RHS wins first league game since 2013

STAR JOURNAL REPORT

For the first time since late in the 2013 season, the Rhinelander High School varsity football team has won a Great Northern Conference game.

The Hodags snapped a 23-game conference losing streak on a soggy Friday night with a 20-12 victory at Ashland.

RHS, which won its first league game in Chris Ferge’s four seasons as head coach, scored first against the Oredockers with 5:49 left in the first quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by Drake Martin. Joseph Schmitz added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Ashland got on the scoreboard with 11:30 left in the second quarter when Jordan Brennan ran into the end zone from 67 yards away. The Hodags held onto a 7-6 lead after the two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

The Oredockers took the lead with 31 seconds left before halftime on a 3-yard touchdown run by Mason Shelvan. Ashland’s lead stayed at 12-7 after the two-point conversion was again unsuccessful.

RHS did all the scoring in the second half. The Hodags pulled back in front with 3:49 left in the third quarter on a 10-yard pass from Logan Freund to Martin. The lead remained at 13-12 after an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt.

Martin also scored RHS’s final touchdown on an 8-yard run with 8:02 left in the fourth quarter. Schmitz added the extra point to extend the lead to 20-12.

The Hodags, who stopped Ashland’s final offensive drive on downs with less than a minute to play, ended up outgaining the Oredockers in total offense, 279-270 yards.

Of RHS’s 188 rushing yards, Martin accounted for 147 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns. Freund completed six of 16 passes for 91 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Ashland gained 204 of its yards on the ground with Brennan recording a team-high 88 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. Brennan also competed three of nine passes for 44 yards.

The Hodags – whose last win in conference play also came against Ashland with a 30-6 victory Oct. 11, 2013 – improved their season record to 1-4 in the GNC and 2-6 overall. RHS closes out the 2017 season at home this coming Friday against conference rival Lakeland Union High School.

Hodags 20, Ashland 12

Hodags                 7              0              6              7 – 20

Ashland                0              12            0              0 – 12