WATCH: Marion-Tigerton Football Preview

MARION-TIGERTON FOOTBALL PREVIEW SPOTLIGHT IS SPONSORED BY V AND J’S COZY CAFE AND DUPONT CHEESE

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Marion-Tigerton football team enters the 2026 season with a familiar face back in charge and one of the most productive running backs in the state returning to lead the Thundercatz.

Mark Fredy has taken over as head coach, but he is no stranger to the Marion program. Fredy is entering his 25th year with Marion football and previously spent about 10 years as the team’s head coach before stepping away to watch his children compete in sports.

“I’ve been part of the football program for 25 years in various capacities,” Fredy said. “It’s a little bit of a transition going back to the head coach, but I’m ready for the challenge.”

Mielke Returns After Huge Junior Season

Helping ease that transition is the return of Braylon Mielke, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns last season while earning all-state recognition.

Fredy said what impressed him most wasn’t simply Mielke’s production, but the improvement he showed throughout the season.

“One of the things I really enjoyed about Braylon last year was as the year went on, he got so much better,” Fredy said. “When your best player is your hardest worker, you have something good going on, and he’s definitely our hardest worker.”

Fredy said the coaching staff challenged Mielke early last season to change parts of his running style and take advantage of yards he was leaving on the field. Mielke responded, eventually turning 300-yard rushing performances into a regular occurrence late in the season.

Despite having an all-state running back in the backfield, Fredy doesn’t want Marion-Tigerton’s offense to become predictable.

Junior Caleb Stern is expected to take on an increased role at running back, while sophomore Mack Wilkinson could also receive carries.

“I’m hoping that we have some pieces that we can be more than just the Braylon Mielke show,” Fredy said. “We have some other guys that definitely can handle carrying some of the load.”

The Thundercatz are also expected to turn to a sophomore at quarterback. After using several players at the position last season, Fredy hopes to establish more consistency under center while also developing a passing game.

“I want to spread it out and make our offense a little more than just one dimensional and get other people involved,” Fredy said. “I think we can have some fun.”

Defense Faces Major Rebuild

The biggest questions may come on the other side of the football.

Marion-Tigerton graduated nine seniors from last year’s team, a significant number for an eight-player program, and Fredy said only two defensive starters return.

Stern, an all-conference linebacker last season, will be counted on as one of the defensive leaders. Mielke is also expected to take on a larger role defensively.

Beyond those two, several newcomers will have to develop quickly.

“We’ve got newcomers that are going to have to step up and prove that they can play at this level,” Fredy said.

After Marion-Tigerton’s success last season, Fredy doesn’t expect opponents to overlook the Thundercatz in 2026.

“Everyone has our game circled on their calendar from last year,” he said. “We snuck up on some teams, I think, last year. This year we’re not sneaking up on anyone. Everyone’s going to know what we have, and they’re going to want to give us their best shot.”

Thundercatz Ineligible for Playoffs

The season also comes with an unusual challenge.

Despite expectations that Marion-Tigerton could again be among the top teams in the CWC 8, the Thundercatz will not be eligible for the WIAA playoffs because of the program’s enrollment average.

It’s a difficult reality for a team that experienced postseason success a year ago, advancing to Level 2 of the playoffs.

Fredy said some players were understandably disappointed after getting a taste of playoff football last fall, but the program isn’t going to allow something outside its control to define the season.

“From day one when I started coaching in Marion, my message was control and handle what you can control,” Fredy said. “We can’t control our enrollment. We can’t control if we make the playoffs or if we don’t, but we can control our effort every day of practice. We can control our attitudes, and we can control getting better.”

Marion-Tigerton currently has eight games on its schedule, with Fredy saying there is a possibility of adding another game against a team that does not qualify for the postseason.

For the Thundercatz, that makes every week an opportunity to prove themselves.

“Our mission is win each week,” Fredy said. “In life, sometimes we don’t get to do all the things we want to do all the time. This is a good life lesson, and we’re not going to dwell on it. We’re going to learn from it and move on.”

2026 Marion-Tigerton Football Schedule