Cross country: Hodag boys take Pines Invite

EAGLE RIVER —The Rhinelander High School boys’ cross country team won its second consecutive meet on Tuesday and perhaps served notice that Lakeland’s run at another Great Northern Conference title will not be a coronation. 

Rhinelander placed five runners in the top 20 and edged Lakeland by eight points for the team title in the Northland Pines Invite in Eagle River. Tuesday’s field featured five of the seven GNC schools, with Lakeland and Rhinelander figuring to be the front runners when all of the GNC returns to the Northland Pines High School campus next Saturday for the conference meet.

While Hodag head coach M.J. Laggis was quick to note that Lakeland’s No. 2 runner, Charlie Ernst, was scratched from Tuesday’s race due to injury, he said he knows his squad is beginning to close the gap as the teams hit the home stretch of the regular season. 

“They were short their No. 2 runner tonight, but that doesn’t discredit how our boys have trained and worked,” he said. “We’ve had the eye on the prize and just keep getting better every week. I am super proud of our work ethic. Above and beyond winning the meet tonight, I love our work ethic. Those boys have really put it down.

“Our boys really want to win,” Laggis added. “They do it for each other and that’s a great feeling. It doesn’t always go that way, but we had a good team talk last night and the message was look inward. Stop looking at what everyone else does, look inward and let’s just be our best.” 

It was Rhinelander’s fourth straight win on the boys’ side in the Pines Invite. The Hodag girls finished third Tuesday behind GNC title contenders Medford and Lakeland. 

    Rhinelander’s Greyson Gremban, left, and Avrom Barr, center, race with Lakeland’s Ashton Bremer in the opening mile of the Northland Pines Invitational cross country race in Eagle River Tuesday, Oct. 8. Barr finished fourth in Tuesday’s race while Gremban took fifth. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

For the first time this season, the Hodag boys had a new No. 1 runner. Sophomore Avrom Barr surged over the final 800 meters to pass senior teammate Greyson Gremban and led the Rhinelander charge to the line. Barr finished fourth overall with a personal-best time of 16 minutes, 51.4 seconds while Gremban came home fifth at 17:00.7.

“Greyson had a real tough, hard-nosed race tonight like he always does,” Laggis said. “He’s such a leader on this team, but Avrom just had something special in the tank tonight. You could tell he laid it all out there tonight.”

Brody Kowieski also got on the podium for Rhinelander, finishing ninth at 18:04.6. Jackson Weinzatl wasn’t far behind in 13th (18:08.8) and freshman Michael Brunette broke the 19-minute mark for the first time, coming home 20th at 18:54.3.

Junior Ayden Myers, brother of Hodag girls’ No. 2 runner Macy Myers, made his varsity debut on Tuesday and checked in 23rd (19:12.4). Laggis said he is hopeful that Myers can serve as another piece of the puzzle down the stretch as the Hodags try to close the gap will Lakeland.

“Ayden ran real conservative, like was talked about, and I think we’re going to change the strategy for (Saturday’s race at) Tomahawk a little bit, what he’s going to try to do. He looked really strong and he’s got a lot of potential to help us,” Laggis said.

Grant Gremban rounded out the varsity contingent for the Hodags in 33rd (19:33.8).

    Rhinelander’s Brynn Teter races to the finish of the Northland Pines Invitational cross country race in Eagle River Tuesday, Oct. 8. Teter led the Hodag girls with a fifth-place finish on Tuesday. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

Brynn Teter led the Hodag girls once again, finishing on the medal stand in fifth overall at 21:20.4. Macy Myers also cracked the 22-minute mark as she placed 10th at 21:57.0.

“I thought Brynn had a really nice race and really finished well. Then Macy, she had a nice finish too,” Laggis said. “Macy is just one of those girls that just comes to work every day. There’s no complaining, no anything. She really gives her best effort. I was really happy for her and happy for Brynn. She said after the race she felt as good as she’s felt, and maybe even had a little more.”

Medford and Lakeland’s mid-pack runners edged away from Rhinelander’s down the stretch, accounting for the final margin. Medford beat Lakeland by eight points for the team title with Rhinelander another five points behind in third. Kara Monk came home 16th (22:57.8) for the Hodags, Hayley Schiek was 17th (23:01.9) and Sophie Miljevich was 20th (23:16.4). 

“We ran tough with them thought the mid part of the race, but they took control later in the race. It wasn’t for a lack of effort. We fought hard,” Laggis said. “Our girls’ varsity did a nice job. We’re just a step away from Medford and Lakeland and we’ve got to keep working.”

Luna Grage was 25th (23:43.4) and Gretchen Fiebke was 26th (23:44.4) to round out the Hodag varsity contingent. 

The Hodags are back in action Saturday at the Hatchet Invite in Tomahawk which will have a new venue for the second time in three years. After two years at Inshalla Country Club, the race moves this year to the Tomahawk School Complex. The girls’ race will start at 10:30 a.m., with the boys to follow at 11:15.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].