RHS Sports recap: Thursday, April 4

Softball: Rhinelander 14, Northland Pines 6

The Rhinelander High School softball team scored 10 unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings as they pulled away from their first win of the season on Thursday, defeating Northland Pines 14-6 in GNC play inside the Hodag Dome.

The Hodags took the lead for good on Dawsyn Barkus’s two-run single that capped off a four-run third inning and then blew the game open with six runs in the fourth. 

Laney Haenel, who inherited a two-on, no-out jam in the first, pitched four innings and struck out five to earn the win. She also went 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored. Kelsey Winter allowed one hit over the final three innings to earn the save. 

Chase Verbist added three hits and Lily Treder had two as the Hodags outhit the Eagles 13-5 in the contest. 

Rhinelander (1-3, 1-0 Great Northern) travels to Mosinee this coming Thursday.

Girls’ soccer: Rhinelander 4, Shawano 2

The Rhinelander High School girls’ soccer team scored twice in the second half and held off Shawano 4-2 in the team’s official season opener Thursday night in the Hodag Dome. 

Moments after Shawano had what would have been a go-ahead goal disallowed due to offsides in the 53rd minute, freshman Ella Miljevich scored what proved to be the game-winner on the counter attack. The Hawks then missed a penalty kick in the 65th minute and Sophie Miljevich scored an insurance goal with less than 2 1/2 minutes to play. 

Sophie Miljevich scored twice in the contest for Rhinelander. Vivian Lamers also had a goal as the Hodags led 2-1 at halftime. 

Rhinelander outshot Shawano 35-13 in the match. Mya Krouze made seven saves in the win for the Hodags, including a key stop in the 76th minute to help preserve what was, at the time, a one goal lead. 

Rhinelander (1-0-0, 0-0-0-0 Great Northern) will host Washburn in non-conference play Friday night.

Track: RHS boys 2nd/8, girls 4th/7, GNC Indoor

The Rhineladner High School boys’ track team finished runner-up behind Northland Pines while the Hodag girls took fourth at the GNC Indoor meet Thursday in Eagle River. 

The Hodag boys took two events. Sam Zwaard won the 200-meter dash while Reid Schultz led a 1-3-4 finish in the shot put with teammates Logan Schwinger and David Houg. Truman Lamers scored runner-up finishes in the high jump, long jump and triple jump while Zach Germain took second in the 55-meter dash.

On the girls’ side, Aila Bergman won the 200-meter hurdles and was second in the 55 hurdles. Libbey Buchan claimed the shot put and Olivia Ruetz was second in the 400 meters. 

The Hodags are back in action next Thursday when they host the Hodag Hybrid meet at Mike Webster Stadium and the Hodag Dome.