September 3, 2021 at 12:34 p.m.
Hodags nab two pool records in GNC opener
Hodags nab two pool records in GNC opener
The Hodags broke two Heck Family Community Pool records and won 10 of 11 events in a 128-35 victory over Tomahawk to open the Great Northern Conference dual meet season.
Rhinelander set a new mark in the 200-yard medley relay and Malia Francis took down the 200 individual medley record as the Hodags extended their conference winning streak to 16 meets.
"It's great to break records the first home meet of the season," coach Jenny Heck said. "We kind of let the seniors go after what they want to go after and the other kids, what they think they have good shots to do well in."
Rhinelander took down a months-old record in the medley relay as the team of Malia Francis, Noelle St. Pierre, Karis Francis and Abi Winnicki posted a time of 1 minute, 50.12 seconds. That eclipsed the mark of 1:50.30 set by Lisa Kennedy, St. Pierre, Makenna Winnicki and Karis Francis at last November's WIAA sectional meet.
Two events later, Malia Francis got one more record that was previously held by her older sister, Kiah, capturing the 200 IM record with a 2:08.98. That beat Kiah Francis' 2016 Heck Pool mark by 0.82 seconds.
"For Malia to get any kind of record right now is great, but we have lots to do yet," coach Heck said.
Malia Francis was unable to get a third pool record Thursday as she went 56.19 to win the 100 backstroke. That was 0.32 seconds off the mark she set at last November's sectional. Francis anchored the Hodags' A 400 freestyle relay and made up a margin of more than six seconds over the final 100 yards to get the win over Rhinelander's B entry in the event.
Karis Francis, a sophomore, also had a hand in four event wins on the night. In addition to being part of the winning 200 medley and freestyle relays, she edged Tomahawk's Paige Dekeip by 0.21 second for the win in the 100 butterfly (1:00.86) and led a 1-2-3 finish for the Hodags in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.44) with St. Pierre and Sam Sundby.
"Karis had a great meet. She's been working really hard in the offseason and she came in and really did well," coach Heck said. "I was really pleased with both her fly and her breast. Karis' breaststroke has improved dramatically. She's really come on strong even from a year ago in that. She's really working on that and it's really one of her goals. It's great to have Noelle and Karis with such fast times this time of year."
Abi Winnicki led 1-2-3 finishes for Rhinelander in both the 50 freestyle (25.32) and the 500 freestyle (5:25.18), to go along with wins in the 200 medley and freestyle relays. Maria Heck was the runner up for the Hodags in both the 50 and the 500, with Augusta Gruett third in the 50 and Abigail Ames third in the 500.
St. Pierre added a win for Rhinelander in the 200 freestyle (2:06.08) while freshmen Ellyse Younker and Lily Thorsen swam with sophomore Margaret Lambert and Malia Francis to win the 400 freestyle relay.
"I was really happy with the way the freshmen swam," coach Heck said. 'I thought they all really contributed well and I'm learning how they're swimming too."
Rhinelander dominated the GNC last year, winning all 11 races in all seven duals as the went through the conference season undefeated. The team's individual conference race winning streak came to an end in the 100 freestyle Thursday as Tomahawk's Joanna Phillips (57.28) beat Genna Fugle to the wall by 0.92 seconds.
"We're not too worried about trying to get the win in every event this year," coach Heck said. "We're just trying to go for what we thing will serve us well at the end of the season and get some times right off the bat."
Rhinelander swept the top two spots in all three relays. Sierra Woodford, Sundby, Gruett and Maria Heck were the runners up in the 200 medley relay; Younker, Sundby, Abigale Johnson and Claire Caselton were second in the 200 freestyle relay; Fugle, Maria Heck, Gruett and Woodford took second in the 400 free relays.
Younker and Woodford finished behind Malia Francis to complete a top three sweep for the Hodags in the 200 IM.
Rhinelander (1-0 Great Northern) is back in the pool Tuesday night as it travels to Colby/Abbotsford for a dual meet.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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