By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
PULASKI – The Pulaski football team will have a tough act to follow this year after losing one of the best players in the state from last season.
Dylan Hendricks, who rushed for 2,833 yards and scored 32 touchdowns, was named the 2018 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Large School Offensive Player of the Year.
Hendricks is now playing at North Dakota State University.
“You can’t replace a player like Dylan,” said Pulaski head coach Jerad Marsh. “He was basically a once-in-a-lifetime player and left an incredible mark on the football program at Pulaski. It’s part of high school sports, though – you lose great talent every year. He was also an excellent leader. We hope we have enough guys step up and inspire to be like Dylan. It might be a little more by committee this season.”
Pulaski also lost Fox River Classic Conference co-offensive lineman of the year Liam Fahey (6-foot-2, 275 pounds) due to graduation.
The Red Raiders finished 10-2 in 2018 and advanced to the WIAA Division 2 state quarterfinals, but lost a heartbreaker to Marshfield in the closing seconds, 32-29.
Hendricks carried the ball 51 times in that game, totaling 365 yards rushing.
The week before, he rushed for 308 yards in a victory over River Falls.
Pulaski, which runs a single-wing offense, is a nightmare for opposing teams to play.
Bay Port head coach Gary Westerman recently said, “Playing against Pulaski is like going to the dentist – you don’t like doing it.”
“That is quite the compliment,” laughed Marsh. “The way our offense is set up, it’s hard to focus on one individual. We’ve been lucky enough to have success at the freshmen and junior varsity levels the past few seasons, so the kids know the system.”
The single-wing uses fakes and deception, so the opposing defense has difficulty knowing where the ball is.
“The guys that have snaps under their belts and done a good job for us in the past are Lance VandeCorput [senior], [juniors] Ben Redlin and Nash Lemerond and [sophomore] Bo Bramschrieber,” said Marsh about the experience on the offensive side of the ball. “Our stalwart blocking back is senior JJ Szymanski. He should probably get the most credit around here for what he’s done the last couple of years – he’s an outstanding fullback.”
The Red Raiders’ defense will be faster as a unit compared to past seasons.
“We have a number of guys in the secondary returning, like seniors Chase Reinke and Brock Egnarski,” Marsh said. “We might not have the fastest kids in the world, but we have good athleticism on defense – they worked their tails off over the summer. Our coaching staff does a great job, and the kids will be prepared.”
Pulaski will open the season against Sheboygan South, Manitowoc Lincoln and Sheboygan North – teams which went a combined 3-24 last year.
“We don’t prepare for the schedule,” said Marsh. “All our conference games are important. I don’t feel it’s any different this year as compared to the past.”
Other all-conference returnees are juniors Logan Kobus (punter) and Bennett Sheedy (linebacker).
Coach’s Spotlight
Name: Jerad Marsh
School: Pulaski
Years coaching at Pulaski: 8
Other football coaching gigs: West De Pere, Tomahawk, UM-Duluth
Hometown: Seymour
Most memorable coaching moment: “There have been so many good memories – it’s been fun the whole time. Not one single moment sticks out.”
Coaching mentor: “I’ve had a handful of them, but I learned a lot from Bill Collar at Seymour and Bill Turnquist at West De Pere. Also, Ken Hofer from Menominee [Michigan].”
Best high school player you’ve coached against: “Alec Ingold – everything he touched on the field turned to gold.”
Goals for 2019: “Our No. 1 one goal is to represent Pulaski in the best possible way. It’s a generic answer, but I truly believe we need to do what is right for the community. I also want our guys to have a great experience, not only with the game but with their teammates.”
My style of coaching is: “It’s a combination of many different things. I’m pretty laid back most of the time, and I try to be extremely organized for our staff, parents and kids. Beyond that, I want us to coach with our guys, not coach our guys – that’s the best way to describe it.”
Pulaski 2019 regular season schedule
8/22 – Sheboygan South
8/29 – Manitowoc Lincoln
9/6 – @ Sheboygan North
9/13 – @ Green Bay Preble
9/20 – Notre Dame Academy
9/27 – @ De Pere
10/4 – Green Bay Southwest
10/11 – Ashwaubenon
10/18 – @ Bay Port
- All games begin at 7 p.m.