February 8, 2019 at 3:17 p.m.
Rhinelander boys' swim team primed for big day at sectionals
Rhinelander boys' swim team primed for big day at sectionals
Over the next seven days, this year's squad has a chance to etch itself as one of the best in school history.
That journey begins today at a WIAA sectional in Stevens Point, where the Hodags are favored to do very well, according to the sectional psych sheets released Tuesday by the WIAA.
The numbers are staggering. According to the seed times, the Hodags are projected to win the 10-team sectional by more than 100 points, be the sectional champion in five events and are projected to send 11 entries to the WIAA state meet.
"We're hoping to do well," coach Jenny Heck said at practice Tuesday. "We're not going to change anything to go for a team title that we would have done to get kids to state. We have 10 guys. We don't have a lot of options to move guys around, move relays around. We'll have to do the best we can and we'll see what happens."
Rhinelander is the top seed in the sectional in five events today, and has the fastest time in Division 2 in a pair of events. Nolan Francis has the best time statewide in the 100-yard butterfly (51.78 seconds) and Rhinelander has the top 200-freestyle relay time in D2 at 1:30.74. Francis also has the second-best time in the state in the 100 backstroke (52.91).
Senior Russell Benoy is also the favorite to win the sectional in the 100 freestyle (50.40). The Hodags are seeded first in the sectional, and have the fourth-fastest time in the state in the 200 medley relay (1:42.07).
Winning individual events at sectionals is important, as that's the easiest way to qualify for the WIAA state meet. The champions in each event in each of the four Division 2 sectionals being held across the state today will qualify for next Friday night's D2 state meet in Madison. From there, the next 12 fastest times in each event across the four sectionals will round out the state field of 16.
The safest bet for the Hodags among those currently not seeded first in the sectional is Benoy, who is seeded second in the 50 freestyle (22.49) to Lakeland's Liam Hogan with the fourth-best time state-wide. Joseph Heck has the 12th-fastest time in the 50 (23.31) and David King has the 12th-best time in the 100 butterfly.
From there, things get interesting for the Hodags. Joseph and Thaddeus Heck, who finished 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke at sectionals last year, are seeded fourth and third in the event this year and sit smack on the state-qualifying bubble. Thaddeus Heck's seed time of 1:05.32 is currently the 16th fastest time in the state. Joseph Heck is currently the first swimmer out of the state field in 17th at 1:05.98.
The Hodags are also on the bubble in the 400 freestyle relay (15th, 3:34.71). Devon Gaber has the 16th-fastest time in the state in the 100 freestyle (51.92) and is tied for 17th in the 50 freestyle (23.50). Martin Hoger has the 17th-best time in the 100 backstroke.
"It would be awesome to get all three relays to state," Jenny Heck said. "It will be tough, but I think they can do it if they pull themselves all together. I think another success would be we need the individual qualifiers - David King, Joseph Heck, Thaddeus Heck, Devon Gaber, of course Nolan, Martin and Russell. Realistically, I don't want to put a number on it, but all of our returning swimmers really want to get to state."
One thing the Hodags have going for them is the confidence from a strong sectional performance last year. Rhinelander hit the taper in its training perfectly a year ago, smashed their seed times and qualified for state in six different events.
"We know what we can do. We know we can drop and we know we can swim fast when the time counts," coach Heck said. "I think that takes a little pressure off but, at the same time, every year isn't the same. Just because something happened one year doesn't mean it's going to happen the next. We have to be game on, on Saturday."
Today's meet gets underway at 1 p.m. at the UW-Stevens Point pool.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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