October 19, 2022 at 10:56 a.m.
RHS swim to have individual focus at GNCs
RHS swim to have individual focus at GNCs
Coach Jenny Heck said much of the focus will be on individual goals tonight as the Hodags take to Hatchet Pool looking to match Tomahawk's record of four straight GNC girls' swim titles (2015-18). Whether its breaking a conference record, earning all-conference honors in an event or simply setting a personal-best time, everyone will have something to swim for this evening.
"They all, at the beginning of the year, set some goals and this is where we're trying to achieve those personal goals," Heck said. "Whatever happens at the end as far as points, we're not worried about that because we have such a strong team and such good depth that we know that we'll be successful in that way. Right now, it's just a chance for these girls to show off, individually, how hard they've been working since Aug. 9 and before. They've really worked hard and I want them to feel that personal success."
Rhinelander has the lead in the GNC after going a perfect 7-0 in conference duals, which accounts for half of the final conference standings. Tonight's meet makes up the other half of the standings. Rhinelander can clinch at least a share of the GNC title with a runner-up finish, and the conference championship outright with a win.
Though the entry lists for tonight's meet weren't available to the public prior to deadline for today's edition, expect Rhinelander to be the favorite in the vast majority of the races. The Hodags had the fastest time in the conference in every event during the dual meet season. Much of that was due to the performance of junior Abi Winnicki, a leading candidate for GNC swimmer of the year. She posted the fastest time this season in all eight individual races. Given Winnicki can swim only four events tonight, and two of those will likely be relays, the team has plenty of options.
"It was hard for Abi to choose which events but we thought about what her goals are for end of year and kind of backed it from there," Heck said, without specifically naming which events she is planning to enter. "She has a lot of goals in almost every event. We thought we'd let her choose two she'd feel comfortable with and that she could go after. I think we made some good choices."
That thought holds true for a number of Rhinelander's top swimmers. Ellyse Younker is second in the GNC behind Winnicki in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 freestyle, and among the top seven in all eight individual events. Senior Genna Fugle is in the top five in all four freestyle distances. Sophomore Lily Thorsen is in the top eight in five events, including second in the 100 breaststroke. Emma Houg, Camilla Gruett and Sam Sundby also appear individually on the conference honor roll. Heck said most of the swimmers had a say in which events they will swim tonight.
"We were able to let a lot of the kids choose some of the events they wanted to swim because it would be their last meet, for some of them, or it would be the last meet they get to choose some of these events," she said. "A lot of the girls, we asked them what they really wanted to go after. A couple of them we thought they'd place better in a different event, so we chose for them, but that's unusual."
While the rest of the GNC lacks the depth to pose a serious challenge to the Hodags for the team title, a number of schools have individual swimmers who will push Rhinelander in events this evening. Tomahawk's Paige Dekiep is second to Winnicki on the honor roll in four events and is in the top eight in every event except the 100 breaststroke. Ladysmith's Madeline Bunton is in the top four all four freestyle distances. Antigo's Chloe Tainter, Colby/Abbotsford's Madisyn Schraufnagel and Lakeland's Olivia Mickle also appear in the top five in at least one event.
"There are some fast girls and they're going to be out to beat us," Heck said. "These girls know they have to race and they've got to push it to the end. We know there's some good competition out there in each every race. If we do our best and fight to the end I think not only are we going to achieve our goals but come out ahead."
Rhinelander's monopoly of all 11 conference records appears safe entering the conference meet. The only swimmer within shouting distance of any of the records during the regular season was Winnicki, who posted times faster than her own all-time conference meet marks in the 100 and 500, and was within 0.32 seconds of Malia Francis' GNC record in the 50 freestyle.
Heck said the team has split its agenda in practice this week. Those who will likely figure prominently into the Hodags' postseason lineup will be training hard through the conference meet. Others have started to taper this week knowing, because of the limited number of entries the team will have at sectionals, this may be their final meet of the season.
"About half the group is going to be rested and we want those girls to get best times, not just season best, but all of their best times," she said. "Some girls are trying to go for some automatic lettering times. Some just have personal goals. This is the night we're trying to get all of those girls to achieve their goals. Some of those girls, it might determine if they earn a sectional event in two weeks."
The GNC championship meet gets underway at 5 p.m. in Tomahawk.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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