Hodag varsity bowlers wrap-up .500 season

It was senior recognition day with the BCAW District 9 honoring 42 seniors this year including Rhinelander’s Dominic Hakala, Blake Klingen, Jackson Fuss and Leander Sprecksel as the league wrapped up regular season play Sunday, Feb. 1 at Dale’s Weston Lanes.

The Rhinelander varsity team split their pair of matches on Sunday, 1-1 to close out the regular season with a 5-5 record overall. 

The Hodag opened with a 7-1-1 win over rival Lakeland. Rhinelander won the first three games (180-144, 219-100 and 136-108) before dropping fourth (155-171) and tying the fifth at 161.

Rhinelander rebounded after that, winning the next four (190-139, 161-138, 223-179 and 176-147). 

In the second match the Hodags fell to Iola-Scandinavia, 6-3. Rhinelander won the first game 159-157 and then picked up wins in the fifth and sixth games (181-172 and 181-162).

Hakala led the Hodags with 15 strikes, 13 spares and nine opens, while Fuss had 12 strikes, 15 spares and nine opens. Leander Sprecksel had 13 strikes, eight spares and 15 opens and Klingen had 10 strikes, 18 spares and eight opens.

“Leander showed great improvement this week and too bad we only had him for his senior year as I feel we could have had him as a top contender if had the last 4-6 years of coaching him,” coach Mike Bourcier said. “Jackson has definitely improved over the last 3 years and brings fun to the team. Blake and Dom have been with the program since middle school and have definitely been the most consistent.  I wish all the seniors the best in whatever direction life takes them, but know that what you learned during their time bowling will let them go anywhere and enjoy the sport.”

Freshman Eli Miller wrapped up the day with eight strikes, eight spares and seven opens. Brighton Walkowski had two strikes, four spares and seven opens. 

Junior varsity

It was like two sides of a coin for the Rhinelander/Three Lakes/Elcho/Phelps junior varsity bowling team as they split a pair of matches on Sunday to wrap up the regular season. 

The Hodags dropped the first match, falling to Stevens Point 7-2, winning just the fourth games (164-142) and the eighth game (134-115). 

Rhinelander turned things around in the second match where they won 8-1 over the bye. The bye score to beat was a 125, the only game they dropped was the seventh with it being 121-125. 

“There was no energy heading into the first match. Most of them came out flat and it just looked like they had any interest in trying to pull out a win they could have easily gotten because many of the games were within reach,” coach Cory Dellenbach said. “They came out with more energy, they were having fun, they were helping each other and encouraging one another.”

Three Lakes junior Oren Alsager led the team with 20 strikes, 11 spares and just 5 opens on the day, which put him in position to qualify for the BCAW High School State meet March 6-8 in Weston.

Alsager, who was ineligible to compete Rhinelander’s varsity squad because it had too many Rhinelander bowlers to form a co-op, sat eighth in the District 9 individual boys’ standings as of Monday. Teams had until Wednesday, after press time for today’s edition, to enter their final statistics at the top 10 bowlers in the final D9 standings will qualify for state.

“Oren came out with a goal to have as many strikes as possible and as few opens as possible and he accomplished both. He kept his spirits up, even when missing a few spares, which is what we’ve been working on. He needs that type of attitude when he’s competing at state,” coach Dellenbach said.

Phelps freshman Charlie Duquaine wrapped up the day with 11 strikes, 10 spares and 15 opens, while Silas Johnson had 10 strikes, 12 spares and 14 opens. Alyssa Habeck had seven strikes, 14 spares and 16 opens as Oliver Doppke closed with seven strikes, 10 spares and 19 opens. 

Middle school

The Rhinelander middle school bowling team struggled on the lanes Sunday afternoon with a 7-0 loss at the hands of DC Everest No. 1. 

The Hodags had just 37.14 fill percentage as a team. 

“That’s not a good showing at all and is a setback from our previous match. Kids lost focus this past week and we need to get them back there. With high school done now the middle schoolers will definitely see that focus the rest of the season,” coach Dellenbach said. 

Natalie Dellenbach led Rhinelander with five strikes, seven spares and just two opens in 14 frames of work. 

“It’s her second straight match with just two opens and both of those spares she missed are considered unmakeables because they are splits. She’s been putting in the time away from practice and working on her spare shooting and these last two matches have shown the results of what can happen when a bowler does this.” 

Charlotte Preuss had four strikes, three spares and seven opens. 

Up next

While the high school dual meet season is done, many of the Hodags will compete in the BCAW District 9 Singles Tournament, which Rhinelander will host Feb. 27 to March 1 at Nick’s Hodag Lanes.

The middle schoolers will next be in action on Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m. at Dale’s Weston Lanes. The final match of the season is Sunday, April 12 at 10 a.m. at Nick’s Hodag Lanes.