August 17, 2022 at 2:20 p.m.
Team preview: RHS girls' swimming
Despite losing top talent, Hodags ready to reload
Team preview: RHS girls' swimming
The Hodags may be hard-pressed to match those results this year on the state level - especially after graduating eight-time individual state champion Malia Francis. Yet Rhinelander has plenty of talent retuning from last year's state team as well as some incoming freshmen who could make an immediate impact.
As a result, the team still has high aspirations for the season.
"I think, with our depth, we'll do really well," Hodag coach Jenny Heck said. "We might not have the dominance that we had, but I still think we can pull off some wins."
The Hodags graduated five seniors off of last year's squad - most notably Malia Francis and Noelle St. Pierre.
Francis, who is preparing to swim this fall at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. finished her career as a three-time state champion and state record holder in the 100-yard backstroke. She also won two butterfly state titles, one championship in the 200 individual medley and was on two state-winning relays in 2020.
St. Pierre, meanwhile, was a four-event qualifier at state last year and was part of podium finishes for the Hodags in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. Additionally Heck said junior-to-be Karis Francis opt not to swim with the team this fall.
"We're losing a lot, a lot of key players that did amazing. You can never replace that, but we still can be really strong and I still think we will do really well, locally and state-wide," coach Heck said.
Rhinelander still has plenty of depth and talent at its disposal, however, led by junior Abi Winnicki who was a four-event Great Northern Conference and sectional champion last year and finished on the podium at state in three events - runner-up in the 200 medley relay, third in the 400 freestyle relay and sixth in the 100 freestyle.
"She's such a strong leader. She's only a junior but she's had so much experience and is training really hard," coach Heck said. "I'm really impressed with how she's looking at practice. She had huge goals for the state meet and every step of the way. I'm looking forward to her leadership, her expertise and watching her swim fast as well."
Senior Genna Fugle and sophomore Ellyse Younker also returns after trips to the state meet last year. Both were part of a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay and a fourth in the 400 freestyle relay in Waukesha. Fugle also qualified for state in the 100 freestyle, were she finished 15th. Younker, meanwhile, was the GNC champion in the 200 individual medley last year, before placing fourth in that event at sectionals. She was also third at sectionals in the 100 butterfly.
"As soon as the season finished in high school, they set new goals for either club swimming or summer swimming or whatever they were doing," coach Heck said. "They're continuous setting goals and I think that's what separates good from great - kids who just want to keep getting better and trying to figure out how to make that happen."
There is plenty of other talent on the Hodags' roster waiting to step up. Junior Sam Sundby excels in breaststroke. She placed second at conference and sixth at sectionals in that event. Sophomore Lily Thorsen was third in the GNC in the breaststroke and was part of the runner-up 200 medley relay team in the conference with Sundby.
Seniors Gussie Gruett, Phoebe Moran and Abigale Johnson, junior Abigail Ames and sophomore Alicia Lentine were also on relay teams last year that scored top-five finishes in the GNC meet.
"We have a lot of versatility," coach Heck said. "I was looking at practice today and everyone is a very strong swimmer. We don't have any really weak areas or events. I think we're still going to have a lot of flexibility and strength (in the lineup), but maybe just not the dominance in a certain event as we lose some of those swimmers."
Additionally, Rhinelander welcomes three freshmen to the fold who will likely contribute points right away in Millie Gruett, Emma Houg and Eva Heck. Jenny Heck said Houg is strong in the backstroke and middle-distance freestyle events, Eva Heck could fare well in backstroke and Millie Gruett has strength in the butterfly.
"Those girls have really been impressive the first few days," she said. "I have high expectations in this program and they've worked really hard. They have a lot of experience in the pool. They're very familiar with our training style, with what they need to do. They're not afraid to work hard and they're going to contribute right away."
Rhinelander enters 2022 seeking its fourth straight GNC and sectional championships. The Hodags have blown away the rest of the competition in the conference, winning 22 straight GNC dual meets dating back to 2018. At last year's conference meet, Rhinelander more than doubled the score of runner-up Medford. Even without a few of last year's heavy hitters, the Hodags still figure to be the team to beat in the GNC.
"I think we're still going to be pretty strong," coach Heck said. "I think our versatility and our depth will prevail, to be honest. We have lost of experience and lots of hard workers. In every team, they have strengths but I think, overall, we're very strong."
While Heck stopped short of quantifying a goal as far as state placement, she said the goal is to get as many different individuals down to Waukesha in as many events as possible. More state qualifiers equals more opportunities to score points at the state meet.
"I hope that we're pushing kids who dropped a lot of time," she said. "If we can advance as many kids on to the state tournament, kids who didn't make it last year or were on the fringe, that would be awesome."
The Hodags have a handful of non-conference events to work their way into the season. Those began with Thursday's Fun in the Sun Outdoor Relays in Merrill. Rhinelander will head to Menomonie for an invite on Saturday and take part in a pentathlon meet at Colby/Abbotsford Aug. 24.
Rhinelander has the third- and second-place teams from last year in the GNC - Ladysmith and Medford - to open up the conference duals Sept. 1 and 8, respectively. Both meets will take place at the Heck Family Community Pool and the team will host the annual Hodag Relays Saturday, Sept. 10.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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