Hodag Highlights for the week of May 9

Track

The annual Otto Bacher track meet was held last Friday in Merrill, after not being held since 2019. Eleven schools participated in the event on a great night for the meet.

The Hodag boys placed second in the meet, out of first place by only 5 1/2 points. The girls placed seventh out of the 11 schools.

Highlights for the boys included Jaden Beske placing first in the high jump going 5-feet-11-inches, Cole Worrell placed first in the 110 meter hurdles and fourth in the 300 meter hurdles. Caleb Olcikas ran to a first place finish in the 100 meter and second in the 200 meter dashes. The boys 4×200 meter relay with Brendon Eckrich, Arik Beske, Payton Campbell  and Beau Howard placed third.

For the girls, Callie Hoerchler placed third in the 100 meter hurdles and fifth in the 300 meter hurdles.

The girls first place finish in the 4×200 meter relay had Reese Gehrig, Sage Flory, Emma Germain and Gussie Gruett running. The girls 4×100 relay team of Megan Brown, Gehrig, Germain and Flory placed second. Individually, Emma Germain placed second in the triple jump. Megan Brown placed fourth in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes. The next meet is May 12 at home.

Boys Tennis

The Hodag boys tennis team hosted their last home conference meet against Antigo Tuesday night with hopes of increasing their lead in the conference race.

The Hodags did just that in taking down Antigo 6-1 with one match left in Medford on Friday.

At No. 1 singles Luke Ring had to rally after losing the first set and came back to win as did Dalton Fritz at No. 4 singles. John Currie at No. 3 singles won in straight sets.

The lone loss for the Hodags came at No. 2 singles and Elijah Evers.

In doubles play Joey Belanger and Layne Roeser at No. 1 doubles as well as Charlie Heck and Leo Losch at No. 2 doubles won in straight sets. Antigo had no one competing at No. 3 doubles and forfeited.

Golf

Northwood Golf Course hosted the fourth leg of the conference meets. The Hodags again placed third with a team total of 341 strokes.

Senior Kole Gechas led the Hodags with a 76, 4 over par putting him in a four-way tie for second place one stroke out of first place.

Freshman Brody Kowieski finished second for the Hodags and eighth overall with an 80. Garrett Kulhanek finished with a 90, Cal Laggis a 95 and Andrew Henrichs shot a 97. Thursday Eagle River hosts the fifth leg of conference matches.