Mosenteen returns after fifth-place regionals finish

Five of seven Holyoke wrestlers are new to the sport this year, according to Head Coach Broc Pelle, but the Dragon competitors are “eager to learn” and “picking up technique quickly.” Leaders in the room, he continued, “are investing in their teammates’ growth.”

Tyson Mosenteen, a junior, returns for the 2022-23 season; he placed fifth in regionals the previous season, one place shy of qualifying for state in the 145-pound bracket. He now wrestles at 157 pounds. Hudson Koellner, a freshman, brings in experience from middle school. He will be competing in the heavyweight bracket.

Dragon wrestlers had the opportunity to learn further over the summer, both in open gyms at Holyoke High School and during camps. For one of the camps, staff from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling arrived in Holyoke to teach the sport. Pelle took several of the wrestlers to a second camp at the University of Northern Colorado for five days of training.

To continue, the team is focusing on the sport’s fundamentals: scoring, positioning, basic move sets and the like. Increased “mat time” has built the team’s confidence, Pelle said, and he has seen that confidence carry over into competitions.

Beginning with a tournament in St. Francis, Kansas, on Dec. 3, the Dragons took some wins, despite everyone competing on the varsity level.

“They were definitely nervous going in,” Pelle said, “but after the first round or so, they did well.”

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