Stratford wins the South again

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity volleyball team has won back-toback Marawood South Conference championships. The Tigers went undefeated in the Marawood South for the second straight season.

Marathon and Newman Catholic tied for second place in the South with 3-2 records. Auburndale and Edgar both finished with 2-3 conference records while Wisconsin Rapids Assumption failed to win a conference match this season.

All the Marawood South Conference volleyball teams won their crossover matches against the Marawood North squads on Tuesday in Marathon. Stratford improved its overall match record to 23-3 this season following its 3-0 win against Abbotsford in the first place conference crossover match. After the match, Stratford senior Kalyn Schueller and Newman Catholic senior Aly Shields were awarded Marawood South Conference Co-Players of the Year.

Schueller led Stratford with 10 attack kills and four ace serves in the match victory against Abbotsford.

Stratford’s volleyball team earned a No. 1 seed and first round bye in the WIAA Division 3 playoffs. Stratford will play a home regional semifinal at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, against Tuesday’s regional quarterfinal winner between Cadott vs. Stanley-Boyd.

Marathon’s volleyball squad beat Prentice in Tuesday’s second-place conference crossover match but the set scores and player statistics were not available when the newspaper was printed. The Red Raiders have a 22-9 overall match record this season. Marathon earned a No. 2 seed and first round bye in the WIAA Division 3 playoffs. Marathon will play a home regional semifinal at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, against Tuesday’s regional quarterfinal winner between Elk Mound and Prescott.

Edgar’s volleyball team beat Rib Lake, 3-1, in Tuesday’s fourth-place conference crossover match. Set scores and player statistics were not available when the newspaper was printed. The Wildcats have a 16-13 overall match record this season and should play a WIAA Division 4 regional quarterfinal match at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, Oct. 22. The WIAA seeding meeting to determine Edgar’s first-round opponent and location of the match occurred after the newspaper was printed.

The Athens volleyball team lost to Auburndale, 3-1, in Tuesday’s fifth-place conference crossover match. Junior Sy’Rih Hartwig led Athens with 17 kills and two solo blocks.

Athens has a 5-25 overall match record this season and will play in a WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal match at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, Oct. 22. The WIAA seeding meeting to determine Athens’ first-round opponent and location of the match occurred after the newspaper was printed.

Abbotsford and Prentice shared the Marawood North Conference championship with 4-1 conference records. Phillips and Rib Lake both finished 3-2 in the North. Athens had a 1-4 conference record while Chequamegon failed to win a conference match this season.

CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR SHINES AGAINST ABBY - Stratford senior Kalyn Schueller, the Marawood South Conference Co-Player of the Year, spikes the volleyball during the team’s 3-0 match sweep against Abbotsford in Tuesday’s first-place conference crossover match in Marathon. Her teammates, senior Mckenzie Novotny (12) and sophomore Carly Pankratz (10) smile in the background.

TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD