Raiders have a bevy of talent

By Casey Krautkramer

Marathon’s varsity girls basketball team has the potential to accomplish great things this season. The Red Raiders only lost two seniors, Madison Heise and Madisyn Lang, to graduation in spring and they return all their top players from last year’s squad therefore it’s not surprising the 2024-25 team is off to a 4-1 start.

Junior forward Emma Love led Marathon in scoring last season by averaging 8.4 points per game. Junior forward Mylee Haehlke averaged 6.7 points per game and senior guard Chenpieng Phakitthong averaged 2.9 point per game. Haehlke paced the Red Raiders in rebounding last season with 6.7 rebounds per game while Emma Love was second on the team with six rebounds per game. Senior guard Cayden Sapinski led Marathon in assists last season with 1.5 assists per game and senior Kyla Heise was second on the team with 1.2 assists per game.

Marathon’s other top returning players this season are senior guard and forward Kyla Heise, senior forward Danica Paszek, senior guard Katie Cliver and sophomore guards Mayven Schneider, Katelyn Love and Maycie Myszka.

The Red Raiders’ top newcomers to this season’s varsity squad who will see playing time on the court are senior forward Izzy Vardon, senior guard Katie LeBlanc, junior forward Mya Buchberger and junior guard Madelyn Volkman.

Jeff Schneider is in the midst of his 20th season as Marathon’s varsity girls basketball head coach. He has over 300 career coaching wins. His assistant coaches this season are Chuck Baldeshwiler, Nicole Myszka, Hayley Cramer, Hannah Franke and Allison Wolf.

Marathon beat Ladysmith, 45-42, in a home WIAA Division 4 regional quarterfinal last season before losing a road regional semifinal, 65-12, against Chippewa Falls McDonell. The Macks advanced all the way to the state tournament. Schneider explains how this year’s Marathon team can contend for the Marawood South Conference championship and also make it further in the playoffs.

“We need to continue to develop our skill level, especially shooting the basketball and finishing at the rim,” he said. “We have great depth and want to wear teams out by playing an aggressive pace in transition and pressure defense. We need to keep holding ourselves to our standards of improving every day, being accountable and supporting everyone by being great teammates.”

Jeff Schneider has utilized the team’s depth to his advantage so far in the 2024--25 season by substituting one group of girls off the bench for another group of girls on the court, and vice versa.

Marathon got off to a great start this season on Nov. 19 with a 45-28 non-conference road victory against Loyal. Haehlke led the Red Raiders with nine points and three steals, while Phakitthong and Sapinski added seven points apiece. Haehlke and Katelyn Love paced the team with six rebounds each.

The Red Raiders had a much tougher time in their Nov. 26 Marawood South Conference road game against an experienced Stratford Tigers squad that remains undefeated this season. Marathon was losing, 31-14, at halftime before clawing their way back into the game at the end. The Red Raiders outscored the Tigers, 3629, in the second half but came up short in the 60-50 loss which is Marathon’s only defeat so far this season. Haehlke led Marathon with 15 points against the Tigers and Emma Love added 13 points. Haehlke and Emma Love paced the Red Raiders with 10 rebounds apiece. Macie Myszka led the team with three steals.

Marathon bounced back from its loss to Stratford by defeating arch-rival Edgar, 44-26, on Dec. 2 at home. Haehlke achieved game highs with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Mayven Schneider led the Red Raiders with four steals and Phakitthong paced the team with four assists in the win against the Wildcats. Marathon has since also won road games against Chequamegon, 58-23, on Friday and Newman Catholic, 48-27, on Tuesday. Individual player statistics were not available for these games.

The Red Raiders will attempt to add to their current three-game winning streak when they play against the Rib Lake Lady Redmen at 7:15 p.m. this Friday, Dec. 13, at home and against the Colby Hornets at 7:15 p.m. this Monday, Dec. 16, on the road.

MARATHON VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL - Introducing the 2024-25 Red Raiders girls basketball squad. Players pictured, from left to right, front row are Chenpieng Phakitthong, Addie Molepske, Cayden Sapinski, Madelyn Volkman and Katie LeBlanc; middle row: Katie Cliver, Mayven Schneider, Mya Buchberger, Kyla Heise, Katelyn Love and Maycie Myszka; back row: Danica Pazsek, Emma Love, Isabella Vardon and Mylee Haehlke.

PHOTO BY STACY STUBBE