Sports Digest

RNC mountain bike team hosting try it out nights May 23 & June 6

The Rhinelander Northwoods Composite (RNC) Mountain Bike Team will be hosting Try It Out events on Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, June 6 at the Washburn Trails in Rhinelander. Both events will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

“Kids and parents, join our friendly coaches and current team members on the trail to learn more about the sport,” the team stated in a Facebook post promoting the event. “All abilities are welcome! No obligations. Youth from Rhinelander and all surrounding areas welcome!”

The RNC team consists of middle and high schoolers from numerous school districts in and around Rhinelander. The team practices in the evenings twice a week July through October at the Washburn Trails. 

“Team rides are raucous and fun,  teaching bike handling skills and building endurance,” the post stated. 

All team members are invited to join the team at any or all the six races hosted by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League. For the first time this year, Rhinelander will be hosting a WICL race, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 6 at Camp Tesomas.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1803563980109557. To register, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C45AFA62BA1F49-48300374-tryitout.

1981 RHS Alpine Ski team to be inducted into Hodag HOF May 29

The 1981 WIARA state-champion Rhinelander High School boys’ Alpine ski team will be inducted into the Rhinelander Athletic Booster Club’s Hodag Hall of Fame during the ABC’s annual banquet Wednesday, May 29 at The Pines Event Center in Rhinelander. 

According to the nomination submitted to the ABC, the Hodags were Rhinelander’s fourth state championship in boys’ skiing. The team won state titles when it was a WIAA-sanctioned sport in 1963, 1965 and 1967.

Team members include Shane Anderson, Todd Bessey, Eric Eggman, Terry Haese, Brian Kief, Greg McGuire, Brat Musil, Dan Peterich, Tom Schmidt, Bob Shoberg and exchange student Henk Twisk. The team was coached by Bill Schneider, Jim Reeves and Charlotte Schneider.

The induction will be part of the festivities during the banquet. The ABC will present its $1,000 student-athlete scholarships to a Rhinelander High School senior boys and girl who excelled in athletics and in the classroom, and will present its annual Heart of the Hodag Award to an individual who has made a impact within the Rhinelander sports community.

Social hour for the event with begin at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m. and the program to follow. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children age 10 and under.

For more information, or to RSVP, contact ABC board member Kelsy Bontz via email at [email protected].

RHS alum Comer ties UWSP career home run mark

Bradley Comer, a senior at UW-Stevens Point and a 2018 RHS graduate, tied the Pointers career home run mark last week. 

Comer hit two home runs in a 17-16 loss to Lawrence University April 23, giving him 50 homers for his career, tying the mark set by Ryan Jones from 2001-05. It’s just the latest UWSP all-time mark to fall to Comer, who has already set career marks for hits (304), RBIs (242) and at bats (881) this season while moving into second on the all-time list in runs scored (215), doubles (58), total bases (518) and games played (217). 

As of this past Saturday’s doubleheader against UW-La Crosse, Comer was hitting .353 on the year and led the Pointers with 13 homers and 44 RBIs. The Pointers sat at 22-13 on the season and 13-7 in the WIAC heading into a non-conference game against St. Norbert College Wednesday that concluded after press time. 

(Editor's note: Comer broke the program record Wednesday, hitting his 51st home run against St. Norbert.)

The Pointers conclude their regular season with a pair of conference doubleheaders at UW-Whitewater Friday and Saturday.

Retzlaff scores top 10 at Dover

Rhinelander native Parker Retzlaff scored a 10th-place finish this past Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Dele.

Retzlaff started 17th in the race and scored seven bonus points thanks to a fourth-place finish in Stage 2 of the race. He lead one time for three laps in the race.

It was Retzlaff’s first top-10 finish since the season’s second race of the season in Hampton, Ga. He moved to 17th in the Xfinity Series points, 62 points behind the playoff cutline with 16 races remaining in the regular season.

The Xfinity Series is off this week and will return to action May 11 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C.