Raiders off and running in ‘22

Team blasts the Hawks to get home win

By Casey Krautkramer

Marathon’s varsity football squad got off to the right start it needed to the 2022 season with a rather convincing 38-8 non-conference home win on Friday night against Rib Lake/Prentice. The Hawks used to be a Marawood Conference opponent for the Red Raiders until they moved to the Lakeland Conference a few years ago.

Marathon head football coach Ryan Winkler was pleased with his squad’s total effort in the victory against Rib Lake/Prentice.

“The guys played with great energy against Rib Lake/Prentice,” he said. “It was nice to get an opening game win at home and it will hopefully give us some momentum early this season. The players are still adjusting to the tweaks we made this year on offense and defense, so it was encouraging to see the positive execution on Friday night.”

The Red Raiders scored first with junior quarterback Cooper Hoeksema’s 10-yard touchdown pass to senior Hector Pintor. Senior Matt Annis ran for the three-yard two-point conversion to give Marathon an 8-0 lead.

Marathon added to its lead in the second quarter when Hoeksema handed the football to Annis for a 10-yard touchdown scamper. Annis added the two-point conversion run to give the Red Raiders a 16-0 advantage against the Hawks.

Rib Lake/Prentice answered Marathon’s score when quarterback Michael Borchardt threw a 30-yard touchdown to Donovan Sutherland. Dominik Classen ran in the two-point conversion to allow the Hawks to trim the Red Raiders’ lead to 16-8.

It was all Marathon from this point forward as the Red Raiders scored the game’s next three touchdowns while holding Rib Lake/Prentice scoreless. Hoeksema handed the football to Annis for an 18-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Annis also converted the two-point conversion run to give Marathon a 24-14 lead against Rib Lake/Prentice.

Hoeksema again handed the ball off to Annis for a 12-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Pintor ran in the two-point conversion to give the Red Raiders a comfortable 32-8 halftime lead against the Hawks.

Marathon scored the only points among the two teams in the second half. Hoeksema handed the ball to Pintor for an eight-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Hoeksema’s twopoint conversion pass was intercepted by Sutherland. Nonetheless, the Red Raiders still held a commanding 38-8 advantage against the Hawks, which turned out to be the final score of the game.

The Red Raiders amassed 404 yards in total offense compared to only 142 yards for the Hawks. Marathon held a sizable advantage in rushing yards, 250 to 68, against Rib Lake/Prentice. Marathon also had more passing yards, 154, compared to Rib Lake/ Prentice’s 74.

Hoeksema completed seven of his 16 pass attempts for 154 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Senior Griffin Treankler had one catch for 61 yards while senior Mason Seehafer had one catch for 34 yards. Annis added three catches for 30 yards.

Annis led Marathon’s rushing attack with nine carries for 81 yards and three touchdowns. Pintor had 13 rushes for 80 yards and one touchdown. Senior Parker Mathwich contributed five runs for 43 yards and Seehafer had five runs for 33 yards.

Junior Tyler Underwood intercepted a Rib Lake/Prentice pass and he returned it 36 yards. Junior Peyton Lawrence and Treankler tied for the team lead with seven tackles apiece. Senior David Duberstein, junior Ethan Hale and Pintor each contributed five tackles in the victory against the Hawks.

Marathon has another non-conference home game this Friday, Aug. 26, against Stanley-Boyd which is coach Winkler’s alma mater.