September 13, 2021 at 8:51 a.m.
Relay fast: RHS swimmers win 6 events, Hodag Relays
Relay fast: RHS swimmers win 6 events, Hodag Relays
The Hodags won six events, placed second in three others and won the four-team Hodag Relays at the Heck Family Community Pool.
With Malia Francis, Karis Francis and Maria Heck among those scratched either due to illness or prior commitments, there was plenty of opportunity for others to stand out. The quartet of Abi Winnicki, Noelle St. Pierre, Genna Fugle and Ellyse Younker set three meet records on Saturday and, overall, 11 of the 13 swimmers dressed for the meet ended up on the top step of the podium in at least one race.
"With the girls missing, we actually had six swimmers who weren't swimming today and other girls knew they had to step up," coach Jenny Heck said. "It gave everyone a great opportunity. Every single girl who swam medaled. I think that just shows what kind of depth we do have on our team."
The Hodags put the final outcome out of reach early, winning five of the first six races. They clinched the overall title with two events remaining and wound up beating Marshfield by 32 points. Wausau West was third and Clintonville finished fourth.
Winnicki, Fugle, St. Pierre and Younker featured prominently in three events for Rhinelander. They first took down the 400-yard individual medley relay record with a time of 4 minutes, 24.86 seconds. Later, they took down the 500 decrescendo freestyle relay mark (4:54.18) and finish the day by smashing the mark in the 400 freestyle relay (3:45.93).
Younker, a freshman, seemed to fit right in on relays that featured three returning state champions.
"Especially for someone like Ellyse, who had to step into some of those roles, I thought she did a great job," coach Heck said. "When some of the kids who aren't here that would normally be on that A relay, it gives other kids a chance to shine. I think that's what happened today."
The 500 decrescendo relay - which saw the leadoff leg swim 200 yards, and each subsequent leg swim 50 fewer yards - was Rhinelander's first chance this year to get Winnicki, the school record holder in the 200 freestyle. She went 1:59.13 over the opening leg as Rhinelander jumped out to a roughly 15-second lead.
"Abi Winnicki swam a really solid meet. She hasn't swam something like the 200 before (this season). It's good to get her under that 2-minute mark right off the bat," coach Heck said.
Rhinelander's two other freshmen - Lily Thorsen and Alicia Lentine - were part of wins in both the 800 freestyle relay (9:34.10) and the 300 butterfly relay (3:47.16). Junior Abigale Johnson joined them in both races and sophomore Abbie Ames joined the three in the 800 freestyle relay.
Rhinelander opened the day with a win in the 200 medley relay as the team of Margaret Lambert, Sam Sundby, Augusta Gruett and Sierra Woodford went 2:05.63 in the event. They cruised to a nearly 36-second victory over Marshfield after Wausau West was disqualified out of the runner-up spot due to an early takeoff on an exchange.
"Some of these girls aren't normally on that type of relay or we hardly don't even have times on them (in certain events)," coach Heck said. "I wasn't sure how it would all pan out, but to have those first place in the first two events with good time, overall, just really pleased."
Woodford, Lentine and Thorsen scored a runner-up finish for Rhinelander in the 300 backstroke relay. Phoebe Moran, Gruett and Johnson took second in the 150 mixer medley relay. Woodford, Ella Cordy and Sundby were second in the 300 breaststroke relay.
"I was really pleased how they attacked it, went after it. Our splits were really good," Heck said.
A few teams - including Great Northern Conference rivals Antigo and Lakeland -backed out of what was originally scheduled to be a seven-team meet. Still, Heck said it was great to have the event back on the calendar after it was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"You kind of forgot how much you did miss it all," she said. "I think the girls felt the same way. The enthusiasm, the joy of racing and having your family here cheering for you is something we missed more than we realized.
"Overall, it was just fun to have everyone here cheering. It was a great environment, loud, social and fast swims. I thought today was a really fun day."
Rhinelander is back in the Heck Pool Thursday as it hosts Lakeland in a GNC dual. The meet will start at 7 p.m.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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