Marathon joins CWC-Large
By Casey Krautkramer
Seventh-year Marathon varsity football head coach and offensive coordinator Ryan Winkler has named junior True Thurs as his starting quarterback this season. Thurs played running back while leading the Red Raiders in rushing last season.
“True will allow us to do more run pass options as he is a dual threat quarterback,” Winkler said.
Marathon’s other top returning football players on offense this season besides Thurs are senior wide receiver Cody Radtke, junior tight end Drew Woelfel, junior wing back Chris Marcell and junior offensive lineman Mitchell Zemke. Red Raiders football alumni Vince Dinkel is in his third year as the team’s defensive coordinator.
The team’s top returning defensive football players this season are Thurs at linebacker, junior defensive back Landon Sneider, Radtke at defensive back, junior defensive back Cale Quaintance, junior defensive lineman Hudson Voight and Marcell at outside linebacker.
Marathon’s top newcomers to the varsity squad this season are sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Garrett Bracewell, sophomore offensive linemen and linebackers Landon Hilgardt and Jace Ostrowski, junior linebacker Tate Sonnentag, junior running backs and linebackers Nathan Hoenisch and Javier Pintor and junior offensive and defensive lineman Cassius Ninabuck.
Coach Winkler is excited about the offense he gets to call this season.
“We will have a very balanced rushing attack this year,” he said. “Players who will be running the ball in some fashion include Javier Pintor, Nathan Hoenisch, Chris Marcell, Blake Kraft, Garrett Bracewell and Landon Sneider.”
“The receiving corps is deep this year with Cody Radtke, Garrett Bracewell, Landon Sneider, Logan Witberler, Cale Quaintance, Blake Underwood, Blake Kraft, Chris Marcell and Drew Woelfel once he returns from his injury. Chris Marcell will move to tight end until Drew comes back.”
See MARATHON FOOTBALL page 16
MARATHON RED RAIDERS FOOTBALL - Introducing the 2024 Marathon varsity football squad. Team members pictured, from left to right, first row are:Will Bretzke, Landon Sneider, Sam Altenhofen, Alex Poppe, Jaden Herr and Blake Underwood; second row: Aiden Lang, Luke Lagan, Blake Kraft, Javier Pintor, Cale Quaintance, Will Tourtillott and Karsan Huebsch; third row: Tate Sonnentag, Sam Lepak, Fred Tylinski, Ben Stowell, Grant Salber, Luke Hoenisch, Nathan Hoenisch and Owen Chrouser; fourth row: Mitchell Zemke, Jace Ostrowski, Cody Radtke, Cassius Ninabuck, True Thurs, Garrett Bracewell and Landon Hilgart; fifth row: Mason Lawrence, Charlie Ehlert, Chris Marcell, Logan Witberler and Hudson Voight. Missing from the photo is Drew Woelfel.
PHOTO BY STACY STUBBE Marathon football
Continued from page 12
The Marathon and Colby football teams switched from playing in the Marawood Conference to the Central Wisconsin Conference (CWC) Large this season where they will play against tough opponents including Stratford, Amherst, Spencer/ Columbus, Wittenberg-Birnamwood and Weyauwega/Fremont. Loyal was an eightman football team last season that combined with 11-man football squad Greenwood to form Loyal/Greenwood this season and play in the CWC-Large.
“We are excited to play against some of the best football teams in the state this year,” Winkler said. “The players are looking forward to the challenge.”
Marathon begins this season against a familiar opponent in Pittsville at 7 p.m. this Friday, Aug. 23, at home. The Red Raiders beat the Panthers, 33-22, in a Marawood Conference home game last season, but they are a non-conference opponent this year.. “We want to see the players execute at a high level and play fundamental football against Pittsville,” Winkler said.
