January 3, 2022 at 12:47 p.m.
Relay kings: Hodags claim 8 events in home invite
Relay kings: Hodags claim 8 events in home invite
Rhinelander won eight of the 10 events, and placed second in the other two, as it defeated five larger Division 1 programs to take the event Wednesday at the Heck Family Community Pool.
With a few teams backing out, and a few teams jumping in since the meet was postponed Dec. 11 due to snow, Rhinelander was the only Division 2 school in the field, but had enough to hold off Bay Port by 38 points for the overall title. Along the way, the Hodags set four new meet records in the strictly relay event.
"It's been a long time since we've raced, so I think the guys were even more excited than normal," said Hodag coach Jenny Heck, whose team had gone 15 days since its last competition. "We've been doing a lot of training and we moved things around a little bit from how we were originally were going to do (our lineup). Overall, it was just fantastic, a lot of fun and good times and really exciting as well."
Though Rhinelander had a comfortable margin of victory, Bay Port pushed the Hodags in a number of events. The two schools were separated by less than 2.1 seconds in five events, and would have had another close battle in the final event - the 400-yard medley relay - had the Pirates not been disqualified for an illegal exchange.
The first two races of the day proved to be the closest. The Hodag quartet of Marcus O'Malley, Jacob Schoppe, Ashton Cole and Carter Gaber won by 0.01 seconds in the 200 reverse medley relay. Gaber made up a 3.40-second deficit over the final 50-yard backstroke leg to edge Bay Port's Aiden Cherek at the wall.
It was Bay Port's turn to play catchup in the 600 freestyle relay. Ozan Kalafat nearly erased a 10-second margin over the final 200 yards with a split time that would have been second-fastest in last year's WIAA Division 1 state meet (1:40.85), but Rhinelander freshman Samson Shinners held on to get to the wall first by 0.55 seconds.
"It was so fun. It was really exciting for the medley relay to win by 0.01 second, what a great finish by Carter," coach Heck said. "Then that 600 freestyle relay was just really close. That was fun. Samson swam awesome. He had an awesome split swimming against one of the fastest guys in the state. He knew he was coming on like a shark. That was Samson's best time, to do it at Hodag Relays was awesome."
Charlie Heck, Mathias Fugle and Daniel Gillingham joined Shinners in the winning 600 freestyle relay.
The Hodags also got close wins in the 400 individual medley relay, 150 mixer medley relay and the 300 breaststroke relay. In the IM relay, Brock Arrowood rallied over the final 100 yards to lead teammates Jack Antonuk, Zacha King and Dolan O'Malley to the win by 2.03 seconds over Bay Port. Shawn Denis, Arrowood and Fugle made it an all-freshman win in the mixer medley by 2.54 seconds over Marshfield. Shinners made up 3.51 seconds over the final 100 yards of the 300 breaststroke relay to earn the win with Antonuk and Denis by 1.28 seconds over Bay Port.
In all, 13 of the 14 swimmers Rhinelander had suited for the event contributed to at least one race victory.
"We knew these were going to be close races and all of the guys on the relay had to be a part of it," coach Heck said. "No one could be off to get a win or touch someone out. I was really pleased with the overall effort, not just the last guy, not just the one who's feeling the pressure, but for all of the guys on the relays.
"It was more collective great swimming and not just individual today because they had to be. I think that's where they thrive, swimming for a team versus swimming for themselves, and I think it kind of showed today."
King, Schoppe and Gillingham won the 300 butterfly really (2:58.11); Shinners, Arrowood, Fugle and Charlie Heck won the 500 decrescendo freestyle relay (4:33.03); Gaber, Antonuk, Gillingham and Heck won the 400 medley relay (3:50.05).
The Hodags ended up with meet records in the 200 reverse medley (1:52.34), 600 freestyle (5:29.05), 500 decrescendo and 400 medley relays.
"The butterfliers did a really nice job," coach Heck noted. "Their splits were all great and solid. The freshmen did really well for not knowing what to expect. Mathias swam some great splits, Shawn, Brock, all the freshmen kind of stepped up and did what they needed to do."
The meet came as an anticipated break in a busy training schedule over the holidays for the Hodag swimmers. The team completed its longest practice of the season, its 10,000-yard swim, two days prior to the meet.
"They were sore and they were tired," coach Heck said. "We lifted yesterday and it's not an easy week to come and swim fast, but I think they were just so excited to be in their home pool, our only invitational we're hosting this year. To have their friends and family here watching them always helps."
The Hodags jump back into GNC play with two meets this week. The team hosts Lakeland tonight and then will be at Tomahawk on Thursday before heading to Ashwaubenon this coming Saturday for the Jaguar Invitational.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
WEATHER SPONSORED BY
E-Editions
Latest News
E-Editions
Events
August
To Submit an Event Sign in first
Today's Events
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.
Comments:
You must login to comment.