March 28, 2018 at 1:30 p.m.
Ready to roll
Experienced roster, drop to Division 2, raises expectations for Hodag hardball
Ready to roll
A drop in division doesn't hurt the team's outlook either.
"We do have a good team," coach Joe Waksmonski said at practice this week. "We feel like we can make a deep run. We've just got to be playing our best ball at the end."
Rhinelander, and the rest of the Great Northern Conference, may still be looking up at five-time defending conference champion Antigo but, come playoff time, the Hodags have an opportunity to qualify for sectionals for the first time since 2004.
That's because Rhinelander and Antigo flip-flopped divisions this season, based on enrollment. Antigo is now one of the smallest schools in Division 1 while Rhinelander is one of the largest in D2. For inspiration, the Hodags need to look no further than conference mate Mosinee which upset Antigo in last year's D2 regionals and rode the momentum all the way to the state tournament in Appleton.
Don't pencil the Hodags into the sectional or state rounds just yet, however. There are plenty of questions the team has to answer between now and when the playoffs begin in late May. For starters, the Hodags have to fill three big holes in the lineup with the graduation of power-hitting catcher Tyler Blomdahl, shortstop Easton Senoraske and first baseman Tait Spencer. Waksmonski has answers to those questions, but those answers could create questions elsewhere.
Leading the list of returning players are returning all-conference first teamers Brad Comer, Jacob DeMeyer and Brad Quade - and all three factor prominently in the Hodags' projected position shuffle. Comer switches from the left side of the infield (mainly third base last year) to behind the plate. DeMeyer is expected to come in from center to play shortstop with Quade shifting from right field to center.
"It's been interesting to see some of our returners step up and a couple of those guys are in new spots," Waksmonski said.
Those three also bring plenty of pop to the top of Rhinelander's order. DeMeyer hit a combined .431 last year between the high school and Legion baseball seasons with three home runs, 50 RBIs and 29 steals. After a slow spring, Comer rebounded in the summer to finish a combined .334 with three homers and 44 driven in while Quade hit .338 with 44 RBIs and 16 steals.
DeMeyer and Comer also figure to eat up the majority of the innings on the mound again this year, after being the Hodags top two pitching options as juniors. DeMeyer went 9-4 last season with a 2.58 ERA and 92 strikeouts of 81 1/3 innings. Comer was 12-2 with a 2.18 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 83 1/3 innings.
But the Hodags have a few other options on the bump as well. Left-handed junior Bryce Schickert made his first career varsity start last May against Ashland, pitching five innings of two-run ball in a no decision. He followed that with a perfect 4-0 record last summer with the Rebels.
Those three are the primary hurlers with varsity pitching experience this year following the graduations of Senoraske and Matt Rudolph, but junior Josh Randolph came on in relief last summer in the Legion regional championship game as the Rebels nearly rallied from down 10 runs in the contest. Liam Stevens was slated to see varsity work last summer but was shut down early due to a shoulder injury and Martin Hoger is looking to make the jump from the junior varsity/Babe Ruth level to varsity.
"Once we get outside someone like Bryce Schickert (could) step up," Waksmonski said. "With Josh and Liam and Martin not being here (over spring break), you don't know what they have either."
As for first base, the Hodags are looking at the 6-foot-3 Schickert to play there when he's not pitching.
Stevens or fellow junior Eric Grulke are candidates to replace Comer at third base and returning starter Cole Spaulding (.331, 0 HR, 26 RBI) provides stability for the Hodags at second.
The biggest remaining questions are who will back up Comer behind the plate and who will settle into the corner outfield positions.
"We're looking at guys like Abe Laggis, Walker Hartman, Isaac Bixby and there might be a couple of other guys that jump in the mix," Waksmonski said of the backup catcher's race. "We're going to have to expect some contributions from some of our younger players, too."
The relatively cool March hasn't helped the Hodags in that regard. The first few weeks of practice have been confined to the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium, except for a few opportunities when the team has ventured out to the parking lot at RHS to shag some fly balls.
"Most importantly, we've got to get outside and see what they can do," Waksmonski said. "It's one thing to try to replicate that stuff inside in a gym but it's other thing to see them outside in a live situation."
There may not be much, if any, time to figure out those questions on the practice field before the team's first game. The Hodags are scheduled to open the season Tuesday at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, followed by a road trip of Merrill April 5 and a home doubleheader against Shawano April 7.
Rhinelander heads to Medford to open the GNC season April 10 and hopes to be in the mix for the conference title, though Antigo enters as the prohibitive favorite with seven all-conference players returning including three of the top four vote-getters in all-conference balloting for pitchers.
"They're the team to beat. How close are we? That remains to be seen, but we played them tough last year in the summer at the end of the Legion tournament," Waksmonski said. "Mosinee's always tough. You just can't take anyone lightly, but at the top of the conference you would say it would have to be Antigo, Mosinee and us."
The good news for the Hodags is a strong conference performance will almost certainly lead to a high seed come tournament time. That's because the Hodags' six-team Division 2 regional is the entire GNC minus Antigo.
"The biggest goal for us is to get that first bye. Then, from there, you can almost go through the state tournament with two pitchers if you've got two dominant guys." Waksmonski said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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