September 2, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.
Petrick's goal gives Hodags 1-0 win over Medford in GNC opener
Petrick's goal gives Hodags 1-0 win over Medford in GNC opener
After Tuesday night, the Hodags are in position to repeat history.
Shane Petrick scored the game's lone goal just more than five minutes into the second half and the Hodags held on for a 1-0 win at Raider Field.
The GNC slate opened with a showdown between the conference's top two teams from a season ago. Rhinelander won the conference title by a game over the Raiders but Medford got the last laugh, defeating the Hodags in the sectional semifinal round on the way to a WIAA Division 2 state tournament berth. The latest installment in the Rhinelander-Medford soccer rivalry was just as intense.
"The kids played their hearts out like they always do," Hodag coach Nathan Bates said. "Starting the (conference) season with Medford, I don't like it, but it is what it is. I know I can show up here (against coach) Nate (Bilodeau) and his team and it's going to be a rugby match the entire game. I knew that coming in and it didn't disappoint. It's the same way as how it always is.
"Medford never laid down once. They have a great team. They looked good. They looked really good. It's going to be a battle all season like this."
Rhinelander withstood some extensive pressure, both over the first 25 minutes and the last 25 minutes, to earn its third shutout in four games to begin the season. The Hodags had the better of play from late in the first half until early in the second, and cashed in with the game's lone tally.
Medford's Zach Rudolph cleared the ball from his own box, but Rhinelander midfielder Braden Mork made a head's up play, literally. He was able to get his head on Rudolph's clearance and direct it back into the box for Petrick, who had the ball roll to his feet 15 yards from goal for a one-touch finish inside the left goal post at the start of the 46th minute.
"Shane had a great shot there," Bates said. "The end of the first half we had some good pressure toward the last 15 minutes. Second half we came out and had some good pressure there."
Rhinelander started dodging bullets soon thereafter. Gavin Ostermann, who recorded seven saves in the shutout, denied Silas Wipf's header attempt off a corner kick in the 51st minute. Ostermann came up big again in the 56th minute, stopping a hard shot from Adyn Gripentrog from 25 yards away, and the subsequent rebound in front of a hard-charging Gerardo Estrada Rodriguez. He stopped Rudolph in the 65th minute after the Medford midfielder found space from 15 yards following a corner kick.
Ostermann also ventured several yards outside his 18-yard box on two separate occasions in the second half to clear away what would have otherwise been breakaway chances for the Medford offense.
"He did a great job. He's a great goalkeeper. Like I said, he's the best in the conference and he did a helluva job tonight," Bates said.
Medford held a 19-17 edge in total shots, and both teams had seven shots on goal. Bates pointed to a change in tactics that backfired and allowed the Raiders to have the better of the play over the final 25 minutes.
"I was trying to solidify more of the middle part of the field to keep the ball pressure down on their end. My defense and everybody just started playing defense and it's hard to change that middle of the game," he said. "Maybe I pulled the gun too soon. It's my fault, but I switched up the formation to solidify the middle part of the field and I probably shouldn't have done it."
Rhinelander also experimented with formations in the first half as the Raiders took the play to the Hodags early. Medford had a number of chances over the first 25 minutes, though most finished off frame. Rhinelander finally started to mound some pressure in the 26th minute as Mork ripped a shot from 35 yards that just sailed over the top right corner of the goal. Andrew Henrichs rolled one just wide left in the 27th minute ahead of an onrushing Petrick and Matthew King put a contested header over the crossbar in the 34th minute.
The Hodags and Raiders will meet again Sept. 23 at Mike Webster Stadium.
Rhinelander (2-1-1, 1-0-0-0 Great Northern) traveled to Northland Pines Thursday night in a match that concluded after deadline. The Eagles upended Mosinee on Tuesday in a tight match and, with Lakeland playing well out of the gate, Bates said he expect the conference race to be a dogfight all year.
"I think it's anyone's conference right now," he said.
The Hodags are back in action next Thursday night as they play host to Lakeland.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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