June 6, 2014 at 3:07 p.m.
Rhinelander Rebels prepare to kick off legion season
Rhinelander Rebels prepare to kick off legion season
The boys are already back on the field, under the banner of the Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels, and are looking to build on the positives and learn from the negatives they experienced over the school season.
The Hodags lost in the first round of the WIAA tournament Tuesday 9-1 to D.C. Everest. The team struggled with pitching and defense in the loss, but less than a week earlier Rhinelander upset heavily favored Wausau West, flashing the leather and pitching strong in the process. It's that kind of performance head coach Dan Huhnstock wants to see from the Rebels as his team transitions to summer ball. That starts with leaving the past in the past.
"Our message, as always after a loss, is that that game is over," he said. "There's nothing we can do about that game anymore. They need to keep their chins up, work hard and take care of the things they can take care of. We want them to make all the routine plays and work towards putting on a better performance next game."
In years past, the Rebels could welcome reinforcements from the college ranks, with young graduates still eligible to play in the summer. Now, Legion rules only allow players to participate up to the year they graduate. That means the Rebels will field a group with a nearly identical identity to the school ball team.
"The guys we're leaning on are Bryce White, Kent Mathews, Trevor Young and Brandon Reinthaler," Huhnstock said. "We're expecting big things from them. They're going to be our core guys who we plan to build around."
On the offensive end, it will be White who's counted on to carry the load. He led all batters in spring ball with a .319 average with two doubles.
Young finished second on the team with a .283 average, but led the way with four extra base hits, including the team's only home run of the year. They'll certainly look to utilize the long ball more as the summer wears on.
Mathews will likely assume the role of the team's ace, once again. He started six games in the spring, going 2-4 with a 3.68 ERA. Young was the only pitcher with a lower ERA, but his six innings compared to Mathews' team-high 38 proves that Mathews has earned the trust of his coaches when it comes to starting games.
White, especially down the stretch, was the team's go-to reliever and second starter. He pitched in seven games, finishing with a 2-1 record and a 4.73 ERA. He'll look to prevent the occasional big inning which was often what hurt him in the spring.
The Rebels will have an expanded roster to play with though, and Huhnstock is hoping that will mean a few surprise contributors.
"The approach is a little bit different," he said. "It's basically JV and varsity combined. We also have a couple kids who weren't out for spring ball who want to give baseball a try, which is exciting. We're going to try to work toward getting them to be better ball players for next spring, and just work on the basics. We need to have an idea for what our team will look like next spring. It's also an opportunity for the guys to try different positions and improve their all-around game."
Huhnstock is hoping to hit the ground running with this group, and start off hot. Ultimately, the winning needs to come at the end of the year though, if they want to prevent another early playoff exit.
"Our goals for the team are to gel as a team, to get better as the season progresses and to be ready to make a run at regionals," he said.
The Rebels will open play on Monday when they host Minocqua at Stafford Field. First pitch is at 6 p.m.
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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