PULASKI -- The granddaddy of wrestling tournaments turns 35 on Saturday,
but it’s safe to say the Pulaski Invitational has never looked better.
Seven ranked teams highlight the 12-team field this weekend, which makes
discerning a favorite difficult. Several participating coaches contend
there isn’t one, certainly not a clear-cut one.
It’s going to be an exciting tournament, said Pulaski co-head coach
Terry Manning. There is an abundance of talent coming to this. The teams
are really going to shake it up.
Talent is always abound at Pulaski, and this years field looks primed to
eclipse the accomplishments of last years field - which wound up
producing 51 state qualifiers, 24 state medalists, eight individual
state finalists, four individual state champions, two team state
finalists and one team state champion.
Just how tough is the tournament? Kaukauna, which placed second at last
years WIAA Division 1 state tournament, finished 10th a few weeks
earlier in the Pulaski Invitational.
Probably the best tournament in the area, said Denmark head coach Stan
Yazawa. It’s always been an indicator as to how well you can do at
state.
If you place high at Pulaski, you can place at state.
For the team race, three-time defending Division 2 state champion
Luxemburg-Casco would have been the closest thing to a sure bet before
Christmas. A rush of injuries and a little team chaos, however, how
humbled the Spartans, who are seeking their third consecutive title at
Pulaski. Last year, they became just the third team to win back-to-back
championships.
Coaches still are giving the Spartans, ranked No. 2 in Division 2, a
slight edge because of their ability to push wrestlers to the finals,
but Pulaski (No. 3 in Division 1) and Seymour (No. 3 in Division 2) are
a close second.
Manning, however, isn’t buying it.
We’ve seen (L-C) at nearly full strength earlier this year and they are
pretty awesome, he said. L-C is tough enough when they are not at full
strength, that they are still a force ... it does make it a little more
interesting, though.
Pulaski, Kaukauna (No. 4 in D1), Coleman (No. 4 in D3) and Freedom (No.
5 in D2) boast balanced lineups with a few standouts leading the way,
while L-C and Seymour have the ability to send the most kids to the
finals – which usually decides the team champion.
Seymour head coach Keith Swett said L-C has to be the favorite until it
relinquishes the title. However, he thinks there are three or four teams
that have a shot at winning the tournament, especially if the seeding
meeting doesn’t give one team a substantial advantage.
We have an honest shot at winning this tournament, Swett said. It
depends on if teams can push four or five kids to the finals, then that
team would have the advantage. If the tournament can be won by winning
the third and fifth-place matches, then it really opens things up.
As always, the seeding meeting goes a long way in determining the
outcome of
the tournament. Unlike tournaments that have 30 or 40 teams, the Pulaski
Invitational pits top wrestlers against each other as early as the
second round, which can make or break a teams chances. (Some brackets,
those matches take place in the first round.)
For example, if all of Pulaski and Seymour's wrestlers are on the same
side of the bracket, they will beat each other up. The situation goes
for any of the top teams.
What coaches want - and likely tournament officials, too, because it
develops a more competitive team race - is to have the seeds spread out.
The seeding meeting always helps one team, Freedom head coach Mike
Buechler said. A bad seeding meeting makes making the semifinals a
chore.
Manning added, everybody kind of helps and hurts each other out.
Despite L-Cs past success and Seymour's six potential finalists,
Buechler said he’d pick Pulaski, which finished second last year.
Right now, Pulaski is wrestling the best, Buechler said. I’m not really
sure if L-C is going to be healthy enough, and Seymour is wrestling
well, too, but, right now, I’d say Pulaski.
SEE YOU IN MADISON AGAIN?
With Oconto Falls Robert Mondloch dropping to 103 pounds for this
weekend, it sets up a likely rematch with L-C reigning state champ Brian
Barbiaux.
Barbiaux beat Mondloch in the Pulaski finals last year and defeated him
the finals in Madison a few weeks later.
Barbiaux is 30-1 this season, while Mondloch is 20-2.
TOUGH WEIGHT CLASS
Providing the wrestlers stay at their posted weights, 119 pounds will be
a loaded bracket.
There are five returning state qualifiers and three state medalists in
the bracket. Six wrestlers have at least 18 wins.
Two-time state place winner Eric Metzler (25-0) of L-C tops the class,
but Kaukauna's Nate Couillard (19-3), Seymour's Les Cornette (26-4), New
London's Mike Murphy (23-4) and Coleman's Mitch Szwet (18-9) have
wrestled
on the hollowed mats of Madison. And, don't forget about Pulaski junior
Paul Prentice, who sports a 28-3 record.
Metzler and Murphy are defending Pulaski invite champs. Metzler has won
two crowns.
MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT
The 135-pound championship is likely to feature Kaukauna's Jeremiah
Reffke (20-3) and Pulaski's Kyle Lasecki (25-2).
Reffke, who is widely known for bouncing one of the states best
wrestlers - Milton's Josh Wagner - in last years state tournament, is a
returning Pulaski champion and state place winner.
Lasecki is relatively unknown because he has never wrestled in the state
tournament - he lost the past two years in the sectional wrestlebacks to
state medalists. But, the talented senior is turning heads this year.
His only defeats are to state champion Jordy Crass of Medford and
top-rated Dustin Perry of Merrill. Lasecki defeated Reffke this summer.
Reffkes' upbeat and feisty style makes him a joy to watch, but Laseckis'
grinding and steadfast approach to wrestling lures opponents into taking
chances, which opens up scoring opportunities for Lasecki.
35th ANNUAL PULASKI INVITATIONAL
AT PULASKI HIGH SCHOOL, SATURDAY
FIRST ROUND STARTS AT 10:30 A.M.; FINALS START AT 6 PM
TITLE CONTENDERS
Returning state qualifiers are listed in boldface. Records reflect
matches through Jan. 27.
103 - Brian Barbiaux, Luxemburg-Casco, jr., 30-1; Robert Mondloch,
Oconto Falls, sr., 20-2; Jonny August, Seymour, fr., 27-3; Ryan Vosters,
Freedom, soph., 20-6.
112 - Max Sevald, Seymour, jr., 27-3; Nate Van Schyndel, Kaukauna,
soph., 19-3; Jamie Stewart, Pewaukee, sr., 24-3; Mitch Maye, Coleman,
soph., 10-4; Chris Seidl, Luxemburg-Casco, fr., 23-8; Tyler Fredrickson,
Pulaski, jr., 17-10; Kyle Van Camp, Freedom, soph., 17-8.
119 - Eric Metzler, Luxemburg-Casco, jr., 25-0; Nate Couillard,
Kaukauna, soph., 19-3; Les Cornette, Seymour, soph., 26-4; Mike Murphy,
New London, sr., 24-3; Mitch Szwet, Coleman, soph., 18-9; Paul Prentice,
Pulaski, jr., 28-3.
125 - Adam Pashouwer, Seymour, sr., 29-1; Joel VandeBoom, Port
Washington,
jr., 18-6; Nez Cate, New London, sr., 20-8; Jake Mantle, Oconto Falls,
fr., 20-6; KC Cichy, Kaukauna, soph., 15-5.
130 - Ryan Cherney, Coleman, sr., 9-2; Brad Zellner, Luxemburg-Casco,
soph., 24-12; Kevin Barber, Port Washington, jr., 22-3; Tyler Gerritts,
Freedom, soph., 20-6; Bobby Leiterman, Denmark, jr., 20-5.
135 - Jeremiah Reffke, Kaukauna, jr., 20-3; Eric Enderby,
Luxemburg-Casco, jr., NA; Kyle Lasecki, Pulaski, sr., 25-2; Brandon
Dworak, Denmark, soph., 21-4; Paul Nowak, Coleman, jr., 19-9.
140 - Travis Kafer, Coleman, sr., 20-6; Jon Rynish, Seymour, sr., 23-8;
Sam Peterson, Denmark, soph., 10-2; Jake Caldwell, Pulaski, jr., 21-7;
Andy Rochon, Kaukauna, jr., 19-4
145 - Mark Thiem, Denmark, jr, 19-2; Paul Gretzinger, Pulaski, jr.,
21-4; Travis Fonder, New London, jr., 14-4; Casey Hickey, Oconto Falls,
sr., 16-6; Dennis Reckelberg, Luxemburg-Casco, soph., 27-8.
152 - Andy Thomas, Pulaski, sr., 26-5; Corey Van Groll, Denmark, sr.,
3-0; Matt Wagner, Peshtigo, sr., 24-4; Jason Champagne, Coleman, jr.,
24-3; Greg Kettner, Freedom, sr., 21-5; Tyler Sigl, Seymour, sr., 21-9;
Shannon Conat, New London, jr., 20-8.
160 - Eric Bath, Pulaski, sr., 30-1; Wayne Reis, Seymour, sr., 27-3; Joe
Van Ark, Oconto Falls, sr., 14-3; Adam Bonikowski, Freedom, jr., 22-4;
Peter Ullmer, Denmark, sr., 11-3.
171 - Brian Krejcarek, Denmark, sr., 24-1; Brian Fischer, Freedom, sr.,
24-2; Brandon Werner, Port Washington, jr., 19-6.
189 - Tyler Jandrin, Luxemburg-Casco, sr., 31-2; Mike Boss, Pulaski,
sr.,
22-3; Josh Schumaker, Freedom, jr., 23-3; Zak Peterson, Denmark, sr.,
15-4.
215 - Mitch Szwet, Coleman, sr., 26-0; Brad Vanderveren, Pulaski, sr.,
29-2; Alex Cornette, Luxemburg-Casco, jr., 24-6; Mike Kudick, Denmark,
jr., 20-5.
275 - Travis Wanish, Luxemburg-Casco, sr., 23-1; Cody Johnson, Seymour,
sr.,
25-4; Brad VanderBerg, Freedom, jr., 20-6.
RANKED TEAMS
DIVISION 1 - NO. 3 PULASKI, NO. 4 KAUKAUNA.
DIVISION 2 - NO. 2 LUXEMBURG-CASCO, NO. 3 SEYMOUR, NO. 5 FREEDOM, NO. 10
OCONTO FALLS.
DIVISION 3 - NO. 5 COLEMAN
(Note: Port Washington and Peshtigo were mentioned in the state rankings
earlier this season.)
RETURNING PULASKI CHAMPIONS
Brian Barbiaux, Eric Metzler and Tyler Jandrin of Luxemburg-Casco; Mike
Murphy of New London; Jeremiah Reffke of Kaukauna; Andy Thomas, Pulaski;
Joe Van Ark, Oconto Falls; Mitch Szwet, Coleman.
NOTEWORTHY
Barbiaux, Mondloch, Metzler, Pashouwer, Szwet, Jandrin and Wanish have
wrestled in the WIAA state finals. 51 wrestlers from the Pulaski Invite
went on to qualify for state last year; 24 won state medals; eight were
state finalists; and four were state champs.
Kaukauna took 10th at Pulaski last year, but placed second in the
Division 1 state team tournament. Van Groll is a two-time state
qualifier and has one state medal but has been hurt for most of the
season. Saturday will be his first real test of the year.
Only one wrestler - L-Cs Jeff Blohowiak - has won four individual titles
at Pulaski. Blohowiak is an assistant coach for Denmark.
Olympic medalist Garrett Lowney won two titles at Pulaski while
wrestling for Freedom but never claimed the Outstanding Wrestler Award.
What's in a name? Seven Pulaski invite titles if your last name is
Berceau, Shefchik or Capser. Six if you answer to Blohowiak or Berna.
The stands are packed by 11 a.m., so if a good seat in the finals is
desired, get to Pulaski early. |