TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Each year during Homecoming Week, the Merrill Varsity Football Team and Cheer Team jump on a bus for a mobile pep rally through town. This year, with stops at Pine River School for Young Learners, St. John Lutheran School, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School, Kate Goodrich Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, and Prairie River Middle School, the younger students throughout Merrill all contributed a huge amount of Merrill spirit and pride to the celebration, and the Varsity Team was already feeling victorious even before kickoff in the big game. It’s great to see all the kids in the entire community coming together to celebrate a Merrill Homecoming!
Merrill Homecoming Varsity Football Game
The Merrill Varsity Football Team went on to take the win in an exciting Saturday afternoon Homecoming Football Game. The Merrill stands were full on Sept. 28, 2024, as fans of all ages came out to celebrate Merrill football, and they weren’t disappointed.
First, the inductees into the Merrill Silver M Club were introduced from the Class of 1999, along with the Golden M inductees from the Class of 1974 and Tom Young, the lone Diamond M inductee who first lettered in football in 1949.
Then Merrill Varsity Football players took the field where the Bluejays went head to head with the Lakeland Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds were the first to score, after a 48-yard pass put them within reach of the endzone and they went on to complete a 10-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter (kick no good), slipping through the Bluejays’ defense.
In the second quarter, the Merrill Bluejays got two points on the scoreboard when the referee called a safety. Then a 22-yard pass from Aiden Lonsdorf to Keylin Allen landed a touchdown with an Aiden Lonsdorf run for the 2-point conversion, and suddenly the Bluejays were in the lead 10-6.
The Merrill Marching Jays put on a great half-time performance, and the Merrill Cheer Team kept the fans in high spirits throughout the game.
In the third quarter, the Thunderbirds pulled ahead, 12-10, with a touchdown on a 1-yard run (kick no good) and the rest of the quarter remained scoreless.
That put the Bluejays in need of a score if they were going to edge out the victory – and they pulled it off just when they needed it.
“It was a gritty win for the boys on Saturday,” said Jason Wadzinski, Merrill Varsity Football Head Coach. “The defense had three consecutive stops on our side of the field in the fourth quarter, which followed a come-from-behind touchdown pass from Aiden Lonsdorf to Keylin Allen. An interception as time expired, also made by Keylin Allen, sealed the victory.”
The two-point conversion was good, and Merrill’s Homecoming crowd was celebrating an exciting victory: 18-12.
Top-performing Bluejays of the game included #0 Aiden Lonsdorf with 144 passing yards, #20 Callum Wheeler with 65 rushing yards, and #17 Keylin Allen with 91 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
“The crowd was exceptional on Saturday at Jay Stadium,” Wadzinski added in an appreciative shout-out to all the fans.
“We are sitting at 4-2 rolling into Wausau East next Saturday for their Homecoming at Thom Field,” he said. Bluejay fans would be much appreciated in Wausau to cheer on their team when they play the Lumberjacks.
Box Score
Lakeland 12 @ Merrill 18
Homecoming Powderpuff Football Game
On Tuesday, Sept. 25, the Senior Girls [Class of 2025} [in blue] were victorious over the Junior Girls [in black] in a fun evening game of Powderpuff Football.
Homecoming Powderbuff Volleyball Game
And on Friday night the Senior Boys [in blue] won the volleyball match against the Junior Boys [in black]. That victory pitted the Senior Boys against members of the Merrill High School staff for the next match-up.