Tigers capture Marawood South

Stratford beats Assumption to secure the title

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity volleyball team on Tuesday won its road match against Wisconsin Rapids Assumption to capture the Marawood South Conference championship this season. Stratford concludes its conference schedule with an unblemished 5-0 record.

The Tigers now have an overall 22-9 match record this season and are ranked 10th in this week’s Division 3 Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association (WVCA) poll. Stratford will play against Phillips, which won the Marawood North Conference title this season, in the first place conference crossover match this Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Marathon High School. The conference crossover matches will begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. Phillips received honorable mention in this week’s WVCA Division 3 poll.

Phillips won Tuesday’s home match against Athens, 3-2, to capture the Marawood North title. The Loggers conclude their conference schedule with an unbeaten 5-0 record in the Marawood North. Prentice took second place in the Marawood North with a 4-1 conference match record followed by Athens in third with a 3-2 conference match record.

Athens now has a 23-8 overall match record this season and is ranked fifth in this week’s Division 4 WVCA poll. Marshfield Columbus is ranked number one yet in Division 4, followed by Royall second and Newman Catholic third. Prentice is ranked fourth in Division 4. Athens will play against Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, which received honorable mention in the Division 4 poll, in this Tuesday’s Marawood Conference third-place crossover match at Marathon High School.

Marathon beat arch-rival Edgar, 3-2, in Tuesday’s home Marawood South Conference match. The Red Raiders now have a 13-6 overall match record this season while Edgar drops to 11-9. Marathon will play against Abbotsford in the Marawood Conference fourth-place crossover match this Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Marathon High School.

Edgar will play against Rib Lake for the 5th place crossover match.

Playoff picture

The WIAA volleyball playoff seeding meetings will take place from Sunday, Oct. 8, through Wednesday, Oct. 11. The playoff brackets will then be released to the public. Local Division 3 volleyball teams Abbotsford, Auburndale, Edgar, Marathon and Stratford are assigned to grouping 2A in the Westby sectional.

Area WIAA Division 4 volleyball teams Athens, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, Marshfield Columbus, Greenwood, Loyal, Pittsville and Stevens Point Pacelli are assigned to grouping 3A in the Cashton sectional.

WIAA regional playoffs are on Tuesday, Oct. 17, Thursday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 21. Sectionals are on Thursday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 28. The state tournament is on Nov. 2-4 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.