Rebels looking to put it all together for postseason run

Depending on how one looks at it, the path for the Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels could either set up for a deep run or an early exit from the Class AA regional tournament. Which path Rhinelander takes will start to be decided Thursday when the tournament gets underway in Minocqua.

What ultimately could determine how long Rhinelander sticks around in the Island City is simply a matter of which Rebels team shows up. If the Rebels are sharp, like they were in their 10-0 regular season finale win at Minocqua last week, the team could realistically challenge to get back to the state tournament for the first time since 2022. 

However, if the Rebels aren’t sharp on the mound and struggle elsewhere, as was the case in a couple of blowout losses earlier this month, a two-loss and out performance isn’t out of the realm of possibility. 

    Rhinelander’s Abe Gretzinger fields a ground ball to shortstop during the second inning of an American Legion baseball game in Minocqua Monday, July 14. The Rebels (6-7) return to Minocqua beginning Thursday to take part in the six-team Class AA regional tournament. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

It’s an intriguing six-team bracket for the regional that includes five teams representing Great Northern Conference communities — Rhinelander, Lakeland, Northland Pines, Medford and Antigo — along with a sixth, Merrill, that will join the GNC next spring. 

If spring ball is any indication, there should be plenty of parity. Rhinelander, Northland Pines and Medford all reached the regional finals during the WIAA season, with Medford eventually falling to Mosinee in the sectional semifinals. 

“Realistically, when all teams are at full strength, I think it’s anybody’s ball game,” Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said. “You know, whoever plays ‘A’ ball that night, we can all beat each other.”

That showed during the summer as Rhinelander posted a 4-3 record against the teams in the field —beating Antigo and Minocqua twice while losing their only matchups against Merrill, Medford and Northwoods. 

Rhinelander draws Merrill Thursday in the final game of Day 1 and, regardless of what happens, the Rebels will have to play the winner of one of the other games on Friday. 

That’s because there are effectively no byes in the double-elimination bracket that the state Legion tournament handbook calls for in a six-team regional. If Rhinelander were to beat Merrill, it would play the winner of Thursday’s game between Antigo and Northwoods. With a loss, Rhinelander would have to defeat the winner of the Medford-Minocqua clash Friday afternoon in order to stay alive.

“You always want to start out winning your first game in any tournament — especially in this one here. Otherwise you get in a losers’ bracket and it is a long, long way to get back,” Huhnstock said.

Merrill entered its final few games of the regular season at 5-8, though that record is somewhat deceiving as Merrill is still part of the Wisconsin Valley Legion League, where the Bluejays had a 1-8 record through July 16 play. Merrill won all three of its games in the Art Perkins Memorial Tournament in Merrill June 27-28, including a 10-6 victory over the Rebels.

“Well, it all depends what the pitching matchup is. We can play with them,” Huhnstock said following that tournament about a potential rematch with Merrill in the postseason. “We just have to hit the ball off their good pitchers. And I’m sure starting the regional tournament, we’re going to see probably the same pitchers again, and we’ve just got to be ready for them.” 

All tournament games will be held at the 70 West Complex in Minocqua. Thursday, Friday and Saturday will all feature three games, with play starting at 11 a.m. The field will be whittled down to either two or three teams by Sunday, when play will begin at 10 a.m. and, if necessary, a winner-take-all championship game will follow at 1 p.m.

The winner will advance to the Class AA state tournament Aug. 1-5 in New London.

Below is a recap of how Rhinelander has fared against the tournament field this season. 

Antigo 

The Rebels are 2-0 against the Typhoon, having beaten Antigo 16-6 in Rhinelander June 11 and again 2-0 in Antigo June 18. The 16 runs in the opener are the most the Rebels have scored all summer. Vince White pitched six shutout innings in the rematch and the Hodags took the lead on a Sawyer Bishop sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Rhinelander also defeated Antigo twice during the high school baseball season.

Medford

Short on available arms, Rhinelander’s lone meeting against Post 147 did not go well July 1, with the Rebels falling in six innings, 16-6. Rhinelander cashed in on some early mistakes to score six runs in the first three innings. Rhinelander walked a total of nine batters between the fourth and fifth innings and Medford scored 12 unanswered runs. Abe Gretzinger, Josh Willoughby and Tyler Chariton pitched in relief in that contest — their only pitching appearances for the Rebels this summer. Notably, Medford’s roster featured a trio of 2024 grads — Tanner Hraby, JV Castillo and Blake Bargender — who featured prominently in Medford’s state runner-up finish last year. A scheduled doubleheader between the teams for July 18 was canceled as Rhinelander did not have enough players to field a team due to a travel tournament. 

Merrill

The Rebels faced Merrill only once this summer, falling 10-6 when the teams played in the Art Perkins Memorial Tournament in Merrill June 27. Merrill scored seven times in the fifth inning to win that contest. Rhinelander rallied late with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and three in the seventh after starting pitcher E.J. Weix left the contest. The teams did not play during the spring season.

Minocqua

The Rebels swept the regular season series against the 89ers, scoring 10 runs in both contests. Rhinelander rallied from down 4-0 in the first inning in the first meeting against Minocqua June 28 in Merrill. Mason Schmidt was ineffective in a brief outing before leaving with an arm injury and has not pitched for Rhinelander since. The Rebels rallied to tie the game with four runs in the bottom of the inning and eventually pulled away. Rhinelander jumped on Minocqua ace Ben Peterson in the rematch July 14, tagging him for five runs over three innings. Only one of those runs was earned, however, as Minocqua played sloppy defense with six errors and seven passed balls. Dylan Vanderbunt allowed just two hits, no walks and struck out nine over five shutout innings for Rhinelander. 

Northwoods

Things did not go well for Rhinelander in their lone meeting against Northwoods this summer. The Rebels gave up nine runs in the first inning and lost 11-2 to the Eagles in Eagle River. Vanderbunt struggled through just two thirds of an inning and Rhinelander was not able to generate much offense against starter Brody Hoeft. Northwoods, which draws players from Northland Pines and Three Lakes, features arguably the top pitcher in the field with southpaw Jonathan Miller — who shared Great Northern Conference player of the year honors this spring. He pitched eight shutout innings against Rhinelander during spring ball in a game Northland Pines eventually won in 10 innings, 2-1.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected]. 

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Thursday, July 24

Game 1: Medford vs. Minocqua, 11 a.m.

Game 2: Antigo vs. Northwoods, 2 p.m.

Game 3: Merrill vs. Rhinelander, 5 p.m.

Friday, July 25

Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11 a.m.

Game 5: Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3, 2 p.m.

Game 6: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3, 5 p.m.

Saturday, July 26

If Winner of Game 1 wins Game 5

Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 6, 11 a.m.

Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2 p.m.

Game 9: Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 5 p.m.

If Loser of Game 3 wins Game 5

Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 a.m.

Game 8: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 2 p.m.

Game 9: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7, 5 p.m.

* Team with 3-1 record after Saturday play advances to championship

Sunday, July 27

If Winner of Game 1 wins Game 5

Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 10 a.m.

Game 11: Repeat Game 10, if necessary, 1 p.m.

If Loser of Game 3 wins Game 5

Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9 OR Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 9, 10 a.m.

Game 11: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 OR Repeat Game 10, if necessary, 1 p.m.