Pulaski pins Ashwaubenon

By Rich Palzewic
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PULASKI – Aided by nine pins, the Pulaski wrestling team showed it intends to compete for a Fox River Classic Conference title this season.
At one point, the Red Raiders recorded six consecutive pins en route to a 73-6 victory over Ashwaubenon at Pulaski High School on Thursday night.
“I don’t put those expectations on the kids coming into a match — getting so many pins,” Pulaski coach Nathan Preslaski said. “I want the kids to come out, wrestle hard and compete at a high level — they did that tonight.”
With the dual beginning at the 182-pound weight class, Pulaski’s Chase Woosencraft recorded a 6-4 decision over Easton Hockers in one of the most entertaining matches of the night.
With Woosencraft up 3-2 late in the third period, he recorded a reversal to make it 5-2 before Hockers got two points on a near fall to cut the margin to 5-4.
Woosencraft then earned an escape point to end the scoring.
After Pulaski’s Will Friedman made it 9-0 with a pin of Trent Velicer late in their match, the teams traded forfeits at 195 and 220.
The Red Raiders then rattled off consecutive pins at 106, 113, 120, 126, 132 and 138 to take a commanding 51-6 lead after 10 matches.
At 120, Pulaski’s Ethan Eggert made quick work of Dominick Pierce in only 25 seconds.
In an entertaining match at 138, Pulaski’s Cole Gorecki didn’t pin Kolby Hockers until only 10 seconds showed on the third-period clock. The match was tied 2-2 after two periods.
“It’s been a good start to the season, but we haven’t peaked yet,” Preslaski said. “We’ve had some injuries and a few other things going on. We’re hoping to get right by the end of the season — that’s our goal.”
One of those injuries is to senior Mason Wells, who missed some time during football season with an ankle injury, only to suffer a different injury at the start of the wrestling season.
Wells placed third last season as a junior at 220 at the WIAA Division 1 state tournament in Madison.
“Mason wrestled the first match (this season) but then got injured,” Preslaski said. “We’re hoping to get him back at some point. His ankle was completely healthy coming into the season, so he’s working to come back.”
The Red Raiders closed out the match with a major decision win at 145, a forfeit victory at 152 and then two consecutive pins at 160 and 170.
“It was a nice win, but I think Bay Port is the team to beat in the FRCC,” Preslaski said. “Bay Port is really good — they’re probably the favorites, and we’re the underdogs.”
With a likely FRCC title on the line, Pulaski travels to Bay Port on Jan. 26.
Ashwaubenon coach Chase DeCleene declined to be interview by The Press Times after the match.

Pulaski 73, Ashwaubenon 6
182: Chase Woosencraft (PUL) def. Easton Hockers (ASH) (6-4 decision).
195: Will Friedman (PUL) def. Trent Velicer (ASH) (fall, 4:51).
220: Trenton Gibbons (PUL) won via forfeit.
285: Troy Dietzler (ASH) won via forfeit.
106: Jake Fredrickson (PUL) def. Logan Bowers (ASH) (fall, 1:11).
113: Broc Ambrosius (PUL) def. Noah Egandrury (ASH) (fall, 2:47).
120: Ethan Eggert (PUL) def. Dominick Pierce (ASH) (fall, 0:25).
126: Conner Nooyen (PUL) def. Carter Bona (ASH) (fall, 3:17).
132: Colin Pratt (PUL) def. Owen Bowers (ASH) (fall, 3:55).
138: Cole Gorecki (PUL) def. Kolby Hockers (ASH) (fall, 5:50).
145: Mason Taylor (PUL) def. Nathan Barlament (ASH) (major decision, 15-4).
152: Austin Rybicki (PUL) won via forfeit.
160: Griffin Vanlaanen (PUL) def. Gavinn Rein (ASH) (fall, 2:40).
170: Tristan Taylor (PUL) def. Jacob McVane (ASH) (fall, 1:46).