November 26, 2018 at 11:49 a.m.
Team preview: RHS wrestling
Piasecki leads new-look Hodag grapplers on to the mat
Team preview: RHS wrestling
Nathan Piasecki takes over a squad that is young and lighter on numbers than in seasons past.
"I think we have eight or 10 guys that are very solid wrestlers," he said of a roster that includes 17 grapplers, according to information provided by the RHS activities department. "We have a couple holes but that's going to happen with a rebuilding year."
The team opens the season Thursday night with a non-conference dual at Crandon, followed by a dual tournament this Saturday at Wausau West.
New coach notwithstanding, the Hodags have some gaping holes to fill in their lineup, given the caliber of wrestlers they lost - including the program's all-time wins leader in Jacob DeMeyer, and all-time pins leader in Alex Kurtz. Both placed third in their respective weight classes at state last year.
Also gone are fifth-place state finisher Reuben Guzik, state qualifiers Colton Krueger and Tyler Olson, as well as seniors Scott Fox and Alex Monk.
Tim Fox, the conference runner-up at 106 pounds last year, returns for his sophomore season and figures to be one of the top grapplers in a young Rhinelander lineup.
Walker Hartman, Hunter Greyhair and Trevor Knapp also return after finishing third in their respective weight classes in the GNC last season. Former sectional qualifier Eric Grulke is back and is the lone senior on the roster.
Piasecki said he expects the team's middle and heavyweight classes to be solid, though there be a couple of holes in the lineup at 106 (if Fox moves up to 113) and 138 pounds.
"Our middle and upper weights are super solid," he said. "They're all getting stronger. They're all getting stronger. They're all lifting really hard."
Beyond those wrestlers, the Hodags will have to rely on some grapplers who are light on experience.
Freshman Gavin Ostermann enters the program after multiple state meet appearances at the youth level and will factor into the lineup in the lowerweights.
Additionally, the Hodags have some new wrestlers out for the sport - such as lightweight soccer standout Hugh Wiese and beefy Hodag football offensive lineman Alex Olson - who are green, but have potential for the future.
"We have a couple guys that haven't wrestled in a couple years but have a lot of grade school wrestling experience that are now out and giving it a shot," Piasecki said. "I expect those guys to do well as well."
It's all going to be an interesting puzzle for Piasecki, a Lakeland Union High School alum and former USA Wrestling national champion, to piece together.
Fellow Lakeland alum, and one of Piasecki's close friends, Jake Hairrell, joins Piasecki in the corner while much of the rest of Rhinelander's coaching staff returns and Piasecki is confident that the elite-level experience he and Hairrell have will translate for the Hodags this season - especially come tournament time in February.
"What we're really looking to do is produce at the end of the season. We may take our lumps early, but we will peak these guys better than they have been peaked for particular tournaments," Piasecki said. "That's where Jake and I, having been a competitive wrestler until I was 30 and Jake coaching wrestling his whole adult life, can really bring a different aspect, I think, that most high school programs don't have. We're really going to peak for that end of the season."
While there are talented wrestlers scattered throughout the conference, Piasecki said he expects Medford to be the toughest test in the conference this year. The Raiders bring back much of the squad that placed second behind the Hodags last season.
While every conference dual is a rivalry, given his connections to the program, Lakeland will be a natural rival as well.
Piasecki noted that the Lakeland dual on Jan. 10 will take on more meaning this year as the teams play for the inaugural Handrick Hammer. The trophy is named after Tom Handrick, a former assistant coach for both the Rhinelander and Lakeland programs, and staunch supporter of wrestling in the Northwoods, who passed away as the result of a work accident shortly after last year's state tournament.
"The Handrick Hammer is going to be something special," he said. "Everybody loves Tom. He was a huge part of Lakeland wrestling and Rhinelander. He was a great, great friend of mine. I used to call him my biggest fan. He used to come to my meets in Las Vegas and all over the country. He's well missed and well remembered."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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