November 8, 2022 at 1:37 p.m.
Team review: RHS girls' tennis
Dramatic GNC rally highlights Hodags' season
Team review: RHS girls' tennis
However, there was a point during the 2022 season when the Hodags' stranglehold over the GNC appeared to be in serious doubt.
Ultimately, order was restored and Rhinelander overcame an early-season loss to Lakeland to win yet another conference title.
"This was the goal all along," Hodag tennis coach Matt Nichols said after the team completed its comeback at the GNC tournament in Minocqua Sept. 30. "It was a rough start to the season, but they worked hard, came back and I think the closer it is, the more meaningful it is. You could really tell, with the buzz and energy that they were supper excited and I'm proud of them."
Rhinelander overcame a slow start to finish 14-12 overall in dual meets on the season, including a 6-1 mark in league play. The season culminated with the Hodags advancing to the sectional round of the WIAA tournament in two flights.
Here are five storylines from the Hodags' 2022 campaign.
Slow start
To say Rhinelander struggled out of the gate would be an understatement. Though the team had to replace only three starters from a 2021 squad that dominated the conference, those losses came at key positions - including Nos. 1 and 2 singles.
The growing pains were evident early on as the Hodags got off to a 3-9 start, with only one of those wins - a 7-0 win over Green Bay Preble - coming against a team that filled all seven flights in the lineup.
"We, as a team, kind of understood that we didn't lose many seniors, but we lost some really quality seniors," Nichols said. "We knew it was going to be tough to fill those roles and we didn't necessarily do that right in the beginning of the year, but everyone grew in."
Rhinelander's GNC opener was the most jarring of the defeats. The Hodags lost five close matches in a 6-1 setback to Lakeland team that had placed fifth in the GNC the season before. That put Rhinelander in a hole that it spent the better part of the next month digging out of.
Building momentum
Rhinelander began to hit its stride at the end of an invite-loaded front half of its schedule. The Hodags closed the second day of an invite in Wausau Aug. 23 with three straight victories and lost only three more matches the rest of the way.
Yet Rhinelander still had the matter of making up 10 points on Lakeland following the conference opener. With every individual match win in GNC dual meet play worth two points, every single win for the remainder of the season proved critical.
The Hodags began their run scoring a pair of three-set wins in a 7-0 sweep over Medford. Rhinelander picked up another three-setter as part of a 5-2 win over a Pacelli squad that eventually helped to play spoiler in the conference race. Rhinelander added a 7-0 win over Phillips and a 5-2 win over Wausau Newman before coming home to take on Marshfield Columbus. Rhinelander rallied for three, three-set victories in the match against the Dons to firmly get back into the GNC title race.
"Hard work pays off and it's just fun to see that happen and to see the girls getting confidence and their mental game growing," Nichols said after the win. "You see three-set matches and we won all three of them. That's just huge. Late season we want to see that."
While Rhinelander beat Columbus, Pacelli was simultaneously helping the Hodags' comeback bid. The Cardinals upended Lakeland 4-3. The Hodags pounced on the opportunity, sweeping Antigo 7-0 in the dual meet finale to take a four-point lead over Lakeland in the conference standings.
Conference culmination
The Hodags had the lead going into the conference meet, and history on their side. No team trailing entering the GNC tournament has ever rallied to steal the conference title. But, with Lakeland and Pacelli both within shouting distance, Rhinelander could not take it easy on tournament day.
With all three teams suffering upsets along the way, the title fight came down to a head-to-head matchup at No. 1 doubles.
Rhinelander senior Taylor Riopel and sophomore Helena Wisner defeated Lakeland sisters Kristina and Juliana Ouimette in a three-set match for the title at No. 1 doubles, clinching the overall conference championship for the Hodags.
"With all that was at stake, you could really feel it, but they looked in controlled, they looked composed and they were able to win that third set," Nichols said.
Ultimately, the Hodags could have lost that match and still edged Lakeland by a point for the conference title after a couple of other matches in the final round fell Rhinelander's way, but the ending to the Hodags' comeback story would not have been as sweet.
"I just think, because this is our biggest rival, it felt even better. It just hit more." Taylor Riopel said afterward. "Especially my senior year, I could never ask for anything more out of my senior year than to do that."
Taylor Riopel and Wisner were Rhinelander's only individual conference champions, as they took home doubles player of the year honors.
Rhinelander added runner-up finishes from Kelsey Winter at No. 2 singles, Dawsyn Barkus at No. 4 singles and the No. 2 doubles team of Paige Oleinik and Kayla Tessman. Tori Riopel finished third at No. 1 singles. Brooke Sisel and Evelyn Sawyer added a third-place finish for the Hodags at No. 3 doubles.
Statbook
Much of the season was about filling holes, specially on the singles side of the ledger. Tori Riopel, a conference champion at No. 3 singles in 2021, vaulted up to the top spot in the lineup after the graduation of seniors Annika Johnson and Kaylee Pontell. She ended the season 20-11 and advanced to the sectional round of the WIAA tournament.
"She really grew into the position and finished with a 20-11 record which, considering our schedule, is very impressive," Nichols said. "She had some nice wins throughout the season. As a junior is was nice for the to not only get (to sectionals) but compete there. I'm excited to see her season next year."
Winter, a sophomore, made a similar leap from No. 4 to No. 2 in the singles lineup this year, going 14-15 on the year. Junior Shayla Coppenger moved from doubles to No. 3 singles going 11-15. Sophomore Dawsyn Barkus settled into the No. 4 spot in the lineup and was 10-10.
Though the team brought back five of six players from its doubles lineup in 2021, there was plenty of shuffling - especially with Coppenger moving over to singles.
In 26 matches, Rhinelander trotted out 14 different doubles combinations before settling on a lineup that it used toward the end of the season. While Taylor Riopel was entrenched at No. 1 doubles and Tessman at No. 2, Wisner and Oleinik traded places a few times before Wisner settled in at No. 1 and Oleinik at No. 2. Sawyer and Sisel, a pair of sophomores, eventually found a home at No. 3 doubles, going 10-5 together.
What's next
Don't be surprised if Rhinelander enters as the preseason favorite in the GNC again next year, as eight of the team's 10 varsity starters are due back - including the entire singles lineup.
What's more, Nichols said Tori Riopel and Wisner will benefit from finishing their seasons at sectionals this year.
"They have more years left, so just great to see that high level of tennis, be in that position," he said. "They can grow from it and really bring that to the team, their understanding of how tennis works - where they can get to, where they can go and what it takes to get there."
Doubles will be the biggest question mark with Taylor Riopel and Oleinik both graduating. Wisner and Tessman were 6-5 at No. 2 doubles when paired together this season.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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