Hodag swimmers close out dual meets with sweep

It was not quite what the Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team had planned but the Hodags were still able to get in one more dual meet on Tuesday before the start of championship season.

The Hodags won all 11 events and cruised to a 107-32 victory over Tomahawk in a non-conference dual meet at the Heck Family Community Pool.

The night was originally supposed to be a double dual that would have pitted the undefeated Hodags against Wisconsin Valley Conference unbeaten D.C. Everest, but the Evergreens backed out of the meet last week. Still, coach Jenny Heck said Tuesday was a chance have one more home meet and improve before a string of big meets coming up each of the next four weekends.

“We’re thankful that Tomahawk wanted to join for this extra meet and just get some racing opportunities. We wanted to have some fun with them, too. They’re good sports and fun to compete with,” she said.

Rhinelander tried to stack its relays in an effort to go after some Heck Pool records, but were unsuccessful. Zacha King, Shawn Denis, Brock Arrowood and Mathias Fugle won the 200-yard medley relay (1 minute, 42.30 seconds); Denis, Dolan O’Malley, Fugle and Samson Shinners claimed the 200 freestyle relay (1:31.71) and Arrowood, King, Fugle and Shinners won the 400 freestyle relay (3:24.88).

While Heck said it would have been nice to set a new record or two, the team came into the meet swimming tired, not wanting to sacrifice on its training to be fresher in a chase for a record.

“I knew it was going to be tough because they guys came off a four-hour practice yesterday,” she said. “The guys are tired and fatigued. I’m starting to see it’s that time of year, but it wasn’t worth letting up on a practice to go for some of those records. We have to keep with the plan and the plan is to keep working. 

“Although we didn’t get the records, I was proud of the way the guys went after it and attacked all of their events,” Heck added. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, for sure. They all went after it, were giving their all and were exhausted by the end. I was very proud of them.”

Both Arrowood and Fugle finished the night as four-event winners. Arrowood added wins in the 50 freestyle (23.81) and the 500 freestyle (5:22.86) while Fugle claimed the 100 butterfly (58.39).

The Hodags had a pair of 1-2-3 sweeps and took the top two spots in eight events. Denis (2:08.36) edged King for the win by 0.33 seconds in the 200 individual medley with Dolan O’Malley in a close third. Dolan O’Malley (53.63) led a 1-2-3 sweep of the 100 freestyle with Charlie Antonuk and Chris Larson. 

Arrowood beat Judson O’Malley to win the 50, Fugle edged Shinners in the butterfly and King (54.97) beat Judson O’Malley for the win in the 100 backstroke. Shinners added a win in the 200 freestyle (1:53.32) while Antonuk took the 100 breaststroke (1:12.10).

Additionally, Rhinelander scored runner-up finishes with its B relays in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle. The O’Malley brothers, Antonuk and Larson made up the runner-up pair in the medley while Denis, Judson O’Malley, Larson and Antonuk were second in the 400 freestyle relay.

After the meet the Hodags and Hatchets stuck around for some extra camaraderie in the pool which included a cannonball contest and some mixed medley events.

“We had five teams of three, combined Tomahawk and Rhinelander relays,” coach Heck said. “It was a lot of fun and a great way to end our season at home. I think the Tomahawk fans seemed to have a lot of fun and the swimmers did too. I know us as coaches did as well.”

Rhinelander returns to action on Saturday in the Small School State Invite at Shorewood High School. Many of the top contenders for next month’s WIAA Division 2 state meet are expected to compete.

“This is another great opportunity to see what’s out there,” Heck said. “I think it’s a good opportunity to put faces with names and see what people are swimming and how fast people are swimming in the southern part of the state. We’re also going to swim tired. We’re not letting up for this meet. The goal of the meet is to get experience and see what’s out there.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].