RHS Sports recap: Tuesday, Dec. 10

Boys’ basketball: Rhinelander 63, Wittenberg-Birnamwood 59

Seth Nofftz made a layup with 7 seconds remaining to break a 59-all tie as the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team earned career victory No. 200 for head coach Derek Lemmens with a 63-59 triumph over the Wittenberg-Birnamwood Chargers Tuesday at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.

Jett Rogowski scored 28 for Wittenberg-Birnamwood to lead all scorers and tied the game with a 3 with 25 seconds left before the Hodags hit the go-ahead basket. Rogowski was called for an offensive foul at half court as he tried to rush ahead for one final shot and, after a bench technical was assessed to Chargers, Devon Feck hit two free throws to ice it for Rhinelander.

The Chargers started the game on a 16-5 run and led most of the way, taking a 31-25 lead to the break. Rhinelander used a 9-0 run to take its first lead of the game, up 44-42 on a Rowan Wiczek layup with 10:02 remaining and responded with a 12-3 after the Chargers retook a 6-point lead to set up the end-game dramatics.

Truman Lamers scored 20 points for Rhinelander, Feck added 11 and Abe Gretzinger had 10 as the Hodags won despite shooting just 2 of 16 from 3-point range. Oliver Fraaza had 1 points and Zandyr Barke chipped in 10 for the Chargers.

Rhinelander (3-0, 1-0 Great Northern) travels to Northland Pines on Friday.

Gymnastics: Ashland 123.35, Rhinelander 116.9

The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team posted a score 3.6 points better than its top performance from the 2023-24 season as it fell at Ashland 123.35-116.9 to open up the season and Great Northern Conference play on Tuesday.

Freshman Addison Fish impressed in her debut, taking second in the individual all-around with a score of 30.075 points. She was third on uneven bars and tied for third on vault. Wendy Fronk (28.9) took third in the all-around highlighted by a third-place finish on balance beam (8.25). Alexis Smith (8.625) finished runner-up on vault and freshman Emeline Hintz placed fourth in the all-around in her debut.

Rhinelander (0-1 GNC Small) will host the Snowflake Invite at the YMCA of the Northwoods on Saturday.

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