October 25, 2017 at 12:50 p.m.
Swim: Everyone chasing Tomahawk into conference meet
Hodags, second in conference duals, seek best-ever GNC finish
Swim: Everyone chasing Tomahawk into conference meet
"We're putting our girls where their strong suits are, hoping to give them a run for their money, hoping to push them and push themselves," Hodag co-coach Marna Winnicki said Monday at practice. "We'll see what happens."
Even if the Hodags do not beat the Hatchets, they are still in prime position to record their best finish in conference since joining the GNC in 2010.
The Hodags finished third at the conference meet a year ago and are looking to finish at least one spot better this year.
Rhinelander finished with the second-best conference record at 5-1, losing only to Tomahawk in conference dual meet play. Those records will be thrown out the window Friday night, however, and only the results from the GNC meet will determine the conference champion and the members of the all-conference girls' swim team.
"They're at a really good point," co-coach Jenny Heck said, referencing where her team is at, training-wise as it begins to taper down toward the end of the season. "We're really impressed with their training. Their endurance has really come along and now we're picking up the sprinting and I think they're looking fantastic and they're going to swim fast. We're starting to taper ... I expect some really fast times and great places (at conference)."
Even though the Hodags are looking up at Tomahawk, behind them are three teams eager to avenge conference dual meet defeats.
The Hodags breezed past Lakeland 107-63 to open the conference season but the T-Birds have won six straight dual meets and posted the third-best record in the GNC (4-2). Medford was 3-3 in conference, but narrowly fell to Rhinelander 86-84 back on Sept. 7. Ladysmith/Bruce/Flambeau finished 2-4 in the conference following narrow losses to Lakeland and Medford.
"All these teams have some great swimmers, so it's going to be a tough fight for all of us," Heck said.
On paper, it is going to be difficult for anybody to catch Tomahawk. The Hatchets own the fastest time in each event in conference play this season. That includes the top three times in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 backstroke. The chess game when setting the conference lineups - which coaches had until noon Tuesday to submit - was trying to figure out where each team was strong, where each team was weak and which events teams might try to stack in an effort to maximize points.
"The swimmers are breaking down into distance, stroke and sprint groups and beginning to specialize in what they're getting ready to swim this Friday," Heck said. "That's kind of our plan right now. We're finalizing our lineup and where kids will be swimming."
Even with Tomahawk's domination, the Hodags still like their chances to score points with top-12 finishes, crack the podium by placing in the top six or earn all-conference honors with top-three finishes.
Freshman Makenna Winnicki's name appears five times on the conference honor roll. She has the second-best times this year in both the 200 and 500 freestyle, where she's likely to compete at conference and/or sectionals. She's also second-fastest in the 100 butterfly, fourth-fastest in the 200 IM and fifth-best in the 100 backstroke.
Lisa Kennedy is fourth-fastest in the 100 backstroke, Marisa McGuire has the sixth-best time in the 200 freestyle, Marissa Martin is seventh-fastest in the 100 breaststroke and Grace Heck is tied for the eighth-best time in the 50 freestyle.
Rhinelander also figures to do well in the relay races. The Hodags have the second-best time in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays and come into the GNCs with the third-best time in the 400 freestyle relay.
"We want the girls to swim fast, have fun and finish this conference meet the way we think they can, and that's giving 100 percent effort and doing the best we can," Jenny Heck said.
The conference meet will start at 5 p.m. Friday at the UW-Stevens Point Aquatic Center.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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