Gundelach, Marshall represent area at all-star game

Both Marshall and Waterloo were among the best small school football programs in the area in the fall of 2023. The Cardinals of Marshall tied for the Eastern Suburban Conference title at 6-1 (8-2 overall) while Waterloo wasn't far behind in the standings at 5-2, eventually adding up to a total record of 7-3.

While that season on the gridiron seems far in the rearview mirror, both teams are still being recognized for their efforts. Marshall and Waterloo each had a player selected for the 2024 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Small School all-star game, hosted at UW-Oshkosh's Titan Stadium on Saturday, July 20. Marshall sent 2024 defensive lineman Peyton Gundelach and Benny Marshall made the cut for Waterloo.

Both players certainly earned the distinction from their high school playing careers. Gundelach was honored as the Eastern Suburban Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year as both a junior and senior. Additionally, he was a first team all-conference selection along both the defensive and offensive line twice in his career. Benny Marshall took home three all-conference honors from the Eastern Suburban in his senior season alone: two first team nods as a punter and returned as well as a second team receiver. This brought his high school total of all-conference recognitions to seven. He was also first team on defense twice, first team on offense once, and honorable mention as a punter once.

This postseason honor means different things to each program. For Marshall, Gundelach carried on the program's tradition of excelence. The Cardinals have had at least one player selected for the all-star game every year since 2020.

"It definitely feels nice," Gundelach said of carrying on Marshall's all-star tradition. "We have an awesome coaching staff that really prepares guys every year to reach this level. Honestly, I think more are coming after me. It feels good to carry this tradition but I want it to continue and pass down to my fellow teammates and get as many Marshall guys as possible out here."

As for Waterloo, the Pirates have not sent a player to the all-star game over that stretch. Benny Marshall breaks a bit of a cold streak for the program, hopefully setting a new tradition in motion for Waterloo.

"I was shocked when I first got the call that I'd be coming to this," Marshall said. "It feels pretty good that what I did in high school got recognized like this. Coming here shows other kids in Waterloo that this is possible and you can get fun opportunities like this. It's a really good feeling."

Perhaps the most important portion of the all-star week is all of the practice leading up to the game itself. All-stars get five full days of practice with some of the state's top coaches and players, a rare experience that was appreciated by both Gundelach and Marshall.

"These guys are the best of the best," Gundelach said. "Iron sharpens iron. It's a great way to practice. Everyone knows what they're doing, which makes those practices really fun. It was a great experience."

"It was a great experience meeting everyone," Marshall said. "It was amazing seeing the practices. The guys really pushed themselves and the coaches knew exactly what they were doing. As the days went on, it just got more and more fun. I wouldn't trade this week for anything. It was the most fun I've had in awhile. I was pretty blessed to be able to do this."

As for the game itself, the South squad seemed primed to run away with the win as it took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. Turnovers prevented the South from continuing that momentum, however, with three interceptions and a fumble to follow. The North took advantage, returning one of those interceptions for a touchdown as it stormed back for a 31-13 victory.

Marshall, who is going to UW-Platteville as a defensive back, played receiver on Saturday. He caught one of the three balls thrown his way for a six yard gain. Gundelach started on the South team's defensive line. He recorded a sack in the second half, his lone tackle of the day.

The final buzzer on Saturday marked the end of both players' high school careers. As previously mentioned, Marshall will soon head to UW-Platteville to play collegiate football. Gundelach had offers from the likes of Beloit College, Carthage College, and UW-Oshkosh, but will not play in college. Both players expressed their gratitude for being able to participate in the event and saw it as a fitting end to their decorated high school careers.