March 11, 2019 at 2:38 p.m.
Van Zile sisters honored at girls' hoops banquet
Van Zile sisters honored at girls' hoops banquet
Kenedy and Payton Van Zile earned the team's toughness award during a banquet at the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom.
In keeping with past tradition, coach Ryan Clark did not hand out an MVP award at either the varsity, JV or JV2 level. The toughness award is the only varsity-exclusive award the program has and the Van Zile sisters split the honor this year - the first time Clark has given the award to multiple athletes in the same year.
Clark said the Van Ziles exemplified the award - which he has handed out since his first year as boys' basketball coach at Northland Pines - in different ways.
Kenedy Van Zile averaged 24.6 points per game and was relied on night in and night out to be the team's top offensive threat.
"There's something to be said of consistency, can you bring it every single day," he said. "We had rely on you to score 30 points and no one would be surprised if you put up 40 points, and every game you were huge. To me, that's a heck of an accomplishment."
Payton Van Zile's toughness award was more of a career achievement honor as she bided her time as a fringe varsity/JV player much of her career before solidifying herself as a varsity starter this year.
"I think it takes real toughness to wait your turn, keep fighting, no entitlement and just bring it every single practice, knowing that you might not play," Clark said.
That wasn't the only award the Van Ziles garnered Sunday. Kenedy Van Zile was named the team's defensive player of the year and Payton Van Zile won the hustle award.
While Kenedy Van Zile's offensive numbers jumped off the page she also led set a program record for steals in a season with 102.
"I think she's made a lot of growth as a defender and, when she has to shut someone down, she does," Clark said.
Payton Van Zile's numbers were not as gaudy (2.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.5 spg), but Clark said her contributions show up places other than the stat sheet.
"She's a leader, she's a captain. She'll hit the big 3 when you need someone to hit that shot. She's just non-stop and just tough," Clark said.
The team handed out two other varsity awards during the banquet. Sophomore Rebecca Lawrence was named the team's most improved player and senior Erika Jorgensen won the Hodag Award.
Lawrence averaged just under 8.5 points per game for the Hodags, but turned it on down the stretch - with three 20-plus point outings in Rhinelander's final five games to the season. She finished third on the team in rebounding, one board behind Kenedy Van Zile for second on the team.
"(Rebecca) went more out of her comfort zone than anybody, and we needed her to," Clark said. "In the second half of the season she scored some times up to 20 points per game, rebounded a lot of rebounds and just became a whole other player. I give her a lot of credit for that."
Jorgensen, a 6-foot post player who was projected to see significant minutes in the Hodags' rotation this season re-injured the knee she hurt during last season's playoffs and was unable to play this year.
The Hodags went 18-6 on the season, winning 14 straight games before a regional final loss on the road at New London. Rhinelander also claimed its first conference championship in girls' basketball this season, going a perfect 12-0 in league play, winning every game by 11 points or more.
"This season was historic," Clark said. "We won (the conference championship) and this team right here, you will always have it. We have the picture and the trophy and the net and everything that goes with it. That will be history."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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