Hodag swimmers take third at state meet

WAUKESHA — The Rhinelander High School girls’ swim team once again showed it can keep up with some of the powerhouse programs in the southern part of the state. 

The Hodags scored seven podium finishes out of its 14 entries and came home third place overall in the WIAA Division 2 state meet Friday, Nov. 14 in Waukesha. It marked the second consecutive third-place finish for the Hodags, who have placed in the top five in every state meet since 2019.

The Hodags didn’t have the number of entries to keep up with Whitefish Bay or Madison Edgewood to claim the championship or runner-up trophies. Coach Jenny Heck said, while she would have loved to bring home more hardware, it was another strong showing for her squad on the state’s biggest stage.

“Two years in a row third place, though, is very impressive. These girls are just a strong group of girls and should be really proud of themselves,” she said. “You always want more and better and all of these high goals that we shoot for, but that’s part of it. You always shoot high, because if you don’t shoot high, you don’t obtain great things. And that’s one thing that these kids continue to is shoot high and not be ever satisfied.” 

That sentiment was echoed by the team.

“I think everybody showed everything they had,” senior captain Emma Houg said. “Everybody gave it everything, and just being the team we are makes it really special.”

The Hodags didn’t have any individual state champions this year, marking the first time since 2022 that nobody on the team brought home a gold medal. But the squad had two seconds, two thirds, two fourths and a fifth to show for their efforts. 

The closest call of the night came in the 100-yard freestyle, where junior Vivian Lamers was virtually dead even with defending state champion Hannah Tubbs at the halfway point, and appeared to inch ahead slightly in the third 25-yard length of the race. But Tubbs, a senior from Black River Falls, turned it on down the stretch and swam to the win at 52.76 seconds. Lamers hit the wall at 53.47 and held off Sauk Prairie’s Alyssa Himebauch by 0.01 second for the runner-up spot.

“I know I take it out fast. That’s what I do best. I take it out with everything I got and just come back and leave it all in the pool, and I definitely left every last bit in the pool,” Lamers said. “I was just thinking, ‘Get to that wall.’ I was just so happy. Everything that I’ve worked for just really hits you, and just it’s all worth it in the end. It just makes you feel so good.”

Lamers added a fourth-place swim in the 50 freestyle (24.43). Coach Heck said Lamers dug deep at the end of the 100 after struggling in the final few strokes of the 50.

“I just knew that she had to finish. We talked a little bit about, I think her last few strokes in her 50 weren’t quite as strong and so I think that she was able to finish that 100,” she said. “I was so happy to see that second place, and she just put her head down and got to the wall.” 

    Rhinelander’s Ella Heck competes in the 100-yard breaststroke during the WIAA Division 2 state girls’ swim meet in Waukesha Friday, Nov. 14. Heck finished third in the event for the Hodags. (Brett LaBore/Lakeland Times)
  

Junior Ella Heck scored a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.65) — a spot she held virtually from start-to-finish as she came home with a personal-best time.

“I was happy with it. It was a fun race. I’m able to swim against some of the best people in it. It’s only gonna make me better, so I’m happy,” she said.  

Millie Gruett, a senior captain, got on the podium in an individual event for the first time in her Hodag career thanks to a furious finish in the 100 butterfly. She sat sixth after the opening 50, and appeared to drop back slightly over the third 25 of the race, but closed hard to hit the wall in fifth with a time of 59.66 — the first time she’s ever broken a minute that event. 

    Rhinelander’s Millie Gruett competes in the 100-yard butterfly during the WIAA Division 2 state girls’ swim meet in Waukesha Friday, Nov. 14. Gruett finished fifth in the event for the Hodags. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

“I just thought, ‘Millie, this is your last race. This is what you’ve been working for for 11 years. This is what it all comes down to,’ and I just decided you to put my head down and I got it done,” she said. “I was very happy. I just was really happy and proud of myself.” 

“There’s certain moments that really make you feel just relieved and see those dreams come true with kids, and that was one of those,” coach Heck added. “We’ve been working a lot on our finishes. She’s been really working on finishing her kick and a stroke, and it all came together at the right time.” 

Rhinelander reached the podium in all three relays, led by a runner-up showing in the 200 medley with Kiley Pooch, Ella Heck, Gruett and June Chiamulera (1:49.09). The Hodags finished behind Whitefish Bay, which set a new D2 state record in the event (1:44.32).

The Hodags came home third in the 400 freestyle relay (3:39.24) with Lamers, Chiamulera, Ella Heck and Rylee Mickevicius; and fourth in the 200 freestyle relay with Pooch, Mickevicius, Gruett and Lamers (1:39.14).

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2025 WIAA Division 2 girls' state swim championship

The 2025 WIAA Division 2 girls' swimming state championships took place Friday, Nov. 14 at the Waukesha South High School natatorium in Waukesha. Rhinelander scored seven podium finishes and placed third out of 33 teams in the field.

“We swam faster and every single one and, like I said, you always want a little bit more and a little faster and a little better place. But that’s really something to be proud of,” coach Heck said. “They all swam fantastic, and it’s very stressful figuring out what the best combination is and how you’re going to do it and how everyone’s going to perform. And I think everyone did the best they absolutely could, and I’m just very proud.” 

Mickevicius almost pulled off a podium finish from the slower first heat for a second year in a row. She won the opening heat in the 200 freestyle (1:59.06) and ended up seventh in that event. Mickevicius placed 12th in the 100 butterfly (1:00.33). 

Pooch came home ninth in the 100 backstroke (1:00.22) and tied for 12th in the 50 freestyle (25.42), Ella Heck placed 11th in the 100 freestyle (55.15) and Houg placed 13th in both of her races — the 200 individual medley (2:17.41) and the 100 backstroke (1:02.22).

Whitefish Bay won eight events to claim its second straight state title, with Edgewood taking the runner-up spot by 71 1/2 points over Rhinelander. Both of the top two teams qualified the maximum of 21 entries for the state meet. The Hodags finished 5 1/2 points ahead of Shorewood for third. 

The Hodags might not have walked out of Waukesha with a trophy but —judging from their reactions afterward — it’s hard to argue that any team is closer. 

“I’m really excited with how we placed and how our team performed, but I am so incredibly sad that I am leaving these girls. We’re all growing up, and I just love them so much,” Gruett said. 

“It was hard. I’m not gonna lie. Just cooling down for the last time was sad, and I’m gonna miss this team,” added Houg.

The emotions experienced by their senior captains was a fact not lost on the juniors who, at this time next year, will be competing in their final state meet. 

“I mean, watching two of my best friends in the whole world have to experience it tonight, just makes me realize how much next year I just need to enjoy all for one last time, with all my best friends that I’ve done this with since I was five-years old,” Lamers said. 

Coach Heck said the team’s cohesiveness and unity made it special — something that she owed to Gruett and Houg. 

“They’re just the leaders of the team and what they bring to the team is even much more than swimming,” she said. “It’s the hard work, the dedication, the friendship, just overall bringing team unity and the importance of having fun with your sport. Swimming will only take you so far, but your friendships will continue on forever. And I think this group will always continue (to be friends) and these friendships will last forever.” 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].