RHS Sports recap: Friday, Oct. 13

Football: Lakeland 32, Rhinelander 6

Rhinelander’s automatic path to the WIAA football playoffs unraveled late in the first half on Friday night. Lakeland scored to take the lead with 12 seconds left before halftime and added 24 more unanswered points in the second half en route to a 32-6 win in the regular season finale at Mike Webster Stadium. 

A Logan Schwinger fumble gave Lakeland a chance late in the first half and the T-Birds cashed in on the first of three Noah Bruckner touchdowns runs of the night to lead 8-6 at the break. Lakeland marched down and scored on the opening drive of the third quarter and then scored twice more set up by short field after bad snaps on back-to-back punt attempts.

James Heck rushed for 53 yards and the Hodags’ lone touchdown on 16 carries in the contest. Rhinelander had seven fumbles in rainy conditions Friday night, losing three of them. 

The Hodags (5-4, 3-4 Great Northern) are on the playoff bubble and are set to learn their WIAA postseason fate Saturday morning when the playoff qualifiers and brackets are revealed. 

A full report will be published in Tuesday’s River News.