Rebels rocky in summer debut
Antigo scored multiple runs in every inning except the fifth and Tyler Chariton’s infield single with two outs in the bottom of the fifth broke up the Typhoon’s no-hit bid as Rhinelander fell 13-2 at Stafford Field.
Team review: RHS softball
Hodag fastpitch experienced growing pains in 2024
By the numbers, it was certainly a tough first year for the Rhinelander High School softball program under first-year co-head coaches Sadie Adamski and Ali Bender.
River Monsters earn key weekend split
2021 RHS graduate Isaac Bixby made his return over the weekend and scattered six hits in a complete-game 4-3 victory Sunday at Whittlesey. It felt like a must-win game for the Monsters after falling at league-leading Everest 10-3 a day earlier. It moved Rhinelander to 2-3 and still very much in the hunt for a WBA postseason berth near the halfway point of the regular season.
Legion: Rebels eye success while developing in 2024
By all accounts it was a rough spring on the varsity front for the Rhinelander baseball program. The good news, unlike most programs, the Rhinelander hard-ballers don’t have to wait until next spring to turn things around.
State qualifiers Belanger, Fritz earn Hodag tennis MVP
Following a strong senior campaign that ended at the WIAA state tournament in Madison, Joey Belanger and Dalton Fritz shared the Rhinelander High School boys’ tennis team’s most valuable player award. The two headlined the list of award winners during Tuesday’s banquet in the RHS commons.
Hodag softball team hands out awards
The Rhinelander High School softball team put a wrap on its 2024 season Sunday with its year-end banquet in the RHS commons. The team handed out five awards, led by the team’s two All-Great Northern Conference recipients. Freshman Chase Verbist earned the team’s Silver Slugger award while senior Lily Treder earned the Hustle award.
49 RHS athletes earn All-GNC honors
Hodags Chiamulera, Miljevich earn soccer player of the year honors
The All-Great Northern Conference teams for the spring 2024 season were officially announced by the conference last Friday, with Rhinelander High School being well-represented.
Hodags Fritz, Belanger win match at state tennis
Seniors Dalton Fritz and Joey Belanger ended their high school careers on a proud note Friday morning after bowing out of the WIAA Division 1 state boys’ tennis doubles tournament in Madison with a second-round loss to Neenah’s Andrew Werner and Brady Hildreth.
Shutout ends Hodag soccer’s season
Josie Wentland’s free kick goal in the 47th minute was enough as Lakeland knocked its rival out of the WIAA tournament, defeating the Hodags 1-0 in a WIAA Division 3 regional final in Minocqua.
1981 Alpine ski team inducted into Hodag Hall of Fame
Wrestling coaches Finlan, Kreitlow honored with Heart of the Hodag Award
The 1981 WIARA state-champion Rhinelander High School boys’ Alpine ski team was inducted in the Rhinelander Athletic Booster Club’s Hodag Hall of Fame during the ABC’s 42nd annual banquet at The Pines Event Center.
River Monsters drop exhibition to Tomahawk
Thought to be a strength going into the start of the season, the depth of the Rhinelander River Monsters’ pitching staff is going to be tested greatly going into a key stretch of the Dairyland League season.
Sam Schoppe wins Hodag golf MVP award again
For the second straight year, Sam Schoppe took home the Rhinelander High School golf team honor that bears his family’s name.
Buchmann back on podium at state
RHS sophomore takes 4th in discus; Bergman, girls’ 4x100 also compete
Rhinelander’s Libbey Buchmann almost did not get a chance to get back on the podium in the discus at the WIAA Division 2 state track meet on Saturday.
Hodag track honors four athletes of the year
The Rhinelander High School track team celebrated a successful season — and one that is not over quite yet — with a banquet Tuesday in the RHS commons.
Kowieski shoots 87 at sectionals
Brody Kowieski shot 87 and finished in a tie for 24th Tuesday in a WIAA Division 1 sectional tournament in Hudson. That ended up being 10 strokes off the state cutline, which went to the top three individuals from Tuesday’s meet who were not on a qualifying team.
Monsters let one slip away against Everest
It was all going to plan for the Rhinelander River Monsters Sunday against Dairyland League and WBA state runner-up Everest right up until the point when it wasn’t.
Track qualifiers gearing up for state
From both a team and individual perspective, 2024 has likely been a turning point for the Rhinelander High School girls’ track team. The Hodags recorded their best finish in an outdoor conference meet since 1995, the team has already broke two school records and, for the first time in more than two decades, is sending multiple entries to La Crosse for the WIAA state track meet.
Belanger, Fritz set to finish in Madison
Hodag pair readies for WIAA state tennis tourney
Rhinelander seniors Joey Belanger and Dalton Fritz are set to bid farewell to high school Friday night when commencement exercises are held at Mike Webster Stadium. Although one wouldn’t fault them if they have to rush to make it to graduation on time or wind up missing the event altogether.
Hodag soccer gears up for playoffs
Shawano stands in way of potential Lakeland rematch
The Rhinelander High School girls’ soccer team did not let falling short in the Great Northern Conference race stop them from getting the last laugh on rival Lakeland last year in the WIAA playoffs. Should everything align, the Hodags will have a chance to do the exact same thing this year.
Hodag baseball season ends at Ashland
Ashland scored three times with two outs in the fifth and that proved to be the difference as the Oredockers defeated the Hodags 3-1 in the opening round of the WIAA tournament.
Hodag track sends 6 to state
Aila Bergman, Libbey Buchmann, girls’ 4x100 relay all advance
Of the six entries the Rhinelander High School girls' track team had, half of them advanced to the WIAA state meet after placing in the top four in a WIAA Division 2 sectional in Colby.
Hodag tennis sends 5 flights to sectionals
Belanger, Fritz punch tickets to state
The Rhinelander High School boys’ tennis team did not quite reach its preseason goal of advancing all seven flights to the sectional round of the WIAA tournament but it turned in a solid showing as it hosted a WIAA Division 1 subsectional on Monday.
RHS ties Lakeland, falls in PKs in regular season finale
Rhinelander was unable to convert its final three chances from the spot and ultimately lost a shootout to the T-Birds 3-2 at IncredibleBank Field after the two teams settled for a 1-1 draw in regulation.
Hodag golfers take last in muddy Marshfield regional
Brody Kowieski advances to sectionals
The Rhinelander High School golf team, seeded third in its regional, wound up finishing last in the eight-team tournament, which was shortened to nine holes after inclement weather halted the proceedings twice during the round.
Monsters hold off Merrill 11-9
The Rhinelander River Monsters squandered nearly all of an eight-run lead but held on to defeat Merrill 11-9 this past Sunday at Athletic Park.
Hodag track finishes 6th at regionals
Team advances 11 entries
The Rhinelander High School track team had a solid day Monday as the WIAA tournament began. Both squads finished sixth in a nine-team Division 2 regional at Rice Lake High School. Eleven entries — six on the girls’ side and five on the boys’ side — advanced to Thursday’s sectional round in Colby.
Hodag golfers tie for third in GNC
Schoppe, Brody Kowieski earn all-conference honors
Rhinelander and Northland Pines went back and forth for the third spot in the Great Northern Conference golf standings all season long. When the dust settled Thursday, neither team had a leg up over the other.
Hodag baseball undone by mistakes, missed opportunities again
It’s been a Murphy’s Law kind of year for the Hodags. Things went wrong again Friday as Rhinelander missed on early chances to blow the game open and then allowed Tomahawk to claw back and win 3-2 at Kahle Field.
Hodag softball season ends in playoff loss to Merrill
The Rhinelander High School softball team avoided the big inning on Friday, but three good innings for Merrill were enough to eliminate the Hodags from the WIAA tournament in an 11-0 decision on the road.
A decade of dominance
Hodag tennis claims five flights, captures 10th straight conference title
Rhinelander continued its reign over the GNC on Friday, winning five of the seven flights and taking third in the other two as it claimed yet another conference title at the RHS tennis courts.
Four Hodag seniors declare collegiate athletic intentions
Four Rhinelander High School senior student-athletes made their collegiate intentions officially known Monday during a signing ceremony in the RHS commons.
Hodag soccer cruises past Antigo 8-0
Morgan Van Zile recorded three goals, Sophie Miljevich scored twice and the Hodags cruised to an 8-0 victory over the Red Robins at Listle Field.
Hodag golfers take third in Mosinee
Rhinelander shot 326 and edged host Mosinee by a stroke as it took third in the fifth leg of the conference tournament at Indianhead Golf Course. That was the good news. The bad news was that Northland Pines snuck in with a 324 to finish second, and close the Hodags’ lead over the Eagles for third in the standings to a single point entering the final two rounds of the tournament.
Hodag soccer uses PK to down Medford
RHS splits weekend games in Waupaca
Sophie Miljevich converted a penalty kick opportunity in the 42nd minute and it stood up as the only goal as the Hodags avenged a shootout loss to the Raiders, defeating Medford 1-0.
Hodag tennis wraps up undefeated GNC season
The Rhinelander High School boys’ tennis team is in the driver’s seat as it looks to wrap up its 10th straight Great Northern Conference championship this Thursday.
Hodag golfers claim third at Eagle River, Merrill
Three was a magic number for the Rhinelander High School golf team in a pair of matches late last week as the team took third at both round 4 of the GNC tournament in Eagle River and at the Merrill Best Ball Invite.
Hodag track takes 2nd at home
Team looking ahead to today’s GNC meet
The dress rehearsals are over and championship season is upon the Rhinelander High School track team. The Hodags will enter the most important stretch of their season off of a solid performance on Thursday as it took runner-up in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions of their home Rhinelander Invite at Mike Webster Stadium.
Lakeland downs Hodag softball 18-2
The Rhinelander High School softball team was unable to sustain an opportunistic start on Thursday as it fell at Lakeland 18-2 in Great Northern Conference play.
Hodag soccer cruises past Mosinee
Sophie Miljevich scored three times, Leah Jamison added three assists and the Hodags cruised past Mosinee 7-0 in the Hodag Dome.
New faces stand out for Hodag track at Tomahawk
The Rhinelander High School track team went with a lighter lineup on Tuesday as it competed in the Hatchet Invite in Tomahawk. Without a number of the team’s top-end athletes in the lineup, the Hodags finished third on the girls’ side and fifth on the boys’ side in the six-team meet.
Hodag golfers struggle on home soil
Rhinelander shot 343 as a team and took fourth in the third leg of the Great Northern Conference golf tournament at Rhinelander Country Club on Monday. The event was moved there from Northwood Golf Club after rain washed out the originally scheduled date last Thursday.
Hodag tennis picks up non-conference win over Wausau West
The Rhinelander High School boys’ tennis team continued to strengthen its postseason resume on Monday with a convincing 6-1 victory at Wausau West in non-conference play.
Lakeland steals doubleheader sweep from Hodags
Without putting a single ball in play in the bottom of the sixth inning, Lakeland rallied for a pair of runs that helped complete a doubleheader sweep of the Rhinelander High School baseball team Friday night at Stafford Field.
River Monsters gearing up for Year 2
Adult baseball begins Sunday vs. Rapids
Year 2 for the Rhinelander River Monsters gets underway this Sunday as they host defending Dairyland Large champion and WBA state semifinalist Wisconsin Rapids at Stafford Field.
Hodag tennis sweeps Pacelli on senior night
The Rhinelander High School boys’ tennis team honored its seniors and took one more step toward another Great Northern Conference title on Thursday.
Hodag softball no-hit by Antigo
The Rhinelander High School softball team fell to Antigo 15-0 in four innings on the road Friday night in Antigo.
Shoutouts & Callouts
Wisconsin schools come to their senses on NIL, for now
We were a mere 49 votes — essentially 25 school delegates flipping their decision — away from Name, Image, Likeness rules becoming a reality in Wisconsin high school sports.
Hodag girls win Three Lakes Invite, boys take 2nd
The Hodag girls won six events as they defeated GNC rival Tomahawk for the title in the seven-team Three Lakes Invite. The Hodag boys scored four wins and came home second behind the hosting Bluejays.
RHS tennis drops tight match to SPASH
The Hodags swept doubles but SPASH took all the singles matches as the Panthers prevailed 4-3 in a non-conference match at the RHS tennis courts.
Free bases cost Hodag baseball vs. Everest
The Rhinelander High School baseball team had to earn every base it got on Tuesday. It couldn’t say the same for its opponent as D.C. Everest slowly pulled away to an 8-0 victory at Stafford Field in non-conference play.