Vote now for best high school mascot in America, Sweet 16: Rhinelander Hodags vs. Punahou Buff 'n Blue
We're on to the Sweet 16 in SBLive Sports' NCAA Tournament-style contest to determine the best high school mascot in America.
Vote below for the No. 1-seeded Rhinelander Hodags (Wisconsin) or the No. 12-seeded Punahou Buff 'n Blue (Hawaii) to advance to the Elite Eight. The Hodags beat the Lewisville Fighting Farmers (Texas) and the Buff 'n Blue topped the Lincoln Railsplitters (Illinois) in Round 2.
The Hodags earned a 1 seed by piling up 211,761 votes in our fall contests (including the championship round), while the Buff 'n Blue earned a 12 seed with 32 votes.
Follow along: National Mascot Tournament 2023 Bracket
Voting for this matchup will conclude Monday, May 22, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
Editor's note: In the event of a tie, the team with the better seed will prevail based on the results of our fall mascot contest.
1. Rhinelander Hodags (Wisconsin)
The history of the hodag is strongly tied to the city of Rhinelander, where it was claimed to have been discovered. The hodag — a fearsome creature resembling a large bull-horned carnivore with a row of thick curved spines down its back — has figured prominently in early Paul Bunyan stories.
12. Punahou Buff 'n Blue (Hawaii)
Punahou doesn’t have a physical mascot, but its teams are named for the buff-colored sand and blue-colored sea of Waikiki Beach.
