BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves took down two foes last week to claim the MHSAA Division 1 Wrestling Team District championship at Lapeer High School, Feb. 9.
Clarkston opened the night on their way to win their 16th consecutive championship with a 40-28 win over Oxford in the semifinals.
“The dual earlier in the year was close,” said Brian Gibbs, head coach. “They had a couple kids out so I knew it would be a tough road for us. A couple matches in the beginning didn’t go our way.”
He added they preached to the wrestlers have a short memory.
“Whatever has happened in the dual, the match, the period you have to forget about it and think about what comes next,” Gibbs shared. “That’s what we did and got the job done. We overturned a couple matches of the dual as well. We were able to take care of business.”
The Wildcats opened the night taking the first match as Nikki Hatzigeorgiou had a fall over Matthew Jaffke in the 125-pound weight class.
Clarkston took the next two matches as Augusta Anderson (130) had a fall over Charles Schwab and Ryan Rector (135) won by decision over Lukas Smith, 9-2.
Oxford led 16-9 after winning the next two matches with a major decision by Luke Johnson over Cayden Strong (140), 11-2, and a fall by Eli Tabert in the 145-pound weight class.
Ethan Lefevre (152) closed the gap to 1-point with a fall over Shane Starkey before the Wildcats pull ahead earning nine points in the next two matches.

Trent Geiger (189) pinned Dominic Cassise in the third period to take the match for the Wolves and Brock Trevino (215) brought Clarkston in the lead by 1-point with a technical fall over Mark Peters, 21-6.
Camden Jamison pinned Kewone Burton in the first period in the 289-pound weight class to distance the lead.
“It’s a big swing match,” said Gibbs. “Camden being a new wrestler it was big for him to get out there and get the fall.”
The Wolves finished the night with Preston Lefevre (103) winning with a technical fall over Chase Beall, 18-2; and Brady Vogt (119) with a 11-8 decision over Zach Call.
“Brady beat the kid at county and then lost to Zach at our dual at home,” Gibbs said. “He was able to go out and get the win out here. He wrestled really well, wrestled really smart. I am really proud of him getting back to form and ready to go for Saturday.”
Archer Anderson lost the 112-pound weight class to Koen Eberhard, 4-3.
“I am really proud of how he fought,” Gibbs said. “I think good things will happen in the post season.”
Clarkston moved on to defeat Lake Orion in the championship dual, 45-22.
The Wolves opened the dual taking the first five matches. Augusta Anderson (130) won with a void while Rector, Strong, Andrew Zarzycki (145) and Gabe Gipe (145) won with falls.
Gibbs noted Rector had as solid match against Ryder Smith.
“Ryan wrestled a kid who is ranked eighth in the state. Put him to his back twice then ends up getting the fall,” Gibbs said. “It’s big for Ryan. He has only wrestled a few years but he is very athletic, very strong, very quick. I think just using it to his advantage and that’s what he did in this match.”
The Wolves finished the night taking three of the last four matches with Lefevre with a fall with 1:26 left in the first period over Nolan Rhode; Archer Anderson with a fall in the second period over Chad Parker; Vogt with a 8-3 win over Hunter Swatosh.
The Wolves had seven wrestlers qualify during the MHSAA Division 1 Individual District 1 at Lapeer on Saturday.
Preston Lefevre finished as champion in the 103-pound weight class.
Auggie Anderson finished second in 125-pound weight class. Archer Anderson (103), Brady Vogt (119) and Gabe Gipe (152) finished in third place. Cayden Strong (152) and Brock Trevino (189) finished the day in fourth place.
The Wolves take on Davison in the MHSAA Wrestling Team Regional 101 on Wednesday in the semifinal at 5 p.m. The championship dual is at 6:30 p.m. The regional matches are held at Traverse City Central.
They head to Midland for individuals.

  Wrestling