Paint the bell green

Rhinelander High School senior Leander Sprecksel touches up the paint job on Gene Shepard’s Hodag Bell Trophy along with fellow senior members of the RHS football team during a pep assembly at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Tuesday, Sept. 30. As is tradition whenever the Bell changes ownership, the winning team gets to paint its handle and supports in its school color. Members of the Hodag football team took turns painting the Bell green. Rhinelander defeated Antigo for the Bell 54-8 last Friday, winning the trophy for the first time since 2021. Tuesday, however, marked the first time the Hodags painted the Bell since 2019, when they took it back from Antigo before going on a three-game winning streak in the series. Rhinelander (3-3) faces Mosinee tonight on the road. See Page 10 for a preview of that contest.