Marathon on to state!
By Casey Krautkramer
Marathon senior Grant Warren’s mother Pam, took a photo of him and his older brother Brock, with Cody Hanke after he helped the Red Raiders win the 2011 WIAA Division 4 state championship at the Kohl Center in Madison. Hanke carried Grant, who was only five years old at the time, in one arm and he put his other arm around Brock standing next to him.
Pam took another photo of Grant touching Hanke’s gold state championship medal around his neck. Grant was only three feet, 11 inches tall when these photos were taken. Now Grant is six feet, 10 inches tall and in a position to help lead Marathon to a state championship this weekend just like Hanke did in 2011.
Grant is hoping his mother will take a photo of him holding his head coach Adam Jacobson’s youngest son, Barrett “Bear” Jacobson, at the state tournament this weekend. Bear is the same age, 5, that Grant was when Hanke held him after winning the 2011 state championship. Bear is also Grant’s biggest fan just like Grant was of Hanke.
“That would be something special because it would be the circle of life or the circle of basketball,” Grant said on Saturday after helping Marathon beat Bonduel, 68-61, in the sectional championship at D.C. Everest.
Grant scored a game-high 27 points in the win against Bonduel and he also led Marathon with 14 rebounds and four
See SECTIONAL TITLE/ page 16
HAVING HIMSELF A HUGE SECTIONAL TITLE GAME- Marathon senior 6 foot, 10-inch center Grant Warren powers over Bonduel sophomore 6 foot, 6-inch center Ryan Westrich for a basket during the Red Raiders 68-61 sectional championship win on Saturday at D.C. Everest. Warren achieved a game-high 27 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks to help the Red Raiders halt the Bears’ 26-game winning streak.
STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER Sectional title
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blocks. Senior Tyler Underwood contributed 19 points while senior Cooper Hoeksema and sophomore Drew Woelfel added nine points a piece. Sophomore True Thurs paced the Red Raiders with seven assists and Woelfel had six.
Hoeksema shot the basketball much better against Bonduel on Saturday than he did in Marathon’s 57-54 sectional semifinal win against Auburndale on Thursday in Merrill.
“It feels great to make it to state,” he said. “It’s a childhood dream. You watch all the great Marathon teams in the past go to state and you want to go there too.”
Marathon snapped Bonduel’s 26-game winning streak on Saturday. The Bears conclude this season with a 26-2 record. Marathon, meanwhile, advances to the state tournament for the first time since 2018 when the Red Raiders finished as state runners-up to Manitowoc Roncalli.
The Red Raiders have a 27-1 record going into the 108th annual WIAA state tournament this week. Marathon was awarded the No. 1 seed in the Division 4 state tournament and will play No. 4 seed Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic Academy, 15-9, in a state semifinal at 6:35 p.m. this Thursday, March 14, at the Kohl Center in Madison.
No. 2 seed Mineral Point, 22-2, plays against No. 3 seed La Crosse Aquinas, 19-5, in the other Division 4 state semifinal that will begin approximately 15 minutes after Marathon’s game against Kenosha St. Joseph. Winners of the two state semifinals will play in the Division 4 state championship this Saturday afternoon, March 16, following the conclusion of the Division 5 state title and awards ceremony.
Drew Woelfel is happy to share the experience of playing in the state tournament with his father, Chuck, who is one of his Marathon assistant coaches. Chuck Woelfel was head coach of Park Falls when they were WIAA Division 3 state champions in 1999. There were only four divisions in 1999.
“This means a lot to him that I’ll be playing in the state tournament, so I’m going to celebrate this sectional championship win with him,” Drew said after the victory on Saturday. “He is already a state champion so we are just trying to help him win another one.”
Marathon players and coaches took turns cutting down the net at D.C. Everest after Saturday’s sectional championship win. Red Raiders fans cheered loudly when coach Jacobson snipped the last string to release the net from the rim.
“It’s very humbling,” he said about leading Marathon to another state tournament trip. “We have a wonderful community, basketball program and group of guys just excited to keep it rolling. We’ve brought such joy to so many people in our proud community that has a rich basketball tradition.”
TRADITIONAL CUTTING DOWN THE NET- Marathon senior Nathan Huebsch works on cutting a string off the basketball net on Saturday at D.C. Everest after the team beat Bonduel, 68-61, in the WIAA Division 4 sectional championship. Huebsch is one of five seniors on the team with Cooper Hoeksema, Andrew Glennon, Tyler Underwood and Grant Warren. The Red Raiders will make their ninth trip to state in school history.
STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER
