Team preview: RHS girls’ golf

After less than two weeks of practice, the Rhinelander High School girls’ golf team is set to make its competitive debut this coming Monday.

The Hodags will actually play on back-to-back days, taking part in an invite at Bull’s Eye Country Club in Wisconsin Rapids on Monday before heading back down to the central part of the state Tuesday for a dual meet against Amherst at SentryWorld in Stevens Point. 

How things will translate once the Hodags get on the course for an actual round remains to be seen, but coach Adam Schmidt said he’s already seen plenty of improvement from his seven-player squad — a couple of whom are just getting into the game. 

“I’ve seen a lot of progression,” he said. “The girls have really improved. We’ve been working on short game a lot. In their practice with chipping and putting, it has really, really, really, really improved, just working on it for an hour and a half today. Then the hitting range balls, their swings have been looking good. Just that improvement has been great.”

The roster is mainly comprised of upperclassmen. While it remains to be seen who will shake out as the team’s No. 1 player, senior Nevaeh Anderson enters with the most extensive playing experience and has looked solid so far at practice. 

“Nevaeh Anderson’s got a nice swing. She’s hitting the ball really well. She hits the ball good. So that’ll be interesting to see what she can shoot,” Schmidt said. 

    Rhinelander’s Ella Miljevich works on her swing RHS girls’ golf practice at Northwood Golf Club Tuesday, Aug. 12. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

Twin sisters Claire and Karlie Yunkers round out the three seniors on the roster. They have played recreationally in the past, as have juniors Hayley Schiek and Ella Miljevich. 

“They both (the Yunkers) actually have really nice swings. They both can play golf, so that’ll be interesting to see how they do,” Schmidt said. “Hayley’s got a nice swing. Hayley had a couple of really nice shots yesterday. So she could potentially be there. Even like Ella, when she really takes her time focuses, just makes a nice smooth swing, she can hit the ball really well.”

Junior Lindsey Hoerchler is one of the first-time players for the team, as is sophomore Addisyn Loka.

The Hodags will be tested right away on Monday with an 18-hole match in Wisconsin Rapids, which will include the six teams that compete in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. Rhinelander will be playing an independent schedule this year. 

“I wish we had a couple of nine-hole matches first. I think that playing 18 holes is going to be a shocker. Even for the boys, is always a shocker. When we come out of the gate and we have play 18 holes it’s like the numbers are always inflated, first time out,” Schmidt said. 

The team is still trying to add a few more matches to its schedule. After next week’s matches, Rhinelander has only two other matches on the schedule so far — an invite hosted by Stevens Point Sept. 8 and another hosted by Amherst Sept. 15. The Hodags need to compete in at least four regular season matches to be eligible for the WIAA playoffs. 

“Right now we only have four matches on the schedule. I think we’re going to get another one in the 22nd, which will be five, but that’s really not a whole lot to prepare us for Oct. 1, when regionals are in Green Bay,” Schmidt said. 

Expectations are being kept within reason in this inaugural season. Schmidt said the main goals are for the team to improve and have fun along the way. 

“I think mitigating some of that stress that they’re going to feel is going to be big, but really, for the grand scheme of things, I just really want them to have fun and enjoy it,” he said. “No pressure on them. I don’t know if they’re as competitive, like the boys will play for spots. They want to be one, two or three. I think they’re just happy that they’re going to play, which is nice because that’s a little more relaxing atmosphere.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].