Headin’ toward eleven

The Rhinelander High School boys’ tennis team took a major step toward its 11th consecutive conference title Tuesday afternoon.

The Hodags took three of four matches in singles, and two out of three in doubles, to earn a 5-2 victory over the Medford Raiders in a battle for first place in the Great Northern Conference at the RHS tennis courts.

The result was significant, as it gave Rhinelander an eight-point lead over Medford and a 10-point cushion over Lakeland heading into next Thursday’s conference tournament in Minocqua. 

While not insurmountable, the gap is commanding and the Hodags have history on their side. Every team that has entered the GNC tournament with the points lead has gone on to win the conference title.

“With such a small conference, every point you get counts. Then, even beyond the immediate points, we think about what how this could set us up for the tourney and earn more points there. So it was a great day for the team,” Hodag coach Matt Nichols said.

Six of the seven matches on Tuesday were decided in straight sets. The Hodags swung four additional conference points their way in the seventh match as senior Payton McCue staved off Medford’s Cale Schulz in a marathon tiebreaker at No. 1 singles. 

McCue cruised in the first set, 6-1, but struggled in the second, falling behind 2-5 before eventually falling 4-6. The senior overcame four double faults in the tiebreak and, finally, on his fifth match point attempt, took it 15-13 when Schulz hit a return into the net. 

“That’s such a long tiebreak, and it props to both guys, they did such a good job, playing hard through the whole thing,” Nichols said. “Super proud of Payton, staying strong. He’s done a lot of tiebreaks. He always does a good job playing hard through even those tight points and to see him come out on top is huge, not only for today, but moving forward.”

The residual effect of McCue’s win over Schulz is that it likely insulates the Hodag senior from dropping to the fourth or fifth seed at No. 1 singles in the conference tournament, given that he has wins over Schulz and Pacelli’s Josh Opaneye. 

“With only five teams in conference, looking at a two or a three, it doesn’t matter which one you play each other, but the big thing is you’re avoiding the No. 1 seed (Lakeland’s Dominic Gironella), who has beaten everyone pretty handedly,” Nichols said. “So that’s a really nice draw for him, assuming it works out like that.”

    Rhinelander’s Asher Rivord plays a point against Medford’s Ethan Kollmensburger during a GNC boys’ tennis dual meet at the RHS tennis courts Tuesday, May 13. Rivord won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

The Hodags prevailed in the bottom two singles flights with sophomore Asher Rivord and Calvin Loomis. Rivord was a step ahead of Medford’s Ethan Kollmansburger most of the way, jumping out to 4-1 leads in each set en route to a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles. Loomis rallied to win five of the last six games in the first set at the No. 4 flight to take it 6-3 over Christian Preuss. Loomis then jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set before going on to a 6-4 win.

“Calvin and Asher, they came in strong, but they have, I think, improved a lot, and they’ve grown into strong players,” Nichols said. “We sent them up to the Nos. 1 and 2 flights to push them. We know they can compete there, and for them to play Nos. 3 and 4, they’re in tight matches, but they have that confidence, they have great games. They use it to their advantage and they get the wins.”

Rhinelander cruised in the top two doubles flights. Michael Schiek and Aiden Ostermann rolled 6-0, 6-2 over Blaine Searles and Mason Reimann at No. 1 while Van Tulowitzky and Hart Hokens were 6-3, 6-2 winners at No. 2 over Jaeden Brandner and Cole Zenner.

“No. 2 doubles was pretty clean and then No. 1 doubles, I think they learned a lot from their loss to Pacelli,” Nichols said. “They came out and they knew what they had to do. We worked hard at some of those errors they were making, this last week at practice. They brought a really good game and got a big win from it.”

Medford’s Parker Hill defeated Karter Massey 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 2 singles flight while Axl Sopnbauer and Cash Thums edged Rhinelander’s Braydon Lorman and Aidan Lueder 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 doubles.

The Hodags were scheduled to take part in the Sheboygan Invite this weekend, but backed out when that event was moved to a Saturday-only event, conflicting with Rhinelander’s junior prom. The Hodags will host Marshfield in a key postseason tuneup this coming Tuesday at the RHS tennis courts. 

“It’s all postseason-focused right now, whether it’s conference or the WIAA playoffs,” Nichols said. “Marshfield, they’re strong team, that’ll be a really nice matchup to push us, and also prepare us for the WIAA playoffs, because we might see some of those players there. But a great, great match to have going into the conference tournament.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].