RHS to face tall task Thursday vs. Raiders

Mathematically, the Rhinelander High School football team still has a chance to make the WIAA playoffs, but it will take a Herculean effort to get there.

The Hodags must win their final two contests to become playoff eligible and the odds couldn’t be any more stacked against Rhinelander as the Hodags must go on the road to face conference-leading Medford with one less day to prepare. The contest was moved to Thursday night prior to the season due to referee availability. 

Rhinelander is somehow going to have to figure out a way to slow down a Raider team that has steamrolled through the GNC so far, sitting at 5-0 in league play and outscoring conference opponents so far 208-33. 

“We’re playing against the team that is, right now GNC champion-elect,” Hodag head coach Aaron Kraemer said following Rhinelander’s 26-6 loss to Mosinee on Friday. “They won tonight and we’re going to get an opportunity to play them next week on their home field on a Thursday. We have to focus in.

“It’s a difficult week to do that, after homecoming. You’ve got the homecoming dance. We’ve got to get the guys in on Sunday, learn what we can learn about Medford and figure out a way to stop their good running back and stop their attack, and then figure out ways to attack their man-to-man defense.”

It will not be difficult for the Hodags to figure out what Medford is doing under long-time head coach Ted Wilson. The Raiders employ a power running game out of a number of unique formations and, defensively, will bring pressure while using man-to-man coverage on the edges. Stopping Medford’s attack on both sides of the ball will be a much greater challenge.

“It’s both calming and scary at the same time,” Kraemer said. “When you play against a team that you know what they’re going to do, it’s very obvious, but one thing that you know is that they’re well-coached at it. When they run four plays or six plays offensively out of multiple formations, you know that they’re well-coached.”

Offensively, the Raiders will feature Paxton Rothmeier, who last week was named a semifinalist for WSN’s Crazy Legs Hirsch Award, presented to the state’s top senior running back. He’s up to 1,483 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground this year following a 229-yard, four-score performance Friday in a 38-7 win at Tomahawk. He also returned a fumble 50 yards for a touchdown in that contest and intercepted a pass.

Medford doesn’t throw often, but is effective when it does. Parker Lissner entered last Friday night’s game as the GNC’s top-rated passer. He’s thrown for 583 yards with nine touchdowns with one interception on the year. 

“They’re going to run their double wing and double tight and their Maryland I,” Kraemer said. “You know that but, the big thing is can we replicate that in practice so that our guys are ready and then, can we match the physicality of Medford at what they do. They have adjustments, but it’s the same play. That’s the scary thing.”

Tomahawk did have some success on the ground Friday night against the Raiders, rushing for 173 yards against a team that had averaged allowing 132 yards rushing and 5.1 yards per carry. Medford has shined in pass defense as well, allowing 86.7 yards per game with seven interceptions. Charlie Gierl has four of those picks as part of a strong secondary with Evan Wilkins, who is also the team’s leading tackler. 

“Defensively, same thing. You know you’re going to get a 5-2. You know you’re going to get man-to-man,” Kraemer said. “It’s can we scheme them open? Can we opportunities in the run game? Can we finish drives and get first downs? That’s the big thing, keep our defense off the field so that we can give ourselves a shot to win.”

The underdogs on paper, Kraemer said it is going to take an extraordinary effort to upset the Raiders and give Rhinelander a chance to play for a possible playoff spot in Week 9 at home against Merrill.

“What I’m going to ask my guys to do is just play with every piece of heart, desire, want that they have. It’s going to start quickly on Sunday. There’s not a lot of time to lick wounds or worry or be upset. It’s time to go,” he said. “I think we have to air it out a little bit next week. We’ve got to have some things up our sleeve, both offensively and defensively, to beat a very, very good team. When you play a good team, you’ve got to over-prepare … next week we know we’re playing against a good team. We know we need to prepare, get big chunk plays and opportunities for our guys to put the ball in the end zone so that we can have some success.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected]. 

WEEK 8 AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Rhinelander at Medford

WHEN: 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10

WHERE: Raider Field, Medford

WEATHER: Mostly clear, 59 degrees, winds S at 5 MPH

RECORDS: Rhinelander 3-4, 1-4 Great Northern. Medford 6-1, 5-0 Great Northern

LAST WEEK: Rhinelander lost to Mosinee, 26-6. Mosinee def. Tomahawk, 38-7

LAST MEETING: Medford 40, Rhinelander 8 — Sept. 28, 2023

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