By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

STRATFORD — Marathon wrapped up its first-ever Marawood Conference South Division championship with a 63-48 victory over Stratford on Thursday at Stratford High School.

Stratford led 29-28 at halftime but could not hold on to that momentum as Marathon outscored the Tigers 19-8 in the third quarter and went up by 10 points.

Marathon is now 18-1 overall and finished the Marawood South season with an 11-1 record. The Raiders won their first girls basketball conference title since tying Rib Lake for the Marawood North title in 2000-01. Stratford is 13-8 and ends up 6-6 and in fourth place in the conference.

Emily Kind had 13 points and nine rebounds as four Raiders scored in double figures.

Tianna Hughes had 13 points, and Macie Frueh added 10 for Stratford.

Stratford will play in a Marawood Conference South-North crossover on Feb. 20 against an opponent yet to be determined.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Raiders 63, Tigers 48

Marathon 15 13 19 16 – 63

Stratford 14 15 8 11 – 48

MARATHON (63): Julia Anderson 2-6 0-0 4, Bailey Seubert 0-1 0-0 0, Jayci Blume 1-3 0-0 3, Morgan Rachu 4-8 3-3 12, Olivia Meurette 3-7 5-6 11, Amanda Kind 3-7 2-6 8, Natasha Hanke 6-12 0-3 12, Emily Kind 4-9 5-5 13. FG: 23-53. FT: 15-23. 3-pointers: 2-9 (Rachu 1-3, Blume 1-2, Anderson 0-1, Hanke 0-3). Rebounds: 31 (E. Kind 9). Assists: 12 (Rachu 4). Fouls: 15. Fouled out: none. Record: 18-1, 11-1 Marawood Conference South Division.

STRATFORD (48): Sammy Griesbach 3-3 0-0 6, Macie Frueh 4-9 0-0 10, Brittany Bredemann 0-1 0-0 0, Tianna Hughes 4-8 5-7 13, Savannah Schillinger 4-13 0-0 9, Casey Kolbeck 0-1 2-4 2, Andie Zuelke 4-8 0-0 8, Olivia Burrows 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 19-43. FT: 7-11. 3-pointers: 3-13 (Frueh 2-6, Schillinger 1-6, Bredemann 0-1). Rebounds: 19 (Frueh 4, Hughes 4, Zuelke 4). Assists: 11 (Schillinger 4). Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Hughes. Record: 13-8, 6-6 Marawood Conference South Division.