Hodag wrestlers fall to Lakeland in Handrick Hammer dual

The Rhinelander High School wrestling team made a run in the middle weights, but it was not enough to get past Lakeland as the T-Birds reclaimed the Handrick Hammer with a 58-23 win over the Hodags in Great Northern Conference play Thursday, Jan. 15 in Minocqua.

Rhinelander won four straight bouts to trim the margin from 36-0 to 36-23 with four classes remaining but, ultimately, could not overcome four forfeits and won only two of the eight contested matches on the night. 

“Our kids, they did fight. Obviously, going against, Minocqua (Lakeland), you’re always wanting to make sure that you’re filling the lineup, and with the guys who are not injured, that are healthy, and still out, we’re too jam-packed there in the middle instead of spread out like some other team are,” Hodag coach Scottie Arneson said. “I think there were more balanced matches than there have been in our, in our previous duals. That’s always a lot better, for morale, to see that matches that we’re wrestling, or in, instead of just getting pinned, or being outmatched completely.” 

The Hodags’ run started at 132 pounds as Ivan Loka controlled Lakeland’s Landon Gray-Ives, earning a technical fall after going up 18-2 three minutes into the match. Hoyt Dantoin and Avrom Barr received forfeit wins at 138 and 144 and Anthony Boldt finished off a tight match at 150 scoring a pin over Taitum Bauman with 10 seconds remaining. Boldt led 9-6 in the third before getting a takedown that ultimately led to the fall.

“Ivan wrestled probably his most sound match that he has in a while, which is always a good thing. Getting close to the end of the season, it’s fine-tuning the things that we do really well, and capitalize when you can put yourself in most positions during matches,” Arneson said. “Tony finished off a late-match scare. I think that’s gonna help his confidence in the near future here. Just being able to close out (the match), staying in good position instead of exposing the legs like he has in previous matches.”

    Rhinelander’s Gage Anderson, right, looks to escape the grasp of Lakeland’s Spencer Krieg during a GNC boys’ wrestling dual in Minocqua Thursday, Jan. 15. The Hodags fell to the T-Birds, 58-23 in the Handrick Hammer dual. (Brett LaBore/Lakeland Times)
  

Spencer Krieg halted Rhinelander’s momentum by defeating Gage Anderson by major decision, 15-4, in the 157-pound match. That was the only bout that went the full six minutes on the night. Pins by Kade Elm over Noah Leisure (165) and Zac Amershek over Dawson Sachse (190) and a forfeit win by Nolan Johnson at 175 accounted for Lakeland’s final margin. 

The T-Birds ran the first six matches of the night — three of which were unopposed as the Hodags didn’t trot out a wrestler at 285, 106 or 120. Lakeland added pins by Tevin Wildcat over Pedro Mata (215), Mason Trapp over Noah Monk (113) and Evan Hastreiter over Michael Tredupp (126) to take a 36-point lead. 

Lakeland improved to 1-2 in conference duals with the win while Rhinelander fell to 0-3. Lakeland also evened up the Handrick Hammer series at four wins apiece after the Hodags took last year’s installment 42-27. 

The Handrick Hammer was established in 2019 following the untimely passing for former Rhinelander and Lakeland assistant wrestling coach Tommy Handrick shortly after the end of the 2017-18 season.

The Hodag boys were back in action Saturday at the Weston Invite, while the Hodag girls traveled to River Valley for an invite. Both meets concluded after deadline for today’s edition. Visit RiverNewsOnline.com for a recap of those contests and read a full report in Friday’s River News. 

The Hodag girls are back in action tonight in a GNC/WVC challenge match at Tomahawk while the Hodag boys will host Medford in a GNC dual Thursday night at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].