March 13, 2017 at 4:03 p.m.
Francis wins RHS boys' swim's high-point award
Laxton named most improved
Francis wins RHS boys' swim's high-point award
The Hodags ended up sending six swimmers, plus alternate Conor Natrop, to the WIAA state meet in Madison despite a season that was marred by low numbers, with a roster full of underclassmen and an unexpected 2 1/2-week break due to pertussis that brought the team's training to a screeching halt.
But coach Lindsay Byrka said what did not kill the Hodags this season only made them stronger.
"Had we never faced these obstacles, we may have never developed the qualities necessary to accomplish these feats," she said. "The boys may have started this quest in November on their own, but we are finishing this journey as a team."
Due to the team's small roster, the Hodags handed out only two awards this season - the high-point award, which went to sophomore Nolan Francis, and the most improved award, which went to freshman Zach Laxton.
The high-point award, as the name suggests, goes to the swimmer who accumulates the most points for the team throughout the season. Francis improved upon a strong freshman campaign by twice breaking the school record in the 200-yard individual medley (1 minute, 59.08 seconds) on his way to a sixth-place finish at the WIAA Division 2 state meet in Madison.
Francis also finished sixth in the 100 butterfly at state and guided two relay teams to the UW-Madison Natatorium.
"Before and after the break, you always showed that you were there to train and I've seen you at the Y swimming with your family," Byrka said addressing Francis at the banquet. "You don't take a day off and you don't give up. That shows in the end when you're breaking records and making the podium at state."
Francis also became the team's sole captain during the course of the season.
"To ask a sophomore to fill that role - and a sophomore that is home schooled and not part of the everyday happenings of the school - is kind of a big task," Byrka said. "I know I put you in a rough spot, but I think you did a great job with that. That was just one thing that I knew I could count on you whenever I needed the help, you stepped in and helped Megan and me and all the coaches."
Byrka said she and assistant coach Megan Cihla went back and forth on the most improved award because there were so many ways improvement could be quantified. Ultimately the award went to Laxton, who predominantly swam the distance freestyle events for the Hodags. He was one of the two members of the boys' swim team that didn't make it on deck for the state meet - exchange student Vlad Godoroja was the other - but Byrka said the freshman made significant strides during the season, especially giving his lack of a swimming background compared to the other members of the team.
"Zach really stepped in and he had amazing improvement. He also had a legal butterfly at the end and we were trying to get another medley relay together for him to swim the 50 fly," she said. "It never really panned out, but for someone to come into a team like this, to learn all those new strokes with all the coaching help that we had, just kind of blew everyone away."
After winning the Great Northern Conference title last season, the Hodags went 2-8 in dual meets this year and finished fifth in the Great Northern Conference standings. Rhinelander turned it on in the postseason, however, placing fifth out of 11 teams in a Division 2 sectional in Stevens Point while qualifying for the state meet in four events. Rhinelander finished 16th out of 31 teams at state.
"We proved to ourselves, and our competitors, that there was nothing this underdog team couldn't overcome," Byrka said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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