Here are the preseason wrestling rankings. Where available, the top five wrestlers are listed at each weight. Some wrestlers may move down a class in the first month of the season based on the new weight certification rules. The poll will resume on a weekly basis beginning Jan. 8 and conclude Feb. 26, the first day of the state tournaments.

.4103:.4 1, Nathan Hernandez (Post Falls). 2, James Hug (Lewiston). 3, Dallas Jones (Priest River). 4, Jarred Madsen (Kellogg). 5, Richard Fortman (Lakeland).

.4112:.4 1, Brandon Palaniuk (Lak). 2, Michael Ryan (Kel). 3, Ryan Powell (PF). 4, Alex Thompson (Moscow).

.4119:.4 1, Alex Watson (Sandpoint). 2, David Lanpher (Lew). 3, Kyle Payne (St. Maries).

.4125:.4 1, Gale Belgarde (San). 2, Danny Baker (Coeur d'Alene). 3, Kyle Hummell (Bonners Ferry). 4, Josh McKain (Lake City). 5, Brett Berger (PF).

.4130:.4 1, Josh Manes (CdA). 2, Robert Fisher (Kel). 3, Trae Turner (Lew). 4, Aaron Stephens (LC). 5, Nate Birdsall (Lak).

.4135:.4 1, Quinn Walkington (San). 2, Derek Katus (Lak). 3, Jason Ellefloot (CdA). 4, Bobby Kuber (PF). 5, Jake Will (Wallace).

.4140:.4 1, Adam Hall (BF). 2, Jayme Haynes (Kel). 3, Alex Howard (CdA). 4, Dusty Waldo (PF). 5, Brian Kelly (San).

.4145:.4 1, Tim Johnson (BF). 2, Jon Staab (Lew). 3, Derek Waldo (PF). 4, Ken Koehler (BF). 5, Nate Cope (CdA).

.4152:.4 1, Jon Pluid (BF). 2, Cameron Meyers (CdA). 3, Matthew Haley (Mos). 4, Austin Ackerman (LC). 5, tie, Thomas Henderson (Lak) and Keith Olson (Lak).

.4160:.4 1, Danny Swift (BF). 2, Sean McCrite (LL). 3, Arthur Finnicum (LC). 4, Jared Reynolds (CdA). 5, Eric Prestegaard (PF).

.4171:.4 1, Luke Feist (San). 2, Ryan Allen (CdA). 3, Kyle Kelly (BF). 4, Mike Kuber (PF). 5, Scott Hansen (PR).

.4189:.4 1, Jim Beck (PF). 2, Don Dinning (BF). 3, Andy Elvin (Lew). 4, Joe Heil (San). 5, Josh Haynes (Kel).

.4215:.4 1, Blake Cord (Timberlake). 2, Kyle Neal (PF). 3, Adam Shamion (PF). 4, Nick Uhnack (San). 5, Matt Sayler (Lew).

.4Hwt:.4 1, R.J. Moss (PF). 2, Don Sohler (LC). 3, David Howard (Tim). 4, Sheldon Cramer (San). 5, tie, Kyle Watkins (Lew) and Ken Edmundson (Lak).

.4Team power rankings:.4 Individual rankings are used to produce team power rankings. First is worth 10 points, second eight, third six, fourth four and fifth two.

1, Post Falls 74. 2, Bonners Ferry 64. 3, Sandpoint 54. 4, Coeur d'Alene 52. 5, Lewiston 39.

Greater Spokane League Class 4A wrestlers and coaches would like to think last year was an aberration.

A league -- and region -- that prided itself on its statewide accomplishments fell on tough times.

There was no Moses Lake team juggernaut; no Eastern Washington hubris resulting from past state tournament dominance.

The GSL had but a single individual state champion, a surprising one at that, and only a dozen medalists. All told, the region had a quarter of the 28 finalists and four titlists, but the highest team finish was Kamiakin's sixth.

East Valley, which piled up 376 points and nearly doubled the score on University to win regionals, sent eight wrestlers to state yet had to settle for 10th.

"We kind of fell apart is what we did," coach Craig Hanson said. "We rode a high for four weeks and had to come down at some point."

It was a far cry, indeed, from 2002's one-two-four Moses Lake, Gonzaga Prep and East Valley team finish, or the 13 finalists (out of 28) and six state champs of 2000.

"Sometimes I think what happens," University coach Don Owen said, "is, if you have a couple or three good classes, then younger kids in league never see daylight. Last year (as a result) was not a strong senior class."

Hanson added that, in general, the weakness of the region gave teams a false sense of their comparative worth.

But maybe a pattern can be discerned from this. The even years of the millennium have been very good to this region. With 2004 near, could a return to good times not be far off?

"It works through in cycles," Owen said. "This year we have some pretty good seniors and a really strong junior age group. We'll really be tough next year."

One of those in the talented junior class is Lewis and Clark 119-pounder Nate Powell, whose season last year personified the kind of year it was for the GSL.

Powell placed fourth at state as a freshman, was undefeated in league last year and the district champion at 112.

He didn't qualify for a state return, losing in regionals 5-4 to Big Nine No. 4-seeded Louis Haberling and 8-6 to EV's Matt Hanson, a wrestler Powell had beaten by 11 points the week before.

Coach Ty Lingo said he could see it coming. The year before he had older, more experienced teammates with him at state. Last year he was going it alone.

"It just seemed to take the wind out of his sails when his whole team was put out at districts," Lingo said. "It made him start to question whether the sacrifice of dieting was really worth it when his teammates were eating whatever they wanted."

Powell, like the rest of the league, is a year older, wiser and expecting better days.

"I think he is absolutely focused on redeeming himself," Lingo said.

There are only three returning state placers, but rosters of this year's GSL teams are heavy on experience. Most teams, including the Tigers, have double digit numbers of regulars back.

U-Hi and North Central lead the way with 16 varsity veterans. Central Valley and 3A Clarkston have 15 each, LC and Shadle Park 14.

All six 103- and 112-pound district placers are back as are five of six at 119, 125 and 152 pounds and half the medalists in all but three other weights.

The defending champion Knights of East Valley have nearly a team's worth of district placers back, nine of them regional veterans.

"All those kids who wrestled last year are a lot more seasoned and will do much better," Hanson said.

Things have to be looking up.

Central Valley coach John Owen had hoped for better when the Bears entertained Clarkston to open the Greater Spokane League wrestling season.

A 46-13 setback wasn't what he had in mind, the Bantams conducting business as usual at CV's expense.

Clarkston raced to a 19-0 lead and lost just three of 14 matches in nearly duplicating the score it hung on the Bears last season.

"I was hoping we'd give them a match and we didn't do that," Owen said. "But give credit where credit is due. They beat us like an unwanted stepchild from our freshman team all the way up."

The die was cast in match two of the varsity contest, when 171-pound senior Jared Cooper rallied from an early 6-2 deficit to win 10-9 over Rogers Stack on a takedown with 45 seconds remaining.

Clarkston followed with pins at 189 and 215 for the big early lead and forced the Bears to play catchup.

Of its remaining seven victories, three were by major decision and one by disqualification for excessive stalling.

Central Valley's only victories were by state veterans Robbie Hall, by pin at 275, sophomore Lucas Chesher, in a 119-pound match, 12-6 over two-time state qualifying senior James Standerfer and in the next-to-last match of the contest by sophomore Camren Ebat.

Last year the Bantams tore through the National Division of league, including a 53-12 win over CV. Their starting lineup includes 8 seniors, 3 juniors and 3 sophomores.

CV had three seniors, including Hall and Stack, 7 juniors, 3 sophomores and a freshman.

Owen wouldn't offer that up as the difference.

"They were really physical and wrestled a lot harder than us," Owen said. "In a couple cases we were outgunned, but the kids didn't wrestle as hard as I wanted."

Among the exceptions were CV's three winners.

Hall controlled his match and ended it with time running out in the second period.

Ebat won at 145 pounds, a 10-0 major decision over Thomas Whittum, yet another Clarkston senior. He won a hard-earned takedown in the first period on a night when the Bantams had a 2-to-1 takedown advantage.

In the second period, Ebat added five points, including on a near fall, and scored twice in the final 45 seconds of the match.

Earlier, in the contest between state veterans, Chesher broke a 3-3 tie with an escape, takedown and near fall in the second period en route to a 12-6 victory. He made one mistake, getting cradled for a 3-point near fall in the third, but worked out of it.

"I just planned to go out and wrestle my best," Chesher said. "When he reached up I could just go under his hands."

Chesher did admit to tiring in the third period, a common malady for the Bears on this night.

"I have to work harder and get in better shape," he said.

By then, Clarkston was in front 26-9, and the Bantams won the next four matches, clinching the team victory with three matches remaining on Mike McPeak's 12-2 win over Geoff Palachuk at 135 pounds.

"I felt pretty strong, but could have done better," McPeak said.

He said the Bantams felt Central Valley would be tough, but knew what they had to do in the opener.

"We knew if we wrestled our best and kept pushing and driving, we'd beat them," McPeak said.

Clarkston coach Dan Randles said that for a season-opener he thought his team did well in most matches. He lauded first-year 103-pounder Kodey Desjardin for his debut victory. Desjardin replaces state champion Jason Fairley at that weight. Fairley has moved up to 112.

"He's filling big shoes," Randles said.

Junior Dan Freese helped ice Mead's wrestling victory Thursday night.

Freese pinned Ferris senior Carson Dipo with 33 seconds left in the match at 119 pounds. The outcome snapped a 21-all tie and led to a 32-30 home win in a season-opening Greater Spokane League meet.

Ferris senior Ben Steinhilber followed with a second-round pin at 125, knotting the meet at 27. Mead senior Trace Bradburn (130) recorded a 23-8 technical fall over junior Alex King, putting the Panthers ahead for good.

In other league openers, two-time defending champion East Valley notched six pins, including three to start the night, to roll to a 49-28 win over visiting Mt. Spokane. Knights junior Drew Beaudoin (145) pinned junior Braun Murray in the third round after trailing in points.

Senior Lars Bouge (189) defeated junior Nolan Pegg 3-1 with a takedown in overtime, helping University to a 50-19 win over visiting Cheney. Junior Jeremy Montang's 15-0 technical fall at 130 started U-Hi toward four consecutive wins.

Senior Jason Salazar (215), sophomore Mike Bradfute (275) and freshman Trevor Powell (103) had consecutive pins to rally Lewis and Clark to a 47-24 win at Rogers. The Pirates led 22-20 before LC's pin spree. The Tigers also benefited from three forfeits.

Senior Brad Dunham's 29-second pin at 125 completed Gonzaga Prep's 46-21 win over visiting West Valley. G-Prep freshman Gabriel Ahl (130) began the meet with a pin. Senior Kane Kuhn also added a pin at 160.

Individual champions Cory Fish (103 pounds), Jeremy Montang (130) and Kevin Aurand (171) led University to the team title during Saturday's 16-team Inland Empire Wrestling Tournament at Central Valley.

Runners-up Doug Johnson (135) and Jon Sahlberg (152) also helped the Titans pile up 221 points, for a 651/2-point gap on second-place Ellensburg. Moses Lake scored 1401/2 for third place.

Cheney placed fourth (1361/2) behind champions Blake Risk (125), Brad Rasmussen (152) and Stephon Westfall (215).

Robbie Hall, champion at 275, led the host Bears to fifth place.

Lakeland finished 12th with 76 points. Third-place Ken Edmondson (275), fourth-place Keith Olson (152), and fifth-place Brandon Palaniuk (112) and Derick Katus (145) led the Hawks.