July 26, 2021 at 6:46 a.m.
RHS boys' soccer eager to build on 2020 momentum
RHS boys' soccer eager to build on 2020 momentum
The Hodags are eager to build on that success, which has shown during the offseason.
The team concluded its final of five coaching contact days this past week. Head coach Nathan Bates said turnout has been strong and momentum high as the Hodags look to defend their Great Northern Conference title.
"Participation has been really, really good," he said. "The boys put a lot of time in all winter in the dome. All summer long they did a real good job with their conditioning and practice. Numbers have been good. They did a tournament over the summer as well and were successful there. The boys are looking really good coming into the season."
Rhinelander went 12-3-0 at the varsity level and also had a strong JV side. Though the team will need to replace a few key pieces, including leading scorer Hugh Wiese and all-conference defender Joseph Heck, Bates said the team has plenty of depth to fill those roles.
"We've got quite a few freshmen that came up this year, but the success we had last year - both on the JV and the varsity - makes it tough," he said. "I have a lot of JV players from last year that are ready to play varsity. It's a matter of how we're going to make the teams work. I wish I could take all my JV players from last year and all my varsity players and put them on one team, but that's not the way it works. We're currently, right now, trying for figure all of that out."
While attendance at contact days is voluntary, the work done will help the team get a head start when official practice for the season starts in mid-August.
"Just getting back into the motion of things and making sure the boys are conditioned for the season, making sure the team is playing as a team together," Bates said. "Team chemistry is a big part of success and having a good season. Right now we're working off that."
Several members of the team participated in a U18 tournament in Eau Claire last month, competing for the Hodag Soccer Club. The squad finished second in their division of that tournament.
"At the tournament, they looked like they did at the end of last season," Bates said.
Though the Bates' five allotted contact days per WIAA regulations are over, he said the players still plan to organize a number of captains' practices prior to the season. The team will begin official fall practice Aug. 18 and begin play with a home non-conference game against Hayward Aug. 26.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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