RHS Sports recap: Saturday, Dec. 9

Boys’ swimming: Rhinelander 2nd/5, Hodag Relays

The Rhielander High School boys’ swim team won two events and scored six runner-up finishes as it took second in the annual Hodag Relays at the Heck Family Community Pool. 

Senior Zacha King was part of two wins and two runner-up finishes for the Hodags. King, Shawn Denis, Mathias Fugle and Samson Shinners won the 600-yard freestyle relay. King also teamed with Judson O’Malley and Dolan O’Malley to take the 300 backstroke relay. 

Bay Port claimed eight events and beat Rhinelander 132-102 for the overall title.

The Hodags (2-0) are back in action on Thursday as they host Antigo in a Great Northern Conference dual.

Gymnastics: Rhinelander 5th/7, Snowflake Invitational

The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team bettered its season high from last season and took fifth in the season-opening Snowflake Invitational Saturday at the YMCA of the Northwoods. The Hodags scored 104.225 points and finished ahead of GNC Small rivals Mosinee and Lakeland. 

Freshmen Alexis Smith (8.2) and Karly Gillingham (8.1) finished tied for third and sixth, respectively, on vault, leading the way for Rhinelander. Another freshman, Samantha Aschenbrenner, led the team in the all-around, taking 12th with a 26.425. 

Aschenbrenner was Rhinelander’s top performer on balance beam (21st, 6.6) and uneven bars (19th, 5.925). Gillingham led the team on floor exercise (17th, 7.65).

Rhinelander is back in action Tuesday, Dec. 19 at home against Ashland in a GNC Small dual meet.

Wrestling: Rhinelander T-9th/22, Laona/Wabeno Invite

The Rhinelander High School wrestling team had three place winners and tied for ninth Saturday in the 22-team Rebel Invite, hosted by the Laona/Wabeno/Three Lakes co-op in Crandon.

It was nearly an all-Rhinelander final in the heavyweight class for the second week in a row. Owen Kurtz won the title for the Hodags, earning a 12-0 major decision over Crandon’s Connor Lawrence in the finals. Lawrence rallied for a late pin against Rhinelander’s Reid Schultz in the semifinals as Schultz settled for third. 

Aiden Ostermann took second for the Hodags at 150 pounds, winning his first three matches before getting pinned in the finals. Anthony Boldt (126), Dresden Klaver (138) and Logan Schwinger (175) all won two matches on Saturday, and finished one win shy of making the placement rounds in their weight classes.

Rhinelander will open Great Northern Conference play at Medford this coming Thursday as it will face Mosinee and Medford in a conference quadrangular. 

Full reports will be published in Tuesday’s River News.