Youth Sports Roundup

Hodag Peewees state bound

The Rhinelander Ice Association’s Peewee A hockey team punched its ticket to this year’s WAHA state tournament by finishing second in a five-team playdown tournament held this weekend at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.

After drawing the bye in the first round, the Hodags clinched a state tournament berth with a 7-2 victory over Marshfield on Sunday morning. The Hodags scored four times in the first period to take control and never looked back. Jacob Baumann and Gage Chavez both scored twice in the contest. Wyatt Peters, Easton Ostrom and Max Cahee added goals and Lena Chiamulera added three assists. 

A four-goal second period was too much for Rhinelander to overcome in the Region 2 championship game against Tomahawk on Sunday afternoon as the Hodags fell to the Hatchets, 8-1. Ostrom had the lone goal for the Hodags. 

Both Tomahawk and Rhinelander advanced to the Peewee 3A state tournament — Tomahawk as the region champ and Rhinelander as the wild card entry. The state tournament will take place March 9-10 in Somerset. 

Rhinelander will also compete in the Peewee 3B state tournament, earning an automatic berth as the tournament host. That event will take place March 9-10 at the RIA.

    Lena Chiamulera plays the puck along the boards during the second period of Sunday’s game against Tomahawk. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

    Evan Rodziczak handles the puck in his own zone in the first period of Sunday’s game against Tomahawk. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

Hodag Winter Classic

The Hodag Diamond Club held its second-annual Winter Classic youth baseball tournament in the Hodag Dome Feb. 2-4. Eighteen teams from Wisconsin and Michigan, including two Rhinelander squads, competed in the three-day event. Green Bay Sluggers won the 10U division over Rhinelander. Bay City took the 11U division over Northwoods and Wheelhouse defeated Plover National for the 12U title.

    The Hodag 10U team poses for a photograph following the tournament. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are Gage Dantoin, Colt Waksmonski, Blake Sundby, Cooper Clark, Derek Jorata. In the middle row are William Sundby, Lleyton Bryner, Isaac Bauer, Easton Sieker, Rylan Pasanen and Mason Paulson. In the back row are coach Joe Waksmonski, coach Brian Jorata, coach Eric Dantoin and coach Brian Paulson. Coach Josh Clark was unavailable for the photograph. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

    The Hodag 12U team poses for a photograph following the tournament. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are Colton Jahn, Ben Rexford, Collin Jorata, Jaxon Eades, Connor Clark and Eli Bauer. In the back row are coach Kevin Eades, coach Brian Jorata, Nolan Pasanen, Brodie Dillenberg, Jackson West, Jaxon Kremer and coach Dan Bauer. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

    Connor Clark puts the ball in play during a 12U game. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

    Easton Sieker stretch to field a throw to first base during a 10U game. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Middle school Nordic competes at state sprints

The Hodag middle school Nordic team was in Brillion Feb. 3-4 for the WNSL State Sprint Championships. 

In Saturday’s team sprint event, the pair of Samuel Loomis and Douglas Hartman placed 21st overall, taking ninth in the boys’ B final while the team of Alexander Rusch and Korbin Skubal were 12th in the B final and 24th overall. 

The Hodag girls’ tandem of Kelsie Skubal and Noelle Mayo made the A final, taking 12th place overall. Scarlet Hartmann was ninth in the B final and 21st overall, teamed with Red Wing’s Brenna Taylor.

In Sunday’s classic individual sprint, but Kelsie Skubal and Noelle Mayo qualified for the knockout rounds, with Skubal finishing 21st overall and Mayo placing 31st. Scarlet Hartmann finished 38th.

Douglas Hartmann qualified for the top 32 on the boys’ side, but scratched out of his final race and was credited with 32nd overall. Loomis finished 48th, Korbin Skubal was 54th and Rusch finished 56th.

    Noelle Mayo competes in the A finals of the girls’ freestyle relay at the WNSL State Sprints in Brillion Saturday, Feb. 3. Mayo and teammate Kelsie Skubal finished 12th overall. (Submitted photo)