Youth Sports roundup

Squirt Bs second in home tourney

The Rhinelander Ice Association’s Squirt B hockey team took second in its division of a Squirt B/C tournament at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Feb. 20-22.

The Hodags started the tournament with an 8-6 win over Amery, downed Patriot 7-0 and lost to North Lakeland 4-3 in the championship game. Jaxson Krueger scored 11 goals during the tournament, including six in the opener against Amery. 

The Hodags will play in the WAHA Squirt 3B state tournament in Merrill this Saturday and Sunday. The fifth-seeded Hodags will open against Hayward at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday.

(Bob Mainhardt for the River News)

    Jaxson Krueger skates the puck out of the defensive zone off a faceoff during a game against Amery Friday, Feb. 20 at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.
  

    Goalie Colton Marshall eyes a potential shot by Amery during a game Friday, Feb. 20 at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.
  

Three Rhinelander bowlers compete at Badger State Games

    From left to right, Natalie Dellenbach, Eli Miller and Oren Alsager display their silver medals from the team bowling competition of the Badger State Games in Schofield Saturday, Feb. 21. (Contributed photograph)
  

Three Rhinelander Area Youth Bowling Club members took part in the 2026 Badger State Games, competing in the bowling event at Coral Lanes in Schofield on Saturday, Feb. 21. 

Middle schooler Natalie Dellenbach along with high schoolers Eli Miller and Oren Alsager entered the event — all first-timers in the state-wide Badger State Games. 

In individual competition, Alsager was the only scratch division bowler and had to beat his average of 648 (over three games) by more than 10 pins. He did so with a 716 to earn a gold medal.

Dellenbach, competing in the B Division (140-159 average) had to fend off three opponents in the first three games of the day — all fellow District 9 middle school bowlers. In the match play portion of the individual tournament, Dellenbach defeated Stevens Point’s Kaylin Girarrd 236-225 (with handicap) to reach the gold medal round.

In the final round, Dellenbach held off Merrill’s Ella Humphrey in a close 226-219 battle for the gold medal. 

Miller competed in the boys 175-plus average division, but couldn’t make it past the initial three games.

A few hours later, the three returned to compete in the team portion of the event. They ran against the team of Stevens Point bowlers Wyatt Thielman, Bryce Terry and Warren Miller. While the three from Rhinelander beat Point by scratch, after handicap was figured in, it was Point taking the victory by 16 pins and the gold medal, leaving the team of Miller, Alsager and Dellenbach with the silver.

RBA 8th Grade Green team takes title

    (Contributed photograph)
  

The Rhinelander Basketball Association’s eighth-grade B team scored a first-place finish in a tournament at Medford Saturday, Feb. 21. The Hodags defeated Wausau Newman 26-21, Hurley 29-25 and Chequamegon 42-32. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are Boston Hopfensperger, Marshal Towne and Landon Gauthier. In the back row are coach Ben Gauthier, Dom Wozniczka, Mason Stein, Tyson Fischer and Tyler Gould.  

Middle school girls’ basketball

The James Williams Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade girls’ basketball teams closed out their season Tuesday, Feb. 24 with wins over John Muir 

(Wausau West) middle school at the JWMS Gymnasium. The seventh graders defeated John Muir 40-9 with the eighth graders won, 35-27.

(Photos by Bob Mainhardt for the River News)

    Isabelle Gray looks to pass to Grace Delaney (40) during the eighth-grade game.
  

    Charlotte MacIntyre looks for an open teammate up the floor during the seventh-grade game.