April 3, 2017 at 1:19 p.m.
Team preview: RHS girls' soccer
Potent offense to lead Hodags in 2017
Team preview: RHS girls' soccer
Sure, the Hodags won a fifth straight Great Northern Conference crown and went 19-4-1 overall, but the team's 49-game conference unbeaten streak was snapped with a late-season home loss to Ashland. Rhinelander's run of two straight state tournament appearances was also stopped with a 3-1 loss to Pulaski in the sectional semifinals.
This season, the Hodags want to begin those streaks anew, but coach Dan Millot's team has plenty of work to do to accomplish those objectives. Perhaps that explains why Millot will throw his team into the crucible right away with early-season games against the teams that ended the Hodags' last two playoff runs - Green Bay Southwest and Pulaski.
"This is a team that wants to make it back to the state tournament," he said. "We know that we're in a very tough sectional. We know we have a lot of work to do. I would expect that we would start the year struggling a little but, especially non-conference wise ... We'll take it as it comes and, hopefully we'll improve from day to day."
The Hodags bring back a fast, potent and experienced offense but have plenty of questions to be answered defensively. Rhinelander will be breaking in its fourth starting goalkeeper in as many years, the team just doesn't know who that is going to be yet. Abby Oettinger, Maddie Meyer and Jada Appling are all vying to take the spot vacated when Brianna DeNamur graduated, but Millot said he has not decided on who his starter will be.
Those keeping shots from coming the keeper's way will be different as well, as the Hodags lost a trove of experience in the backfield and defensive midfield positions with the graduations of Kylie Preul, Hallie Wright, Claire Hjelle, Grace Hoger and Sierra Scarcelli. Sophomore Brooke Mork returns after spending time in the back last year, as does senior Lauren Fabich, but Millot said it's possible Fabich may move up to a defensive midfielder's role.
"We definitely have to shore up a starting goalkeeper," he said. "Right now we have three girls that are working hard for that position. But then, on defense, what we're trying to do is trying to add - as much as possible - some more speed on defense if we can. If we add speed, we're giving up size, so it's hit or miss but we'll see. It's definitely some tough decisions that have to be made."
The good news is Rhinelander should not lack for scoring punch, with its three leading scorers from last year returning. Senior Sydney Zettler (34 goals, 16 assists in 2016) leads that group, with juniors Alayna Franson (20 g, 17 a) and Anna Sturzl (16 g, 10 a) not far behind. The Hodags also expect an expanded role for senior Albiona Sabani (4 g, 5 a) in the midfield.
"What's really nice is to see how accurate we are right now, putting the ball on frame in those four key positions," Millot said. "We still have some individuals like two freshmen - Izzy Haverkampf and Kenedy Van Zile - that are fighting for varsity positions that have the ability to put the ball in the back of the net."
Early in the season, the Hodags may have to lean on their offense while the defense sorts itself out.
"I'm hoping we're not, but we might be involved in a few shootouts and we've got to take advantage of every opportunity we get to put the ball in the net," Millot said.
Rhinelander enters the season as the favorite to win a sixth consecutive GNC crown but will get a challenge right off the bat in the season opener Thursday at Lakeland. Millot said Northland Pines, with reigning conference player of the year Lexi Smith, and Ashland cannot be discounted. Despite graduating a large senior class, Mosinee could still be a sleeper in the conference, he said.
"I think that the target's on our back to knock us off," he said. "I think we have a group of seniors and a few juniors that understand that you have to fight every day. You have to make sure you're ready to battle every time we step on the pitch to get a victory because everyone's going to bring their best.
"We can't have letdowns. We had a letdown last year against Ashland that stopped our 49-game (conference) winning streak and I think that put a bad taste in our mouth and I think we're going to see a good effort every time we step on the pitch."
Even if the Hodags win a sixth straight conference crown, the road to Milwaukee and the WIAA state tournament is far from smooth. Pulaski, ranked eighth in Division 2 in the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association preseason poll, stands in the way. As does Green Bay Southwest, which beat Rhinelander 1-0 two years ago in the state semifinals. The Trojans moved into Rhinelander's section this year, which is part of the reason Rhinelander is playing them and Pulaski on back-to-back days at the end of the week, immediately following to opener at Lakeland.
"It's definitely going to be a litmus test to see where we stand," he said. "Good results I think are what we need from all three of those games. From a conference standpoint, we're definitely going out for the win against Lakeland. They're going to be an improved team this year and we're going to have to play our best. When we hit Green Bay Southwest and Pulaski, now you're looking at two extremely tough teams and, win, lose or draw, we've got to be able to put a good product on the field and challenge them."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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