February 15, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
Ten swimmers, one goal
Unified Hodag swim team looks to defy odds, capture state title
Ten swimmers, one goal
The vast majority of team state champions come from Madison, Milwaukee or its nearby suburbs. Yes, Ashwaubenon won a D2 state title in 2002 and Sturgeon Bay had a string of four straight tiles from 2003-06. But the list of champions is conspicuously devoid of any teams from the northern third of the state.
Tonight the Rhinelander High School boys' swim team has about as good of a chance as any to break through that glass ceiling.
The Hodags have a meet-high 19 entries and are projected to finish second overall at the WIAA D2 state meet in Waukesha.
Depending on how tonight unfolds, Rhinelander could easily turn a projected silver trophy into gold. The Hodags are only two points behind meet favorite Shorewood, based on last weekend's qualifying performances at sectionals. There's also a chance the Hodags could walk away empty-handed, as the projections show McFarland and Whitefish Bay also within striking distance.
For a Rhinelander squad that finished third in 2019 and was third again last season there's only one objective for tonight.
"Winning state is the ultimate goal that we have," senior Jack Antonuk said. "That's the goal that is most important to me right now."
That has been the goal for this squad ever since last year's state meet in Waukesha concluded. Though Rhinelander demolished the Great Northern Conference and rolled to another WIAA D2 sectional title - their fifth straight in both - it's been far from an easy journey.
There have been countless yards in the pool since last February, both in and out of the high school season. The team's numbers have thinned. Two underclassmen who scored points at state last year opted not to swim with the team this season. Yet fewer numbers has seemed to galvanize this group of 10 even more. In "Three Musketeers" fashion, it's truly one for all and all for one.
"We've just been pushing each other constantly," said captain Charlie Heck, one of six seniors on the squad. "Everyone's all included on the goal that if we want to win state, this is what we have to do. That's what everyone's just been motivating each other with since the start of the year."
"These guys are so into the team aspect and just wanting to do well," head coach Jenny Heck said. "Of course, they want to do well individually, but they are looking at team over themselves. I think when you have that kind of mentality, you're helping each other, you're trying to make each other better. You're not just trying to beat someone all the time on your team. You're trying to improve them so the team can be the best they can be."
Regardless of the outcome tonight, it will be last high school swim for a group a seniors that has Rhinelander on the verge of something it's never accomplished. The best Rhinelander has ever finished at state was second. The Hodags did that four straight years from 1965 to 1968, finishing behind Waukesha each time.
"Even though it's coming to a close, we've done so much together and are so successful in what we do together that I think now that we have our minds set on a single goal, we're going to make sure that we go out with a bang and get that goal that we've been training for this year," Antonuk said.
In addition to pushing themselves, the seniors have pushed the four underclassmen around them - all of whom qualified for state in two individual events.
That's true for sophomore Shawn Denis, who has spent much of his youth chasing Antonuk in the 100 breaststroke. He posted a substantial time drop in that event last week at sectionals, finishing third with a 1:01.26. Only one Hodag has ever gone faster - Antonuk, at last year's state meet.
"I think the seniors have set a high bar for us, that we have to hold ourselves accountable to," Denis said. "Jack, he set the bar for the breaststroke for me and I just had to push myself to get to where he is."
That's also true for Zacha King who, with a big performance last week, finds himself seeded second overall in the 100 backstroke.
"What I've learned most is just the hard work ethic, to just push yourself to the limit, every day," he said.
The Hodags' path to a potential state title opened up as last year's state champ, Madison Edgewood, graduated most of last year's team and sent only three entries to state this year. Cedarburg, last year's runner-up, moved to Division 1 this year.
Rhinelander fared the best of the projected top four at last year's state meet, scoring 202 1/2 points. Shorewood was fourth with 185, McFarland was seventh (160) and Whitefish Bay was ninth (118).
It also helps that Rhinelander saw the other three schools it will be jockeying with at the Shorewood "Small School State" Invite back on Jan. 28. Shorewood edged Rhinelander by 8 1/2 points that day. Whitefish Bay was third and McFarland was fourth. The four schools were separated by a total of 23 1/2 points.
Coach Heck said the team won't focus as much on what their competition does on Friday night. Rather the plan is to score as many points as possible and let the chips fall where they may.
"I think the results are going to be what the results are going to be," she said. "I know these guys are going to give 110% and, at the end of the day, that's all you can ask for. We're going to be proud of what we accomplished, 10 strong all season. I don't think you can ask for more than that."
Still, coach Heck said this team wants "nothing more" to than to break the mold and bring a state championship trophy in boys' swimming north of Wisconsin Highway 29 for the first time.
"They really want it. They've been talking about it. It's been their goal. If we could do that, it would just be everything that we've dreamed of," she said.
The meet gets underway at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $9 and need to be purchased in advance online at wiaawi.org. The event will be streamed live on the WIAA.TV portal of the NFHS Network on a subscription ($11.99/month) basis.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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