Advantage, Hodags

MINOCQUA — The Rhinelander High School girls’ soccer team took a big step Tuesday night toward its first conference title since 2018. 

Lindsey Hoerchler scored in the sixth minute and the goal held up as Rhinelander defeated reigning conference champion 1-0 in Minocqua.

The 1-0 scoreline was a bit ironic, but definitely not surprising, considering the recent history in the rivalry. Lakeland scored two 1-0 wins over Rhinelander last year — one in the regular season and one in the postseason — which ultimately gave the GNC and regional titles to the T-Birds. 

Seven of the teams’ last nine meetings have been decided by a 1-0 score and Rhinelander beat Lakeland for the first time since the 2023 regional finals in Minocqua — when they won, 1-0.

Hodag soccer coach Nathan Bates concurred when asked if it was about time that a close game against Lakeland went his team’s way.

“One hundred percent agree with that statement. Girls played their hearts out tonight,” he said.

    Rhinelander’s Vivian Lamers dribbles around Lakeland’s Jenna Klappa during the second half of a GNC girls’ soccer game in Minocqua Tuesday, April 22. (Brett LaBore/Lakeland Times)
  

Hoerchler scored what proved to be the decider early in the match. Kiley Pooch made a run up the right flank and chipped the ball to the edge of the 18 for Vivian Lamers, who then slid the ball through traffic to Hoerchler for a one-touch finish that beat Lakeland keeper Emma Bergquist to the near post.

“Lindsey’s been great all season with following up on shots and crashing the box. She did it again tonight and it brought us home with the win,” Bates said. “They came out strong with their defense like we anticipated, but the girls executed the game plan very well. They played their pockets back there because they like to drop them so deep into the backfield. Lindsey, Kiley, all of them, did very well with playing the pockets and bringing the ball down to the corners tonight to execute the things that we need to execute tonight.”

Rhinelander controlled possession in the match, outshooting Lakeland 17-6 in the contest. The Hodags had plenty of chances early in the match. Sophie Miljevich missed jut high on a chance in the eighth minute, Pooch was denied by Bergquist in the ninth minute and Ella Miljevich sailed just high in the 17th minute. 

    Rhinelander’s Sophie Miljevich tries to take a shot as Lakeland goalkeeper Emma Bergquist closes in during the second half of a GNC girls’ soccer game in Minocqua Tuesday, April 22. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

The Hodags kept up the offensive pressure but couldn’t get any insurance goals. Sophie Miljevich was narrowly beaten to the ball by Bergquist off a Lamers cross in the 43rd minute and Bergquist denied a couple of hard shots by the Miljevich sisters later in the second half — first from Ella in the 62nd and then by Sophie in the 72nd. 

Bergquist, in for normal starter Ava Evenhouse, made eight saves in defeat.

“Honestly, Lakeland should be thankful it wasn’t 4-nil,” Bates said. “The first ten minutes of the game we had a lot of opportunities and then, throughout the game, we had some really good opportunities as well.”

Lakeland didn’t muster much of an offensive threat until the final eight minutes of the match. Maya Savel had a weak chance from 25 yards in the 72nd minute that was easily corralled by Rhinelander keeper Rylee Mickevicius —one of only two saves required for her to turn in a clean sheet on the night. Tayiah Bauman was short on a spinning shot from 40 yards in the 75th minute and Lexi Gindorff missed wide left in traffic from the top of the 18 in the 76th minute. 

Otherwise, the Hodag back line of Mia Tulowitzky, June Chiamulera, Becca Brost and Alexis Smith kept the heat off Mickevicius much of the evening. 

“You know, Mia, June, Becca, Alexis, all of them back there, man, we’ve got a heck of a wrecking crew back there this year,” Bates said. “They’re amazing, and we’re very, very proud of them. They’ve come a long way since the beginning of the season. They did their job tonight and honestly all season, you know, they’ve done their job and they’ve done a really good job by doing what they’re supposed to be doing for us.”

The win gives Rhinelander an early leg up in the conference race but, by no means will the Hodags’ attempt to break a seven-year title drought be a cakewalk. Rhinelander also beat Lakeland 1-0 in the teams’ first meeting back in 2022, but still lost the title after Lakeland ran the table the rest of the way, including a 6-1 victory in the rematch. Rhinelander, meanwhile, was taken to penalty kicks by Northland Pines, allowing the T-Birds to pass the Hodags in the points table. 

Lakeland comes to Rhinelander for the final game of the regular season May 29.

Rhinelander was set to take on Medford Thursday in a game that concluded after press time for today’s edition. The Raiders were a thorn in the Hodags’ side last year, winning a penalty kick shootout in Rhinelander after the teams played to a 1-1 draw in regulation.

“Ultimately we have to keep going and doing a great job this season,” Bates said. “We can’t take anybody lightly. I mean, we have Medford coming up this week. We have Pines. I know it after all these years coaching, the girls just have to stay on top and they cannot take anybody lightly.”

The Hodags will travel to Antigo for a GNC matchup on Tuesday.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].