Pulaski to use pack mentality to replace Hendricks
PULASKI – There isn’t a single player on the Pulaski football team that is going to replace the production of Dylan Hendricks.
The WFCA large school offensive player of the year rushed for 2,833 yards last year and finished his impressive career as fourth on the state’s all-time rushing list with 6,359 career yards.
The good news for the Red Raiders is their Single Wing offense isn’t designed to feature one back like it had morphed into the last few years to take advantage of Hendricks’ ability.
“It will probably look a little closer to what we had three years ago when we had multiple guys getting 1,000 yards in that kind of format,” Pulaski coach Jerad Marsh said.
“We have a handful of really good athletes again at any one of the four back positions is going to have a chance to have a really good game. It’s going to be a little more multi-faceted than it has been.”
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Pulaski will have plenty of new faces in their lineup, as they return only five starters from last year’s team, which qualified for the playoffs for a third straight season and advanced to the WIAA Division 2 state quarterfinals.
This year’s squad is modeling itself after the hyena, a mysterious and often-misunderstood animal that is neither part of the canine or feline families.
Much like the Single Wing’s four backs, there are only four extant species of hyenas. They are the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora, but some of the most effective pack hunters in the world.
“For whatever reason it has always morphed into an animal that they want to structure their season after,” Marsh said. “It has been fun to watch the seniors create the culture that they want and the mindset that they want. It has been fun to see that develop.”
Offensively, the Red Raiders are going to rely on the leadership of senior Bennett Sheedy, a three-year starter at center.
Meanwhile, the defense returns Brock Egnarski and Chase Reinke in the secondary.
“We just don’t want them to fear failure,” Marsh said. “There are going to be some looks that they’ve never seen before. We still need them to play fast. We still need them to play downhill and that’s been one of the things that our team has morphed into over the years.”
Pulaski at a glance
Coach: Jerad Marsh, 7th season, 29-33
Last year: 10-2
All-conference players to replace:
Dylan Hendricks, RB/OLB, 1st team/2nd team
Liam Fahey, OL, 1st team
Chasten Fatla, OL, 2nd team
Nathan Przybylski, TE, HM
Lucas Gracyalny, DE, 1st team
Michael Berna, ILB, HM
Logan Lukasik, DB, 1st team
All conference players returning:
Bennett Sheedy, sr., OL, HM
Brock Egnarski, sr., DB/RET, HM
Logan Kobus, jr., P, 2nd team
2019 Schedule
Aug. 22 Sheboygan South
Aug. 29 Manitowoc
Sept. 6 at Sheboygan North
Sept. 13 at G.B. Preble
Sept. 20 G.B. Notre Dame
Sept. 27 at De Pere
Oct. 4 G.B. Southwest
Oct. 11 Ashwaubenon
Oct. 18 at Bay Port