November 20, 2018 at 1:06 p.m.
Team review: RHS boys' soccer
2018 marks end of an era for Hodag soccer
Team review: RHS boys' soccer
It also marked the final game for head coach Dan Millot, who announced earlier this month he is stepping down after 23 seasons on the sidelines for the Hodags.
"I'm looking forward to the next chapter that lies before me," Millot told the River News Nov. 12, after announcing his decision to step down. "The past two-plus decades have been very rewarding, very challenging, and I think I'm at the stage in my life where I want to try some new things."
If the 2018 season was the end of one chapter for Millot, then the final pages were a melancholy conclusion. The Hodags went 8-6-3 overall, failed in their bid to win a fifth straight Great Northern Conference title and were eliminated from the playoffs one round earlier than in 2017.
What's more, Millot said the season was filled with off-season distractions that, ultimately, hindered the team's performance.
"We had so many obstacles to overcome that were self-inflicted this year," he said. "Whether it was grades, athletic code (violations), you name it. It was self-inflicted. Everything, other than injuries, was preventable by us - by us as coaches, by you as players. I hope that this season, especially for you underclassmen, is a learning season."
(Von) Oepen season
The Hodags suffered a big blow prior to the start of the season when reigning conference player of the year Jonus Sabani transferred to Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota for his senior season.
Despite the loss, the Hodags actually had an uptick in offensive production, averaging 4.1 goals per game in conference and 3.7 goals per game overall, compared to a 4.0/3.0 split last season.
Much of that could be attributed to the performance of senior Matthew Von Oepen, who scored nearly half (20) of Rhinelander's goals in GNC play this year.
"Matthew did a really nice job for us all season long, (was) pretty consistent and was the player on our team that other teams worried about the most," Millot said of Von Oepen, who was a unanimous first-team all-GNC selection and finished second in conference offensive player of the year voting behind Northland Pines' Liam Oas.
Hammer time
The biggest highlight of the season for the Hodags came at home Sept. 25 when it defeated D.C. Everest 1-0 in the Hammer Game.
Goalkeeper Josh Randolph made a save on a penalty kick in the 66th minute and sophomore midfielder Hugh Wiese scored on a back-post deflection in the 83rd minutes as the Hodags beat their former Wisconsin Valley Conference rival for the first time since 2011.
Fit to be tied
Ultimately, Rhinelander did not have enough firepower to stay with Northland Pines this season, but the team's conference title defense started to take on water during a couple of sub-par performances against a struggling Lakeland side.
The Hodags heavily outshot Lakeland in the conference opener, but played to a 0-0 draw up in Minocqua on Aug. 30. When the teams met again four weeks later in Rhinelander, the Hodags again had the better of the stat sheet, but could muster only a 1-1 result for their efforts.
Those draws ultimately prevented the Hodags from controlling their own destiny in the GNC.
"As far as the conference title goes, yeah, we need a lot of help, but we didn't help ourselves," Millot said following the Sept. 26 tie. "It's just what it is. What we're looking at right now is to take the remaining conference games, and take the remaining practices, to get ready for the postseason."
Field of screams
A soggy September created less than ideal field conditions at Mike Webster Stadium, which still had drainage issues despite renovations last fall and spring designed to alleviate those issues.
The footing, especially along the sidelines at the multi-purpose facility, became treacherous between the combination of use and wet weather. The footing was a story in Rhinelander's 1-0 win over D.C. Everest, its 1-1 draw with Lakeland and its 5-4 loss to Mosinee.
"You probably had as many people fall down tonight as we had shots on goals by both teams combined," Millot said following the D.C. Everest game. "I think it's unfortunate - especially the sidelines where football teams stand during their games - the field's in terrible shape. For a brand new field, it's kind of sad to see."
The poor field conditions forced the team to move its October games to the front of Rhinelander High School. A sectional final game scheduled at RHS was also moved to Rice Lake due to the field conditions.
What's next
Aside from the matter of a new coach, the Hodags will have plenty of other shoes to fill next year. Among the list of graduating players are Von Oepen, Randolph, midfielders Martin Hoger, Russell Benoy, Freddy Wisner, Hunter Hicks and defender Anthony Kowalski.
The team will have a first-team defender returning in Harrison Shinners, along with Wiese and all-conference recipient Nicholas St. Pierre and others. But depth was an issue for the team this season, with 26 players program-wide. With nine seniors graduating and only eight projected incoming freshmen, this situation likely will not be much better next year.
"There are a ton of positions that are going to have to be filled next year and, in all honesty, if you want the success of this program to continue, you also need to do a heck of a job trying to get other players to play," Millot told the team during its banquet. "Looking down the road, I still think there are bigger, brighter and better things to come for this program, but it's going to take an effort from everyone that's involved."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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