Hodag Highlights: Rhinelander rolls past Merrill as Aubryn Clark joins elite 1,000-point club

The milestone had been building all week, but when Aubryn Clark finally reached 1,000 career points Friday night, it came in a moment that perfectly captured her game.
With 5:10 remaining in the first half and sitting just one point shy of the historic mark, the Rhinelander senior made a play on defense. Clark forced a turnover just over halfcourt, secured the ball, and drove to the basket for the layup that pushed her over 1,000 points and gave her 16 in the game.
The bucket capped a dominant first half for the Hodags, who were expected to handle Merrill with relative ease and did exactly that. But the night belonged to the Clark family.
While Aubryn was making history, her younger sister was stealing the show. Freshman Teagan Clark caught fire from beyond the arc, drilling four three-pointers on her way to a team-high 18 points. She added two field goals and two free throws, all of her damage coming in the first half.
Remarkably, both Clark sisters, daughters of head coach Ryan Clark, finished their work before halftime, with Rhinelander building a commanding 48-15 advantage.

The Clarks didn’t do it alone, however. Vivian Lamers added 14 points and Lexi Beran chipped in 10, both reaching double figures as Rhinelander’s balanced attack overwhelmed the visitors.
With the game well in hand, the second half provided valuable minutes for the Hodags’ bench. The final score of 64-26 reflected both Rhinelander’s dominance and their depth.
The victory came after Tuesday’s scheduled game against Tomahawk was postponed due to icy road conditions, extending the anticipation around Clark’s chase for 1,000 points. She joins an elite group of Rhinelander players to reach the milestone, cementing her legacy as one of the program’s all-time greats.