Team review: RHS girls’ swimming

In a world of club before school, there’s something unique about how the Rhinelander High School girls’ swim program has done things over the past several years compared to other top-level teams in the state.

While most of the team members swim in some form outside of season, many of them are two- and three-sport athletes who have come up through the ranks not only within the swim program, but in Rhinelander in general.

“I’m really proud of this team,” coach Jenny Heck said earlier this month after the Hodags swam to a third-place finish at the WIAA D2 state meet for a second consecutive season. “They grew up together, swimming together. There was really there for each other. They’re not just high school swimmers, and then they go do their own thing. They’re always been there for each other. 

“It’s a hometown team that grew up together and you don’t see that most, probably any other school. So that’s something I’m super proud of. People don’t understand it unless they’ve been through it or in our situation.”

It’s hard to argue with the results the Hodags have had over the last seven years — with seven straight Great Northern Conference titles, seven straight sectional championship and seven straight finishes of fifth or better in the team standings at state. While Rhinelander has had some individual state champions in that span, much of the success boils down to the depth the team has had, and that was especially true this season.

“That’s what, I think, really makes our program special is that we need everyone, we make sure they know their valued, important and we put a lot of time into each and every swimmer and try to reach all their goals,” coach Heck said. “I think it shows. We have the depth, we have it’s not just about one swimmer, it’s about a whole team of girls who are working to do their best, give their best and continue continually improve.”

Here are five storylines from the recently completed season. 

GNC dominance

Even with Merrill added to the fold, nobody in the Great Northern Conference could keep up with the Hodags once again this year. 

Rhinelander was a perfect 8-0 in conference duals — winning every one by at least 64 points. The Hodags flooded the conference honor roll again and, by the time the GNC meet rolled around Oct. 21 in Rice Lake, had a stranglehold on yet another conference title. 

The Hodags rolled at conference, winning nine of the 11 events and swimming to a 200-point victory over runner-up Lakeland. 

It was another dominant night for Rhinelander, which had seven different swimmers earn a victory and had nine swimmers receive all-conference recognition for finishing in the top three in at least one event. 

All 13 members of the Hodag squad scored a top five finish in either an individual event or a relay and every entry the team had scored points by placing inside the top 12. 

“It was a fantastic meet, really a lot of success with all the swimmers,” coach Heck said. “We just were really pleased with how the girls were prepared for this meet. We talked a lot about being mentally prepared and how this meet will help us get ready for sectionals in two weeks. Not only was it great to swim at this new pool, that was really nice, but swim these kind of fast times at this point where it was really optimistic.”

While the Hodags had several different swimmers win three events at conference, senior Emma Houg got the nod as the conference’s swimmer of the year. She claimed the 200-yard individual medley, the 100 backstroke as was on the winning 200 freestyle relay.

Challenged at invites

While the Hodags had plenty of depth, there were some voids in the lineup with individual podium finishers from 2024 not back on the roster after Ellyse Younker and Lily Thorsen graduated, and two-time defending 200 individual medley state champ Celia Francis transferred out-of-state. 

Losing some of that top-end firepower was most apparent when the team traveled outside the Great Northern Conference for non-conference invites that featured a number of strong Division 1, and high-end D2 programs, in the state. 

The Hodags were ninth in the Brookfield East Invite, 13th in the Waukesha South Invite and fourth in the Fond du Lac Invite this year. The Hodags were the top-finishing D2 team in two of the three meets, but was beaten by eventual state runner-up Edgewood in the Brookfield East Invite. 

As always, coach Heck said the non-conference invites were a good test for the Hodags to prepare themselves for what they would face at the end of the season.

“We talked about with all the girls what the value is and seeing this tough competition and they all agree it’s eye-opening and it’s important to do,” she said. “It makes you realize there’s a lot of fast swimming in the southern part of the state and we’re happy to be a part of it.”

Sectional champs again

The Hodags were up for the task once the WIAA postseason rolled around, causing to an 88-point victory over Rice Lake for the sectional championship. 

Though Rhinelander won only four events at sectionals — junior Rylee Mickevicius in the 200 freestyle, plus all three relays — the Hodags recorded six runner-up finishes and four third-place finishes. All 21 of Rhinelanders entries on the day placed inside the top nine. 

In total, the Hodags qualified 14 entries to state among seven different individuals. Mickevicius, Vivian Lamers, Ella Heck and Kiley Pooch each ended-up with four-event programs at state, senior Millie Gruett had three events while Houg and junior June Chiamulera had two events each.

“It’s really something, when you’re able to even repeat something twice, but then to be able to do the seven times, it’s been just amazing,” coach Heck said afterward. “These girls have wanted to keep the tradition going and we’re going to go as long as they can and I really give them credit. They’re very proud of representing their school and the community and I was just really thrilled that we could continue it for the seventh time.”

Third at state

    (Rhinelander’s 200-yard medley relay stands on the podium following a fourth-place finish at the WIAA Division 2 state girls’ swim meet in Waukesha Friday, Nov. 14. Pictured, from top left to bottom right, are Rylee Mickevicius, Millie Gruett, Vivian Lamers and Kiley Pooch. The Hodags recorded seven podium finishes at state. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

Because the Hodags had only 14 of their 21 entries qualify for state, they were behind the proverbial 8-ball in terms of trophy contention going into the WIAA state meet. That’s because defending state champion Whitefish Bay and Edgewood had both qualified all 21 of their entries. 

The Hodags couldn’t overcome the fewer opportunities to score points as Whitefish Bay and Edgewood finished 1-2 at state for a second year in a row. The battle much of the night was for third place, which the Hodags seized from Shorewood with Ella Heck’s third-place finish in the penultimate event, the 100 breaststroke, and then solidified with a third-place showing in the 400 freestyle relay. Rhinelander ended up 5 1/2 points ahead of the Greyhounds for third in the final standings. 

“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,” coach Heck 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.” 

While the Hodags went without an individual champion for the first time since 2022, there was still plenty for to the team to celebrate. Lamers held a slight lead with 25 yards to go in the 100 freestyle and ended up coming home runner-up in that event to go along with a fourth-place finish in the 50 freestyle. In addition to those races, and Ella Heck’s third-place showing in the breaststroke, Gruett also made the podium individually with a fifth-place swim in the 100 butterfly.

Six of the seven state qualifiers reached the podium in at least one event thanks to all three relay teams scoring top-four finishes. Pooch, Ella Heck, Gruett and Chiamulera took second in the 200 medley relay; Lamers, Chiamulera, Ella Heck and Mickevicius were third in the 400 freestyle relay and Pooch, Mickevicius, Gruett and Lamers were fourth in the 200 freestyle relay.

What’s next

Don’t be surprised if the Hodags extend their conference, sectional and state streaks to eight years next season.

The Hodags will have some big shoes to fill with the departure of this year’s senior captains — Houg and Gruett — but will bring back a core swimmers ready for one final run at state. Additionally, the Hodags are slated to return both of their state alternates — junior Kyree McMahon and freshman Lola Beach — and are expected to add a handful of incoming freshmen who will bolster the team’s depth. 

Next November will certainly be emotional for this year’s juniors, when they enter the pool at state for the final time. Coach Heck wasn’t quite ready to think about that after this year’s state meet, rather taking time to appreciate what this year’s team did to add to the history of Hodag swimming.

“I think right now they should just enjoy the time with their seniors now and the team as a whole, because every year is so different,” she said. “Last year was really special and this year it’s been very special as well, in different ways. We’re just grateful for today, and we’ll worry about tomorrow a different day.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].