March 13, 2017 at 1:28 p.m.
12 win letters at RHS Nordic banquet
12 win letters at RHS Nordic banquet
Only one senior, Gracie Quinn, lettered by participating in the majority of the team's races this year. Junior Alec Lowry lettered; as did sophomores Allie Fugle, Emma Hjelle and Emma Roberts; and freshmen Asher Johnson, Carleene Morien, Daniel Ritchie, Levi Smith; Nicholas St. Pierre, Breckin Younker and Jenna Younker.
The team did not hand out any individual awards, such as most valuable or most improved. Coach Charil Reis said this year's squad - the largest she's had in her three years at the helm - focused on cohesion.
"I don't like to go too far back every single year and go through where we were and how far we've come," she said. "You all get that picture now, but what has really come to the forefront this year is how well we have worked together and how cohesive we've come as a unit - I mean between the parent group and all the skiers within their own segments, and of course the coaches and the Northwoods Nordic board and club itself that supports us."
The Hodags finished 15th out of 16 teams this year in the boys' state meet and 14th out of 14 teams in the girls' division. Simply having enough skiers to field a qualifying team in both divisions was an achievement the Hodags have not been able to boast the past few years but Reis said as numbers within the program continue to build, the expectation for better results should as well.
"I thought that by Year 5 we'd have some pretty substantial results to look at as far as where we stand with other teams and other individual skiers in the state," she said. "At the end of Season 3 I really do feel like we're right on track. All of you - skiers, the coaches, especially those who have come from the middle school ranks - have played a large part in bringing the grand plan into action. What I would like to do now is throw out another challenge, and that is to get us to that next milestone in the next season or two."
Reis' challenge to the team is to place three boys and three girls in the top 50 percent of the state field next year - with at least one finisher in both division finishing in the top 25 overall. Rhinelander's top finisher on the girls' side placed in only the 32nd percentile at state. Hjelle finished 74th in a field of 108 girls. The top finisher for the Hodags on the boys' side was Breckin Younker at 97th in a field of 126.
"I think it can be done, she said. "I think it's high time we start putting a spotlight on our Rhinelander skiers and working toward something significant."
State in Rhinelander next year?
During the banquet Reis said Rhinelander is in the running to host the Wisconsin Nordic Ski League state championships in 2018 and 2019. The event would be held at CAVOC, which has seen major upgrades to its trail system over the last few years and will undergo a few more upgrades this year.
"We have to go make that pitch next month and it will be voted on," Reis said regarding Rhinelander's bid to the WNSL. "I can tell you that there are a lot of people in the ski league in Wisconsin that would like to see it next year at CAVOC."
Rhinelander hosted the state meet in 2007 and again in 2013, both times at Northwood Golf Course. The two-day event has been held in Cable each of the last four years - at Telemark Resort from 2014-16 and at the new American Birkebeiner start in 2017. This year's state meet attracted more than 400 skiers from the high school and middle school ranks.
Reis said she wants to see a larger contingent of Hodags at next year's state championships, regardless of where they are held.
"Next year I want to challenge everyone to find time in their weekend where we can all participate at state - whether we host it here in Rhinelander or we go back to (Cable)," she said.
Youth ranks
The high school team finished with 15 skiers this season and the numbers trended upward at the youth level as well. The Rhinelander middle school Nordic program had 33 skiers this winter, up from 30 the year before and 18 two seasons ago. The Sno-Dags elementary school program had roughly 40 skiers this season, according to program leader Brian Hegge.
There should be a jump in the high school numbers again next year as the squad loses only a couple of seniors, and is projected to gain six eighth graders from the middle school ranks.
The middle school squads fared decently this year, placing seventh out of 12th teams in the boys' division and ninth out of 12 teams in the girls' division at state.
"We think there's room for our Nordic program to move ahead a little bit," middle school coach Jim Wood said. "One of the things I want to try to focus next year on is team results ... As these kids progress past school, they're going to have a lot of time for individual results. There's a lot of time to get your third-place medal or 10th-place medal as individuals. I think this is a great time for these kids and students to work on team."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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