Kicking off the 2017-2018 Clarkston wrestling season, the Bantams had the annual “Wrestle Off” Nov. 29. At this dual, members of the team wrestled against each other; for some athletes, this meant a spot on varsity but for others it meant extra practice.
  The Saturday of that same week, the varsity team went north to wrestle at the Deer Park Invite in Washington. At Deer Park, the only wrestler to place (2nd) was senior, Jake Freeman at 152 pounds.
  Dec. 9 the Bantams attended the Leonard Shuttle Invitational Tournament in Othello, Washington. In Othello, Freeman placed first (152 pounds). Placing third were senior Justin Smith (113 pounds), senior Jordan Welch (126 pounds), sophomore Tanner Lange (132 pounds), senior Isaac Draper (160 pounds), junior Aeden Galles (182 pounds), and junior Ben Smith (195 pounds), pushing the Bantams to place fourth as a team.
  Making their way up the Bear Den in Moscow Dec. 12 the Bantams wrestled the Bears but fell as a team 34-39. Adam Caulde won by forfeit, Welch took the 126-pound win by pin, Lange took the 132-pound win by major decision (12-1), Freeman took the 152-pound win by pin, Will Sliger took the 170-pound win by injury default, and Galles took the 182-pound win by pin.
  Over winter break, CHS wrestlers made their way to two tournaments.
  Starting Dec. 22, the Bantams wrestled at the Best of The West tournament, in Pasco, Washington. On the first day, the Bantams went 3-1, falling to Hanford in the team dual section.
  The second day, Dec. 23, the BOTW changed from a team dual to an individual tournament. Only seniors placed at this tournament: Freeman, who placed third in the 145-pound bracket; Smith, who placed sixth in the 113-pound bracket; and Draper, who placed seventh in the 160-pound bracket.  
  The second tournament of winter break was the Christmas Tournament in Pomeroy, Washington, Dec. 29. Placing wrestlers were: Smith (first) at 113 pounds, Freeman (first) at 152 pounds, and Galles (second) at 182 pounds.
  Starting the week back from winter break, the Bantams faced the Cheney Blackhawks at home Jan. 3.
The Bantams pushed over the Blackhawks 40-37. The wins that contributed to Clarkson’s score include: 106 Skylor Hawkins’s pin, 113 Justin Smith’s pin, 145 Dallin Vaughns’s pin, 152 Jake Freeman’s major decision (11-1), 160 Isaac Draper’s pin, 195  Aeden Gallas’ forfeit and heavyweight Gunnar Clough’s forfeit.
  Heading to Cheney, Washington, Jan. 6, the Bantams wrestled at the BlackHawk Invite where Freeman placed first in the 152 bracket, Draper placed third in the 160 bracket, Smith placed fourth in the 113 bracket, and Galles placed fifth in the 182 bracket.
  The Bantams went north to face East Valley Jan.10, where only Hawkins (106 pounds) and Freeman (152 pounds) beat their opponents, both by pins. Taylor Southmayd, 113-pounder, received a forfeit. The final score for the East Valley-Clarkston dual was 18-66.
  Leaving the state for Montana, the Bantams wrestled at the annual Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula, Jan. 12 and 13. Freeman ended the tournament in third at 145 pounds and Hawkins in sixth at 103 pounds.
“It was a great time in the year to look at what I need to before state and meet my goals,” Freeman said about the tournament placings.
  Next, the Bantams took on the Lewiston Bengals at Booth Hall Jan. 16. The final score of the match was 33-54 with wins coming from Hawkins (106, pin), Smith (113, pin), Mick Brown (120, pin), Vaughns (132, pin), and Freeman (145, decision 10-3).
  For the last home match of the season, CHS took on Pullman on at home Jan. 17, beating them 59-22. The wins that aided the Bantams in their success include Hawkins (106, pin), Smith (113, forfeit), Jordan Welch (126, pin), Vaughns (138, pin), Freeman (152, pin), Draper (160, pin), Slinger (170, injury default), Galles (195, pin), Daniel Nicklaus (220, forfeit), and Clough (HVW, pin).
  The Bantams traveled to Lewiston again for the annual Clearwater Classic on Jan. 19 and 20 where Freeman and Hawkins shined on the mat, continuing to place like they did at Rocky Mountain. Freeman (152) and Hawkins (106) both placed first, winning by decision.
  Stats for the Jan. 24 West Valley dual were not available at press time.
  The next time the Bantams will wrestle is Feb. 2 and 3 at the district-level tournament in Spokane, Washington.