Marathon boys sectional runners-up

Raiders back at state again

By Casey Krautkramer

Marathon’s varsity boys cross country team finished as WIAA Division 3 sectional runners- up to on Saturday at Erbach Park in Athens, just like the Red Raiders did two years ago at the same location. The Red Raider boys will compete in the Division 3 state championship race at 1:10 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 30, at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids, just like in the 2019 season. Marathon sophomore Jacob Smith ran to a fifth-place finish at sectionals in 17 minutes, 44.3 seconds. Junior Jaron Gage placed 11th in 18:06.4, Derek Veseley 16th in 18:24.1, Dylan Dodson 54th in 18:52.7 and Ian Blake 31st in 19:28.1. Owen Marks placed 35th in 19:42.5 and Brandon Gitzlaff was 44rd in 20:25.4.

EJ Otto, Marathon head cross country coach, was proud of how his runners performed in the sectional race in Athens, considering all the obstacles they overcame this season.

“Great effort by all the kids that ran,” Otto said. “It has been an extremely difficult year for all the kids because of being quarantined or just being sick. We only had one practice this year with all 35 runners present. The kids ran a majority of the meets with a different front seven. The boys just banded together at sectionals by running as one and getting through to state. They were missing a top runner so it’s a great accomplishment for the boys.”

Marathon senior girl Julianna Thurs ran to a fourth-place finish at sectionals in 20:24.3, which qualifies her for the state championships as an individual runner not on the top two sectional teams, Colby and Bonduel. It’s her third time qualifying for state in her four-year high school career; the only year she didn’t qualify was as a sophomore not on Marathon’s team while she attended Wausau West. Coach Otto is proud of the grit she showed at sectionals on Saturday.

“Julianna showed a lot of toughness,” Otto said. “She took on some great runners, ran a very intelligent race and is qualifying for state for the third time. Julianna was also aided by her teammates Laci Hoeksema, Jada Prihoda, McKinnley Marks, Shilo Blake, Calyse Fieri and Jayden Hendricks. These girls helped create a spot for her to qualify as an individual. Give Julianna credit for her hours of rehabbing a knee injury, which resulted in her not running many meets, but she is just a kid with a lot of the ‘I want to.’” Jada Prihoda took 13th place at sectionals in 21:32.6, Hoeksema was 14th in 21:40.9, McKinnley Marks 23rd in 22:17.1, Shilo Blake 26th in 22:33.8, Fieri 38th in 23:27.7 and Henrichs 41st in 23:49.5. Marathon’s girls team took third place at sectionals, only four points behind state qualifier Bonduel in second place at sectionals. Colby won the sectional meet.

Heidmann misses state

Stratford junior Ella Heidmann just missed qualifying from sectionals to state as an individual this season. Heidmann placed ninth at sectionals in 21:18, which was just outside the top five runners who qualify for state that aren’t members of the top two teams at sectionals.

The Tiger girls team took fourth place with 90 points behind Marathon with 80. Freshman Kayla Casperson placed 15th in 21:42.3, freshman Breleigh Skaya 17th in 21:48.5, Samantha Mielke 24th in 22:29.3, sophomore Kressa Wenzel 25th in 22:32.8 and seniors Sarah Zuelke 30th in 22:56.0 and Lydia Goldbach 36th in 23:11.7.

The Tiger boys squad just missed qualifying from sectionals to state, 10 points behind second-place Marathon. Lance Krieg placed 10th in 18:06.4, Ethan Heeg 13th in 18:15.1, Cree Defoe 15th in 18:16.6, Brett Bangart 32nd in 19:37.6, Kaden Foster 41st in 20:17.8, Tanner Oertel 53rd in 21:13.7 and Derek Wiese 62nd in 23:09.3.

Edgar’s girls team took 10th place at sectionals. Junior Gretchen Brewster placed 39th in 23:28.5, Kira Slack 44th in 24:08.1, Natalie Thompson 45th in 24:09.0, Rebecca Werner 56th in 25:18.7, Aubrey Behling 57th in 25:18.7, Amber Skrzypcak 60th in 26:12.4 and Brooklyn Schwoerer 61st in 26:12.7.

Athens’ Brianna Sheahan took 28th place at sectionals in 22:33.2 and Elizabeth Van Rixel was 34th place in 22:55.6.