March 8, 2021 at 7:57 a.m.
Team review: RHS girls' basketball
Lady Hodags battle through a transitional year
Team review: RHS girls' basketball
It was not for a lack of trying. The team got a career year out of senior Rebecca Lawrence as it went 11-14 overall, and 5-5 in the GNC.
"We all have to get better, me included," coach Ryan Clark said last month during the team's banquet. "We're not striving for .500. We work too hard and everyone sacrifices so much to win as many games as you lose."
The Hodags battled until the very end of the season, concluding with an overtime loss to eventual regional champion Medford in the first round of the WIAA tournament. In that game, Rhinelander rallied from down seven to tie the game and force overtime, despite Lawrence fouling out of the game with 4:11 remaining in regulation.
"I was really proud of them," Clark said afterward. "It was a great battle. Their ability to come back with Rebecca on the bench, then Annika (Johnson) on the bench said a lot about their fortitude and resolve. They just made some really big plays."
Here are five key storylines from the season.
A full season
Part of the Hodags' decline this year could likely be traced back to a lack of gym time over the summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While teams across the state were in the same boat, the extra gym time would have been more beneficial to Rhinelander than most other teams, simply because of who it had to replace and what roles needed to be re-established.
Fortunately for the team, the lack of offseason gym time ended up being the virus' biggest impact on the season. Despite a two-week shorter regular season, the Hodags still managed to get in a full 24-game regular season.
According to statistics kept by WisSports.net, Rhinelander was among only 9% of girls' basketball programs (40 of 446) to play 25 games or more this season, including playoffs.
Clark credited RHS activities director Brian Paulson's efforts to schedule or reschedule games at the last minute.
"We played all 24 games for the varsity," he said. "The JV obviously couldn't get all 24 due to quarantine. But we were allowed 24 games this year and we were one of the few programs in the state to do that. That was my biggest goal. I wanted you to have the opportunity to get a full season."
Rebecca's role
With the graduation of Van Zile and Beavers, Lawrence was the only member of last year's big three scorers to return. She averaged 13.6 points per game last year, and elevated her game to another level this year.
Lawrence averaged 22.6 points per game this season, despite drawing the attention from most opposing defense as Rhinelander's top scoring threat. Lawrence proved to be a consistent threat, as she scored in double figures in all 25 of Rhinelander's contests this year. She finished with 564 points on the season and surpassed 1,000 points for her career Jan. 19 in a home victory over Ashland.
"This is the face of our program and she represents our program how it should be done," Clark said. "I did talk to her a ton. I would reach out to her in so many ways and she always has such a great demeanor. It was never poor me. Everything is about her team. Then her sportsmanship on the court. The coaches that I've talked to say so many good things about her and the love to watch her play."
Along the way, Lawrence set program records for most steals and steals per game in a season (108/4.4), most free throws made in a season (118) and tied Van Zile's record for most field goals in a season (205). Lawrence was a unanimous first-team All-GNC selection for her efforts this year, one of only two Hodags to be recognized by the conference. Fellow senior Ella Schiek, regarded as one of the best defenders in the GNC, received honorable mention.
Close only counts
The Hodags certainly had a chance to be on the positive side of .500 this year, as eight of their 14 losses came by 10 points or less. The Hodags had the lead or were tied in five of those contests, and also had a second-half lead in the second meeting against Three Lakes, which they eventually lost by 12.
"One of our issues is we've had a nice lead at halftime or a good lead going into the second half and we haven't played very well," coach Clark said following a Dec. 30 loss at Merrill in which Rhinelander led 32-22 at half. "We've found a way to lose those games. I'll have to look at what I'm doing as far as coaching and adjustments. We shouldn't be getting beat when we're up 10 at half."
Stately competition
The Hodags played some tough non-conference competition this year, with three of their opponents reaching the WIAA state tournament.
Most prominently, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption and Three Lakes met each other in the Division 5 state championship game, with Assumption coming away with a 55-48 win. Three Lakes upset Black Hawk 51-48 in the semifinals to reach the championship.
Rhinelander split a pair of games with Three Lakes this season, winning 52-43 Dec. 5 and losing 60-48 Jan. 23. Both games were played in Three Lakes. The Hodags defeated Assumption 49-46 on Dec. 29 in Rhinelander.
Meanwhile, Onalaska was the Division 2 state qualifier in Rhinelander's sectional and fell to eventual state champion Green Bay Notre Dame in the semifinal. Rhinelander fell to Onalaska 68-59 Jan. 26. The Hodags cut a 17-point second half deficit down to six with 1:03 to play.
What's next
Though half of the Hodags' varsity rotation returns next year, the team will have to make significant gains, especially in the scoring department, in order to even maintain pace in the GNC. The four graduating seniors - Lawrence, Ella Schiek, McKenzie Gilman and Kat Metropulos - accounted for 56.4% of Rhinelander's scoring this year (712 of 1,262 points).
The five returning varsity players - Audrey Schiek, Megan Brown, Annika Johnson, Brynn Brzycki and Ava Lamers will likely have the inside track to be the starting five next year. All five showed flashes at points during the season. Brzycki, Lamers and Johnson averaged 19.0 points per game between them.
The question will be how much rotational depth will this year's JV squad add. Clark said, where new or returning to the varsity, everyone on next year's squad will need to improve during the offseason and be significantly better players come the start of practice in November.
"They can't be anywhere close to the players they currently are," he said. "They play hard. They're competing better, but we've got some skill deficits that we've got to catch up on, mainly shooting and ball handling. It's a very unselfish group. The junior class has played a lot of basketball together and Ava Lamers is right there with them. Then we'll add some JV kids to the mix and that will be our varsity.
"Those future players have really got to put in time. If we can win the offseason, we'd have a much better chance next year. But I think our conference is going to be really tough. Mosinee doesn't really lose anybody, Lakeland gets better and Medford only loses one senior. It will be a dogfight."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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