It was a long shot, but the Wittenberg-Birnamwood football team still had a chance to qualify for the upcoming WIAA playoffs heading into its Central Wisconsin Conference-Large matchup with Marathon.
The Red Raiders, however, headed to Wittenberg for the Chargers’ final home game of the season Oct. 9 and returned home following a 34-14 win.
The Chargers would have had to beat Marathon and pull off a major upset over Amherst on Oct. 16 in the regular season finale to make the playoffs for the eighth year in a row.
Both of the Chargers’ touchdowns came in a 30-second span in the final two minutes of the game after the Red Raiders led 7-0 after one quarter, 13-0 at halftime and 20-0 heading into the final period.
Coach Jason Rieck said it was hard for his team to find a rhythm on offense.
“It was tough,” he said. “We had mistakes, and it’s hard to rebound from that. We take one step forward and two steps back.”
The Chargers’ best drive in the first half – their third of the game – started on their own 24-yard line and ended with Sawyer Berens’ interception in the end zone.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood didn’t have many scoring chances again until late in the game and by then, the Chargers trailed 34-0.
Marathon’s first drive of the game ended with Fred Tylinski’s fumble. Wittenberg-Birnamwood recovered the loose ball at its own 17-yard line but punted after three plays.
Garrett Bracewell scored on a 64-yard run after the punt, and the Red Raiders had the lead for good.
Marathon added to its lead with 35 seconds remaining in the first half after Berens’ second interception set the Red Raiders up at their own 35-yard line. Brayson Schneider found Bracewell in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass, and Marathon had a 13-0 lead at the break.
Marathon added to its lead with 3:14 to go in the third quarter with another 10-yard touchdown pass from Schneider to Berens to make it 20-0.
Tylinski scored on a 22-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter and added a 28-yarder on the next drive to complete Marathon’s scoring.
Bo Davis’ 2-yard quarterback keeper with 2:12 remaining in the game capped a 70-yard drive, but Wittenberg-Birnamwood wasn’t finished. Eddie Patten’s fumble set up the Chargers’ second score, as Wittenberg-Birnamwood took over at the Marathon 39-yard line, and Davis found Logan Gibson for a 34-yard touchdown pass.
The Chargers fell to 1-5 in Central Wisconsin Conference-Large play and 2-6 overall with the loss, while Marathon kept its playoff hopes alive by improving to 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the CWC-Large. Marathon wraps up the regular season Oct. 16 at Spencer/Columbus Catholic, while the Chargers will travel to Amherst to face the unbeaten and state-ranked Falcons.
Rieck said the Chargers will regroup for the annual rematch with Amherst.
“It’s not easy, but we’ve got nothing to lose,” he said. “We go forward and see what happens.”
Not being eligible for the playoffs won’t change how the Chargers prepare for the final game of the regular season, according to Rieck.
“It doesn’t change anything,” he said. “It’s still another football game, and you never know what’ll happen. They’re high school kids. We’ve got nothing to lose, and they have everything to play for.”
Bo Davis waits for the snap during the first half of Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s 34-14 loss to Marathon. (Greg Seubert)
Wittenberg-Birnamwood’s Braxton Olson closes in on Marathon’s Garrett Bracewell. (Greg Seubert)
