January 11, 2019 at 12:35 p.m.
Hodag swimmers set two pool records, beat Antigo 116-34
Hodag swimmers set two pool records, beat Antigo 116-34
The Hodags took down two Heck Pool records, and nearly set a third, as they beat Antigo 116-34 in a Great Northern Conference dual meet.
Rhinelander set the lineup to take a run at pool marks in the 200-yard medley relay, the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. The Hodags succeeded in setting new records in the medley relay and the 100 free.
"You've got to have goals and meets like this, when Antigo just didn't have the numbers, we've still got to get racing opportunities," coach Jenny Heck said. "That's why we made the lineup the way we did, to have the relays race each other and shoot for other goals."
The meet started with a bang as the team of Nolan Francis, Thaddeus Heck, David King and Russell Benoy took possession of the medley relay record with a time of 1 minute, 42.78 seconds. Francis followed later in the program by posting the first sub-48 second time in pool history in the 100 freestyle (47.85).
"That was fun to start off the meet with that record," Jenny Heck said. "The guys are tired, so we didn't know what was going to happen. We worked really hard this season, knowing the end of the season is coming soon. I was really pleased that they could get the record tonight in the medley."
The record in the medley broke the 2007 mark of 1:42.78 set by the Wausau East quartet of Alex Hallam, Josh Hall, Rob Schnitzler and Lucas Koenig.
"Once we did that, I knew it was going to be a great day," Francis said. "We all swam out of our minds for in-season. That one was more exciting because all of us, collectively, were super excited and pumping each other up."
True to from, Francis followed up by eclipsing the record in the 100 freestyle, breaking Alan Kroll's 1994 make of 48.31 seconds. Francis tried to take ownership of another one of Kroll's records, but came up a tenth of a second short in the 50-freestyle with a time of 21.94.
"The 50 free was a little upsetting. That was the one I was really focused on, but the 100 free was really exciting," Francis said. "I think I got that record because I was so disappointed that I didn't get the 50 freestyle record. I tried to go for the 100 free and really kind of using not getting the 50 as motivation to go after the 100. I felt great."
"I think it was an emotional roller coaster for him," coach Heck said. "I think just missing it in the 50 just gave him more power in the 100. It made him mad, and then he did great on the relay as well. Nothing to be ashamed of, those were great swims by Nolan."
As fate would have it, Francis unofficially tied Kroll's 50 free mark with a 21.84-second split in his final swim of the night, the 200 freestyle relay.
"I think that was the universe saying I'm not ready to get that record," Francis said with a wry smile.
The Hodags, which remained No. 4 this week in Division 2 in the WISCA computer rankings, won 10 of the 11 events Thursday night, easily improving to 8-0 in GNC duals. Antigo's lone win came with Brett Farmer in the 200 individual medley.
Thaddeus Heck won the 500 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke, Joseph Heck took the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke and King won the 100 butterfly.
Benoy, Ashton Cole, Martin Hoger and Devon Gaber won the 200 freestyle relay. Cole, Jacob Schoppe, Thaddeus Heck and Gaber made up the winning team in the 400 freestyle relay.
Coach Heck noted the performance of first-year swimmers Cole and Cooper Kovac, who both broke the 30-second barrier for a 50-yard freestyle with their splits in the 200 freestyle relay. Kovac added a runner-up finish for Rhinelander in the 100 butterfly.
"It was great to get under 30 at home and their other events were fantastic," she said. "It's so great to see the guys who are new to swimming providing points and doing well. They're going to be showing it at conference as well."
With as much success as the Hodags are having this season, the sky's the limit for this squad, and it's hard telling which other pool and varsity records may be in jeopardy by season's end.
"There's just a lot of positive energy this year, something I haven't seen in a while," Francis said. "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."
The Hodags were in Appleton for an invite last night and will have one more crack at some Heck Pool records this coming Thursday as they host Shawano in a GNC dual.
"We only have one more home meet left. We don't have a lot of opportunities to do it. Maybe next week, we'll try to get that 200 free record and get some of these records knocked off if we can," coach Heck said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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