Athletes and others recognized at Marathon Youth Awards

On September 2, the Marathon Youth Awards Ceremony took place. Emcee Ron Kunkel introduced the heads of each group. The ceremony then started with the singing of the National Anthem by Marathon High School senior Grace Barnet.

This was followed by all local sponsors and supporters of the boys baseball and girls softball programs being thanked.

Connie Stieber, Marathon T-ball coordinator, thanked sponsors and introduced the T-ball athletes. Stieber also announced that after 30 years of running the T-ball program she is resigning her position.

First awards of the evening were for sportsmanship. Each year coaches from the city league teams select third graders and sixth graders for this award. Sportsmanship award winners this year were as follows.

Third grade girls: Gwen Salyers, Azalea Jacobson and Nora Soczka.

Sixth grade girls: Maddy Borchardt, Natalie Sonnentag and Lilah Soczka.

Third grade boys: Andrew Chesek, Jack Cihlar, Gus Loepfe, Blake Cihlar and Riley Weisenberger.

Sixth grade boys: Austin Cihlar, Koltyn Stevens and Brayson Schneider.

Kraig Underwood presented Ron Kunkel with the Years of Service Award for his involvement in the youth programs over the years and was added to the group already consisting of Andy Martin, Dave Tylinski, Paul Fredrickson, Barb Ceranski, John Westfall, Jerry Seubert, Dale Braunel and Brian Gumz. Kunkel also announced his resignation from the youth baseball program after running it for 11 years and the junior high baseball head coaching position.

Next the youth wrestlers that advanced to state were recognized including Karl Ewert, Leighton Kilty, Jack Cihlar and Amelia Gaurke (sixth). Followed by the junior high wrestlers that advanced to state including Carson Klumpyan, Bradley Seefeldt, Alex Doty, Jace Ostrowski and Taylor Underwood.

The next annoucement was the wrestlers that participated in the Preseason Battle by the Border National Tournament, which included Tate Sonnentag, Dylan Dodson, Taylor Underwood (sixth), Cale Quaintance (sixth), Levi Krautkramer (sixth), Hector Pintor (fifth), Swayne Stencil (fourth), Grant Salber (third), Reed McCain (second) and Blake Underwood (first). This was followed up with recognizing the three WIAA High School State Qualifiers: Hector Pintor, Dylan Dodson, and Blake Underwood (third). Underwood was recognized as being the highest placement ever for Marathon High School.

Football All-Regional OLB Drew Love was recognized.

Boys state cross country runner Jaron Gage was recognized for placing 85th at the state meet.

Girls volleyball players Ava Krueger and Ashley Phakitthong were both recognized for achieving All-State Honorable Mention and Phakitthong was also recognized for surpassing 1,000 career assists in her Marathon career.

Girls Youth Brains/Brawns Basketball team consisting of Paityn Brickner, Chayce Westfall, Mayven Schneider, Taelyn Rennie, Valda Mechelke, Alyssa Kraft, Rehgan Martin, and Natilee Hummer were recognized for taking second place at the state tournament.

Girls basketball player Kali Prihoda was recognized for being in the Senior All-Star Game in Wisconsin Dells.

Varsity basketball players, Drew Woelfel, True Thurs, Payton Lawrence, Cooper Hoeksema, Tyler Underwood, Grant Warren and Drew Love were recognized for being Academic All-State last year, while Warren was also recognized for being the Marawood South Player of the Year, Channel-7 All-Star, WBCA D4 All-State and for surpassing the 1,000 career points mark as a Marathon basketball player.

Underwood and Warren were both recognized for being Honorable Mention All-District for high school baseball, while Warren was also mentioned for being an Academic All-District player. Marathon Head Coach Steve Warren was recognized also for surpassing 400 wins as the Marathon High School coach and 500 wins as the American Legion coach at Marathon.

Girls track state participants were recognized for their appearance at the state meet, which included Grace Kahon, Alisha Blenker, Jersey Lobner, Chloe Lavalley, Lindsay Putnam and Maddie Volkman. The boys track state participants Drake Carlson, Chris Marcell, Griffin Treankler, Parker Mathwich, Levi Krautkramer, Matt Annis and River Stanecki were also recognized.

Junior high state track participants from Marathon Venture Academy were recognized and included Addison Knoeck, Maycie Myszka and Garrett Bracewell, who had a first place finish while tying the state record in the high jump with a jump of 5 foot 9 inches. St. Mary’s also sent participants to the state meet: Brady Annis, Fred Tylinski, Bristol Baumann, Maddy Borchardt, Natalie Hummer, Matthew Kindlarski and Ben Stowell.

St. Mary’s Badminton Tournament champs were named with Ray and Katie Riehle donating their winnings to the Hope Life Center and the Competitive Division winners of Brayson Schneider and Koltyn Stevens who donated their winnings to the New Life Pet Adoption Center. St. Mary’s Outstanding Eighth Grade Athlete Awards were recognized of Mayven Schneider and Brady Annis.

All youth Badger State Games participants were recognized with special notice to those that won their events at their host meet. Those that took first place were Drake Carlson, Chris Marcell, Alec Miller, Lucy Patten, Harper Deaver, Cameron Sessions, Reid Passehl, Brayson Schneider and Cael Riesgraf.

Next recognized were all the youth that helped umpire the youth baseball and softball games this season.

The last individual awards went out to the third and sixth graders who all competed against each other at the end of the season for a Player Skills Competition. The winners were as follows.

Third grade girls: Alaia Erdman (first), Natalie Schroder (second) and Riley Wilichowski (third).

Sixth grade girls: Emma Schult (first), Kamrie Myszka (second) and Skylar Robbins (third).

Third grade boys: Nolan Rasmussen (first), Brennan Erdman (second) and Maverick Lawrence (third).

Sixth grade boys: Carson Switlick (first), Colin Staus (second) and Brexton King (third).

The city league teams and the champions of each division were then recognized.

Minor League Girls: Peoples Bank (champs), Kipper Konstruction, Rib Falls Fabrication and Custom Meats.

Major League Girls: Marathon Plumbing (champs), Pizza Market and Brickners.

Minor League Boys: Schult CPA (co-champs), Marathon Cheese (co-champs), Marathon City Sports Center, Seubert Excavating and Marks Chiropractic.

Major League Boys: Marathon Plumbing (champs), Dirks Group, Underwood Construction and County Materials.

YEARS OF SERVICE - Pictured above is Kraig Underwood, presenting Ron Kunkel with the Years of Service Award.

SIXTH GRADE AWARDS-Sixth graders Maddy Borchardt, Natalie Sonnentag and Lilah Soczka, above, received sportsmanship awards.

NATIONAL ANTHEM- The ceremony started with the singing of the National Anthem by Marathon High School senior Grace Barnet.Vicki Lepak photos