Kelly O’Day
Editor
The Hatchet boys swim team opened the season with a close-as-it-gets 82-81 triumph at Shawano last Tuesday, then hung within 100-69 of Rhinelander on Thursday.
“The Shawano Hawks are always a well-trained team, but lost Zach Soper, a 4-time state qualifier,” THS coach Marion Kohl said. “We were pleasantly surprised at how the score turned out tonight. This was the first time we’ve ever come out ahead in the points against Shawano!”
Logan Loretz and Peyton Hamm went 1-2 in 50 free (:23.71/:26.25) and 100 free (:57.68/1:01.79). Other wins came from Nathan Goehe (200 free/2:16.32), Kole Svacina (500 free/6:10.71), the 200 medley relay (Svacina, Loretz, Goehe, Hamm, 1:57.82), and the 400 free relay (Goehe, Lucas Tjugum, Hamm, Loretz, 4:06).
Other runner-up finishes came from Goehe (100 fly, 1:09.03) and Svacina (100 back, 1:12.79).
Strength of the Hodag
Tomahawk went 1-2 in the 500 free with Goehe (6:06.42) and Jacob Miller (6:55.32) for its only win. Second places came from Goehe (50 free, :24.68), Loretz (100 free, :54.03), Svacina (100 back, 1:10.86), Parker Knipfer (100 brea, 1:20.62), Tyler Larch (200 free, 2:25.14), the 200 medley (Svacina, Loretz, Goehe, Hamm, 1:57.82), the 200 free (Goehe, Larch, Hamm, Loretz, 1:41.76) and the 400 free (Larch, Tom Reiter, Svacina, Tjugum, 4:32.02).
“The Hodags are a smaller team in the GNC this season, but they have some solid competitors,” Kohl said.