February 10, 2022 at 10:09 a.m.
Hodag swimmers set up for postseason run
Hodag swimmers set up for postseason run
The Hodags are the favorite to win the nine-team meet in Menomonie, projected to win the title by 109 points over Big Rivers Conference champion River Falls.
Rhinelander, which won all 11 events at the GNC meet last Friday in Tomahawk is the top seed in 10 events for Saturday, based on sectional psych sheets released by the WIAA on Tuesday.
Of equal importance Saturday for Rhinelander is qualifying as many of its 18 individual entries and three relays for state as possible. According to the psych sheets, Rhinelander has a whopping 19 of its 21 entries in position to qualify either as a sectional champ or by earning one of the 12 at-large berths to state in each event.
"We knew it was going to be good, but that's better than we even thought," Rhinelander coach Jenny Heck said Tuesday, reviewing the numbers following the team's practice. "That being said, sectionals is where it's at and people are going to be dropping time.
"Everyone's going to have to swim faster to maintain their position and just swim smart and just do what they are capable of doing," Heck added.
In particular, Rhinelander appears to be in excellent shape in the relays. Not only are the Hodags the top seed in the sectional in both the 200-yard medley (1 minute, 40.02 seconds) and the 200 freestyle (1:31.39) relays - they have the fastest time of any of the four D2 sectionals. The Hodags are also favored to win the 400 freestyle relay (3:22.60) with the fifth-fastest seed time overall in the state.
"I don't think we have a lot of competition in our relays, so we just need to swim them well and advance them," coach Heck said.
Junior Jack Antonuk, the GNC's swimmer of the year, is the top seed in both of his events. His times in the 200 individual medley (2:04.67) and the 100 breaststroke (1:01.82) are the fourth fastest in the state entering Saturday's meet. Rhinelander also has the fourth fastest times in the state in the 100 butterfly with freshman Brock Arrowood (54.56) and the 100 backstroke with junior Carter Gaber (55.81). Junior Charlie Heck has the top seed in the sectional in both the 50 (22.62) and the 100 freestyle (50.50).
On paper, the best races Saturday afternoon might take place in the distance freestyle events, in a head-to-head showdown between Rhinelander freshman Samson Shinners and Menomonie senior Kevin Leach. Shinners (1:51.14) is the top seed in the 200 by 0.23 seconds over Leach. Leach (5:00.03) has the edge over Shinners in the 500 by 3.61 seconds as he looks to defend his sectional title in that event.
"They're head-to-head in both races," coach Heck said. "I think that's great because that will push them both to be better. They should both advance if they can swim. I told Samson there's no pressure, to do the best he can."
Of Rhinelander's 21 entries, 14 are seeded within the top 10 in the state. Gaber sits on the bubble with the 16th-fastest seed time in the 50 freestyle (23.23). Arrowood sits 14th fastest in the 200 freestyle, freshman Mathias Fugle is on the outside looking in at 21st in the 100 (52.01) while freshman Shawn Denis is 22nd in the breaststroke (1:07.84). Both are within 1.01 seconds of the top 16.
Eleven of Rhinelander 14 swimmers earned individual events for sectionals. Heck said some difficult decisions needed to be made with the lineup, given the limits the WIAA puts on sectional entries.
"We've never had this problem before of possibly passing up kids who could qualify for state, just because we can't take that many," she said. "A lot of tough decisions were made because all 14 guys have potential to be right there at that state mark or close to it."
With the taper underway for most of the athletes, Heck said this week's practices have been about keeping the swimmers rested, happy and healthy, so they can swim their fastest on Saturday.
"They're smart kids. They know what they need to do, we just have to do it," she said.
Saturday's sectional meet begins at 1 p.m. at Menomonie High School.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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