Hodag gymnasts finish fourth in Antigo

The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team fared well Saturday, Jan. 31 in what could be a primer for when it returns to Antigo at the end of this month, with much higher stakes on the line.

Rhinelander came home fourth in the nine-team Julie Langseth Memorial. Five of the eight teams that will take part in a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet in Antigo Feb. 27 were in attendance, including Valders, which Rhinelander could be jockeying with for a team state qualifying berth in the sectional. The Hodags rallied late with a strong performance on uneven bars to edge Valders by 0.2 points for fourth position. 

Through last weekend’s competitions, Rhinelander was the top ranked team in the Antigo sectional, with a season average of 122.85 points. Waupun, which was not in attendance, was second at 122.63 followed by Valders at 122. The top two teams at sectionals will qualify for the WIAA state meet.

“We were looking at the scores throughout the meet and we were behind Valders on every single event. And we were able to make it up on bars and ended up beating them by two tents,” coach Kristina Aschenbrenner said. “I think our girls are definitely contenders. We didn’t hit beam today at all. Our vault was just mediocre. So I mean, if we were to hit, I’m seeing more of the score of like around the 125 plus, like we did starting off the season.”

Junior Emeline Hintz paced the Hodags with a career day in the all-around. She took 10th with a career-best score of 32.775 and led Rhinelander in every event. Her day was highlighted by a sixth-place finish on floor exercise (8.7). She was 10th on balance beam (8.325), 13th on uneven bars (7.35) and 14th on vault (8.4).

“Personal best on floor today. No-fall beam routine, great beam routine. We kind of just were so-so on vault, so that’s an area I think we could, we could beef up in the next one,” coach Aschenbrenner said. “She had a great bar routine. I mean, her score was right up there with girls throwing some pretty impressive routines. So, that just goes to show what she’s a good bar swinger. (She) definitely has the potential to do some things at conference and state.”

Addison Fish was 15th in the all-around with a score of 30.0. She broke into the 8s on both vault and floor and had a best finish of 19th on uneven bars. Marsadies Williams was 16th on bars and 19th in the all-around (29.625). Alexis Smith was 21st in the all around (29.4), led by a 15th-place showing on floor exercise (8.2).

“We started off on beam and we did not do well on beam today. So really proud of the girls being able to come back and really hit floor,” coach Aschenbrenner said. “We had a number of personal bests on floor. Both of our freshmen, Marsadies and Payton (Walentowski) had personal bests on floor and really nice routines. Emeline just being left off the podium, just by a couple tenths, Addison, scoring her first 8.0 of the season on floor, so that was great. 

“I would say vault probably wasn’t our best. We didn’t have the couple high placers, but there were a lot of difficult vaults being performed today. We hit our bars today. I mean, we had a couple little mistakes here and there, but for the most part, everyone hit their routines.”

All five GNC Small teams were in attendance, with Rhinelander earning the top score among that group. Antigo was sixth (118.125), followed by Lakeland in seventh (114.85), Ashland in eighth (113.075) and Mosinee in ninth (45.65). 

Even with junior Karly Gillingham scratched from the lineup due to injury, and her status being uncertain for upcoming meets, coach Aschenbrenner said the Hodags are in a great position to achieve the goals they set at the start of the season. 

“The girls that we have competing, they really did some good stuff today,” she said. “It’s exciting to see that we continue to score higher than our other conference teams, and then obviously Valders, who’s going to be at sectionals.”

Saturday’s meet was just the fifth of the year for the Hodags, but the competition schedule ramps up this month. That included a GNC Small dual at Lakeland on Thursday that took place after press time for today’s edition. 

Rhinelander is in Marshfield for an invite on Saturday and still has five meets remaining before returning to Antigo for sectionals. 

“I think we’re good with our routines. I think we just need to work them in the gym, keep doing the, the upgrades that we’ve been working on,” coach Aschenbrenner said. “Alexis had an upgrade on bars today that she threw and made for the first time. So, if we can just keep throwing those skills. I think we can really be at our best come, conference and sectionals.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].