Hodag netters win in season opener
Rhinelander swept doubles in both matches and claimed 4-3 victories over Green Bay West and Ashwaubenon as part of a triangular in Green Bay on Tuesday.
Team Review: RHS boys’ basketball
Hodags changed gears to earn GNC title
After a handful of down years, it’s safe to say the road to the Great Northern Conference boys’ basketball title once again runs through the Rhinelander Hodags.
Track members stretch legs in Whitewater, Stevens Point
Select members of the Rhinelander High School track team hit the road this past weekend, taking part in two separate meets.
Hodag track places top two at Pines in first meet since dome deflation
The Hodags fared well, winning the girls’ portion of the eight-team Northland Pines Indoor in Eagle River. The Hodag boys finished second in their division, but Thursday’s meet was more about just getting back into some sort of normal routine following the deflation of the Hodag Dome due to damage March 30 that left the team without its primary indoor training space and without a fair bit of its equipment.
Hodag baseball drops two in Mauston
Forfeit win earned as Bloomer backs out
Big late innings cost the Hodags in an 8-1 loss Friday night to Hortonville and in a 13-3 loss to Barron on Saturday at the Woodside Sports Complex.
Hodag soccer drops season-opening games to Eau Claire North, Marshfield
The Hodags were shutout in their contests, losing 1-0 Friday to Eau Claire North and 3-0 Saturday to Marshfield. The games were originally scheduled to be held in the Hodag Dome but were moved following the dome’s deflation due to damage sustained March 30.
Team Preview: RHS boys’ tennis
Hodag netters must retool lineup in GNC title defense
It has been 12 years since anyone other than Rhinelander has won the Great Northern Conference boys’ tennis championship. In order for the Hodags to keep that steak going this year, they’ll need to reload after graduating a number of players from the top of their varsity lineup.
Home away from Dome
Hodag teams battling loss of facility space, equipment following dome deflation
Athletes ran the hallways at Rhinelander High School this week. Some practices lasted until 10 o’clock at night. It all harkened back to a time prior to the Hodag Dome.
Team preview: RHS girls’ soccer
Hodags primed for GNC, playoff run
With the majority of the offense returning from a team that went 12-3-4 last year, hopes are high that the Hodags can finally get back to the top of the GNC this year and, subsequently, make noise in the WIAA tournament.
Team review: RHS gymnastics
Hodags continue to rise with young underclassman core
The rebuilding of the Rhinelander High School gymnastics program continued during the 2024-25 season, and significant progress was made along the way as the Hodags look to get back to contending for conference championships and spots at the WIAA state meet.
Team review: RHS wrestling
Hodag grapplers gain ground on GNC foes
Rhinelander went into the GNC tournament tied for second in the conference standings but a fifth-place finish there dropped the Hodags to fourth in the final standings. Still the Hodags went 6-3 in dual meets this season, had six all-conference wrestlers, a total of four wrestlers between the boys’ and girls’ programs qualify for sectionals and their first boys’ state qualifier since 2022 in senior Logan Schwinger.
Dome damaged, deflated due to power outage
The Hodag Dome will be closed for an indefinite period of time after it received damage Sunday morning during an ice storm that hit the Northwoods. According to district officials, a backup generator designed to kick on during power outages failed to trigger automatically when power was lost Sunday morning, causing the dome to lose air pressure.
Hodag Dome damaged, deflated due to power outage
The Hodag Dome will be closed for an indefinite period of time after it received damage Sunday morning during an ice storm that hit the Northwoods.
Hodag track second at Ashland Indoor
Both the Hodag boys and girls finished second in the eight-team Oredocker Large School Indoor Invite in Ashland. Rhinelander was edged by Hayward in both divisions, but saw fellow conference mates Lakeland and Northland Pines at the meet as well as Hayward, Ashland and Northwestern, who all will come to Rhinelander at the end of May for Division 2 regionals.
Late winter storm throws baseball, soccer a curveball
Had practice started two days earlier, there would have been a decent chance that the Rhinelander High School baseball and girls’ soccer teams could have been outside.
Schwinger named Hodag wrestling’s most valuable
Senior Logan Schwinger was voted the Hodags’ most valuable wrestler as well as the team’s most dedicated wrestler. The honors were handed out as the team held its year-end banquet at the Crescent Town Hall.
Team review: RHS boys’ hockey
With little depth, Hodags endure long season on the ice
Rhinelander took its lumps this year, posting a 3-22-0 record. It was the lowest win total for the Hodags since a string of three straight three-win seasons from 2010-11 to 2012-13. It also marked the first time that the Hodags went winless in Great Northern Conference play.
Hodag girls take second in track opener
Hintz, Myers break pole vault school record
The Rhinelander High School track team had a small crew on Thursday, but turned in some impressive feats in its first track meet of the season.
Team review: RHS girls’ basketball
Lady Hodags battle adversity to finish above .500
The Hodags lost leading scorer Aubryn Clark to a season-ending back injury almost exactly halfway through the season. Despite that, the Hodags were still able to manage a 13-12 record on the season and tied for third in the Great Northern Conference with a 7-5 league mark.
team preview: RHS Track & Field
Hodags aim to take on GNC, area elites
With numbers continuing to rise and new faces on the coaching staff, Rhinelander High School track coach Aaron Kraemer said he’s excited to see what the 2025 season has in store for his Hodags.
Truman Lamers earns Elite Academic All-State honors from WBCA
Rhinelander High School senior Truman Lamers was one of 15 boys’ basketball players statewide to be recognized as Elite Academic All-State by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. The honor was announced on Tuesday.
Hodag softball battles spring break as season starts
Monday morning got off to a bit of a quiet start for the Rhinelander High School softball team as the Hodags began preparations for their upcoming season in the Hodag Dome.
Team review: RHS boys’ swimming
Current group has set new gold standard for Hodag swimming
The 2024-25 season was another chapter in what has turned into an impressive Hodag dynasty over the last several years. The Hodags now own seven straight Great Northern Conference titles, seven straight WIAA D2 sectional titles and five finishes of third or better at the state meet since 2019.
Hodag Hoops holds year-end banquet
Lamers named MVP, 8 players earn awards
One day after its postseason run came to an end in the WIAA regional finals, the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team officially put a bow on a memorable, but ultimately bittersweet, 2024-25 season.
Lamers named Lady Hodags’ most improved
Winter wins toughness award
The Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team handed out six varsity awards with two of the biggest going to a sophomore and a senior. Vivian Lamers took home the team’s most improved player award while Kesley Winter won the toughness award, leading the list of honors handed out by the Lady Hodags’ coaching staff.
Cronauer earns Hodag Hockey’s Al Baker Award
Timber Cronauer was the recipient of this year’s Alfred O. Baker Outstanding Hockey Player Award. The honor was presented to him last Tuesday as the Hodag hockey team wrapped up its season with a banquet at the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom.
Hodag Peewees capture state title with dramatic OT win over Somerset
Easton Ostrom threw the puck from behind the net toward the front of the crease and it caromed in to lift the Rhinelander Ice Association’s Peewee A hockey team to a 3-2 victory over the Spartans. It capped off a thrilling weekend for the Hodags in which they won three games in the matter of about 28 hours to bring home a state title.
Out of March magic
Hodag Hoops fades late, falls to New Richmond in regional finals
With its season — and a trip to the WIAA’s Sweet 16 — on the line, the hot and cold offense for the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team picked the wrong time to turn cold Monday night.
Mix of old and new faces for Hodag track team
The Hodag track team began preparations for its season on Monday. With more than 100 athletes registered and some changes in the coaching staff, head coach Aaron Kraemer said there is plenty excitement heading into the year.
Hawgs & Dawgs camp draws another strong turnout
Football players from around the Northwoods and the state descended on the Hodag Dome last Saturday for the Hodag Gridiron Club’s fifth annual Hawgs & Dawgs football camp.
Hodag gymnasts award top performers at banquet
The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team handed out more awards than it has the past few seasons Sunday during its end-of-season banquet at the YMCA of the Northwoods.
Hodag Hoops gets 5 All-GNC nods
Lamers on first team, Lemmens co-coach of the year
Rhinelander ended up with five all-conference selections, tied for the most of any team with Medford and Mosinee. The Hodags finished a game ahead of both of those squads to win the conference title this year.
One Feck of a finish
Junior drains game-winner, sends Hodag Hoops to regional finals
Devon Feck drained a shot from the top of the key with less than 3 seconds remaining as the Hodags defeated Rice Lake 43-42 at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Team review: RHS/NPHS Alpine skiing
Hodags have success on slopes, show room for improvement in 2025
There was plenty of success for the Rhinelander/Northland Pines Alpine ski team during the 2025 season. However, the most exciting thing for the Hodags might not be what they accomplished this year, rather the potential the squad has moving forward.
WIAA moves Hodags’ regional final game to Monday night
The WIAA postponed Saturday’s scheduled Division 2 boys’ basketball regional final game between Rhinelander and New Richmond to Monday night at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium. The move was made to avoid a situation where New Richmond would have played games on three consecutive nights.
Hodag swim team hands out awards
Given all the honors and accolades bestowed on the WIAA Division 2 state runner-up Rhinelander High School boys’ swim team during the season, coach Jenny Heck decided to keep the awards low-key Monday with the team convened one final time for the 2024-25 season.
RIA Peewee As to vie for state title this weekend in Waupun
After solid runs at state the last couple of years, the Rhinelander Ice Association’s (RIA) Peewee A hockey team is gunning for more this weekend when it travels to Waupun for the WAHA Class 3A state tournament.
HALL YEAH!
Hodag Hoops downs Medford at Raider Hall, claims second straight GNC crown
The Hodags held the Medford to 33% from the field and held on down the stretch to win 51-43 at Raider Hall, securing the team’s second straight Great Northern Conference title.
Hodag gymnasts finish 5th at sectionals
The Hodag posted a score of 119.2 points, good enough for fifth place in the seven-team Ashland sectional. While that score was more than 14 1/2 points better than its postseason performance a year ago, the team was unable to advance any gymnasts to the state meet in what proved to be a loaded sectional draw.
Lady Hodags fall to Menomonie to end season
An underdog Rhinelander squad without its leading scorer put up a fight Friday night but, ultimately, did not have enough to keep up with Menomonie in the WIAA tournament opener. Brooklyn Birt tallied 17 points, including 13 in the first half, as the fourth-seed Mustangs cruised past the fifth-seeded Hodags 57-42 in Menomonie.
Schwinger bows out in second round of state wrestling tournament
Rhinelander senior Logan Schwinger went winless in his two matches at the WIAA individual state wrestling tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison.
RHS Sports recap: Friday, Feb. 28
Girls’ basketball: Menomonie 57, Rhinelander 42 | Wrestling: Rhinelander at WIAA tournament
Just keep going: Schwinger’s wrestling career set to conclude at Kohl Center
Logan Schwinger gets the chance to end his high school wrestling career on the state’s biggest stage at the Kohl Center in Madison. He wrestled his opening round match yesterday evening and, regardless of the outcome, had the chance to come back today as he competes in the 190-pound bracket in Division 2.
Hodag Hoops breezes past Merrill in final non-conference test
RHS draws 2 seed, home game for playoffs
The Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team is winning games, but is still struggling to fire on all cylinders as it hits the stretch run of the regular season.
Lady Hodags look to embrace underdog role in WIAA tournament
Even with a better overall record, the Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team knows it will likely have its hands full this evening when it travels to Menomonie to begin the WIAA playoffs.
Hodag gymnasts face tough task in loaded sectional
By the numbers, the Rhinelander High School gymnastics team has improved from last year, exceeding its best score from last year by more than eight points. Despite that, the Hodags face a major uphill climb tomorrow as they look to qualify someone for the WIAA state meet for a second year in a row.
Holding on to hope
Hodag Hoops edges Mosinee, sets up GNC title game at Medford
The path toward a potential Great Northern Conference championship repeat for the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team has not been easy, but the Hodags now sit one win away from hoisting another conference trophy.
Schwinger punches ticket to state wrestling tournament
Schultz, Lindner come up one win short
Rhinelander High School senior Logan Schwinger made the most of his final chance to punch a ticket to the WIAA state wrestling tournament.
Hodag gymnasts finish second in GNC Small
The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team appears to be peaking at the right time as the 2024-25 season nears its conclusion.
Mosinee runs past Lady Hodags in regular season finale
The Rhinelander High School girls’ basketball team was unable to keep up with Mosinee’s pressure Friday night, falling to the Indians 75-32 in the regular season finale in Mosinee.