By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

STRATFORD — The Marathon boys basketball team continued its undefeated season and handed Stratford its fifth loss in its last seven games with a 51-31 victory on Friday night in a Marawood Conference South Division game at Stratford High School.

Marathon pulled out to a 30-18 lead by halftime and led the rest of the way, improving to 19-0 overall and 11-0 in the Marawood South. The Raiders have already wrapped up the conference title. Stratford is now 11-8 and 4-7 in the conference.

Zac Rihn had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Preston Wirkus added 14 points for the Raiders.

Jake Reif had nine points, and Michael Bargender eight for Stratford, which shot just 10 of 36 from the field.

Stratford hosts Amherst in a nonconference game Tuesday before closing out its Marawood South schedule at home Thursday against Northland Lutheran.

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

Raiders 51, Tigers 31

Marathon 19 11 6 15 – 51

Stratford 10 8 7 6 – 31

MARATHON (51): Alex Blume 0-0 0-0 0, Xavier Lechleitner 1-3 2-2 4, Jordan Strasser 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Matel 0-0 0-0 0, Zac Rihn 5-13 2-3 15, Matt Braun 0-2 4-4 4, Preston Wirkus 5-9 4-5 14, Andre Carriveau 0-0 2-2 2, Ethan Seubert 2-9 0-0 4, Ryan Gassner 1-1 0-0 2, Jimmy Krautkramer 0-0 0-0 0, Isaac Barber 2-12 2-3 6. FG: 16-51. FT: 16-19. 3-pointers: 3-13 (Rihn 3-8, Braun 0-1, Barber 0-1, Seubert 0-3). Rebounds: 25 (Rihn 8). Assists: 11 (Seubert 3). Record: 19-0, 11-0 Marawood Conference South Division.

STRATFORD (31): Dawson Gebelein 1-4 0-0 2, Nick Stoflet 0-2 0-0 0, Michael Bargender 3-5 2-2 8, Ethan Nagel 1-3 0-0 3, Derek Schmidt 2-4 2-2 7, Jake Reif 3-11 1-4 9, Mitch Guralski 0-1 0-0 0, Jake Schmitt 0-5 2-2 2, Tanner Weinfurtner 0-0 0-0 0, Brenden Fecker 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 10-36. FT: 7-10. 3-pointers: 4-19 (Reif 2-8, Schmidt 1-3, Nagel 1-2, Fecker 0-1, Guralski 0-1, Stoflet 0-2, Gebelein 0-2). Rebounds: 18 (Schmitt 4, Bargender 4, Gebelein 4). Assists: 8 (Reif 4). Record: 11-8, 4-7 Marawood Conference South Division.