June 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
Team review: RHS golf
Breakout year sees Hodag golfers reach new heights
Team review: RHS golf
As it turns out, thanks to a strong performance by its returning starters and some added depth, the Hodags had their best year in Schmidt's nine seasons at the helm.
The Hodags finished third in the Great Northern Conference standings, qualified for sectionals as a team for the first time since 2016 and the team's season-long scoring average of 346 strokes per 18 holes was its lowest since 2011.
"These guys are an excellent group of guys," Schmidt said last month during the team's banquet. "I think this my ninth year doing this and I haven't had a group of guys that meshed together, they weren't fighting for spots. They just got along. They wanted to help each other. It was just really was nice and refreshing to see a good group of guys that worked really hard and wanted everyone to do well. You could tell that by how they did this year."
Solid in GNC
Three was Rhinelander's magic number when it came of Great Northern Conference play. The team took third in each of the first four legs of the seven-leg conference tournament and finished third in the overall team standings, behind only Lakeland and Medford.
Four of Rhinelander's five varsity starters scored conference points, led by senior Kole Gechas and freshman Brody Kowieski, who finished eighth and 10th, respectively, in the GNC individual standings. Senior Garrett Kulhanek and junior Andrew Henrichs both scored conference points, but were unable to finish inside the top 15 overall to earn all-conference recognition.
"The boys, as a team, we played a lot better. They came together toward the end of the year, shot some really good rounds," Schmidt said. "Overall, we went from sixth place to third place in conference. That was pretty awesome too. It was nice to see all of their hard work come together."
Low rounds
Early in the month of May, when the team shot 333 at Inshalla Country Club in Tomahawk, followed by 340 at Lawsonia and then 322 at Merrill Golf Club - the team's lowest round in 11 years - it became apparent that the Hodags could put together some low rounds
Rhinelander followed that up with a 341 at Northwood in hits home conference match and closed the conference season with a 323 at Bass Lake Golf Club.
"The boys are really playing well," Schmidt following the team's home conference match. "I told them after (Merrill), 'If you keep playing like this, holy cats, watch out.' It's nice to see the kids putting in the work."
Steady seniors
A big part of Rhinelander's success was this year's senior class, led by three-year starters Gechas and Kulhanek.
Gechas was Rhinelander's lowest scorer in nine of the team's 13 meets this season as he finished with an 80.96 scoring average. He broke 80 five times in competition this season and shot back-to-back 82s in the WIAA playoffs. His 82 at regionals was third overall while his 82 at sectionals finished in a tie for 10th, two shots out of a playoff for a spot in the WIAA state tournament.
Kulhanek improved as well, averaging 86.25 strokes per round and, while he never broke 80, he shot 81 or better on four separate occasions.
Cal Laggis was the third senior on the varsity roster and was the Hodags' most improved player this year, seeing his scoring average drop nearly nine strokes from last year to a 96.1.
Fab freshman
Rhinelander also got a shot in the arm from freshman Brody Kowieski, who shot 80 in his varsity debut at Black River Golf Course in Medford and settled into the Hodags' No. 2 role after that. He finished second on the team with an 86.0 scoring average. His season was highlighted with a 4-over round of 75 in the conference finale at Bass Lake, which vaulted him into the top 10 in the final conference standings.
"Just to be able to turn it around in one day, that really tells that he's a good player and he likes to play golf. He knows he's got to play it shot by shot and it worked out. He's going to be a good player," Schmidt said following that round.
What's next
Depth will ultimately be the biggest question mark for the Hodags entering next season, given that it lost nearly half of its overall roster to graduation.
In Kowieski and two-time sectional qualifier Andrew Henrichs (92.2), the team should have a steady 1-2 punch of players with proven experience as the varsity level, the biggest question will be who fills the spots behind them. Seniors-to-be Tate Werner and Cooper Radke and junior-to-be Tucker Leman are the only other players slated to return.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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