RHS Sports recap: Thursday, Feb. 12

Girls’ basketball: Rhinelander 57, Merrill 12

The Rhineladner High School girls’ basketball team put on a defensive clinic Thursday night, defeating Merrill 57-12 in a GNC contest in Merrill.

The Hodags allowed just five field goals in the contest and built a 34-5 lead at halftime before cruising to their sixth straight win.

Aubryn Clark led the Hodags with 19 points, Teagan Clark had 13 and Ellie Cummings matched her season-high with nine points. 

Rhinelander (13-8, 9-4 Great Northern) will face No. 2 (D2) Rice Lake at Home on Tuesday.

Boys’ hockey: Chequamegon/Phillips 5, Rhinelander 2

Kellen Kranig scored four goals and had an assist as Chequamegon/Phillips pulled away from Rhinelander for a 5-2 victory in a non-conference boys’ hockey game Thursday at the Rhinelander Ice Arena. 

Kranig broke a 2-all tie with a goal late in the second period, added a short-handed goal 4:14 into the third and scored the clincher on an empty net with 18 seconds to play.

Drake Nelson and Carson Plehn scored Rhinelander’s goals and the Hodags outshot the SEaLs, 33-23. Connor McGee made 18 saves in defeat for Rhinelander. 

The Hodags (1-22-0, 1-9-0-0 Great Northern) will begin the WIAA tournament at Northland Pines Feb. 19.

Gymnastics: Rhinelander 119.55, Mosinee 39.65

The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team locked up the lead in the Great Northern Conference Small Division standings heading into the conference tournament with a 119.55-39.65 win over Mosinee Thursday night at the YMCA of the Northwoods. 

The Hodags had the top three in the all-around with Addison Fish (31.425), Emeline Hintz (30.975) and Marsadies Williams (30.775). Fish and Williams tied for first on the uneven bars, Fish won the floor exercise and vault and Williams claimed the balance beam.

Rhinelander (4-0 GNC Small) will compete in the Ashland Invite on Saturday.

Full reports will be published in Tuesday’s River News.