December 2, 2020 at 12:47 p.m.
Team preview: RHS boys' swimming
Hodags looking to maintain GNC dominance
Team preview: RHS boys' swimming
The boys' team has not been a slouch either, winning back-to-back GNC and sectional titles in its own right while adding a third-place finish at the WIAA D2 state meet in 2019.
The RHS boys made their season debut last night against Medford at the Heck Family Community Pool in a dual meet that concluded after deadline.
Though the Hodags must replace three fast seniors off last year's squad, there are still plenty of high expectations for this year's team.
"I think, overall in the conference, we'll continue to be strong and powerful," coach Jenny Heck said.
The one thing last year's squad had that this year's team may lack is a bit is depth, after graduating state qualifiers Thaddeus Heck, Devon Gaber and David King. But the Hodags return four other state qualifiers from a year ago and eight swimmers who earned all-GNC honors in at least one event last year, that includes a trio of sophomores who made it to Madison last year - Jack Antonuk, Daniel Gillingham and Charlie Heck.
"We're going to be missing those seniors. They were such a big part of the team last year and were involved in a lot of the success that we had," coach Heck said. "But I think they also proved our freshman class is really strong, which is now our sophomore class. Those guys are really going to step up. I saw a lot of improvement, even over the summer. They're bigger and they're stronger. I think they're really going to be able to fill some of those roles that we need."
This year's squad boasts only two seniors, Billy Berwig and Joseph Heck, the latter being the lone holdover from the quartet that won the D2 state title in the 200-yard freestyle relay two years ago. Heck qualified for state in two relays last year as well as the 50 freestyle, and was third in the GNC in the 100 backstroke.
Jenny Heck, Joseph's mother, said her son has a big role to fill as one of this year's leaders.
"We're looking to Joseph as a leader both in the pool and out of the pool, kind of leading the guys," she said. "He's seen a lot. He was on a state-winning relay and had a lot of success along the way. I think he has a lot to bring to the table. He's got a big job on his hands."
Much of Rhinelander's depth this year will come from its sophomore class. Antonuk is one of the team's most versatile swimmers, qualifying for state in the 200 individual medley last year. He was also the GNC runner-up in the 500 freestyle a season ago. Charlie Heck and Gillingham both made it to state as part of Rhinelander's 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams. Other sophomores include Carter Gaber, Marcus O'Malley, Daniel King and Eli Lundt.
"I think we're got a lot of really strong sprinters and freestylers," coach Heck noted. "Our sprinters in general, I think we can be really fast and really competitive in the state. We did some time trials last week and I was quite impressed with their times in the first week of swim. Now we just need to build up some endurance and strength for some of those longer races."
Rhinelander is also looking for improvement out of its junior class, including Jacob Schoppe, who scored three top-five finishes at conference last year.
Ashton Cole returns after taking fourth at conference in the 500 freestyle and Gavin Ostermann also returns. In only his second year of competitive swimming, Ostermann took to freestyle and butterfly quickly last year, earning all-conference honors as part of the Hodags' second entry in the 200 freestyle relay.
"Gavin keeps improving every time he gets in the water and I think Ashton, his distance and breaststroke has been great," coach Heck noted. "Jacob Schoppe's been really solid in his fly and IM. We're going to need all those guys just to do a little bit better than they did last year, just to even maintain what we had."
Rhinelander added only one freshman to the roster this year, Zacha King, who comes in with previous experience through the Rhinelander Swim Club.
As far as the conference season go, coach Heck sees Rhinelander again as the favorite, though Lakeland returns a pair of strong swimmers including reigning GNC 50 and 500 freestyle champ Liam Hogan. The conference is down to five teams for the first time since the 2012-13 season after Antigo bowed out due to low numbers.
The Hodags will have two fewer weeks than normal to prepare for postseason racing, due to the abbreviated winter sports season. Shawano is scheduled to host the GNC meet Jan. 22, WIAA sectionals will take place Jan. 30 and the WIAA state meet will be held Feb. 5. Coach Heck said the shorter season should not have much of an impact on her squad.
"They were swimming from a month to a year since last season, staying ready and getting in shape," she said. "They're ready. Even though the season is two weeks shorter, I don't see it as a detriment. I see that we'll be just as ready. I think these guys have a great opportunity to do things at the state meet."
Just as it was during the girls' season, Heck said the team's No. 1 ability will be availability. That means each team member doing everything he can to stay healthy in the midst of the pandemic.
"We have to be one week at a time," she said. "We had a long talk today about how the guys need to be socially distanced and keeping apart to stay safe so we don't get shut down. That's going to be our biggest problem this year, just to be able to keep swimming with COVID rising as it is."
In an odd quirk to the schedule, all of Rhinelander's home meets are scheduled to take place during December. All four GNC opponents will visit the Heck Family Community Pool this month. The team is scheduled to have a triangular against Lakeland and Marshfield Dec. 12 and host Ashwaubenon in a non-conference dual Dec. 30.
Attendance will be limited to only parents/guardians of Hodag swimmers.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.