Hodag harriers compete at Smiley

The Rhinelander High School cross country team hit a key mile-marker near the midway point of its season this last Saturday, competing in the 69th annual Bill Smiley Invitational in Wausau.

The Hodag boys were sixth in the D1 Small category and 14th overall out of 25 teams in Division 1 while the Hodag girls, with a handful of runners out due to injury, did not qualify for a team score. 

Viewed as a mid-season proving ground that attracts schools from around the area and the state, coach M.J. Laggis said he’s optimistic about where his team — and especially his boys’ squad — sits as it heads to the second half of the year and begins to focus on making it back to the WIAA Division 2 state meet as a team for the third time in five years. 

“We looked at the times right after, and I’ll tell you, we like where we’re at,” he said. “We got to keep getting better, but when we look at our section and what it takes to be a top two (team to qualify for state), we’re in that hunt. We got to keep getting better, but we are definitely in that mix.”

Even if the Hodags’ team state aspirations do not come to fruition, junior Avrom Barr continues to put himself in position to make a run at qualifying for state individually. He turned in another strong performance on Saturday, placing seventh among D1 Small runners and 17th overall in Division 1. He covered the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 40.3 seconds. That was roughly 1:09 up the trail from winning Cooper Erickson of Stevens Point, but it was another solid run for Barr despite, according to Laggis, not feeling 100% going into the meet.

“I don’t think that was his best day. I know he’s not feeling great,” Laggis said. “I think maybe he had a 16:20 or something about like that in him today. But he fought through and you saw that he worked hard and he finished strong. There were a couple of kids that he probably should have finished in front that were ahead of him, and then he beat them down the stretch with a nice kick.”

Jackson Weinzatl was the team’s No. 2 runner. He was 78th overall in the field of 168 runners (18:15.7). He was followed by Jonathan Campbell in 102nd (18:54.0), Michael Brunette in 110th (19:04.4), Grant Gremban in 135th (19:41.9) and Wyatt Crowell in 154th (20:30.8).

“We got to get the Nos. 2, 3, 4 (finishers) to gap up a little bit more. We got to get the Nos. 3, 4 with Jacko (Weinzatl), and then we got to get No. 2 up a little bit. And no matter what, we got to finish a little faster in the five hole, that five hole just got to be a little faster than it is. So we’re on the right track. We’re going to try to injury-free and just keep right on rockin’. We’re right on schedule.”

    From left to right, Rhinelander runners Noelle Mayo, Macy Myers and Kara Monk leave the starting line of the Bill Smiley Invitational cross country race in Wausau Saturday, Sept. 20. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

Macy Myers once again led the Hodag girls, finishing 12th in D1 Small and 36th overall in D1 with a 20:53.6. Myers, like Barr, came in feeling less than 100% according to Laggis, but still had a strong race.

“She had a good kick, not quite a Macy kick, but a good finish today. And, you know, had a really nice time with 20:53,” Laggis said.

Behind Myers, junior Kara Monk had a breakout race, taking 45th with a lifetime-best mark of 21:12.6. Laggis said he’s impressed with the way Monk has come on this season, comparing her demeanor to that of Rhinelander’s last individual state qualifier on the girls’ side, Alayna Franson.

“Kara’s got that (mentality) where she races that race from start to finish. And that’s a lot how Alayna was if you think about it,” he said. “Alayna wasn’t as someone that was, all of a sudden, just this fanatical kick at the end, and neither is Kara. Kara’s just working on that overall race pace and today you saw it. It was just an even, strong race. But what I like the most is her body language, are eyes up, looking strong.”

The Hodags were still without two of their top five runners from the start of the season with junior Gabby Wanta (knee) and sophomore Gretchen Fiebke (shin) unable to race. The Hodags did have freshman Noelle Mayo (ankle) back in the lineup for the first time since the Mosinee Invite Sept. 2, and she dropped more than 1:20 off her personal best, coming in 104th (23:13.2).

“For a freshman, to go out there and leave that kind of attitude and guts on the line and run the way she runs, I’m really excited, not just for this year. In her case, I’m really excited to see it the next couple of years bring, because that work ethic is fantastic. And she raced like it today,” Laggis said.

Rhinelander could have qualified for a team score but opted to run its three other healthy runners in the girls’ JV race. Sophomore Emily Schiek recorded a personal-best time of 26:54.4 there, senior Grace Cornelius finished in 28:30.6 and freshman Adeline Olson closed in with a personal best at 28:43.5.

“Grace Cornelius has just turned into a fantastic leader for us. And true to form today, she was out on the course, encouraging girls that were struggling and just being a great leader. And I’m just so proud of the kind of character she has. I would say the same thing about Emily Schiek, just two fantastic young ladies that continue to improve his runners,” Laggis said.

Rhinelander was back in action Thursday as it took part in the Three Lakes Invite. Rhinelander will next travel to Medford Oct. 2 for the Raider Invite.

In the interest of full disclosure, the River News notes that the author of this story has a family member who is an athlete on the RHS cross country team. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].