RHS Sports recap: Thursday, Jan. 23

Wrestling: Rhinelander 42, Lakeland 27; Rhinelander 41, Medford 36

It was a big night at home for the Hodag wrestling team on Thursday as Rhinelander knocked off rival Lakeland 42-27 and then upset defending GNC-champion Medford 41-36 in a GNC Quadrangular at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.

The Hodags had six pins and a forfeit as they won the Handrick Hammer back from Lakeland for the first time since 2020. Rhinelander got pins from Logan Schwinger (190 pounds), Shayden Hylleberg (215), Reid Schultz (285), Ivan Loka (126), Avrom Barr (138) and Tony Boldt (150) against the T-Birds and a forfeit win by Brayden Kreig at 165.

Kreig drew another forfeit at 165 against Medford in the final bout, which proved to be the difference in the match. Schwinger, Schultz, Barr, Boldt and Gage Anderson (150) earned pins for the Hodags and Hoyt Dantoin (132) got a technical fall as the Hodags defeated the Raiders for the first time in eight years.

Rhinelander (5-1, 3-1 Great Northern) will travel to Wausau East for an invite on Saturday.

Boys’ swimming: Rhinelander 121, Tomahawk 43; Rhinelander 137, Lakeland 21

The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team won 10 events and swept a double dual on Thursday, defeated Tomahawk 121-43 and Lakeland 137-21 at the Heck Family Community Pool.

The senior quartet of Dolan O’Malley, Shawn Dennis, Mathias Fugle and Samson Shinners won the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays in their last regular season home meet. O’Malley also took the 50 and 100 freestyle, while Denis took the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke and Shinners won the 100 butterfly.

Dean Gillingham, Charlie Antonuk, Judson O’Malley and Matthew Wood won the 200 freestyle relay. Gillingham added a win in the 200 freestyle and Antonuk took the 500 freestyle.

The Hodags travel to Shorewood on Saturday for the Small School State Invite.

Boys’ hockey: Shawano/Bonduel 5, Rhinelander 1

The RHS boys’ hockey team fell to Shawano/Bonduel 5-1 Thursday at the Rhinelander Ice Arena. The Hodags allowed a goal in the first period and two each in the second in the third. 

Kadin Rodziczak scored late in the second period for Rhinelander to trim the deficit to 2-1, but Shawano answered back before the end of the period and added a power play goal just 10 seconds into the third. Blake Knope and Gavin Hundt each scored twice for the Hawks, who outshot the Hodags 37-29.

Asher Rivord made 32 saves in defeat for Rhinelander. 

The Hodags (2-13-0, 0-4-0-0 Great Northern) travel to Waupaca on Monday.

Full reports will be published in Tuesday’s River News.