Hodag Hoops banquet: Feck voted MVP, six players honored

For a handful of weeks, the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team had planned to celebrate its 2025-26 season a day after the WIAA regional finals. The Hodags just wished it was a celebration in preparation for their first sectional appearance since 2022.

Menomonie had other ideas in that regard, upsetting the Hodags 65-51 in last Saturday’s regional final, but that didn’t stop the team from gathering Sunday to celebrate a great season and the careers of its seniors. 

Coach Derek Lemmens conceded the timing wasn’t the greatest for the banquet, however, with spring sports getting underway and Rhinelander’s spring break set for next week, there was no time like to present to relive the season.

“I wanted to make sure that we had this time together before everyone kind of gets scattered and starts to move into the next season. So that’s kind of the reason we really wanted to get it in now,” he said. “It’s always exciting to come together, one last time before the end of the season, but this is always a very hard time, because of that reality that the journey is over. This is kind of that part for that moment. So it’s that bittersweet, the emotion that comes across to be able to celebrate what was an incredibly exciting and successful season at all levels, while also realizing that it’s now over.”

On the varsity front, all five starters and one member of the bench received honors, which were voted upon by the players. 

Senior Devon Feck took home the team’s most valuable player award. Feck led the team in a number of categories this season and was its top scorer, averaging 19.1 points per game. Feck made 96 3s on the season and shot 45.5% from beyond the arc. He also led the team in free throw percentage (85.9%) and had 4.4 assists per contest. 

“I have heard more coaches talk about Devon Feck and his shot than I’ve ever talked about a player before,” Lemmens said. “I’ve heard many coaches that have been around the game for a long time, say, ‘That is the best pure shooter I’ve ever seen.’ And it’s not something that happened by accident. This is someone who has put so much time and energy into the game basketball, so to see him pay off and to see him be able to put that on display for everyone to see, that’s a beautiful thing.”

Lemmens noted that, in addition to being named GNC co-player of the year (see related story, p.7), Feck also is set to be named a Channel 7 All-Star, recognizing the top players in the north-central part of the state. Owen White (2018) was the last Hodag to receive that honor. 

Senior Jatyn Barkus and junior Rowan Wiczek shared the team’s Mr. Defense award. Barkus averaged 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 deflections and a team-best 2.4 steals a contest while Wiczek ended up drawing some of the top defensive assignments toward the end of the season. He averaged 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

“Teams with good guards had a very hard time against these two,” Lemmens said. “They fought through screens. They kept guys in front. You had kind of the opposite, where you’ve got the long, athletic, gangly (with Barkus), and then you have just the physical, I’m going to push, I’m going to grab them, and do everything when the ref isn’t looking, and sometimes when he is, kind of defender (in Wiczek). You gotta love that grittiness. Sometimes it costs them late in the game because they pick up fouls. But when you’re guarding the best players night and night out and you’re running through screens and you’re battling through all that stuff, you’re going to have those things happen. I thought every night we’re very confident putting these two to on any player knowing that we’re going to be able to control that player.”

Hand in hand with the Mr. Defense award, senior Evan Shoeder earned the team’s “Windex” award, a nod to how he cleaned up the glass all season for the Hodags. He was Rhinelander’s top rebounder at 8.8 per contest and finished with a team-high 26 blocks in 26 games played. 

“He protected the rim. And with that ability that he had, he got so much better at waiting to jump second,” Lemmens said. “So while he blocked quite a few shots, he disrupted even more that he probably could have blocked because he was more disciplined and was willing to just wait a little bit. Then the rebounding speaks for itself. When that ball’s up in the air, Evan was going to get it. There were multiple games where he had 12-plus rebounds, which is not an easy feat, especially when you’re already battling against the biggest player on the other team. So you not only have to battle and hold that guy off, you have to also go and get it, and he did that night and night out.”

Barkus and Abe Gretzinger shared the team’s Mr. Hustle award. Lemmens, again, touched on Barkus’s overall defensive prowess while touting Gretzinger’s athleticism as a key to when the team utilized its 1-3-1 zone. 

Junior Conner Rappley earned the team’s most improved award. He averaged 2.0 points per game and carved out a spot in the rotation as the season progressed. 

“He got better, and better every single day. He listened, he was coachable, and he worked hard,” Lemmens said. “He saw the minutes increase. It’s unfortunate that he got the flu at the end of the season, and had to miss an entire week, because he was doing some really good things. And we’re excited for what he’s gonna do as he continues to improve.”

Rhinelander’s three senior captains — Feck, Barkus and Shoeder — were also presented with the team’s Hodag Award for the impact they made both on and off the court. 

“That Hodag Award is the people that embody what we want our program to be — the character, the full-time students, and also the committed basketball player,” Lemmens said. “And these three, since they were this big, have been doing it, just have always committed to getting better and better, and just represented themselves and the program in an incredibly positive way. That’s why they were our captains. The fact that all their teammates voted for, just shows that everyone sees it. It’s out there, it’s noticeable, it’s just who they are.”

It was that impact that Lemmens focused on during his remarks about the season. While he said the team’s 22-4 record and third straight Great Northern Conference championship were admirable, the impact they had on their teammates and future Hodag basketball players was even more remarkable.

“They did their part and they’ve built on a foundation so that all these other groups can be successful as well. They’ve given kids reasons to dream, reasons to believe, and they’ve left so many kids, inspired and wanting to be a Hodag basketball player,” he said.

Though not presented with an award, Lemmens also recognized the fourth member of the senior class, Caden Sieker, who — aside from a ceremonial start in the Hodags’ home game against Lakeland Feb. 20 — was sidelined the last two seasons due to shoulder injuries. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].