January 18, 2019 at 1:05 p.m.
The night the records fell
Hodag swimmers set four pool records, one varsity mark in win over Shawano
The night the records fell
The senior pair was on two relays that set new Heck Pool records. Francis took down two other pool marks, and a RHS varsity record to boot, as the Hodags defeated Shawano 114-54 Thursday night in a Great Northern Conference dual.
Francis redeemed himself after narrowly missing the pool's 50-yard freestyle mark last week in a win over Antigo, beating Alan Kroll's 1994 standard Thursday night. Francis knocked Kroll off the school record board in the 100 butterfly as well. Then Francis and Benoy, along with junior Devon Gaber and sophomore Joseph Heck, took down the pool's 200 and 400 free relay records.
This year's Hodag squad has been making a case as one of the most accomplished in school history -having already taken ownership of four Heck Pool marks prior to the meet. Thursday's dual cemented the team's legacy as one future Hodags swimmers will be chasing for years, and perhaps decades, to come.
"That's what we hoped would happen, but you just never know," coach Jenny Heck said about the team's all-out blitz on the record board. "Coming into this part of the season where they're working so hard, we were hoping and they really pulled through. We had the leadership of Russell and Nolan. Their calmness really helped Devon and Joseph get to that record."
It all started in the 50 free, where Francis missed Kroll's mark of 21.84 seconds by a tenth of a second last week in a dual against Antigo. Francis had a go at it again Thursday night and didn't miss, posting a blistering time of 21.73 seconds to lead a 1-2-3 sweep of the event for the Hodags.
"It was redemption," Francis said.
After last Thursday's meet, coach Heck said Francis would likely shoot for the 200 freestyle record in this contest, though those plans changed following last week's near miss in the 50.
"I kind of gave him his choice on that one," she said. "I think it was a good move and it put him in good position to go after the rest of the meet, too."
Francis came back in the next race and took out the 100 butterfly record as well, shattering both the school and pool marks with a time of 51.78 seconds. That was a full two seconds faster than the pool mark of 53.78 seconds set by former state champion Kevin Fober of Menomonie in 1980, and 0.45 seconds better than Kroll's school record of 52.23 seconds set in 1994.
The pool record of 1:32.31 in the 200 freestyle relay, set by Wausau East in 2007, was next on the Hodags' hit list. Francis, Joseph Heck, Gaber and Benoy laid waste to that mark with a time of 1:30.74.
"I was absolutely ecstatic," Gaber said. "Finally, our names are going to be up there for a while. Seeing us break those really old records was really amazing."
The same quartet went after pool's 400 freestyle relay mark of 3:24.15 to end the meet and demolished it with a new time of 3:21.40. Joseph Heck and Gaber posted solid splits of 52.96 and 51.78 seconds to start the race. Francis entered the pool and put down a blistering 47.32-second split - a time that was 0.53 seconds faster than his official pool record in the 100 freestyle. That set the stage for Benoy, who came home in 49.61 over the final 100 yards to smash the record.
"That relay when I finished, I looked up at the board and realized all Russell had to do was go a 52 and I had so much faith that he could do that," Francis said. "He pulls off a 49. That was fantastic."
Added Benoy: "It's all thanks to these other guys. They all put in the effort to make this night amazing."
The record in the 400 meant something extra to Joseph Heck - considering his uncle, Dave Heck, was on the relay that set the old mark back in 1988.
"I was just super happy. It was super fun," Joseph Heck said. "You could tell we were hyped and pumped up. We swam fast for times and it was just really fun."
The common thread in all of the records is Francis, who now has his name attached to eight pool and three school records.
"Nolan's only missing (three) records on that board right now. It's insane," Benoy said. "It's really great to have a swimmer like Nolan on our team. It's amazing. It really is."
The Hodags rolled to victory in all 11 events Thursday night. The third senior on the team, Martin Hoger, won the 100 backstroke and was part of the winning 200 medley relay team with David King, Thaddeus Heck and Jacob Schoppe. King won the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle. Thaddeus Heck took the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. Benoy led a 1-2-3 finish for the Hodags with Gaber and Joseph Heck in the 100 freestyle.
"They just keep getting faster and faster. I think their motivation and their love for racing just makes them go after it. Who knows what they can do," Jenny Heck said. "They push each other every single day and it's not just in the pool. It's in the weight room. It's in school. It's helping each other just all-around. They're great teammates. And it's not just those seven. All 10 of these guys have become really close and are really helping one another. That's what makes this team so special."
Rhinelander clinched the best record in the GNC, moving to 9-0 with the win. The Hodags race at Lakeland next Thursday in their final dual meet of the season.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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