Youth Sports roundup

YMCA gymnasts compete in Wausau

    YMCA of the Northwoods Platinum gymnastics team members stand on the podium following the Starlight Invitational club meet in Wausau Friday, Jan. 10. Pictured, from left to right, are Sam Aschenbrenner, Emeline Hintz, Eliza Hadala and Alexis Smith. Team member Margherita Tibaldeschi was unavailable for the photograph. (Submitted photo)
  

The YMCA of the Northwoods club gymnastics team competed Jan. 10-11 at the Starlight Invitational in Wausau, taking first place in the XCEL Platinum division. 

The Y Competitive team currently practices twice a week for a total of three hours and includes some athletes who also compete on the Rhinelander High School and James Williams Middle School squads. The WIAA allows high school and middle school student-athletes to compete in up to two non-school competitions during a school sport season.

    YMCA of the Northwoods Gold gymnastics team pose for a photograph during the Starlight Invitational club meet in Wausau Saturday, Jan. 11. Pictured in front is Inez Rideout. In the second row, from left to right are Koda Kondell, Evelyn Olson and Lucy Hunter. In the back row are Rachel Bidell, Helina Gurskey, Raelynn Perlberg and Holly Novak. (Submitted photo)
  

A number of gymnasts qualified for the YMCA state meet in March by achieving all-around scores of 33.0 or greater, including Rhinelander sophomores Alexis Smith and Sam Aschenbrenner and Rhinelander freshman Emeline Hintz. Gymnasts Addison Fish, Karly Gillingham and Margherita Tibaldeschi had previously qualified for state in the all-around while Eliza Halada has qualified for state on floor exercise and balance beam. 

    YMCA of the Northwoods Silver gymnastics team pose for a photograph during the Starlight Invitational club meet in Wausau Saturday, Jan. 11. Pictured, from left to right, are Amelia Rosemary, Isabelle Flory, Taylynn Senoraske, Autumn Stockwell, Briar Grill and Eloise Schiek. (Submitted photo)
  

Hintz took first in the all-around over the weekend in the Platinum division. She had the top score on balance beam and was second on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise. Smith won vault and floor and took second in the all around while Aschenbrenner was fifth on balance beam.

In the XCEL Gold Division Holly Novak and Helina Gurskey qualified for state, finishing third and sixth in the all-around, respectively. Nowak was first on vault and third on uneven bars while Gurskey was the runner-up on floor exercise, fifth on balance beam and sixth on uneven bars. Inez Rideout added a fifth-place finish on uneven bars. 

In the XCEL Silver Division, Isabelle Flory and Briar Grill have qualified for state. Flory was fourth in the all-around over the weekend, second on vault and third on floor exercise. Amelia Rosemark added a fourth-pace showing on balance beam and Taylynn Senoraske was fourth on vault.

The YMCA started with a competitive team in the 2021-2022 season. Coaches for the program include Kristina Aschenbrenner, Katy Klos, Sara Olson, Matt Steingraber.  

Eighth grade team punches state ticket

    (Submitted photo)
  

The Rhinelander Basketball Association eighth-grade girls’ basketball team wrapped up a spot in the Wisconsin Middle School Basketball Championship on Sunday by winning the five-team UTC Battle For The Northwoods Tournament in Crandon. 

The Hodags did it in dominating fashion, winning all three of their games by 20 points or more. The Hodags defeated Pittsville 46-10, Wisconsin Rapids 34-13 and Laona/Wabeno 48-14. 

Pictured, the team poses for a photograph after winning Sunday’s tournament. In the front row, from left to right, are Gemma Ring, Jessa Achterberg, McKenzie Paulson and Maddie Paulson. In the back row are coach Brian Paulson, Kylie Treder, Kaydence Walters, Corynn Waksmosnki and Teagan Clark. Coach Ryan Clark was unavailable for the photograph. The Wisconsin Middle School Basketball Championship will take place March 21-23 in Madison. 

Bantams take third at home

    The Rhinelander Ice Association Bantam hockey team poses for a photograph after placing third in its home invitational tournament at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Sunday, Jan. 12. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are CJ Sparks, Finnley Anunson, Connor McGee, Kane Loka, Max Miljevich and Alec Pilat. In the second row are coach Ryan Roeser, Wyatt Peters, Nash Schwartz, Carsen Zadnik, Brady Schroeder, Evan Rodziczak, Lena Chiamulera and Caleb Rudis. In the back row are head coach Jed Peters, Charlie Duquaine, Braydon Lorman, William McCone and coach Tyler Pyrchalla. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
 

The Rhinelander Ice Association’s Bantam (U14) hockey team took third place over the weekend in its six-team pool in the Hodag Hockey Invitational tournament held Jan. 10-12 at the Rhinelander Ice Arena. 

The Hodags defeated Burnett 7-4 Friday night and took second in its pool following a 7-2 loss to Verona on Saturday night. The Hodags came back Sunday to beat the Patriots Hockey Club, based out of Madison, 6-0 in the third-place game.

Carsen Zadnik scored six goals in Friday night’s opener while CJ Sparks tallied a goal and three assists. Those two had all three of Rhinelander’s goals in the third period as the Hodags pulled away for the victory.

Verona scored twice in the first period and then score five unanswered goals after the Hodags tied things up early in the second period on Saturday off tallies by Max Miljevich and Evan Rodziczak. 

Zadnik recorded a hat trick and had two assists in Sunday’s finale while Braydon Lorman scored twice and Miljevich added a goal.

Goalie Connor McGee stopped 37 shots against Burnett, 39 shots against Verona and made 18 saves in Sunday’s shutout win over the Patriots.

(Photos by Bob Mainhardt for the River News)

    Connor McGee grabs the third-place trophy following the Hodags’ victory over the Patriots at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Sunday, Jan. 12.
  

    Carsen Zadnik scores from close range for the Hodags during the second period of Sunday’s game against the Patriots. It was one of nine goals Zadnik scored during the three-game tournament.
  

    Rhinelander’s Brayden Lorman reacts after scoring a goal during the third period of Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
  

RBA hosts home tournament

The Rhinelander Basketball Association hosted a youth boys’ basketball tournament at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Saturday, Jan. 11. The Hodag sixth-grade team went 3-0 and took first place on the day, thanks to wins over Northland Pines Blue (52-22), Northland Pines White (42-9) and Wausau East Red (45-42). The RBA fourth- and fifth-grade squad took fifth in its bracket, beating Antigo (41-6) before suffering losses to Lakeland (35-12) and Wausau East Red (38-34).

Photos By Bob Mainhardt for the River News

    Rylan Pasanen attempts a free throw for the sixth-grade team during a game against Northland Pines White.
  

    Brayden Volkmann drives in for a layup for the sixth-grade team during a game against Northland Pines Blue.
  

    Easton Sieker puts up a shot in the paint for the fourth- and fifth-grade team during a game against Antigo.