Conner Rappley voted Hodag baseball MVP

The sophomore who became Rhinelander’s No. 1 pitcher during the 2025 season earned the Hodag baseball team’s most valuable player award.

Conner Rappley received the honor Monday as the team held its season ending banquet and pizza party at Nick’s Hodag Lanes in Rhinelander. The honor was voted on by the players and was one of three team awards presented during the evening. 

Rappley, who earned second-team All-Great Northern Conference honors as both a pitcher and infielder this spring, was the Hodags’ opening day starter on the mound and led the team in most pitching categories. He logged the most innings (53 1/3), had the most strikeouts (61) and the lowest ERA (1.97) as he went 4-2 on the season with a save in 10 pitching appearances. Rappley also had one of the biggest highlights of the season, pitching a perfect game in Rhinelander’s 8-0 win at Medford May 22. 

At the plate, Rappley had Rhinelander’s only home run of the spring as he hit .242 with six extra base hits and nine RBIs. 

“This person had a tremendous year, offensively, and then on the mound as well. Really got things going into the postseason and led us to a couple victories in the playoffs,” Hodag coach Joe Waksmonski noted in his remarks. 

Senior Seth Nofftz received the team’s Hodag Award and sophomore Josh Willoughby was voted the team’s most improved player. 

Nofftz hit .288 with four doubles and a team-high 16 RBIs on the spring, all while moving from shortstop to second base. He had a .947 fielding percentage with 32 putouts and 40 assists in 76 total chances. That percentage was the second-best on the team, excluding catchers and first basemen.

“He was a shortstop for three years, and then his senior year, he played second base. Some guys could take offense to that, a position switch like that,” Waksmonski noted. “Seth, being the team guy that he was, it wasn’t an issue at all. He was down for it. He took on that role. And, quite frankly, he was probably our best defensive second baseman that we’ve had in many, many years here in Rhinelander.”

Willoughby was pressed into action as Rhinelander’s backup catcher, heading behind the plate on days when starter Jackson Waydick took the mound. His .979 fielding percentage was second only to Waydick’s (.993) on the team and he threw out three would-be base stealers in 20 attempts. Waksmonski noted Willoughby was a nearly unanimous selection for most improved based on his growth behind the plate during the season.

“He started out the season at a position that he kind of played in the past, but not really, and had some struggles in the beginning. And slowly but surely got better as the season wore on,” he said.

The team also handed out the all-conference awards it received during the season. In addition to Rappley’s honors, Waydick was a first-team catcher, Dylan Vanderbunt was a first-team outfielder and received honorable mention at pitcher, Sawyer Bishop was a second-team insider and both Nofftz and Abe Gretzinger received honorable mention in the infield.

“This group put in the time, put in the energy and effort to become better baseball players,” Waksmonski said. “But most importantly with this group is they are all coachable. They’re all very coachable individuals. Whatever coaching they get, they take whatever suggestions and they put it into their play, they put it in the game, they just put in their preparation. So that’s the exciting part, especially for the guys that are coming back — but even the guys that the senior guys as well. It led to us having a successful spring season.”

The Hodags ended the season with a 13-11 record, posting their first winning season since going 9-8 in 2022. Waksmonski credited the underclassmen for helping to create a new identity for the program, coming off of a 1-19 record last season and also commended the seniors for buying into the changes that were made in the offseason.

“Whether it was preparation going into the season, during the season, the way we all practiced, the way we competed during the games, this group came together, and they forced us — as a program — to do things differently. And consequently, we started having success,” Waksmonski said.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].