RHS Sports recap: Thursday, Jan. 4

Boys’ hockey: Rhinelander 7, Medford 2

Gavin Denis recorded a hat trick as the Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team cruised past Medford 7-2 Thursday night in Medford. 

Both Denis and linemate Joey Belanger had five-point nights for the Hodags. Denis added a pair of assists while Belanger scored twice and had three helpers. Dylan Shefveland chipped in a goal and two assists and Timber Cronauer added a goal. The Hodags led 2-0 after a period, 6-0 after two and tacked on a goal early in the third before the Raiders responded with a pair of late power play goals.

Rhinelander outshot Medford 31-16. Tyler Kimmerling made 14 saves in the win.

The Hodags (4-6-0, 1-3-0-0 Great Northern) host D.C. Everest on Tuesday.

Boys’ swimming: Rhinelander 106, Shawano 42; Rhinelander 105, Medford 41

The RHS boys’ swim team won all 11 events and easily took both legs of a double dual Thursday night, defeated Shawano 106-42 and Medford 105-41 at the Heck Family Community Pool.

Senior Zacha King was a four-event winner for the Hodags. He took the 100-yard butterfly and was on all three winning relays. Charlie Antonuk won the 500 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke, Mathias Fugle took the 200 freestyle, Shawn Denis won the 200 individual medley, Brock Arrowood took the 50 freestyle, Samson Shinners won the 100 freestyle and Dolan O’Malley took the 100 backstroke.

Rhinelander is back in action Saturday at the Ashwaubenon Invite.

Gymnastics: Rhinelander 2nd/3, Ashland Triangular

The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team posted a season high score of 111.6 points as it took second in a triangular meet in Ashland on Thursday night.

Freshman Karly Gillingham had a career night, tying for second on vault (8.3), taking third on balance beam (8.2) and finishing fourth in the all-around with a 30.0. Alexis Smith won the vault for Rhinelander (8.5) while Sam Aschenbrenner took fifth on the balance beam and was fifth in the all-around (28.5).

Ashland 127.55 won the triangular while Lakeland was a distant third (60.6)

The Hodags are back in action Saturday at the Wisconsin Rapids Invite.

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