Hodag Highlights: Buchmann smashes school discus record

It was a week to remember for the Rhinelander High School track and field program. The Hodag boys and girls both won their home hybrid meet last Tuesday, then headed to Marathon on Thursday where the girls claimed first place among eight teams and the boys finished third — all capped by a record-shattering performance in the discus.
Tuesday’s home meet had a unique setup: with field conditions less than ideal, organizers moved the field events indoors to the Hodag Dome while the track events were held outside on a picture-perfect spring day. The arrangement didn’t slow the Hodags down one bit. Both the boys and girls squads collected wins, including several finishes that have them in contention for state rankings.
Senior Libbey Buchmann was the story of the week. She won the discus at Tuesday’s home meet, then on Thursday in Marathon she outdid herself in historic fashion, breaking her own school record with a throw of 135 feet, 1 inch. The toss didn’t just reset the mark she already held — it announced her as one of the top discus throwers in the state.
The Rhinelander girls were the class of the field at Marathon, finishing first among eight competing teams. The Hodags took seven event victories on the day, with Buchmann’s record throw leading the way. The Rhinelander boys won their share of events at Tuesday’s home meet, posting several state-caliber performances. At Marathon, the boys placed third out of eight teams. While they didn’t claim individual event titles on Thursday, their point totals were competitive throughout the meet.