November 5, 2024 at 6:02 a.m.
The roar ends in Wisconsin Rapids
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — As seniors Greyson Gremban and Brody Kowieski approached the finish line at the WIAA Division 2 state meet Saturday, realization sunk in that their careers on the Rhinelander High School cross country team were coming to an end. With each stride, there was time to reflect on the highs and lows throughout the last four years and time to grasp what hitting that finish line one final time would mean.
“I can’t believe it’s over. You hear it a lot, how fast these four years go by,” Gremban said shortly after finishing. “I’m really proud of all the hard work I put into this sport, how much it’s allowed me to grow as an individual. I’m so proud of how I’ve been able to contribute to this team, to this program, help bring Rhinelander back into a top setting in cross country.”
The efforts of Gremban and Kowieski on Saturday helped the Hodags to a 14th-place finish at the D2 boys’ state race at The Ridges in Wisconsin Rapids. That was one spot better than projected after the Hodags qualified as the sectional runner-up last week at Colby. Rhinelander edged out sectional champ New London for 14th in a race that was icing on the cake for the Hodags — who made their second team appearance in Wisconsin Rapids in the last four years.
“We worked really hard this season, had a really good season and a really good finish,” coach M.J. Laggis said. “You always want to be faster, no matter what at the end, unless you win it. Lots to build on with this group and I’m really proud of them.”
While Saturday’s race featured five runners who are slated to be back with the team next year, the meet belonged to the seniors, Greyson Gremban and Kowieski. Gremban had been trying to work his way back to Rapids since being a part of the state qualifying squad in 2021. After narrowly missing out on qualifying as an individual the last two years, he was back with the team this year.
“It’s fantastic to represent Rhinelander at the state meet, to be able to drink in what this meet represents for myself, the journey it’s taken for me to get to this place,” Gremban said. “I’m so proud to be able to hang up my jersey as a Rhinelander Hodag.”
Gremban finished his final race 48th in a field of 150 runners, crossing the finish line in 17 minutes, 8.8 seconds. More than the result, Laggis said Gremban’s legacy will be his tireless work ethic that was infectious to his teammates.
“We haven’t had a harder worker in cross country,” he said. “We haven’t had a harder worker, who’s put in more miles and given more to it than Greyson. He’s just been an outstanding kid, great leader on our team. He just bleeds it. He’s always the leader in the huddle, on the bus, in practice, wherever it may be. I can’t say enough about him. He ended it the right way at the state meet.”
Kowieski finished just outside the top 100, coming home 106th at 18:06.4. It was an accomplishment, considering that he missed much of the 2023 season with a knee injury and, just two Saturdays ago, needed to take a trip to the hospital after being overcome by exhaustion in the final quarter mile while running fourth at the Great Northern Conference meet.
“Brody had such a rough junior year and the way conference went this year, it was like one more test for him and he bounced back and had a fantastic week going into sectionals and then this week,” Laggis said. “Brody embodies real leadership, real character. He’s a very, very good person. He’s a great leader and we’re all happy as coaches that the young kids on this team have him to look up to.”
Kowieski, who was not on the varsity squad in 2021, said Saturday was about soaking in the moment during his first run at state.
“I tried to take in this week, take in what it all meant,” he said. “It’s been an honor to represent Rhinelander and wear this jersey. It’s a community that means so much to both Greyson and I. We’ve been very proud to have the opportunity to show up and run for it.”
Neither runner was Rhinelander’s fastest harrier on Saturday. That honor went to sophomore Avrom Barr, who crossed the line a few seconds ahead of Gremban in 44th at 17:03.4. Barr said his first trip to state left him hungry for bigger and better things the next two years.
“I didn’t reach my goal of top 30, but I did take 44th,” he said. “These next years I will be working very hard to get on that podium and, senior year, hopefully win state and if not, get very close.”
“Avrom probably has as much upside as anyone that we’ve coached in our time,” Laggis added. “He’s really, really that long, lean, fast build and he can just go. He puts the miles on in the offseason. He’s durable. He’s got a lot of Greyson in him. I see some really big things from him in the next few years if he continues to work that hard.”
Sophomore Jackson Weinzatl in 114th (18:17.0), freshman Michael Brunette in 138th (18:59.0), junior Ayden Myers in 140th (19:06.0) and freshman Grant Gremban in 148th (20:00.2) rounded out the Rhinelander seven.
The pace was torrid on Saturday, as the leaders covered the opening mile in 5 minutes flat and were at 10:20 by the two-mile mark. Whitewater’s Jack Hefty emerged from the pack to win the race in 15:46.5. Five runners broke the 16-minute barrier and 38 runners finished in under 17 minutes. By comparison, only 17 runners broke 17 minutes back in 2021 and Rhinelander’s Cal Laggis finished 19th that day at 17:01.9.
“It was lightning fast,” M.J. Laggis said. “It’s an awesome course and I’ll tell you something, we were seeded 15th and we finished 14th. I’m glad we got by New London, who beat us in the sectional. That’s really cool for us. The teams that are above us are fast. They’re really fast. You give them their credit for what they did.”
The fast pace left the Hodags deep in the field for much of the race, before making a push over the final mile or so. Rhinelander was last in the team standings through the one- and two-mile checkpoints before picking up two spots over the final 1800 meters. Barr was 60th (5:15.5) and Greyson Gremban was 70th (5:17.2) after the opening mile. Gremban worked his way up to 49th (10:59.6) and Barr to 53rd (11:01.0) by the two-mile mark.
“We talked a lot about conserving the first mile,” Gremban said. “(The pace) was going to be hot, no matter what but, keeping that in the back of your mind so you didn’t go out and run sub-5 with maybe the top 10 pack. This is an exciting race, it’s an exciting field and you didn’t want to get ahead of yourself.”
Kohler, promoted up to Division 2 after winning the last two WIAA Division 3 state titles, made it a three-peat Saturday as it edged West Salem by 16 points for the team championship. Dodgeville/Mineral Point, Mauston and Campbellsport rounded out the top five.
Rhinelander isn’t to that level, yet, but there’s hope that Saturday’s state meet appearance will rub off on the underclassmen much the same way the 2021 trip did on Greyson Gremban and Kowieski.
“I think it’s fantastic that they got the opportunity to run,” Laggis said. “Greyson got to run with Ty Welk, and Cal and all those guys as a freshman. Brody was on that team. These freshman and sophomores will never forget this experience.”
That was a sentiment echoed by the two seniors.
“From running with Ty Welk to Cody Ruetz to by myself and now with Avrom, this has come full circle,” Gremban said. “I had the opportunity to learn so much from older guys and now be able to pass it on to the next generation of runners. I’m so proud that I’m able to do that, representing Rhinelander.”
Meanwhile, Kowieski said he left Rapids with, “just a really deep appreciation for what I’ve been a part of and the culture that I’m a part of and, on a broader scale, the community I’m a part of.”
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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