Hodag Highlights: Barr, Weinzatl, Myers advance to state cross country meet

The Rhinelander High School boys cross country team came up just short of its team state meet goals Friday at the Merrill sectional, but three individuals punched their tickets to next weekend’s state championships.
The boys’ team finished third with 77 points, falling just behind second-place Shawano (70 points) in their bid to return to state as a complete squad. Lakeland claimed the sectional title and will advance to state as a team.
However, senior Avrom Barr ensured the Hodags would have representation at state with a dominant first-place finish overall. Teammate Jackson Weinzatl also qualified individually with a seventh-place showing.
On the girls’ side, Macy Myers delivered the lone bright spot for the Hodags, who finished eighth as a team. Myers secured her state meet berth with a fourth-place overall finish.
The WIAA State Cross Country Championships will be held next weekend, where Barr, Weinzatl, and Myers will look to cap their seasons with strong performances against the state’s best runners.