RHS Sports recap: Saturday, Oct. 7

Football: Rhinelander 7, Merrill 0

The Rhinelander High School football team is on the cusp of returning to the WIAA playoffs for the fourth time in five years. 

Landon Bates scored late in the second quarter and it held up behind a Rhinelander defense that forced four turnovers as the Hodags defeated the Bluejays 7-0 Saturday afternoon in Merrill.

Despite being outgained 178-135 on the day, the Hodag defense held in the second half, stopping Merrill three times on the Rhinelander side of the field. Kyrle Vanney intercepted Merrill’s Jacob Schmeltzer on a deep pass with 1:51 remaining and, following a Hodag three-and-out, Sam Schoppe recorded the game-sealing interception after Owen Ives jarred away a pass intended for Aiden Lonsdorf. 

James Heck led the Hodags with 35 yards rushing, Payton Campbell added 34 yards on the ground and Tyler Chariton had 32 yards. 

The win snaps a three-game skid and makes Rhinelander (5-3, 3-3 Great Northern) eligible for the WIAA playoffs. The Hodags would guarantee a spot in the postseason with a win at home against Lakeland next Friday in the regular season finale. 

Volleyball: Rhinelander 0-3, GNC Meet No. 2

The RHS volleyball team lost all three of its matches Saturday during the Great Northern Conference meet in Tomahawk.

Rhinelander began the day with a 25-7, 25-21, 25-16 loss to Lakeland, fell to Mosinee 25-13, 25-15, 25-19 and closed the day with a 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 loss to Northland Pines.

Kelsi Beran had 17 kills for Rhinelander. Libbey Buchmann added 12 kills, Lucy Lindner had 27 assists and Emma Chiamulera and Tori Stella had 19 digs each.

Rhinelander (13-21, 1-10 Great Northern) finishes conference play at Antigo on Tuesday.

Cross country: RHS boys 3rd/6, girls 3rd/4, Tomahawk Invite

The Hodags finished third in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions of the Hatchet cross country invite at Inshalla Country Club in Tomahawk on Saturday. 

Greyson Gremban (3rd, 17:16.4) paced the Hodag boys. Avrom Barr (14th), Gavin Denis (16th), Jackson Weinzatl (17th) and Augustus Porter (34th) rounded out the Hodags’ top five.

Leah Jamison paced the Hodag girls ninth (22:22.3), followed by Sophie Miljevich (13th), Hayley Schiek (17th), Ella Miljevich (18th) and Kara Monk (19th). 

The Hodags will take part in the Great Northern Conference meet hosted by Mosinee next Saturday at Nine Mile Forest in Wausau.

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