May 6, 2021 at 8:43 a.m.
Team preview: RHS boys' tennis
Hodags gearing up for another GNC title run
Team preview: RHS boys' tennis
"We made a goal to win conference, and I think that's something we definitely can do and we should be shooting for," coach Matt Nichols said.
It's Nichols in command for Rhinelander, taking over for longtime coach Bob Heideman who retired last May in the wake of the COVID-canceled 2020 season. Rhinelander has only four players returning from the varsity lineup that rolled over the Great Northern Conference two years ago. But, with 32 players out for the squad, there's a lot of depth and versatility.
There's so much depth that, as practice began Monday, Nichols said he could not begin to predict how his varsity lineup will pan out. He had only four days to sort that out before tonight's GNC and season opener at Stevens Point Pacelli.
"We have a couple different scenarios that we're looking at, but the last five, six spots of that varsity lineup is up in the air to probably about 20 guys all competing for them," he said. "That's going to be a huge component of this week, having playoffs and seeing where it all shakes out."
The only given entering the year is who the Hodags' No. 1 singles player will be. That distinction belongs to senior Jacob Weddle, who is the reigning GNC player of the year, having won the conference title at No. 1 singles two years ago. Weddle went 21-7 overall as a sophomore and qualified for the sectional round of the WIAA tournament.
"Jacob's playing really strong. He's improved even since his (sophomore) year," Nichols said. "I know he's put in the hard work individually. He's coming to lessons during the summer. Just watching him practice, hits hitting it so strong. I'm excited to see how he competes against the more competitive teams in our conference and subsection."
The Hodags also know a pair of juniors - Luke Ring and Elijah Evers - will fit into the lineup somewhere. They won the conference title at No. 2 doubles together as freshmen and were 20-11 as a tandem. The question is, will they move up to No. 1 doubles to replace state qualifiers from two years ago Connor Young and Logan Oestreich, or will they move to singles where Rhinelander graduated all three of the players behind Weddle.
"We've looked at both angles," Nichols said. "We thought of a doubles team, keeping those two together, potentially vying for that No. 1 doubles spot. There's also a thought of keeping them in the singles lineup. It could very well change during the year, or depending on the team we play, if they're stronger singles or doubles."
There's the key that makes this year's squad different than past seasons. There typically has not been much deviation from the base lineup in years past once it was set. But, because of Ring and Evers' versatility, and because there are so many players vying for varsity positions, the possibility exists for lineup changes on a week-to-week, or even match-to-match, basis.
"With so many guys all vying for those spots, someone could be having a good day, they could come on late in the season, or if we're playing a team that's strong in doubles or singles, we could stack our lineup one way or the others," Nichols said.
Three other players return with varsity experience for Rhinelander. Senior Billy Berwig is back after helping win a conference title at No. 3 doubles two years ago with Bridger Flory. Junior Jack DeNamur made a couple of spot starts at No. 3 singles and the Hodags also have senior Joey Sturzl who has transferred back into the district. Two years ago, Sturzl, playing for St. Mary's Catholic High School in Neenah, lost to Rhinelander's Ian Conkey in the subsectional round at No. 4 singles.
Much of the focus this week has been devoted to building the starting lineup for this weekend's action. Following Friday's opener at Pacelli, the Hodags travel to Wausau West for a multi-team invite on Saturday. That kicks off a condensed regular season schedule in which the Hodags are playing the maximum number of matches allotted by the WIAA, 14, concluding with the GNC tournament in Rhinelander exactly four weeks from today.
"It's really weird to think about we don't have very many practices," Nichols said. "Where we're at is probably likely where we're going to cruise thought the season. Obviously, we have a couple practices in between but, with such a tight schedule, we're going to be playing a lot of matches. Not a lot of skill development at this point."
Nichols said the GNC is difficult to handicap, one because he's a first-year head coach and two, because there has been so much turnover within the conference from two years ago. That season Rhinelander went a perfect 10-0 in league duals and won the conference championship by a whopping 42 points over Antigo.
However, unless another team has made significant strides over the last couple of years, Nichols said the Hodags' combination of depth and talent makes them the odds on favorite to win the GNC title for the ninth time in this their 10th season as a part of the conference.
"We'll see where we end up. I think we'll be at the top, just with our numbers and watching the talent we have, but you never know," he said.
After a couple of seasons in Division 2, the Hodags have bumped back up to D1 for this year's WIAA tournament. That will mean playing the likes of Bay Port, D.C. Everest, Green Bay West, Pulaski, Wausau East and Wausau West when WIAA tournament play rolls around. With two invites in Wausau, and non-conference matches against D.C. Everest and Wisconsin Rapids on the schedule, the Hodags are hoping to get as many resume-building wins to their credit ahead of the Wausau West Subsectional June 7.
"We need to play those teams that are in the subsectional so we can show that we earned certain seeds come playoff time," Nichols said. "Beyond that, we also made a goal to send five people to sectionals from subs which, in that D1 sectional, is going to be tough, but I don't think it's out of the question."
The Hodags' first home match of the spring takes place this coming Tuesday against Medford.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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