Hodag Highlights: Soccer season ends in heartbreaking shootout loss to Medford

The Rhinelander High School boys’ soccer team’s season came to a heartbreaking end Tuesday night, Oct. 21, as they fell to Medford 6-5 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw in a WIAA regional playoff game.
The loss denied the Hodags a chance to advance to face Lakeland on Thursday and capped a dramatic contest that saw both teams battle through regulation and two overtime periods without a winner.
Junior Aiden Lueder gave Rhinelander the early advantage with a spectacular strike in the 18th minute. The midfielder launched a shot from 30 yards out that found the far corner of the net, giving the Hodags a 1-0 lead and Lueder his first goal of the season.
The Hodags carried that 1-0 advantage into the break.
Medford came out with renewed energy in the second half, and their persistence paid off in the 47th minute when they slipped the equalizer past Rhinelander keeper Eric Parish to level the score at 1-1.

From there, the match became a defensive struggle. Both teams created scoring opportunities, but solid goalkeeping from Parish and his Medford counterpart, combined with stout defensive play from both sides, kept the game deadlocked through the final whistle of regulation.
The 1-1 stalemate forced two 10-minute overtime periods, a scenario that heightened the tension for players and fans alike.
The first overtime period saw play move back and forth across the pitch, but neither team could mount a serious scoring threat. The second overtime period proved far more dramatic, with both squads creating dangerous chances.
In what would prove to be the defining moments of regulation and overtime, both goalkeepers came up with game-saving stops to preserve the 1-1 tie and force the match to a penalty kick shootout.
For Rhinelander and Medford, penalty kick shootouts have become an all-too-familiar playoff occurrence. Tuesday’s match would add another chapter to that rivalry.
The first round of penalty kicks ended with both teams tied, as shooters from each side missed their attempts. The shootout moved to sudden death, with teams alternating kicks until one gained an advantage.
Ultimately, it was Rhinelander that would come up short. After several rounds of extra kicks, the Hodags had one more miss than their opponents, giving the Raiders the 6-5 shootout victory and ending Rhinelander’s season.