June 5, 2017 at 1:25 p.m.
Young, Haug voted boys' tennis MVPs
Young, Haug voted boys' tennis MVPs
So the Hodags went with two.
No. 2 doubles teammates Jared Haug and Connor Young won the award, presented last Thursday during the team's year-end banquet at Hodag Lanes. Haug, a junior, and Young, a sophomore, put together an impressive resume this season, going 21-7 on the season. That included a conference title at No. 2 doubles and a third-place finish at WIAA sectionals.
"This was the team that, from beginning to end of the season, that was the most competitive," coach Bob Heideman said during the banquet. "It didn't matter who we went against. Green Bay Southwest was probably the best team we faced and they were right in there with their No. 2 doubles team - and Green Bay Southwest is going to state as a team. It speaks highly of them. They remain pretty calm on the court and probably the best thing is how their skills mesh."
Virtually every member of the varsity walked away with a team award during Thursday's banquet, but the most poignant moment came when Heideman presented one of his senior captains - No. 1 singles player Logan Wild - with the Kit Nienstaedt award given annually to the Hodag tennis player who displays great character on and off the court.
"He knows from three years of being No. 1 what it's like to be playing the best player from the other team match in and match out. It's hard and Logan did it with exceptional grace. I think it's hard to do that," Heideman said before taking a lengthy pause to collect his emotions. "And I will miss him."
Wild, Markus Johnson and Matt O'Melia, the team's top three singles players, were recognized as team captains.
Both members of the Hodags' No. 3 doubles team took home special honors. Sophomore Logan Oestreich was voted the team's most improved player and senior Marshall Bessette received the Mr. Hustle award.
"We were looking for the last piece of the puzzle at No. 3 doubles and we were putting a lot of people in there, seeing how it was going and Logan just got a little better and a little better and a little better," Heideman said of Oestreich, who partnered with Bessette midway through the season. The tandem ended up 13-2 overall, winning the GNC title at No. 3 doubles and taking third at sectionals in the process.
Juniors Grant Gilbert and Jared Fabich went 16-10 together at No. 1 doubles this year thanks to six wins in matches that went to three sets. That earned the duo the team's three-setter netter award.
"They won the close matches and, in any tennis season, the difference between a not-so-good and a good year is winning close matches," Heideman said. "The difference between a good season and a very good season is a few more close matches. The difference a very good season and a great season is a couple close matches. They came through for us match after match after match."
Rhinelander went 15-8 in dual meets this season and won its fourth straight Great Northern Conference championship, setting the conference record for most points in a season in the process. Rhinelander advanced all seven flights to sectionals for the first time in 20 years and finished fourth in the Kohler D2 sectional. The Hodags did this, Heideman said, despite having his entire projected starting lineup available only once during the 2017 campaign.
"I think, as far as the adjustments and dealing with the ins and outs of people being available and so forth, this team did a great job of overcoming that and having some success - and having a lot of fun doing that. Hat's off to you guys for another successful year," he said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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