Hodag soccer blanked by GNC-leading Lakeland

The Rhinelander High School boys’ soccer team couldn’t keep up with Lakeland’s fast-paced attack on Tuesday night. Dominic Gironella recorded a hat trick, and Marshall Holmquist scored the other two goals as the Great Northern Conference-leading T-Birds defeated the Hodags 5-0 at Mike Webster Stadium.

In some ways, the contest mirrored the first meeting between the sides, won by Lakeland 3-0 in Minocqua last month. The Hodags hung tough in the first half, only to see Lakeland take full control of the match in the second.

“The beginning of the game the boys came out doing a really good job,” Hodag coach Nathan Bates said. “They held tough and they kept trying really hard until the second half when they got the third goal in on us. It seemed like after that, it took the wind out of our sails and, from there, it wasn’t a full team effort again. 

“It’s unfortunate but Lakeland’s got a tough team. They look really, really well. (Lakeland head coach) Ihor (Myshchyshyn)’s put together a really good squad. They look tough and we were just outmatched.” 

Ultimately, Lakeland was able to use its passing game to catch the Rhinelander defense on the back foot. Four of Lakeland’s five goals were the result of passes up the middle that put an attacker on a ball even with or behind the Hodag back line. 

That started in the 21st minute as Holmquist put Gironella on a run through the middle of the Rhinelander defender and the T-Bird senior cashed in on the breakaway chance to put Lakeland ahead. 

Holmquist was on the receiving end less than a minute before halftime as he waited out a Kaden Carlson lob from behind the half line, caught up with it at the edge of the Hodag attacking third and outraced the defense to put a shot behind keeper Barak Rappley to make it 2-0 going into the break.

“We had a couple of slight defensive mistakes that allowed them to get a couple of goals in the first half but, all and all, I’m happy with the way the defense performed tonight,” Bates said. “As a team, for at least the first 40 minutes, it’s one of the better games we’ve had in a long time.”

Holmquist’s second goal was a near mirror image of the first, though this time it was Oren Slemmons who lobbed one up from the back to put Holmquist on the run and give the T-birds the lead in the 49th minute. Gironella added another breakaway goal in the 58th minute and completed his hat trick two minutes later from close range as he put in a Lincoln Friedley cross from the left flank.

Bates noted that senior defender Aiden Ostermann left the game in the second half with an undisclosed injury, which further tested the depth of the Hodag defense.

“We got gassed and Lakeland’s speed up top took over after that. Ostermann got injured, something going on there and, on top of that, it seemed like we got gassed,” he said.

    Rhinelander’s Asher Rivord heads the ball during the first half of a GNC boys’ soccer game against Lakeland at Mike Webster Stadium Tuesday, Oct. 8. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Rhinelander was outshot 29-5 in the game and 5-1 in shots on goal. The Hodags did muster a couple of quality scoring chances, however. Ostermann crossed a corner kick into the box for Asher Rivord and the sophomore’s header attempt rang off the left goalpost before caroming away. Rhinelander tried to beat Lakeland at its own bomb-and-chase game in the 70th minute as Hart Hokens got on the end of a send from the back line but pulled a shot in between defenders from the top of the 18 wide left. 

“Asher had a great header on that. It was so, so close,” Bates said. “We had our opportunities to put a couple of goals in this evening. Hart had a couple of good opportunities. The boys played well as a whole for the majority of the game tonight.” 

Rappley made 11 saves in the loss for the Hodags.

Rhinelander (3-8-1, 2-4-0-1 Great Northern) is in the midst of a six-match losing streak in which the team has been outscored 26-2. The Hodags looked to break that string Thursday night on the road at Mosinee in a match that concluded after press time for today’s edition. 

The Hodags will take on Medford this Tuesday night in their final home game of the regular season.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].