Team Preview: RHS girls’ swimming

No one should question the talent and success of the Rhinelander High School girls’ swim team — not after a run of five straight sectional titles and five straight top-five finishes at the WIAA Division 2 state meet.

The Hodags will look to extend those streaks to six years come November, but observers around the state will be curious to see what Rhinelander will do for an encore after the team scored a dominating victory in the Division 2 state meet by winning six of the 12 events.

“We still have a ton of talent,” coach Jenny Heck said. “They know that and they know that people are out to get us now. We won and they think that we lost these six seniors, which we did, and they think that we’re going to be not nearly as strong. I think we’ve got to prove to them, and prove to others, that we’ve still got a lot in us.”

The challenge will be more difficult this year as the team graduated two of their top scorers from last year, who are now off swimming at NCAA Division-I programs — Karis Francis (Liberty University) and Abi Winnicki (UCLA). Francis scored individual wins at state in the 100-yard butterfly and 100 breaststroke and was part of the team’s winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. Winnicki was on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays, took second in the 100 freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle. 

They led the group of departing seniors that also included Margaret Lambert, Sam Sundby, Abbie Ames and Claire Caselton.

“We’re losing six seniors. That’s a lot of leadership, a lot of great swimmers to lose. Every year is different because you have to take what you’ve got and get the most out of each person. That’s a fun challenge for all of us,” Heck said.

The cupboard is far from bare for the Hodags, however. Rhinelander brings back eight of the 10 swimmers who qualified for last year’s state meet, including five who walked away with at least one gold medal at state in either an individual or relay event. 

That list includes the two seniors on the team, Ellyse Younker and Lily Thorsen. Younker was on the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay squads, took seventh individually in the 100 butterfly and ninth in the 200 IM. Thorsen was on the winning 200 freestyle relay, was eighth in the IM and 14th in the 100 breaststroke.

Coach Heck said the two have already embraced taking on a leadership role on the team.

“They’ve seen a lot of great leadership, a lot of great swimmers. I think they’re taking everything they’ve seen and are trying to roll it into one, which is what you want from leaders on the team,” she said. “They’re doing a great job of working with me, with the team, not just swimming but getting people in the right mindset. That’s half the battle. If you can get that great leadership and great attitudes, you can go places.”

    Celia Francis works on her stroke during Rhinelander High School girls’ swim team practice in the Heck Family Community Pool Tuesday, Aug. 13. Francis, a sophomore, was the Division 2 state champion in the 200-yard individual medley last November, took second in the 100 backstroke and was on two winning relays. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

The bulk of the Hodags’ talent lies in a deep sophomore class, which already tasted success at last year’s state meet. The list is headline by Celia Francis, who scored a win in the 200 individual medley last year at state by 0.03 seconds. She also was on the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams and was the state runner-up in the backstroke. 

Vivian Lamers also returns after four podium finishes at state. She was on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays, took third in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle. June Chiamulera was a state qualifier in the 100 freestyle (14th), Ella Heck made it in the 100 breaststroke (16th). Kiley Pooch narrowly missed qualifying for state in the 100 backstroke last year. Rylee Mickevicius and Kyree McMahon, a transfer from Wisconsin Rapids, round out the sophomore group. 

Rhinelander’s two juniors also return with state experience. Millie Gruett was on the winning 200 medley relay team and took 10th in the 100 butterfly at state while Emma Houg made it in the 500 freestyle, taking 15th.

“That sophomore class is the largest part of our team,” coach Heck said. “They know it’s go time. A lot of the kids just made it in or were close to making it in last year, or didn’t get a chance. I think they’re really excited to have that opportunity. That’s going to be a lot of fun for them.

“The juniors are also very seasoned and also great leaders out of the pool. We just have some really good kids with great attitudes and a lot of motivation and drive.”

The Hodags bring in two incoming freshmen this year, Maria Craig and Kyleigh Kennedy.

While the team lost a couple of top-end swimmers, coach Heck said the team still has plenty of options to fill out a lineup.

“Some events aren’t going to be as strong as last year. Some are going to be stronger,” she said. “I think they all know that we’ve got kids that aren’t labeled as just one- or two-event swimmers, they can be put in a lot of different events. That also helps our relays, too. We have a lot of areas for mixing things up and trying things out and seeing where we work best.”

The Hodags will be tested out of the gate when they open the season tomorrow at the Colby/Abbotsford Pentathlon which will feature a stronger field with Simley (Minn.), Merrill, Rice Lake and Black River Falls scheduled to attend. Saturday the team will travel to Menomonie for an invite and the Hodags have picked up a non-conference dual meet at defending Wisconsin Valley Conference champion Stevens Point next Wednesday.

“I’m glad we were able to get a dual with Point,” coach Heck noted. “We’ve never swam against them before one-on-one. Any time you can swim teams that are bigger, D1, there are going to be more of them. I told the kids, ‘Hey, if you get beat, I don’t care as long as it makes you better in the long run.’”

Great Northern Conference play will begin on the road at Antigo Sept. 5. The Hodags will host Ladysmith, Medford, Mosinee and Colby/Abbotsford in GNC play and are the overwhelming favorites to win a sixth-straight conference title. 

Rhinelander’s state aspirations remain to be seen. Whitefish Bay finished 87 points behind the Hodags last year and Madison Edgewood, which had won eight straight state titles, took third. Those two teams will likely be the Hodags’ top rivals, but Heck said she likely will not have a gauge on the rest of the state until later in the season. 

“I don’t really know what the competition is, specifically for the southern part of the state,” she said. “We were No. 1 last year. I think top three is a great goal until I know more as far as what freshmen are coming and who’s swimming high school and maybe who’s not.” 

The Hodags will have a couple of chances to scout out some their state rivals when they travel to the Waukesha South Invite Sept. 21 and the Small School State Invite hosted by Shorewood Oct. 19. Edgewood is slated to be at both meets while Whitefish Bay will be in the field at Shorewood.

“Once we get down south for some of the invites, those will be good because we can find out more about where we stand,” she said. “It will all be fun and a new challenge. Small School State will be fun. The boys have done that in the past and it didn’t fall, schedule-wise, with the girls before, but that’s a great meet that is mostly Division 2 swimmers. You can really tell who’s going to be your competition a few weeks from then.” 

Key dates on the calendar for the Hodags include the GNC meet at Colby Oct. 25, WIAA sectionals in Menomonie Nov. 9 and the WIAA D2 state meet in Waukesha Nov. 15.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected]. 

TEAM SCHEDULE

Date    Opponent/Event    Time

8/21    Colby Pentathlon    2 p.m.

8/24    Menomonie Invite    10 a.m.

8/28    at Stevens Point    5:30 p.m.

9/5    at Antigo*    5:30 p.m.

9/12    LADYSMITH CO-OP*    5:30 p.m.

9/14    HODAG RELAYS    11 a.m.

9/19    MEDFORD*    5:30 p.m.

9/21    Waukesha South Invite    11:45 a.m.

9/26    at Lakeland*    5:30 p.m.

10/3    at Tomahawk*    5:30 p.,m.

10/10    MOSINEE*    5:30 p.m.

10/17    COLBY/ABBOTSFORD*    5:30 p.m.

10/19    Shorewood Invite    TBA

10/25    GNC Meet at Colby*    5 p.m.

11/9    WIAA Sectionals at Menomonie    1 p.m.

11/15    WIAA State at Waukesha    5:30 p.m.

* Conference meets | HOME MEETS IN CAPS