Hodag swimmers victorious in GNC opener

The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team began another Great Northern Conference title defense in convincing fashion Tuesday night, winning 10 of 11 events as it defeated Shawano/Seymour 119-51 in GNC dual meet play in Shawano.

Rhinelander’s three returning state qualifiers — juniors Judson O’Malley and Charlie Antonuk and sophomore Dean Gillingham — all were four-event winners on the night and the Hodags had eight different swimmers play a role in at least one win.

“Our juniors were very solid and did what they needed to do. The sophomores and freshmen really stepped up in important ways,” coach Jenny Heck said. “We were really happy about that and optimistic about opportunities that we can see from what we saw tonight. A lot of good times.”

Gillingham scored wins in both distance freestyle races Tuesday night, claiming the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute 57.49 seconds, and the 500 freestyle at 5:27.54. Judson O’Malley won the 200 individual medley (2:14.25) and the 100 backstroke (59.12) while Antonuk was an individual winner in the 50 freestyle (23.92) and the 100 butterfly (58.39).

Rhinelander also got an individual win from sophomore Broden Wagner in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.49) and took all three relay races. Judson O’Malley, Gillingham, Antonuk and sophomore Matthew Wood claimed the 200 medley relay (1:48.11); Antonuk, Judson O’Malley, Wood and sophomore Daniel Meier won the 400 freestyle relay (3:48.33) and the Hodags won the closest race of the night as the squad of freshman Elias Simonsen, Meier, freshman Espen McMahon and Gillingham rallied for the win in the 200 freestyle relay (1:44.21), beating Shawano’s top entry by 0.89 seconds. 

The Hodags took maximum points in two events. Rhinelander went 1-2-3 in the 500 freestyle with Gillingham, freshman Kellen O’Malley (5:59.26) and freshman Finn Thorsen (6:12.31). Rhinelander went 1-2 in the 400 freestyle relay with Simonsen, junior Chris Larson, Kellen O’Malley and Wagner comprising the runner-up quartet (4:08.68).

“We were really happy with that 500 group going 1-2-3. That’s not easy in those long races, early in the season. And our relays did also really well, really competitive and strong,” Heck said.

Kellen O’Malley added another runner-up swim behind his brother in the 200 IM (2:23.11). Simonsen took second in the 100 freestyle (59.16). The Hodags got additional individual third-place finishes from Meier in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, Wood in the 50 freestyle and Paul Denis in the 100 breaststroke.

“We had some really great times from guys from the sophomore group who really improved, even from their best times, from last year,” Heck said. “Daniel Meier was five seconds faster and his 100 fly, and that’s really significant. Times like that, and kids who were coming right in at their best times, is really hopeful with being so early on in the season and not a lot of training behind us.”

Rhinelander out-pointed Shawano/Seymour in every event. Though the Hawks claimed the win in the 100 freestyle with Brendon Riehl (58.25), the Hodags went 2-3-4 in that event with Simonsen, Wood and Larson to outscore Shawano/Seymour 9-7.

The Hodags will be back in the pool Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a non-conference double dual against Wisconsin Valley Conference foes Stevens Point and Wausau East in Stevens Point. 

“That will be a real, a good challenge for everyone. Point has some really fantastic swimmers who did well at the D1 sectional and state meet last year,” coach Heck said. “We’ll have some great competition. And that’s what we’re looking for. We don’t want to shy away from that. That’s what makes us better and keeps us in tune to what we need to do to be faster.”

Next Tuesday’s double dual will kick off a stretch five meets in 10 days for the Hodags leading into the holiday break. 

“We’re going to get a lot of information. We have three meets next week and then two the following week after that,” Heck said. “So we have a lot of racing before Christmas break. It’s going to be interesting.” 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].