

Assumption scored the game’s first points on senior Nick Leberg’s seven- yard rushing touchdown. Junior Mason Kubis kicked the extra point to give the Royals a quick 7-0 lead. Marathon received great field position when sophomore Cody Radtke held onto the football while getting hit hard by an Assumption special teams player on ensuing kickoff, as the Red Raiders’ offense went to work at its own 44-yard line.

Marathon senior Parker Mathwich ran a successful counter play for a first down and then junior quarterback Cooper Hoeksema threw a pass completion to fellow junior Tyler Underwood for another first down. Hoeksema threw the ball on the outside to senior Matt Annis for a nice gain down to Assumption’s 21-yard line.

A 10-yard holding call on the Royals gave the Red Raiders the football on Assumption’s 11-yard line. Hoeksema again threw a successful pass to Annis on the outside for a 10-yard gain to the one-yard line. Annis took the direct snap from senior center Logan Werner and ran for a one-yard touchdown. Hoeksema returned to play quarterback and he handed the ball to senior Hector Pintor for the successful two-point conversion run to give Marathon an 8-7 lead.

Marathon’s successful seven play, 57-yard touchdown drive fired up the team’s defense, which made a big play with 24 seconds left in the opening quarter. Junior Luke Aschbrenner caused an Assumption fumble that was recovered by junior Ethan Hale. Marathon held onto a slim 8-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Just like in the opening quarter, the two teams traded touchdowns to start the second quarter. Assumption senior Ryan Shaw broke loose for a 67yard touchdown run and Leberg ran in the successful two-point conversion to give the Royals a 15-8 advantage.

Marathon answered Assumption’s score when Mathwich hauled in a twoyard touchdown reception from Hoeksema, but Hoeksema threw an interception on the two-point conversion pass. The Red Raiders scoring drive was six plays for 71 yards, as the Royals still held onto a slight 15-14 lead.

Then the wheels fell off the wagon for Marathon as Assumption scored 29 consecutive points between the remainder of the second quarter and beginning of the third quarter. The Royals held a 37-14 halftime advantage and then scored the first points after halftime to take a commanding 44-14 lead.

Marathon scored once in the second half on Pintor’s two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, but Hoeksema’s two-point conversion pass attempt was incomplete.

Both teams had the same time of offensive possession, 24 minutes, yet Assumption held a 467 to 260 advantage in total offensive yards. The Royals held a 367 to 65 yards advantage in rushing the football, while the Red Raiders held a 195 to 100 yards advantage in passing.

Assumption obtained 26 first downs compared to 16 for Marathon. The Royals were more efficient in thirddown conversions by completing eight of nine, compared to only three of seven for the Red Raiders. Assumption was successful in its only fourthdown attempt, while Marathon didn’t have any fourth-down attempts in the game.

The Royals never punted the ball in the game because they scored seven touchdowns and lost a fumble to the Red Raiders in the first quarter.

Senior Drew Love and Hale led Marathon’s defense with eight tackles each. All of Hale’s tackles were solo and Love had five solo tackles.

Marathon falls to 2-2 this season while Assumption improves its record to 3-1. Marathon begins its Marawood Conference schedule at 7 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 16, against undefeated Abbotsford at home.

Bluejays still unbeaten

The Athens varsity football team downed Bruce, 30-8, Thursday on the road to remain undefeated in eightman football this season. Athens’ defense kept Bruce scoreless after the first quarter.

Bruce couldn’t stop Athens’ tandem of senior quarterback Kyler Ellenbecker and junior tight end Aidan Janke. Ellenbecker ran the ball 31 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He completed three of eight passes for 54 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Janke meanwhile, ran the ball 14 times for 103 yards and he caught three passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

Janke also intercepted a pass on defense and he had three kickoffs for 110 yards. Athens more than doubled Bruce in total offensive yards, 275 to 126. Athens also more than doubled Bruce in first downs attained, 17 to eight.

Athens starts Central Wisconsin Conference-East play at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 15, on the road against Owen-Withee. Both the Bluejays and Blackhawks are undefeated with 3-0 records thus far this season.

Wildcats stay undefeated

Edgar varsity football players, junior Kohlbe Weisenberger and sophomore Leyton Schuett, made the most of their touchdown opportunities in the team’s 42-0 road win on Friday against Rosholt.

Weisenberger ran for two 10-yard touchdowns to finish the game with two rushes for 20 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Schuett, meanwhile, caught 17 and 33-yard touchdowns from junior quarterback Teegan Streit, to finish the game with two receptions for 50 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Wildcats junior running back Karter Butt obtained the majority of his 135 rushing yards on two long touchdowns. He rushed for a 48 and 52-yard touchdowns against the Hornets. Butt also caught a two-point conversion pass from Streit and Weisenberger ran for the team’s other successful two-point conversion. Edgar junior Harrison Graveen made two of his three extra point kicks.

Senior Justin Davis led the Wildcats defense with six tackles and senior Carver Higgins paced the team with two sacks. Seniors Brady Stencil and Keghan Hartway, juniors Marcus Huehrnerfuss and Weisenberger, sophomore Jase Apfelbeck and freshman Tucker Streit each recorded one sack for Edgar.

Edgar begins its Marawood Conference schedule at 7 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 16, against Colby. Both teams are undefeated with 4-0 non-conference records this season. The Wildcats only conference loss last season was to the Hornets, which won the Marawood Conference and WIAA Division 6 state championships. It is Edgar’s homecoming game this Friday.

Tigers win two straight

Stratford’s varsity football team achieved its second straight win of the season on Friday, 21-7, in its road game against Shiocton. Both of the Tigers victories are against Central Wisconsin Conference-Large opponents, therefore they are currently unbeaten in the conference.

Tigers junior Kohler Kilty ran 30 times for 243 yards and one touchdown. Senior quarterback Braeden Schueller completed four of his eight passes for 44 yards, two touchdowns to senior Ashton Wrensch and an interception.

Senior Ryan Becker led Stratford with eight tackles and Kilty added seven. Senior John Seitz III contributed six tackles and an interception while junior Payton Glenn had the team’s other interception on defense. Junior Gavin Leonhardt had five tackles while senior Jackson Ormond had four tackles and a quarterback sack.

Stratford improves its record to 2-11 this season and plays at 7 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 16, against Nekoosa at Marshfield Senior High School.