February 18, 2019 at 2:06 p.m.
Shoutouts & Callouts
Swimmers take Hodag fans on incredible ride
Shoutouts & Callouts
"Not only are they a great team for this year, but it's been years since we've had a team like this," she said on deck at the UW-Madison Natatorium after the Hodags won two events at state and tied for third in the overall Division 2 standings.
Perhaps it's best to quantify what the RHS boys' swim team accomplished this year:
• 7 Heck Family Community Pool records
• 6 podium finishes at the WIAA state meet
• 5 RHS varsity records (including three at the WIAA state meet)
• 4 Hodags walking away from Madison with gold medals
• 3 behind the Hodags' name on the leaderboard at the end of the state meet
• 2 individual state championships
It all adds up to one incredible season.
"It was the most hype thing ever," said Joseph Heck, a member of the state-champion 200 freestyle relay. "It wasn't just this. It was the whole season, amazing."
To be sure, the story of the 2018-19 Hodags can't be written without Nolan Francis who, after skipping his junior high school season to swim the competitive club circuit, returned in dominating fashion this year. Just like his sister, Kiah, before him, Nolan Francis helped re-write the RHS record board. It's a little more than ironic that Nolan Francis earned two gold medals and two silver medals in his career at the state meet - exactly the same number his sister earned in her career.
But to say this team rode Francis' wake to success would be a gross mischaracterization. Russell Benoy finished on the podium in all four of his events Friday night and, remember, the Hodags sent a large contingent of swimmers to state without Francis last year.
More accurately put, all 10 members of this year's RHS boys' swim team made each other better.
"There's just a lot of positive energy this year, something I haven't seen in a while," Francis said back on Jan. 10 after breaking a couple of pool records in a dual meet win over Antigo. "It's really great and I think we don't have a weak link this year, absolutely not. Everybody plays their part and everybody's super excited during practice, during the meets. If I were to say one thing, there's just a lot of very good energy."
Not only did the individuals on this team push each other, they raced for each other. For proof, look no further than the 50 freestyle times Friday night for Devon Gaber and Russell Benoy. Both had strong showings in the 50 free - Benoy finished fourth, missing a state title by 0.07 seconds and Gaber placed eighth winning his heat race. While they raced well for themselves, both of their splits in the 200 freestyle relay were roughly a half-second faster than their individual times earlier in the meet.
Plenty of factors could have contributed to the improved performance in the relay - like the added adrenaline and the lack of a wake while racing in the lead - but don't discredit the intangible of racing for something more than one's self. That's a thought that came over Gaber as he widened the Hodags' lead during the third leg of the 200 freestyle relay.
"I realized I was getting out ahead there and I was getting excited. I knew that Russell could solidify the win after that," he said.
This Hodag boys' swim team was the perfect storm of talent, teamwork and drive, and the results speak for themselves.
Momentum continued to build as the Hodags piled up meet wins and records during the season. It reached a crescendo Friday night in Madison.
"I'm really happy to be able to spend it with such an amazing team and amazing coaches and just an amazing community, too," Benoy said. "So many people came out to watch us down in Madison."
Rhinelander has had a rich and storied history in boys' swimming - be it the dominant Bob Smith-coached teams of the 1960s, to the run of success in the late '80s and early '90s with individual champs like Dave Heck and Alan Kroll. Go ahead and add the 2018-19 Hodag boys' swim team to the pantheon of all-time great teams in Rhinelander High School history.
"I don't think we're going to get another team like this for a while," Francis said.
The Hodags lose three state qualifiers - including champions Francis and Benoy - to graduation, but will bring back four state qualifiers next year in hopes of keeping Rhinelander's tradition of being a northern power in a sport dominated by teams from the southern half of the state.
"I know the swimmers coming up are really excited - I think we're going to continue to give these teams down here a run for their money," coach Jenny Heck said.
If future teams can follow in the footsteps of this year's squad, it will be quite the ride indeed.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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