Rhinelander’s overtime Peewee state triumph top local game of ‘25
There’s something special about overtime playoff hockey, especially when it comes in an elimination game. The notion that the result of a season hangs in the balance with every rush up and down the ice creates drama that is hard to match.
Dome’s collapse, return top local sports story of ‘25
The deflation of the Hodag Dome, its aftermath and reopening, is our top local sports story of 2025, by a landslide.
Assume nothing
Big second half leads Lady Hodags to convincing upset over Assumption
If the Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team goes on to do big things over the final two thirds of the season, it can look back to the second half Monday night as the turning point.
Everest piles up goals early in win over Hodags
It took all of 53 seconds for the floodgates to open against the Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team on Monday night, and the torrent continued through the first two periods.
Rhinelander fends off Pines, remains unbeaten in GNC
Feck makes seven 3s again as Hodag Hoops wins 60-55
Devon Feck and Mylo Albrecht both scored 24 points, but it was Feck’s Hodags that made more plays down the stretch as Rhinelander defeated Northland Pines 60-55 at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Lindner takes title at Hodag Scramble
RHS girls ninth, boys 21st in home invite
Cassidy Lindner went 5-0 on the day and topped a 19-wrestler bracket at 126 pounds to capture the title in the large invite hosted at the Hodag Dome. Lindner’s title helped the Hodags place ninth out of 22 teams in the girls’ division. Rhinelander finished 21st of 25 teams on the boys’ side.
Lady Hodags wear down Eagles, win 54-25
The Hodags forced 36 turnovers, held the Eagles to 22% from the field and eventually pulled away to a 54-25 victory in GNC play at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Short-handed Hodag swimmers still have plenty to down Tomahawk
Despite having a number of swimmers out of the lineup, the Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team still had plenty of depth Thursday as it closed out the dual meet portion of the Great Northern Conference schedule.
Feck’s career-high 25 leads Hodag Hoops past Warriors 61-38
A Hodag team that struggled to find its stroke in games the previous week looked like its old self again on Tuesday night. Devon Feck scored a career-high 25 points and the Hodags were 46% from the floor in a 61-38 victory over Wausau West in non-conference play at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Hodag gymnasts open season with best score since 2012
The Hodags came out of the gates strong at home Saturday, Dec. 13, posting a score of 125.65 points as they took third in the Snowflake Invitational at the YMCA of the Northwoods.
RHS swimmers down Lakeland, finish second at Hodag Relays
The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team continued the busy first half of its season with two meets over the course of four days. After taking second at its home relay meet on Saturday, Dec. 13, Rhinelander returned to GNC play on Tuesday where it took care of a short-handed Lakeland squad 136-16 in Minocqua.
Lady Hodags fall to No. 9 SPASH on the road
The Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team couldn’t keep up with one of the state’s best Division 1 programs on Tuesday night, falling to Stevens Point 61-32 in a non-conference matchup in Stevens Point.
Antigo pulls away in second period, downs Hodag hockey 6-2
The Hodags showed flashes Tuesday night, but three unanswered second-period goals by Antigo allowed to Red Robins to create some separation and skate away with a 6-2 win in a Great Northern Conference contest in Antigo.
Hodag girls finish sixth in first GNC/WVC Challenge
Lindner claims 126-132 bracket at Rebel Invite
The Rhinelander High School girls’ wrestling team got its first taste of conference competition on Tuesday as it took part in the first round of the Great Northern/Wisconsin Valley Conference challenge series in Wausau.
Boys’ wrestlers take 18th in Crandon
The Hodag boys’ wrestling team had a mix of varsity and JV competitors Saturday, Dec. 13 as it finished 18th out of 21 teams in the Rebel Invite hosted by the Laona/Wabeno/Three Lakes co-op at the Forest County Potawatomi Community Center in Crandon.
Hodag Hoops overcomes outside struggles to down Antigo
Abe Gretzinger scored a game-high 20 points while Evan Shoeder added 13 points and 14 rebounds as the Hodags defeated Antigo 62-42 in Great Northern Conference play Friday night at Sheldon Fieldhouse.
Hodag swimmers cruise past Medford in GNC play
The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team made short work of Medford Thursday, Dec. 11, sweeping the top two spots in all 11 events as they defeated the Raiders 136-19 in Medford.
Lady Hodags pull away to down Antigo, snap skid
The Hodags bounced back Friday night and regained a bit of their stride as they steadily pulled away from Antigo en route to a 68-29 win at Sheldon Fieldhouse.
Hodag wrestlers fall to Merrill in GNC dual
The Rhinelander High School boys’ wrestling team won the first match of the night against Merrill, but not much else went the Hodags’ way in a 69-12 loss to the Bluejays in Great Northern Conference dual meet play Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Four-goal third not enough for Hodag hockey at Chequamegon
Despite scoring four times in the third period, the Hodags came up short in a 7-6 loss to Chequamegon/Phillips in a non-conference contest in Park Falls.
Flummoxed by zone, Hodag Hoops falls at Wittenberg
The Hodags struggled on the offensive end of the floor, shooting just 24% while committing 19 turnovers, in a 49-33 loss to Wittenberg-Birnamwood in a non-conference boys’ basketball contest Tuesday in Wittenberg.
Hodag football team hands out awards
The Rhinelander High School football team reflected on its 2025 season Sunday as it held its awards banquet at the high school’s John and Dori Brown Performing Arts Center.
RHS boys’ wresters take 15th in opener at Antigo
The Rhinelander High School wrestling team had four wrestlers make the top flight in their weight classes as it came home 15th Saturday, Dec. 6 in the 18-team John Roberts Invite in Antigo.
Hodag Hoops gets past Medford in GNC opener
The Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team was pushed by a young Medford squad much of the way Friday night but, eventually, the Hodags’ experience prevailed as they began their quest for a third straight Great Northern Conference title.
Offense struggles again for Lady Hodags in loss to Medford
Rhinelander shot just 27% from the field and was 6 of 29 from 3-point range Friday night as it fell to Medford 55-45 at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
RHS girls’ wrestlers take 17th in opener
Lindner runner-up at 126 pounds
The Rhinelander High School wrestling team had five girls take to the mat on Friday night as it came home 17th in the 30-team Red Robin Invite in Antigo.
Clarks, Lady Hodags go cold vs. Mosinee
RHS drops GNC opener after splitting Thanksgiving weekend games
Rhinelander’s weaknesses were exposed in a stretch of three games over five days coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday, capped off with a 43-32 loss to Mosinee Tuesday night in the Great Northern Conference opener at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Hodag Hoops finds groove late at Ashland
Big GNC opener tonight vs. Medford
The box score will show the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team cruised to a 75-41 victory on the road Monday night in a non-conference contest at Ashland. However, for the better part of the first half, the game was anything but a walk in the park.
Northland Pines overwhelms RHS in GNC hockey opener
The Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team could not slow down Northland Pines Tuesday night as the Eagles defeated the Hodags 14-1 in the Great Northern Conference opener at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.
Hodag swimmers victorious in GNC opener
The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team began another Great Northern Conference title defense in convincing fashion Tuesday night, winning 10 of 11 events as it defeated Shawano/Seymour 119-51 in GNC dual meet play in Shawano.
Hodags dismantle Crandon in opener
Feck leads four in double figures as RHS wins 83-25
Judging from the way it performed in its season opener Tuesday, Nov. 25, if the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team isn’t where it wants to be yet, that’s an ominous sign for the competition.
Team preview: RHS wrestling
Hodag grapplers looking to build this year
Numbers are up in the wrestling room for the Rhinelander High School boys’ and girls’ wrestling teams. The Hodag coaching staff hopes that will yield more success this year when it comes to Great Northern Conference play.
Hodag swimmers post solid times in Everest pentathlon
The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team got its first taste of competition for the season Nov. 25 as it took part in the D.C. Everest Pentathlon.
Hodag hockey drops opener at Shawano
The Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team fell behind early and couldn’t recover on Nov. 25 as it dropped its season opener 7-2 to the Shawano/Bonduel Hawks at the Crawford Center in Shawano.
Team preview: RHS boys’ swimming
Young Hodag squad ready to prove itself, keep swim dynasty going
The Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team has not needed to rebuild much over the past seven years as it has excelled at the Great Northern Conference, sectional and state levels. With nary a senior on the team, this might be as close to a rebuilding year as the Hodags have had in some time, but coach Jenny Heck said her young squad is eager to make a name for itself.
Captains Gruett, Houg honored at Hodag girls’ swim banquet
While there were many awards and accolades the Rhinelander High School girls’ swim team earned during the course of another successful season, the squad handed out only two awards on Monday at its season-ending awards banquet.
Team review: RHS football
In up and down year, Hodags find way back to playoffs
The Rhinelander High School football team had three wins for the second year in a row but, what this year’s squad had that last year’s didn’t, was a trip back to the WIAA playoffs.
Lady Hodags trounce Crandon in opener
Clark sisters combine for 44 points in 74-15 rout
Aubryn Clark had 25 points, Teagan Clark added 19 and the Hodags raced by Crandon 74-15 in non-conference play at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Team preview: RHS boys’ basketball
Hodag Hoops has pieces in place for another run
Ask Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball coach Derek Lemmens about his team’s chances and he’ll tell you the same thing he’s said the last two seasons. His Hodags have the talent to do great things. It’s just a matter of how quickly the team gels on the court and realizes its potential.
Team preview: RHS hockey
Hodags striving to be more competitive this season
With three-plus decades on the bench for the Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team, coach M.J. Laggis is not mincing words about how difficult last year’s 3-22-0 campaign was and how desperately his team wants to return to playing a stronger brand of hockey.
Team review: RHS girls’ swimming
Hodags continue to hold strong among state’s top programs
In a world of club before school, there’s something unique about how the Rhinelander High School girls’ swim program has done things over the past several years compared to other top-level teams in the state.
Team review: RHS boys’ soccer
Hodags begin to find stride late in Vojta’s first season
From the onset, first-year Rhinelander High School boys’ soccer coach John Vojta conceded that rebuilding a soccer program that was just three years removed from a run to the WIAA state tournament would take some time.
Team review: RHS cross country
Hodag harriers establish themselves as GNC contenders
The Rhinelander High School cross country team turned in a solid performance during the 2025 season that ended with three runners participating in the WIAA Division 2 state meet.
Hodag swimmers take third at state meet
Second for 200 medley relay, Lamers in 50 free, lead seven podium finishes for RHS
The Hodags scored seven podium finishes out of its 14 entries and came home third place overall in the WIAA Division 2 state meet Friday, Nov. 14 in Waukesha. It marked the second consecutive third-place finish for the Hodags, who have placed in the top five in every state meet since 2019.
Team preview: RHS girls’ basketball
Lady Hodags primed for GNC, WIAA tournament run
The Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team was basically a .500 outfit last year, going 13-12 overall. But how the Hodags got there, and who they have coming back, has the team optimistic about what the 2025-26 season could hold.
Team review: RHS girls’ tennis
Hodag netters get back into GNC title fight
The Rhinelander High School girls’ tennis team did not achieve its stated goal of returning to the top of the Great Northern Conference, however, the 2025 season likely went a long way to getting the Hodags back to ruling the conference the way they did during the 2010s and the early part of the 2020s.
Hodag swimmers united heading to state
For all the success that the Rhinelander High School swim program has had over the past several years, every team and every season takes on its own identity and own persona.
Seven at sectionals
Hodag swimmers win another sectional crown, qualify 14 entries for state
The Hodags scored a meet-high four individual wins and cruised to victory in a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet Saturday, Nov. 8 in Rice Lake. In addition to their four sectional winners, Rhinelander earned 10 at-large berths to the WIAA state meet — giving the Hodags 14 entries in total for tonight’s D2 championship in Waukesha.
Hodag soccer team conducts year-end banquet
The Rhinelander High School boys’ soccer team did things a bit differently when it came to awards Sunday, Nov. 9 as it held its year-end banquet at the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom.
Team review: RHS volleyball
Hodags battle through long season with young, injured squad
While Rhinelander High School volleyball coach Jayme Wyss hoped her squad would look vastly different at the end of the 2025 season than it did at the start, little could have prepared her or the Hodags for the tough hand they were dealt much of the season.
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