BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves rocketed to third place on Saturday at the annual John Glenn Rocket Duals going 4-1 for the day.
“It was a team effort from top to bottom,” said Clarkston Varsity Wrestling Head Coach Joe Wood.
The Wolves opened the tournament with a 75-6 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln.
Next it was onto Wyandotte Roosevelt for a 42-21 win.
Winning with pins were Jake Billette (145), Noah Burt (215), Rocco Spindler (285), Grady Castle (112) and Houston Hemingsen (140).
The Wolves won five of their matches by outscoring their opponents on the mat with Angelo Marino (160) in a 7-2 decision; Adam Sprague (103) in a 3-0 win; Cole Wiegers (119) in a 13-6 win; Mac Hanselman (125) in a 9-2 win; and Anthony Welch (135) in a 9-7 win.
The boys lost to John Glenn with a lot of close matches that could have gone either way, 40-15.
“Theres no doubt in my mind it could be a much different score next time we see them,” Wood said. “We knew they were a pretty good team. The boys came out, got in their face and wrestled them hard. They were really excited about it.”
The Wolves won four matches with Ian Wilson (171) pinning Justin Morrison; Spindler winning his match over Donald Farris, 7-6; Sprague with a 3-2 win over Ty Lowen; Hemingsen over Shawn Brown, 8-4.
Next for the Wolves was Utica Eisenhower which they beat, 48-25.
Ethan Polick (140) Kyle Rumbold (189), Burt, Sprague and Wiegers scored six points each for Clarkston with pins.
Castle won his match over Zach Pacheco in a 11-10 decision and Hanselman won his match over Dante Lumetta in a 3-1 decision.
Wilson and Spindler received a bye.
Clarkston finished the day with a 39-31 win over Clinton.
Rumbold, Wiegers, Hemingsen (145) and Billette (152) won their matches with pins.
Castle defeated Nathan Darm in a 13-3 major decision. Ethan Polick (135) also scored in a major decision over Anthony Stockdale, 13-4; and Spencer Arnold (140) defeated Riley Jeffrey in a 14-4 major decision.
Nick LaCroix defeated Landis Gilman in the 130-pound weight class, 11-10.
The Clarkston Varsity Wrestling B team had three place at the Warren Mott Toys for Tots tournament on Saturday with sophomore Kyle Spengler finishing in second place, junior Cody Jewett in third place and sophomore Owen Masters in sixth place.
“They did a good job,” Wood said.
The Wolves opened the season with two losses at Dundee on Dec. 6.
“We decided to put ourselves against two of the toughest teams in the state right off the bat just to use it as a measuring stick,” Wood said. “It opened our eyes a little bit.”
The Wolves took on Dundee first and lost 57-7. Winning their matches for Clarkston were Houston Hemingsen (145) in an 8-6 decision over McCallister McAvoy; and Grady Castle (112) in a 12-3 major decision over Gabe Massingill.
Clarkston closed their visit with a 65-9 loss to Davison. The Wolves opened their meet against Davison with a win in the 140-pound weight class as Spencer Arnold won his match over Cardinal Landon Kish, 4-3. Adam Sprague (103) won his match with a pin on Mackenzie Gilbert.
Wood added after the two losses the boys went right back into the room for the next two practices.
“They wanted to get right back to work,” he said. “This weekend proved it. This weekend proved how good this team can be.”
The Wolves head to Lake Orion this Friday and Saturday for the Oakland County Championships.
“We are going to go out there and give it our all,” said Wood, adding after the John Glenn tournament they know it’s possible to win the county meet. “We are going to score points, get after people and try to win the Oakland County. Now we really think it’s something we want to try to do.”
The meet on Friday begins at 4 p.m. and continues on Saturday at 9 a.m.

  Clarkston Varsity Wrestling, John Glenn Duals