Lamers named Lady Hodags’ most improved

The Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team put a bow on its 2024-25 season Wednesday with its awards banquet in the RHS Library. 

The team handed out six varsity awards with two of the biggest going to a sophomore and a senior. Vivian Lamers took home the team’s most improved player award while Kesley Winter won the toughness award, leading the list of honors handed out by the Lady Hodags’ coaching staff. 

In addition to those two, sophomore Ella Miljevich won the defense award, senior Dawsyn Barkus earned the spirit award and the Hodag award was shared between senior Reese Gehrig and sophomore Lexi Beran. 

Rhinelander’s season took a turn midway through the year when star sophomore guard Aubryn Clark suffered what proved to be a season-ending back injury. 

Despite Clark missing the final 12 games, the Hodags still managed to post a 13-12 overall record and finish tied for third in the Great Northern Conference. 

“We did start getting better and better and the last game of the year, I thought we kind of put it all together,” Hodag coach Ryan Clark said. “Proud of the effort, not what I envisioned if we were all fully healthy — not just Aubryn, but everybody fully healthy — but there was so many things about (the season) I did really appreciate with you guys.

“I think we got to a point where we were courageous and I think this will help us going forward.”

Lamers ended up with much more on her plate after Aubryn Clark’s injury. She went from being key defender and secondary scorer to the team’s top scoring threat and primary ball handler. She finished the season averaging 11.5 point, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.1 steals per game.

“I was really hard on her, harder than I probably needed to be, but what she was able to do by the end of the year — from the first Mosinee game to the last Mosinee game — the growth was insane,” coach Clark said. “To take our spot as our ball handler, as a shooter, as a scorer, and have to like try to orchestrate our offense — that was way more advanced we’ve had any other year — and do that with a very young inexperienced group (was impressive). She wasn’t afraid to make mistakes, and that’ll take you so far in life.”

Aubryn Clark’s injury was far from the only one the Hodags had to manage this year. Only two players played in all 25 varsity games for Rhinelander while everyone else dealt with injury and/or illness at some point. That was especially true for Winter, who appeared to re-aggravate a knee injury that cut short her sophomore season in just Rhinelander’s second game of the year at Rice Lake. She played through the injury the remainder of the year, with her knee heavily braced, and finished the season scoring a career-high 16 points in a playoff loss at Menomonie.

    Kelsey Winter receives the Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team’s toughness award from coach Ryan Clark during the team’s banquet in the RHS Library Wednesday, March 12. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

“Just the mental toughness was really impressive. It was inspirational for everybody, coaches included,” Clark said. “To play with what she played through the entire season and, I don’t know how you do it, but it’s like you continue your mind and your body and separate the two. There is no fear when you step on the court. It’s like, ‘If I step on the court, I’m going 100 miles an hour, 100 percent,’ and it’s not reckless. It’s just competitive.”

Miljevich averaged 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game for the Hodags and became one of the team’s top on-ball defenders during the course of the season. Coach Clark commended Miljevich for helping to hold Shawano junior and UW-Madison recruit Leah Nordin below her season average when the teams met in February, as well as putting the clamps on Menomonie wing Jordan Ohman in the playoff contest. 

“She’s a physically super strong kid. It’s like all muscle. She’s so hard to go against. We put you on Leah Nordin, who’s like literally almost a foot taller than you. Against Menomonie, we had you on their leading scorer and you held her to four points,” coach Clark said. “And what I loved about that game is I thought that game … you really bought into like your ability to guard full court, turn and run and show off all you have athleticism and toughness and strength, and it just kind of clicked.”

Coach Clark noted that Barkus’s game picked up during the second half of the season and commended her for her leadership and ability to bridge the gap between the seniors and underclassmen. 

“I think everyone could say that she just brings a fun vibe to the team,” he said. “Dawsyn, I would see her hanging around different groups of kids all the time. It wasn’t just her and Kelsey or her and Reese. She just mingled with everybody. Pretty awesome as an upperclassman to have that, so I really appreciate that.”

In receiving the Hodag Award, Gehrig was credited for her team-first mentality despite seeing limited varsity minutes. Beran was honored for her willingness to put in additional work outside of practice to improve her game. 

Additionally Clark presented 11 members of the Hodag squad with Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Associational Academic All-State awards. The award goes to varsity players of any grade level who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. 

Receiving the honor for Rhinelander were Gracie Anderson, Barkus, Beran, Aubryn Clark, Ellie Cummings, JaLyn LaChapelle, Lamers, Amelia MacIntyre, Miljevich, Kara Monk and Winter. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].