November 22, 2021 at 8:58 a.m.
Team preview: RHS boys' swimming
Hodags have goals beyond GNC title
Team preview: RHS boys' swimming
"I think the upperclassmen, they really know what it takes to do well at the end of the season and already have some goals in mind," coach Jenny Heck said. "They'd really like to get three strong relays down at state and get a bunch of individual qualifiers as well. I think we were ninth at state last year, so (try) to push into the top five."
Rhinelander figures to be in great shape, returning five state qualifiers off the squad that won sectionals and finished ninth at state last February. The team also brings back eight swimmers who placed in the top three in at least one event last year at last year's GNC meet and welcomes in five freshmen, all of whom could contribute immediately.
All five returning state qualifiers are juniors, including three - Jack Antonuk, Daniel Gillingham and Charlie Heck - who were part of the team's third-place finish at state in the 200-yard freestyle relay. All three swam four-event programs down in Waukesha last season. Antonuk just missed the podium, placing seventh in both the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke; Gillingham was ninth in both the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly while Charlie Heck to 10th in the 50 freestyle and was on all three of the Hodags' state-qualifying relays.
Additionally, Carter Gaber is back after making it to state in the backstroke and the 200 medley relay last year, as is Marcus O'Malley who qualified in the 400 freestyle relay.
All five were all-GNC in at least three events last year. Senior Jacob Schoppe was all-conference in the 100 breaststroke and the 400 freestyle relay last year. He's back along with sophomore Zacha King and senior Ashton Cole, who were second and third at conference last year in the 500 freestyle.
"That junior class has a lot of experience for still being juniors yet," coach Heck said. "That's going to help us lead the team. I think we have a whole bunch of really great opportunities with just the leadership because we have Ashton and Jacob as seniors."
The team adds five freshman to the squad this year - Brock Arrowood, Shawn Denis, Mathias Fugle, Dolan O'Malley and Samson Shinners. All five have previous experience through the Rhinelander Swim Club's youth program.
"We have a really strong and big freshman class," coach Heck said. "That's going to be really beneficial overall. They are already in really good shape. They've been swimming for a while and I think they're fitting in really well off the bat."
Rhinelander had a state qualifier in every event except the 500 freestyle last year. Coach Heck figures the team will have a versatile lineup this year that can be strong in virtually every event.
"We are pretty versatile, which is pretty awesome. That gives us choices and options for just different events we can go after and relays," she said. "It's nice not to be locked into a certain events. I think we have a lot of versatility from the freshmen onto the seniors. That's going to help us."
The Hodag boys will look to continue what has been a dynastic run for Rhinelander swimming over the last four seasons. Rhinelander has won every conference and sectional title in boys' and girls' swimming since the Hodag boys pulled off the double in the 2018-19 season.
"They're doing a lot of hard work and I think it got them excited to see what they could do and that they were coming up next and that it was their turn to have some fast swims," coach Heck said.
Rhinelander kicks off the season tonight with a pentathlon meet at D.C. Everest High School. The meet was a late addition to the schedule after two dates on the Hodags' calendar became available with Medford folding its boys' swim program.
"We're excited about the pentathlon," coach Heck said. "We haven't done this meet before. The girls have done the Colby Pentathlon, but the boys haven't usually and I think it's a great meet to do early on in the season, get some times on these guys but not a lot of pressure."
The team will kick off the GNC slate next Tuesday at Lakeland and its first home meet of the season will be Dec. 2 against Tomahawk.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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