February 4, 2019 at 11:24 a.m.
Kings of the pool
Hodag swimmers win six races, set four GNC records, take conference title
Kings of the pool
For the Hodags, the questions were what the final margin of victory would be, how many events they would win and how many conference records they would set along the way.
The Hodags won six events and set four GNC records Friday as they cruised to a 96-point win over Tomahawk and the team's first conference title since 2016.
"This year, the team was so great," said senior Russell Benoy who was part of a conference record-effort in the 200-yard medley really and also won the conference title in the 100 freestyle. "We were so strong all year long, I always had a feeling we would come away with it. Still, it's really amazing to come away with two GNC championships in four years."
Even though the team trained hard up until the meet - electing not to begin its time-shaving taper until this coming week - the Hodags laid waste to the field in a number of events.
Rhinelander placed multiple swimmers in the top four in six different events and reached the podium by finishing in the top six in every event except the 500 freestyle.
"That was really everything we hoped for and then some. The kids really did great and we couldn't be happier," coach Jenny Heck said.
Rhinelander started strong, smashing the record in the 200 medley relay as the team of Nolan Francis, Thaddeus Heck, David King and Martin Hoger posted a time of 1 minute, 42.92 seconds in the event, beating the previous mark of 1:43.66 set by Lakeland two years ago.
"That was a great way to start the meet. The guys swam fast, their splits were good and I think they were excited to continue on with the rest of the meet. That was a great start," coach Heck said.
Francis continued an assault on the record board later in the meet. He won the 200 individual medley by nearly 10 seconds over Lakeland's Tyler Teichmiller with a time of 2:01.33 and beat the previous conference record by nearly two seconds. Francis later went 54.13 in the 100 backstroke to beat Zach Soper's 2014 conference record by 1.64 seconds.
"Just off the energy, we were able to get the times we were tonight," Francis said. "Individually, my swims, I was happy with them. I was able to place well and got those records."
Rhinelander added another record in the 200 freestyle relay as the team of Joseph Heck, Devon Gaber, Hoger and Benoy went 1:31.52 in the event, edging Lakeland by 0.21 seconds for the win. Both teams beat the previous conference mark of 1:32.44 set by Lakeland last year.
"That sure was exciting, wasn't it? That was a fun one," coach Heck said. "They had to do it without Nolan (who swam the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays instead) on there and they did. I think they should be really proud of themselves. That was a great race."
After getting out-touched for the win by 0.12 seconds by Lakeland's Liam Hogan in the 50 freestyle, Benoy came back with a championship effort of 50.40 seconds in the 100, beating Lakeland's Brandon Boh to the wall by more than a second.
"My 100 free, I think I swam a pretty good time, pretty consistent with what I've been doing so far this year," Benoy said. "I'm excited to see what happens next week at sectionals when I have a full taper going on, or near full taper. I think it's really encouraging for the end of the season."
The closest battle of the night came in the 100 breaststroke. Rhinelander's Thaddeus Heck (1:05.32) edged Teichmiller to the wall by 0.44 seconds. Joseph Heck, Thaddeus' cousin, finished third only 0.66 seconds off the pace.
The Hodags nearly had a seventh win, and a fifth conference title, to their credit but were beat out by Lakeland in the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Benoy, Gaber, Joseph Heck and Francis (3:22.87) finished 0.7 seconds behind Lakeland's core four of Boh, Alex Tucker, Teichmiller and Hogan. Both teams were will under the previous conference record of 3:25.62 set by Lakeland last year.
"Lakeland's strong and we knew they were going to be," Jenny Heck said. "We were hoping we we're going to edge them out in that last relay but they had a little more in it than we did. That's OK. It was a great race and I'm really proud of the guys."
All 10 swimmers on Rhinelander's roster scored a top five finish in at least one event. The top three in each race received all-conference honors. In addition to the runner-up finishes for Benoy in the 100 and the 400 freestyle relay team, King finished second in the 100 butterfly. Jacob Schoppe was third in the 200 IM, Joseph Heck took third in the 50 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke, Gaber was third in the 100 freestyle and Hoger was third in the 100 backstroke.
Hoger added a fourth-place finish in the IM, Gaber was fourth in the 50 freestyle, Schoppe was fourth in the 100 butterfly and King took fourth in the 100 backstroke.
Thaddeus Heck added a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle and both of Rhinelander's B relays in the freestyle events finished fifth. King, Cooper Kovac, Ashton Cole and Schoppe were Rhinelander's second team in the 200 freestyle relay. Schoppe, Cole, Kovac and Thaddeus Heck were the second squad in the 400 freestyle relay.
"All 10 guys on this team contributed a lot of points, not just one or two," Jenny Heck said. "They all contributed. Those B relays did what we needed them to plus. They dropped major time, all those guys. Jacob Schoppe ended up honorable mention in the 200 IM. Not all these guys get the recognition but, in a meet like this, they really should feel proud and accomplished. It took all of us to make this happen."
The Hodags enter this coming Saturday's WIAA Division 2 sectional meet in Stevens Point with plenty of confidence, and with their sights set on qualifying for the WIAA state meet in several events. Coach Heck said Friday night's performance at conference gives her a clear plan of attack this week.
"It makes me feel a little bit better and allows me to relax a little bit more," she said. "I know what to do now, I feel (with the lineup). I think the guys know what to do and I think the guys will be ready for faster swimming next weekend."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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