November 28, 2022 at 8:22 a.m.
Team preview: RHS wrestling
Young squad looks to peak at tourney time
Team preview: RHS wrestling
"I don't like to setting goals for my guys, but a lot of them want to get 1% better every day," he said. "That's kind of the attitude. We're going to come in and work as hard as we can so we can get that 1-2% better every day."
Rhinelander will establish that baseline this Saturday as it takes part in the John Roberts Scramble in Antigo. It will likely be a matter of kids learning on the fly. The team graduated three of its all-conference wrestlers and sectional qualifiers from last season - including state qualifier Gavin Ostermann. Others did not come back to the sport and a few others are starting the season on the injured list.
Overall, of the 23 boys on the roster, the team has only three seniors and three juniors.
"I think we're right where we thought we'd be, maybe a little further with how inexperienced our young team is," Arneson said. "We're very young but, they show up to practice and keep the mood light. When the mood's light in the wrestling room, you're always going to absorb more than if someone wasn't coming up with a good attitude."
The most decorated returning wrestler is junior Owen Kurtz, who was the Great Northern Conference champion at 285 pounds last year before placing third at sectionals, missing out on the WIAA state tournament by one position.
Kurtz is expected to miss some time at the start of the season, as he recuperates from a late September shoulder injury that ended his football season. However, Arneson said he it hopeful that Kurtz can return in time for the conference portion of the schedule and still be a factor come tournament time.
"He has a good mindset right now," Arneson said. "I don't think this sets him back at all. I think it will test him, physically, in 2022. But once 2023 comes around he'll fit right back where he was."
The news is not as good for senior Conner Jensen and junior Kaeden Pillar, whose injuries during the football season will keep them off the mat this winter.
Most of the squad's experience lies in the lighter weights. Sophomore Aiden Ostermann and senior Tanner Schmidt are back after finishing second in the GNC at 106 and 126, respectively, last year. Sophomore Sean Boman also returns after placing third in the 132-pound weight class.
Overall, Arneson said he has a number of wrestlers that currently fall in at 120, 126 or 132. He said the team will try to spread those wrestlers out to cover as many weight classes as feasible, even if it means bumping up a weight class or two.
"We'll spread them out for the beginning of the year and once people start figuring out which weight they want to end up at for conference/regionals/sectionals, we'll get them where we think the best opportunity for each kid will be and we'll go from there," he said.
In addition to the traditional boys'/co-ed squad, Rhinelander is offering women's wrestling for the first time this winter. Eric Gobin has been named head coach of that squad and will be responsible for taking the unit to tournaments that conflict with dates on the boys' calendar.
Attrition has taken its toll early on as the team had just two grapplers in the room last week at practice - senior Abby Swanson and her freshman sister, Mya. Abby Swanson returns after placing fifth in the 185-pound weight class in the inaugural WIAA state girls' wrestling tournament last January.
"With both Abby and Mya, they've been around the sport for a quite a few years now," Gobin said. "Abby's coming back after being a state placer last year, looking to be on the podium again this year. Mya's kind of the same mindset. We're looking for big things out of both of them. They have great attitudes in the room and just, overall, I'm looking forward to them succeeding."
Gobin noted he is still hopeful that a couple of more girls will join later in the season as the program gets off the ground.
Medford and Tomahawk figure to be the favorites in the GNC once again, after splitting the conference title last year. The Raiders return virtually everyone from that squad. While the Hatchets graduated more bodies they do return Mason Evans, who placed third in the Division 2, 160-pound weight class at state last year.
As for the rest of the conference, Arneson said it may a matter of availability over ability - especially during the dual meets.
"When you're this far north, numbers sometimes win dual meets," he said. "I think we'll be fine come tournament time. Dual meets, covering the weights is going to be important. Our guys are always going to bring it when they're out there but, when you don't have a person to put out there, that's when you have zero chance."
The GNC is also featuring a modified format this year. The conference has consolidated five match dates down to three - with two of those dates being double duals. Rhinelander, for instance, will host both Medford and Mosinee Jan. 5 and will travel to Minocqua Jan. 12 to grapple Lakeland and Antigo. Rhinelander will wrestle at Tomahawk Jan. 26.
Arneson said he's generally in favor of the move in an effort to create more matches per night.
"Last year, we had team comes here and the dual meet was 30-45 minutes," he said. "It really stinks when you're the away team and the dual meet lasts that long, especially when we're going to Mosinee or Medford. I think getting two duals and actually being able to watch other people compete is beneficial."
The drawback of the new schedule is that it cost Rhinelander at least one home date. Rhinelander will host the Hodag Invite in the Hodag Dome Dec. 22 but will have only one other home date on the schedule - the Jan. 5 double dual with Medford and Mosinee.
Rhinelander remains one of the smallest programs in Division 1 for the WIAA tournament a will compete in a regional in Merrill Feb. 11 that includes Lakeland plus six schools from the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
Come February, Arneson said he wants to see his team exceed its expectations, as it did last year.
"Whatever we're seeded at the regional tournament, I want our guys to finish one place higher," he said. "If you're the first seed at the regional, the expectation is that you win it. If you're seeded second, seeded third, the expectation is that you finish one higher. Do what's expected and then some."
Boys' sectionals will take place in Shawano Feb. 18. The girls' sectional tournament will also take place Feb. 18 at a location that will be announced by the WIAA at a later date. The individual state tournaments for both the boys and girls will take place Feb. 23-25 at the Kohl Center in Madison.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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