April 23, 2018 at 1:15 p.m.
Growing pains: Hodag soccer swept in season opener
Growing pains: Hodag soccer swept in season opener
The Hodags dropped their first two matches of the season on Saturday, falling to D.C. Everest and Bay Port in a triangular held at Madison College's Goodman Sports Complex.
The Evergreens defeated the Hodags 3-1 in Saturday morning's opening contest, while Bay Port got the better of Rhinelander 10-0 in the nightcap.
The Hodags had their hands full Saturday against two of the better teams in Division 1. Bay Port was ranked third in the latest Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association poll. D.C. Everest, the 2015 Division 1 champion, had just slid outside the top 10 after being ranked eighth in the state earlier this month.
"They're there for a reason," Millot said. "They've got quality kids, big kids, athletic kids."
Despite the outcome, the Hodags were happy to get outside for the first time this season after their first nine contests were either canceled or postponed due to snow.
"For us to even get outside was nice. We learned a lot today," Hodag coach Dan Millot said. "We saw what we need to work on to improve. A lot of it has to do with how we touch the ball and our physical play."
Given it was Rhinelander's first time outdoors on a full-sized soccer field this spring, much of Saturday's objective was simply figuring out who would play where.
In particular, Saturday was the public's first glimpse as Rhinelander's goalkeeper competition. Four keepers were in the mix to replace the graduated Abby Oettinger this spring, two of whom saw work on Saturday - freshman Kahlie Arneson and senior Jada Appling.
Arneson got the started both games, but she and Appling both saw roughly the same amount of minutes. Overall, Arneson made 21 saves out of 28 chances and Appling had 13 saves on 19 chances.
"I saw some quality saves but, at the same time, I saw some opportunities missed as far as common saves that should be made," Millot said, "A lot of that was they were peppered today. They had shots coming from everywhere and we, as a team, have got to help them out, play better team defense and get a little more organized with what we're trying to do."
Millot noted that the keeper position could still change on a game-by-game basis depending on which of the two is performing better.
Arneson was one of three freshmen who started for the Hodags on Saturday, and one of four ninth-graders who saw considerable minutes. Gwyneth Lowry started with junior Brooke Mork in the middle of the defense while fellow freshmen Ella Schiek and Marissa Martin both saw minutes at outside defense.
"They're kids that have skill and playing experience," Millot said. "A lot of them are raw, are nervous, are a little bit timid. I thought though that three freshmen started to set up and play."
D.C. Everest 3, Rhinelander 1
D.C. Everest got off to a quick start and the Hodags were never able to recover.
Madisyn Irwin scored twice in the first nine minutes, which proved to be the difference in the Evergreen's 3-1 triumph.
Irwin scored in the box off a Krista Koenig drop pass in the box in the second minute, and doubled the lead less than six minutes later as she got loose on a free ball on the back side of the Hodag defense and scored from roughly 12 yards.
Millot said the fact that it was Rhinelander's first time on a field this spring was evident at the start.
"Also, you're putting kids in positions they haven't played before," he said. "I told the kids, this was going to be a baptism by fire and you're going to learn pretty quick what it takes to play at the best level."
Rhinelander was able to pull within one on a Kenedy Van Zile goal in the 55th minute. The sophomore midfielder spun past a defender off a service pass into the box by Schiek and struck a shot from eight yards inside the right post.
That was one of only two shots on goals the Hodags mustered in the match as they were outshot 41-8 overall. Senior Alayna Franson, last year's leading scorer, tried to put teammates Izzy Haverkampf and Anna Sturzl on runs in the 70th and 77th minutes, but neither were able to track down her services.
A short time later, Everest created some breathing room as Lily Kowal struck a screened shot from outside the 18-yard box that squeezed inside the right post.
Bay Port 10, Rhinelander 0
Erika Hess scored three of Bay Port's first three goals and Ariel Kuchta scored her three goals in the second half as the Pirates blasted the Hodags 10-0 in the second game, which was stopped in the 67th minute due to the mercy rule.
Rhinelander's has been involved in may 10-goal routs over it's run of success in the Great Northern Conference over the past six years, but hadn't been on the losing end of such a contest since 2006.
"Bay Port's the real deal," Millot said. They weren't the state runner up in D1 for nothing. There's something to be said about what their team is. They have 11 seniors that have played together for seven years, and none of them are multi-sport athletes. They just focus on soccer 12 months a year. It shows. They play well and they've got a great team."
The second game started much like the first, with Hess scoring twice in the first 10 minutes of the match. McKenzie Johnson made it 3-0 in the 16th minute on a 25-yard shot that slipped through the hands of a diving Arneson and into the net. Hess finished her hat trick three minutes later, and goals by Sophia Draghicchio and Hailey Kane 30 seconds apart in the 23rd minute spurred on the rout.
Maya Jacques tacked on a goal in the 34th minute, prior to Kuchta's second-half treble.
Bay Port outshot Rhinelander 47-4 overall and 28-2 in shots on goal.
"I think some kids were dejected, but we'll pick it up and move forward," Millot said.
Up Next
The Hodags will host Wausau Newman today at the RHS soccer fields and then travel to Antigo on Thursday. Both contests will be non-conference games for the Hodags as the GNC season will not officially begin until May 1 at Lakeland.
"When you look at us and our conference, I still think, regardless of the scores today, we'll do OK," Millot said. "We just have to make some adjustments and find the kids that want to earn certain positions."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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