At The Doc Buchanan Tournament held at Clovis High School in California—one of the premier wrestling competitions on the West Coast—the team race was primarily focused on the battle for third place.
By the time Saturday’s finals rolled around, the matchups were more of a showcase than a determination of the overall standings. No. 25 Clovis, No. 10 Poway, and No. 11 Gilroy rounded out the top five, consistently maintaining their ranks as the event concluded.
No. 8 Buchanan entered the finals with a comfortable 19-point advantage over No. 7 St. John Bosco (193-174), with all top five positions held by esteemed California teams. The quest for first place was effectively resolved early in the competition, as the Doc B follows the “Old-School” tradition of having championship finals take place on a single mat, while the consolation rounds are completed earlier. Buchanan boasted five finalists, in contrast to just one from St. John Bosco.
Michael Noel, the Tournament Director at Doc B, opts for an unconventional approach during finals by mixing up the weight classes. Unlike many tournaments that begin at 106lbs and proceed in order, Doc B kicks off the action at 165, followed by 113, then 190lbs, continuously alternating throughout the round.
With no team race ramifications, the order of finals reflected local interests and the skill level of the competitors. Notably, Gilroy’s No. 1 Daniel Zepeda capped off the event with a 4-1 decision over No. 4 Noah Nininger (Staunton River, VA) at 150lbs. Zepeda, who is known for ending Bo Bassett’s high school winning streak, celebrated his first Doc B title after claiming second place as a sophomore and fourth last year. As a senior, he carries the title of two-time state champion and captured a Fargo championship this past summer.
Buchanan tallied three champions out of their five finalists, with two achieving significant upsets. One such surprise involved No. 28 Ashton Besmer (132) beating No. 7 Manuel Saldate (SLAM! Academy, NV), 8-5, which tallied as a major upset in rankings. Besmer’s journey to the finals included a thrilling semi-final victory over No. 6 Moses Mendoza (Gilroy), where points came rapidly, ending with Besmer clinching a 22-15 advantage.
Freshman Paul Ruiz, ranked 20th nationally at 113, left the crowd in disbelief alongside U17 Freestyle World Bronze Medalist, No. 2 Henry Aslikyan (Birmingham, CA), securing a narrow 9-8 win in overtime tiebreakers. Given Aslikyan’s impressive World standing, this outcome was certainly unexpected.
Buchanan’s third champion was expected, as Leo Contino held the No. 1 seed and ranked 12th nationally against his opponent’s No. 18 status. Contino delivered a decisive 4-0 victory over SLAM!’s Gabriel Delgado. Notably, No. 8 Rocklin Zinkin (120) and No. 4 Joseph Toscano fell short of Cowboy Hats, while the Bears saw Ivan Arias secure third place at 150, the sole placer not reaching the finals.
St. John Bosco, who paced the event with nine awardees, saw their only finalist, No. 9 Jesse Grajeda, pinned in his 138lb final by No. 3 Sergio Vega (Sunnyside, AZ) at 4:35, despite holding a 3-2 lead. Vega is recognized as a Fargo and Super 32 champion.
No. 17 Isai Fernandez placed third at 175 for the Braves, with fourth-place finishers including No. 7 Jorge Rios (106), No. 21 Sean Willcox (120), and No. 6 Nathan Carillo (126). No. 23 Michael Romero finished sixth at 144, while Mason Savidian secured seventh at 190, and Tigran Greyan (157) along with No. 7 Joseph Antonio (165) settled for eighth.
Clovis’ No. 3 Nikade Zinkin managed to win a rematch from the Zinkin Classic finals in December, edging out Buchanan’s Toscano with a 7-5 decision. Zinkin, a two-time Doc B runner-up, had previously defeated Toscano 4-1. At 106, Anthony Garza faced U17 Freestyle World Champion, No. 1 Samuel Sanchez (Esperanza, CA), falling 7-1 in his final bout.
The host team also boasted five other placers; No. 20 Mark Marin (3rd at 185), No. 21 Adrien Reyes (5th at 175), Raymond Rivera (6th at 138), Adan Sanchez (7th at 285), and Thunder Lewis (8th at 126).
Three California wrestlers celebrated their second consecutive Doc B titles, achieving their victories with relative ease during the finals. Heavyweight No. 6 Coby Merrill from JW North dominated, pinning all five opponents in the first period, culminating with a 1:25 pin of No. 13 Trayvn Boger (South Summit, UT) in the final. Merrill is a junior and a two-time state runner-up.
No. 3 Angelo Posada (Poway) overwhelmed his first three opponents in the first round, followed by a technical fall in the semis before defeating No. 11 Khale McDonnell (Fountain Valley, CA) 10-0 for a major decision in the finals. Posada, who was second here in his sophomore year, is a current champion of Fargo, Super 32, and the state.
The third repeat champion, No. 2 Ronnie Ramirez (Walnut), secured a 13-4 major decision over No. 7 Antonio Rodriguez (Los Gatos, CA) to earn his Cowboy Hat. This victory marks his fifth consecutive win against Rodriguez per our records. Ramirez is also a two-time state champ, although he faced a tough battle before meeting Rodriguez.
The Mustang had to navigate overtime in a quarterfinal match that was resolved in tiebreakers against No. 13 Edwin Sierra (Poway). In the semifinals, the senior narrowly edged past No. 12 Isiah Cortez (Gilroy) 4-2, with Cortez upsetting the Braves’ Carillo two times at Doc B—once to advance to the semis and then again in the consolation finals.
No. 11 Levi Bussey of Granite Bay, California, held a comfortable lead during his 190lb final against No. 15 Brokton Borelli (Los Banos, CA), only to see Borelli mount a fierce comeback. Bussey managed to clinch the victory in a tight 13-11 finish. He had placed seventh at the same competition last year.
Two East Coast wrestlers took home Cowboy Hats, with No. 2 Landon Sidun (Norwin) traveling from Pennsylvania to face tougher competition. Sidun secured a 5-3 victory over Rocklin Zinkin, marking a pivotal moment in his tournament experience. He is also a state champion.
As a freshman last year, Landon Sidun has now achieved the status of a two-time PowerAde champion after claiming his latest title over the holiday break.
No. 5 Dominic Bambinelli‘s journey echoed Sidun’s as he made his way from Mill Creek, Georgia. Bambinelli secured his top rank by defeating No. 13 Mario Carini (Poway) with an 11-2 major decision. He’s aspiring to become a four-time state champion this year and has already finished as the runner-up at the last two Super 32 Tournaments.
Claiming the final championship title, No. 11 Peyton Wetpfahl traveled from Liberty, Missouri, triumphing with a 7-1 victory over No. 23 Mason Ontiveros (Pitman) in the 175lb category.
To provide a comprehensive overview and meet any potential inquiries, the finals were held in the following order: 165, 113, 190, 157, 285, 106, 175, 215, 132, 138, 120, 126, 144, and 150.
Doc B Tournament Team Scores: Top 15
(All teams from CA unless otherwise noted)
1. Buchanan 205
2. St. John Bosco 174
3. Clovis 141
4. Poway 138
5. Gilroy 136
6. Sunnyside (AZ) 99.5
7. SLAM! Academy (NV) 80.5
8. Pomona (CO) 79.5
9. Clovis North 77.5
10. Layton (UT) 73
11. Fountain Valley 68.5
12. Esperanza 61.5
13. Liberty (MO) 60.5
14. Pitman 58
15. Ponderosa 55.5
Championship Finals: Individual Results
(The weights provided here include the base plus a three-pound allowance. For example, 106=109. We referenced the base weights earlier.)
- 109-Samuel Sanchez (Esperanza) DEC Anthony Garza (Clovis), 7-1
- 116-Paul Ruiz (Buchanan) DEC Henry Aslikyan (Birmingham), 9-8 TB2
- 123-Landon Sidun (Norwin (PA)) DEC Rocklin Zinkin (Buchanan), 5-3
- 129-Ronnie Ramirez (Walnut) MD Antonio Rodriguez (Los Gatos), 13-4
- 135-Ashton Besmer (Buchanan) DEC Manuel Saldate (SLAM Academy (NV)), 8-5
- 141-Sergio Vega (Sunnyside (AZ)) F Jesse Grajeda (St. John Bosco), 4:35
- 147-Nikade Zinkin (Clovis) DEC Joseph Toscano (Buchanan), 7-5
- 153-Daniel Zepeda (Gilroy) DEC Noah Nininger (Stauton River (VA)), 4-1
- 160-Leo Contino (Buchanan) DEC Gabriel Delgado (SLAM Academy (NV)), 4-0
- 168-Dominic Bambinelli (Mill Creek (GA)) MD Mario Carini (Poway), 11-2
- 178-Peyton Wetpfahl (Liberty (MO)) DEC Mason Ontiveros (Pitman), 7-1
- 193-Levi Bussey (Granite Bay) DEC Brokton Borelli (Los Banos), 13-11
- 218-Angelo Posada (Poway) MD Khale Mcdonnell (Fountain Valley), 10-0
- 288-Coby Merrill (JW North) F Trayvn Boger (South Summit (UT)), 1:25
3rd Place
- 109-Nathaniel Granados (Merced) DEC Jorge Rios (St. John Bosco), 6-4
- 116-Gabriel Ramirez (Canyon View (AZ)) DEC Jadyn Wren (Clovis East), 10-3
- 123-Mikey Ruiz (Randall (TX)) DEC Sean Willcox (St. John Bosco), 7-3
- 129-Isaiah Cortez (Gilroy) DEC Nathan Carillo (St. John Bosco), 7-6
- 135-Moses Mendoza (Gilroy) DEC Justyce Zuniga (Toppenish (WA)), 2-1
- 141-Elijah Cortez (Gilroy) DEC Geronimo Rivera (Layton (UT)), 4-1
- 147-Drew Gorman (Buford (GA)) DEC Carlos Stanton Jr. (Sunnyside (AZ)), 11-6
- 153-Ivan Arias (Buchanan) MD Jason Worthley (Westfield (UT)), 13-4
- 160-Beau Priest (Bakersfield) DEC Alias Raby (Anderson), 7-4
- 168-Slava Shabazyana (Birmingham) DEC Tucker Roybal (Union (UT)), 11-4
- 178-Isai Fernandez (St. John Bosco)
- DEC Brody Kelly (Immaculate Conception (IL)), 4-1 SV
- 193-De`alcapon Veazy (Ponderosa (CO)) DEC Carter Vannest (Pitman), 4-2
- 218-Melvin Whitehead lll (Liberty (NV)) MD Wes Burford (Oakdale), 10-2
- 288-Mark Marin (Clovis) DEC Anthony Nava (Toppenish (WA)), 1-0
5th Place
- 109-Mj Rundell (Oak Park River Forest (IL)) DEC Tyler Sweet (Clovis North), 6-4
- 116-Aiden Garcia (Palma) DEC Drake Vombaur (Severance (CO)), 7-1
- 123-Paulo Valdez (Hesperia) DEC Isaiah Jones (Bixby (OK)), 7-1
- 129-Antonio Mills (Mill Creek (GA)) DEC Robert Jones (Poway), 7-3
- 135-Billy Townson (Poway) DEC Deven Casey (Immaculate Conception (IL)), 3-1 UTB
- 141-Leo Maestas (Clovis North) DEC Raymond Rivera (Clovis), 7-0
- 147-Derek Barrows (Pomona (CO)) DEC Michael Romero (St. John Bosco), 4-0
- 153-Niko Valenzuela (Fountain Valley) MD Josh Fish (Westlake (UT)), 14-2
- 160-Mark Del bosque (Clovis North) DEC Austin Paris (Grand Country (UT)), 8-6
- 168-Kalob Ybarra (Pomona (CO)) DEC Bradlee Farrer (Pleasant Grove (UT)), 8-1
- 178-Adrien Reyes (Clovis) DEC Leister Bowling (Mead (CO)), 3-2 UTB
- 193-David Calkins jr. (Liberty-Brentwood) DEC Elijah Hawes (Layton (UT)), 8-2
- 218-Brock Rios (Frontier) MD Foley Calcagno (Immaculate Conception (IL)), 10-0
- 288-Kaydon Williams (Corner Canyon (UT)) DEC Tatum Williams (Fruita Monument (CO)), 7-0
7th Place
- 109-Mas Hatano (Folsom) F Arcadius Cruz (Orting (WA)), 4:24
- 116-Carlos Melgoza (Kingsburg) DEC Hunter Jauregui (Fountain Valley), 6-2
- 123-Lander Bosh (Layton (UT)) DEC Czar Quintanilla (University (WA)), 8-1 SV
- 129-Siraj Sidhu (Del Oro) DEC Thunder Lewis (Clovis), 13-11
- 135-Adyn Bostick (Sunnyside (AZ)) F Alan Salguero jr. (Orting (WA)), 4:24
- 141-Joshua Requena (Camarillo) DEC Nick Dardanes (Brush (CO)), 6-3
- 147-Arseni Kikiniou (Poway) DEC Braden Priest (Bakersfield), 2-1 TB2
- 153-Matthew Luna (St. Francis) M FOR Max Del bosque (Clovis North)
- 160-Ian Fritz (Pleasant Grove (UT)) DEC Tigran Greyan (St. John Bosco), 7-2
- 168-Travis Grace (Gilroy) FOR Joseph Antonio (St. John Bosco), 0-0
- 178-Anthony Vargas (Central) FOR Emerson Claeys (Pomona (CO)), 0-0
- 193-Mason Savidan (St. John Bosco) DEC Kage Mir (Bishop Gorman (NV)), 7-2
- 218-Hayden Martin (South Anchorage (AK)) M FOR Ross Cinfel (Clovis North)
- 288-Adan Sanchez (Clovis) DEC Daniel Moylan (Poway), 4-3