‘Jays experience growing pains

By Casey Krautkramer

It’s understandable the Athens varsity boys basketball team would be experiencing both highs and lows thus far this season, considering senior wing Andy Schaer was the team’s only player returning who has considerable varsity playing experience.

The Bluejays varsity boys basketball squad lost a pair of talented overall athletes in center Aiden Janke and guard Connor Sheahan to graduation last spring. Janke is a freshman thrower this year for the Division 1 UW-Milwaukee men’s track and field team. Sheahan is a freshman runner for both the Division 2 UWParkside in Kenosha’s men’s cross country and track and field teams. The Athens varsity boys basketball team also lost solid role players Connor Komarek and Nathan Wolf to graduation.

Jeramie Penney is in the midst of his seventh season as an Athens varsity boys basketball coach and his third season as the lone head coach. He was co-head coach with Aaron Ellenbecker during his first four seasons coaching Bluejays varsity boys basketball.

The talented group of Athens varsity boys basketball players who graduated in spring helped the program reach new heights with a 60-18 record during the previous three seasons. Athens has won three straight Marawood Conference North championships and the 2021-22 squad barely lost to Hurley in the sectional championship.

Penney realizes this year’s varsity boys basketball team will have its struggles, especially early this season, considering it lost so much talent consisting of Janke, Komarek, Sheahan and Wolf from last year’s squad.

“They are a big loss but we need to find the hot hand night in and night out,” he said. “There will be a lot of growing pains. We need to find a way to be consistent. Going into this season we knew that our team would have a new identify. We just need to figure out what our identity is and hopefully we get it figured out before February.”

Schaer had to do the yeoman’s work for the team during its 69-49 home loss to Rib Lake on Dec. 12. He scored 27 points while sophomore guard Riley Schultz-Becker was the only other Athens player to reach double figures with 10 points.

Athens appears to be improving this season from looking at its box score during the team’s 85-55 win against Luck in the Chippewa Falls holiday tournament on Thursday. Schultz-Becker led five Athens players in double figures with 19 points while Schaer contributed 15, senior forward Ty Johnson 13, junior guard Nick Pittman 11 and junior post player Brayden Frahmann 10.

Senior guard Ryan Peel and sophomore guard Kam Zarnke are two more top returning players for the squad this season. The Athens boys currently have a 7-6 overall record this season following its 55-50 loss to Chippewa Falls McDonell on Friday.

Athens girls fall to tough teams

The Athens varsity girls basketball team certainly tested itself in the Chippewa Falls McDonell holiday tournament at the end of last week.

Athens lost to a solid Eau Claire Regis squad, 67-39, on Thursday. Senior post player Sophia Coker was the lone Bluejays player in double-digit scoring with 17 points. The Ramblers have a 9-2 record this season.

The Bluejays then lost to host Chippewa Falls McDonell, 75-34, on Friday. Sophia Coker was again the only Athens player in double-figure scoring with 18 points. The Macks are undefeated with a 12-0 record this season and ranked No. 2 in the wissports. net Division 4 coaches poll.

Athens has a 7-6 overall record this season yet the Bluejays remain tied with Phillips for the Marawood North Conference lead. The Bluejays shared the conference championship with the Loggers last season.

ATHENS VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM- Introducing the 2023-24 Bluejays varsity boys basketball squad. Players pictured, from left to right, front row: Dax Diethelm, Eli Paul, Ryan Peel, Kam Zarnke and Isaac Bushman; middle row: Brayden Frahmann, Brock Beaty Andy Schaer, Jordan Frahm, Brandon Krause and Nick Pittman; back row: Ty Johnson, assistant coach Derek Czech, head coach Jeramie Penney, assistant coach John Keefe and Riley Schultz-Becker.

PHOTO BY TANILLE HARTWIG