December 7, 2020 at 8:17 a.m.
RHS swimmers nearly perfect in season-opening win
RHS swimmers nearly perfect in season-opening win
The Hodags were dominant Thursday night, winning all 11 events in convincing fashion and cruising to a 139-28 victory over Medford at the Heck Family Community Pool. Rhinelander was one point away from a perfect score as it earned maximum points in 10 of the 11 events. The only blip was a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke.
All and all, it was a strong opener for coach Jenny Heck's Hodags.
"We started out with a lot of really, really good swims and some surprises, but we also know how much work we have to do," she said. "It's tough. It's the second week of the season and swimming four events. By that fourth event, I was seeing tonight that we have a lot of work to do."
Seven members of Rhinelander's 13-swimmer roster had a hand in at least one victory on Thursday night, led by a pair of sophomores and returning state qualifiers - Jack Antonuk and Daniel Gillingham. Both swimmers were a part of four event wins in the meet.
Individually, Antonuk took the win in the 200 freestyle (2:01.86) and the 100 breaststroke (1:05.30) while Gillingham won the 200 individual medley (2:12.68) and the 500 freestyle (5:44.35). Both were on the winning 200 freestyle relay with brothers Joseph and Charlie Heck (1:36.66). Antonuk was on the winning 200 medley relay with Carter Gaber, Gavin Ostermann and Joseph Heck (1:47.10) while Gillingham was on an all-sophomore squad with Gaber, Marcus O'Malley and Charlie Heck that won the 400 freestyle relay (3:50.34).
"Daniel Gillingham had a really great meet, had some really good times in some longer events, which was very impressive this time of year," coach Heck noted. "Jack Antonuk had a solid, solid meet, great times. I would say Carter Gaber in the 100 backstroke was needed. I'm really glad to see that backstroke coming down in both the (200 medley) relay and the 100 back."
Gaber took the 100 backstroke in 1:03.73 for Rhinelander. Charlie Heck won the 100 freestyle (54.31) while Ostermann, a junior in his second year of competitive swimming, took both the 50 freestyle (25.28) and the 100 butterfly (1:03.60).
"Gavin had a nice meet. His butterfly, he's gotten bigger, stronger," coach Heck said. "He's gotten a lot more efficient in his strokes, and that just takes time because he's a fairly new swimmer."
The Hodags swept all the runner-up spots as well. Freshman Zacha King was the runner-up in both the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. O'Malley was second in the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Joseph Heck took second in the 500 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. Ashton Cole was second in the 200 freestyle and Charlie Heck took second in the 200 IM.
"That's where we're at with some of these dual meets," coach Heck said. "We're a fast team and a lot of the competition is going to be against ourselves. We're trying to facilitate that, get these guys racing each other, pushing them and giving them bragging rights. It's not only swimming against the clock. It's swimming against your teammates and trying to better yourself."
Rhinelander (1-0 GNC) plays host to Shawano this evening and then host a modified version of the Hodag Relays this coming Saturday. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lakeland and Marshfield are the only other teams scheduled to take part.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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