On Thursday, Feb. 9th the Clinton Varsity Wrestling Team won their 8th straight District Championship and 9th in the last ten years.  Clinton opened with Stockbridge and was able to post a shut out victory 84-0.   Pins were earned by Hamza Rafferty, Braylon Long, Connor Busz Connor Younts, Zak Shadley, and Ethan Younts.  Other wrestlers with wins during the dual were Nate Arntz, Brenden Benschoter, Maurice Ames, Clifford Jones, Bryce Randolph, Landon Lakatos, John Keibler, and Wyatt Hicks.  

In the other District Semi Final Match Adrian Madison defeated Blissfield to advance to the championship match against Clinton.  The championship match between Clinton and Madison started at 106 pounds.  Nate Arntz battled Malaki Mosher but was pinned to put Madison up 6-0 to start the match.  Then Braylon Long started a streak of six straight wins for the Redwolves.  Long pinned Jacob Byrd at 113 pounds in 1:35.  Brenden Benschoter got the call at 120 pounds and picked up the first takedown but Lucas Dopp picked up a takedown his own in the second period to tie it at 2-2.  The match would stay that way through the third period until Benschoter gutted out a takedown and the win in overtime 4-2.  Connor Busz recently committed to continue his education and wrestling career at Albion College and Albion's Head Coach Adam Wilson was in the house to watch his new recruit.  Busz did not disappoint as he picked up a second period technical fall 17-2 at 126 pounds.  Connor Younts wrestled up at 132 pounds and picked up a hard fought win 10-4 over Lukas Leonard, behind three takedowns and a set of nearfall points.  Zak Shadley was up next at 138 pounds and earned a decisive first period pin in just 52 seconds.  Maurice Ames followed that up nicely with a pin in just 41 seconds over Nick Moore at 144 pounds.  Clifford Jones competed at 150 pounds and lost a tough 6-8 decision to Jalon Borders.  Cliff dug himself out of a first period deficit with several escapes and a late reversal but fell short of the come back effort.  Ethan Hicks got Clinton in the win column again with a second period pin over Angel Cabrera at 157 pounds.  At 165 pounds Bryce Randolph picked up first period pin over Nathaniel Decker in 1:43.  Ladon Lakatos competed at 175 pounds and gave great effort, but fell short.  Wyatt Hicks dropped his match at 215 pounds 5-7 as his comeback effort fell short after giving up four points in the first period.  Sophomore Hamza Rafferty finished the dual with a big second period pin over Logan Russel.  The final score was Clinton 47 Madison 24.  Now the Redwolves head to Williamston on Saturday for the MHSAA Individual Districts with wrestling starting at 9:30am.