Finishing on a high note

By Casey Krautkramer

There was a full moon on Friday night and the Athens varsity football team finally played a full game to earn its first and only win this season.

Athens senior Kyle Schreiner rushed for four touchdowns in the team’s dominating 44-6 home victory against Prentice. Schreiner and the team’s other two seniors, Gavin Glenn and Austin Dean, were honored after the game. They had extra motivation to beat the Buccaneers.

“It feels good to get the win,” Schreiner said. “We worked hard all year and we came close to winning our last couple of games. We really tried to connect the dots and put everything together against Prentice, and I’m really blessed that my teammates and I put together a complete game and got a win out of it.”

Athens head coach Todd Diethelm praised his three seniors for helping the team achieve a win.

“I thanked them after the game because it’s not easy not winning a game until the last one and they put in their time,” he said. “They never gave up and they led by example. They did their work and we pushed forward and it means a lot to them. You could see the emotion on their faces in their last senior game. This sport is like none other. It’s a family sport and we all become brothers and friends and they are like my kids, so it’s a lot of fun.”

Schreiner finished the game with 19 carries for 135 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Evin Passehl added 13 carries for 66 yards. Junior quarterback Kamden Zarnke completed eight of 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Sophomore Kaleb Cracraft squib kicked the football to start the game and he recovered it before Prentice could after the football went at least 10 yards. Todd Diethelm said the team saw while watching Prentice’s game film that it had trouble recovering onside kicks.

“We just kind of did a scrum kick so our fast guys could get the ball, and it worked out well for us,” he said.

Prentice’s turnover on the opening kickoff gave Athens the football at midfield. It took the Bluejays seven plays and three minutes, 45 seconds to score a touchdown on Schreiner’s one-yard plunge. Zarnke’s two-point pass attempt to Dean was incomplete.

Athens’ second squib kick didn’t go the necessary 10 yards and Prentice took the football on the Bluejays’ 48-yard line. Schreiner sacked Prentice senior quarterback Adan Raab on fourth down at Athens’ 36-yard line to give the football back to the Bluejays. Athens wasted no time scoring when Zarnke completed a 64-yard touchdown pass to Daxton Diethelm on the first offensive play. Passehl ran for the successful two-point conversion to give the Bluejays a 14-0 lead.

Prentice recovered Cracraft’s squib kick but Athens’ defense held the Buccaneers’ offense to a three and out, forcing a punt. The Bluejays received the football toward the end of the first quarter and scored early in the second quarter. Athens converted a fourth down and seven yards play when Zarnke completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Daxton Diethelm. Zarnke ran for the successful two-point conversion to give Athens a 22-0 lead.

Schreiner scored his second rushing touchdown of the game on a five-yard scamper with just over eight minutes left in the second quarter. Zarnke completed a pass to Daxton Diethelm for the two-point conversion. Athens now led, 30-0, against Prentice.

Glenn and his defensive teammates had a huge third down stop to force another Prentice punt with three minutes, 30 seconds left before halftime. Athens eventually scored another touchdown on Schreiner’s 32-yard scamper with 52 seconds remaining in the first half. Passehl ran for the two-point conversion to give the Bluejays a commanding 38-0 halftime advantage against the Buccaneers.

Athens received the football to start the second half and put together a lengthy offensive drive resulting in Schreiner’s three-yard touchdown run with just over six minutes left in the third quarter. Junior Gavin Frahm’s two-point conversion run failed but the Bluejays still had a 44-0 lead.

Athens’ defense nearly posted a shutout against Prentice but quarterback Raab kept the football for a 13-yard touchdown with only 21 seconds left in the game. Prentice’s two-point conversion pass attempt failed.

Kenny Chesney’s “The Boys of Fall” song was heard on the public address system while the Athens football team gathered for its post-game huddle in the south end zone.

“That song chokes me up every time I hear it,” Todd Diethelm said. “That song goes back to when my kids played football. That’s a special song and it’s so true because we are the boys of fall.”

Raiders win season finale

Marathon’s opportunistic defense forced six Spencer/Columbus Catholic turnovers in Friday’s 46-14 road win to conclude the season. The Red Raiders recovered three Rockets fumbles and intercepted Spencer/Columbus Catholic junior quarterback Devlin Timler three times.

On offense, Marathon junior quarterback True Thurs had a great all-around game by completing 17 of 23 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns and running the football 17 times for 64 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Cody Radtke caught 10 passes for 106 yards and sophomore Garrett Bracewell had four catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

Marathon head coach Ryan Winkler was proud of his team’s effort.

“I was really impressed with the team’s effort on Friday night,” he said. “Hopefully the win will be a springboard card to a good offseason and give our players confidence for next season. It’s always nice to send the seniors off on a high note.”

Spencer/Columbus Catholic won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. The Rockets scored a touchdown on their first offensive possession. Thurs threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Bracewell but Radtke’s two-point conversion pass was incomplete, so the Rockets held onto a slim 7-6 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Red Raiders junior linebacker Tate Sonnentag tackled the Rockets running back who then fumbled the football, which was recovered by junior defensive back Blake Underwood at the 35-yard line. Marathon converted the turnover into points on junior Landon Sneider’s six-yard touchdown run. Senior Blake Kraft’s two-point conversion pass was incomplete. The Red Raiders now led the Rockets, 12-7.

Marathon’s defense sacked Timler and

See FOOTBALL VICTORIES/ page 12

OUTRACING EVERYONE - Athens senior Kyle Schreiner is shown leaving Prentice defenders in the dust for a 32-yard touchdown run before halftime during Friday’s 44-6 home win. Schreiner scored four total rushing touchdowns. Football victories

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he fumbled the football. Red Raiders junior Chris Marcell recovered the fumble and rumbled 25 yards to the two-yard line. Thurs ran for a six-yard touchdown on Marathon’s first offensive play. Thurs’ two-point conversion pass attempt was incomplete. The Red Raiders held an 18-7 advantage against the Rockets.

The Red Raiders’ defense came up huge again when Thurs tackled the Rockets’ running back and forced him to fumble the football, which Thurs then recovered at the 39-yard line. Thurs ended up scoring an 11-yard touchdown run and sophomore Jonah Friede kicked the extra point to give Marathon a 25-7 halftime advantage.

Marathon received the second half kickoff but was forced to punt the football. Spencer/Columbus Catholic scored on a one-yard rushing touchdown but Marathon still held a 25-14 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Red Raiders outscored the Rockets, 21-0, in the fourth quarter. Thurs rushed for a one-yard touchdown and Friede kicked the extra point.

Blake Underwood intercepted Timler on the Rockets next possession. Marathon converted the turnover into points on Thurs’ 50-yard touchdown pass to Bracewell. Friede kicked the extra point.

Marathon junior linebacker Will Tourtillot intercepted Timler and returned the football 25 yards for a touchdown. Friede kicked the extra point.

Sophomore linebacker Landon Hilgart led Marathon’s defense with eight tackles, including seven solo tackles. Junior defensive back Cale Quaintance added seven solo tackles. Blake Underwood collected two interceptions for a total of 28 return yards and a fumble recovery.

Marathon ends this season with a 2-5 record in the Central Wisconsin Large Conference and a 3-6 overall record.