Hodag girls’ golf team celebrates inaugural season

The Rhinelander High School girls’ golf team put a bow on its inaugural season last Tuesday with a banquet at Northwood Golf Club in Rhinelander. The majority of the squad received awards and the coaches thanked the players for making the team’s first season a success.

“We had lots of fun. I had lots of fun. It was very enjoyable. So thank you. Thank you for making the season great,” head coach Adam Schmidt said. “We had lots of laughs in the car, lots of laughs on the course. It was definitely fun, so I really enjoyed it.”

Six of the seven players on the roster earned varsity letters by playing in at least four matches this fall for the team. Honorees included seniors Nevaeh Anderson, Claire Yunkers and Karlie Yunkers as well as juniors Lindsey Hoerchler, Ella Miljevich and Hayley Schiek. 

The team also presented two statistically-based season-ending honors. Anderson earned the team’s most valuable player award with the lowest scoring average on the squad — averaging 51.7 strokes per nine holes during the season. 

Karlie Yunkers won the team’s most improved award. She dropped a whopping 41 strokes from the team’s first 18-hole invite of the season to the team’s last competition at WIAA regionals. She had a 26-stroke improvement from her highest nine-hole score of the year to her lowest. 

Schmidt noted that award was difficult to give to just one person, because all of the players made strides during the course of the season. 

“This one, I was actually, really surprised, because you all improved a lot, but there were some of you that like improved,” he said.

The team had its best nine-hole score of the year in its last event, shooting 217 over the opening nine of the regional tournament at Brown County G.C. The Hodags also had victory in a dual meet over a pair of Wausau East/West’s JV squads at Northwood Golf Club Sept. 4. Anderson took medalist honors in a meet at Trapp River Golf Course in Wausau Sept. 18, shooting 46. She was also the team’s top finisher at regionals, placing 23rd with an 18-hole round of 99.

“I can honestly say I’ve never had a group of kids that were more coachable,” Schmidt said. “It was so nice, like, they’re athletic. They’re so polite, they’re so nice. When I would help, when we tried to help them or show them something, they just they’d listen, they do it, they try it. It was really nice, so I really appreciate that.”

That was a sentiment assistant coach Todd Anderson echoed in his remarks.

“I just want to echo some of the things you said about these girls being fun to work with, easy to work with,” he said. “Look at them. They’re all smiles. It makes it a lot easier on coaches when you guys listen and you have fun. Even when it’s bad, you’re smiling. It’s really nice for you girls to be in this inaugural bunch, to be in the first group of girls. You did a really good job.”

The Hodags are slated to graduate three of their seven players from this year’s roster. At the end of the event, Schmidt encouraged his returning players to get more girls out for the team.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].