Austin Flores – Clovis North

Preview by Nick Kindred
Welcome to the 2015 Battle for the Belt hosted by Temecula Valley High School and sponsored by Wrestling Mart.  In its eighth year of existence, this year’s Battle for the Belt combines a well-balanced blend of talented individuals along with a contingent of powerhouse teams that could make the team race tighter than some may have initially anticipated.  That said, San Diego Section power Poway definitely has the edge on repeating as team champions.  Last year, Coach Branstetter was able to take home his first Title Belt as the championship coach and if this year’s team is able to perform to its potential, it will be difficult for others to combat the Titans’ depth.

San Marino High School, led by seven time California state championship coach John Azevedo, brings three returning Battle for the Belt finalists back to this year’s tournament.  San Marino has some additional fire power that gives them instant credibility in the team race.  An array of talent laden teams from the Sac Joaquin Section should also make their own marks on the team race.  They include Del Oro, Benecia, Folsom, Ponderosa, Oakdale, and Vacaville.  Perennial Central Coast Section power Gilroy also boasts a nice mix of veteran wrestlers along with a mixture of young talent.  Others that will make a run at a top five team finish include three time defending Nevada state champions Green Valley, perennial North Coast Section power De La Salle, and Bakersfield High School who comes in with a group of super sophomores that could each make a run at an individual Title Belt.

Temecula Valley Wrestling would like to thank Wrestling Mart as well as our parents, volunteers, and fans of the great sport of wrestling for making this event possible.  So kick back, relax, and enjoy what should be an outstanding weekend of competition.

Jordon Aquino – Vacaville HS

106 POUNDS
Sac Joaquin Section rivals and returning Battle for the Belt medalists Jordan Aquino of Vacaville and Christian Ramos of Benecia lead the field at 106 pounds.  Although Aquino holds the section crown after having defeated Ramos in the Sac Joaquin Section finals last year, he will seek to avenge an earlier season loss to Ramos.  Standout freshman Nicholas Aguilar of Gilroy will seek to disrupt a repeat showdown between Aquino and Ramos.  The dark horse at this weight could be returning state qualifier Ethan Diaz of San Jacinto.  Others who will vie for medal contention include Cody Williams of Oakdale, Kai Middlebrook of Poway, and Isaiah Perez of Dinuba.

Navonte Demison – Bakersfield HS

113 POUNDS
Oakdale’s Logan Eaton is the defending Battle for the Belt champion and he should once again contend for a Title Belt.  Should returning state placer Navonte Demison of Bakersfield make the cut, he may have the edge on the rest of the field.  Demison improved upon a sixth place finish at last year’s Battle for the Belt and surpassed all of those who finished ahead of him when he placed third at the California state tournament.  Sophomore Zander Silva of San Marino was unable to compete after the quarterfinals at last year’s Battle for the Belt, but a strong fourth place finish at last week’s prestigious Doc B tournament has him primed to make his own run at a Title Belt.  Defending San Diego Section champion Kai Kramer of La Costa Canyon as well as defending North Coast Section champion Donovin Guerrero of De La Salle round out a very competitive field.

Devan Turner – Dixon HS

120 POUNDS
Returning Sac Joaquin Section finalist Devan Turner placed seventh at last year’s Battle for the Belt, but he enters this year’s tournament ranked first in the state of California.  Two-time state medalist Nico Colunga of Oakdale may have to avenge an earlier season loss to Turner if he hopes to take home the Title Belt.  Defending Central Section Masters champion JJ Figueroa of Bakersfield made an appearance in last year’s Battle for the Belt final and he definitely possesses the skills to take the next step up on the podium.  Others who will contend for medals include returning state qualifiers Landon McBride of Del Oro and Steven Abbate of Central Catholic as well as Brandon Kier of Poway and Chris Deloza of Clovis North.

Anthony Hernandez – Vacaville HS

126 POUNDS
If they make the cut to 126, a pair of returning California state placers lead the way at this weight class.  Vacaville’s Anthony Hernandez placed seventh in the state at 126 pounds while Bakersfield’s Carlos Herrera placed sixth at 120 pounds.  Returning state qualifier Curtis Booth of Folsom placed at last year’s Battle for the Belt and seems primed to make a run at this year’s title.  In addition to Booth, there are a handful of returning state qualifiers who will look to make a run of their own.  They include Scott Kiyono of Poway, Eric Reyes of Yucaipa, Jansen Engelbrecht of Del Oro, Bryan Flores of Bloomington, and Trevor Williams of Oakdale.  Gilroy’s entry at this weight class should also be in medal contention whether it be standout freshman Alexander Felix or three-time state qualifier Jesse Vasquez.  Throw in Nevada state placer Jaylon Bates of Liberty and Arizona standout Quentin Hovis of Seton Catholic and you have one of the more well rounded weight classes in this year’s tournament.

Julian Flores – San Marino HS

132 POUNDS
Coming into the tournament, two-time California state medalist Julian Flores of San Marino should be the favorite at 132 pounds.  Flores will look to improve on his second place finish at last year’s Battle for the Belt.  Hoping to keep Flores from hoisting the Title Belt could be three-time Nevada state champion Sean Cannon of Green Valley and returning California state placer Manny Lair of Poway.  Cannon was second at last year’s Battle for the Belt at 120 pounds.  Should he hope to make a return trip to the finals, however, it is likely that he will have to avenge an earlier season loss that he suffered to Lair at the Reno Tournament of Champions.  Keep an eye on two-time North Coast section champion and three-time state qualifier Nathan Cervantes of De La Salle as he certainly possesses the skills to upset any of the top wrestlers at this weight class.  Gilroy’s three-time state qualifier Jesse Vasquez could also make some noise. Others who will vie for medal contention include returning state qualifiers Jacob Wright of Dinuba and Christian Mateos of Temecula Valley along with 2013 state qualifiers Max Stevens of Oakdale and Zach Ruybal of Del Oro.  Other wrestlers to watch include Wyatt Gerl of Calvary Chapel-Downey and Carlos Alvarez of Folsom.

138 POUNDS
Similar to the 132 pound weight class, this field is led by a pair of returning California state medalists and a Nevada state champion.  Going into the tournament, the favorite is Evan Wick of San Marino.  Wick placed fifth at last year’s California state tournament and he was a Battle for the Belt champion while picking up Outstanding Lower Weight honors in the process.  Looking to dethrone Wick will be Joshy Cortez of Temecula Valley who placed eighth at the California state meet a year ago.  Both may have to deal with Faith Lutheran’s Owen Lawrie who is a reigning Nevada state champion.  A bundle of returning California state qualifiers makes the field very deep.  They include La Costa Canyon’s Alec Baker, Mason Boutain of Benecia, Daniel Abbate of Central Catholic, and David Del Bosque of Dinuba.  Also keep an eye on 2013 state qualifier Clayton Shropshire of Del Oro as well as freshman standout Colbey Harlan of Oakdale.

Ralphy Tovar – Poway HS

145 POUNDS
The clear favorite at 145 pounds is Ralphy Tovar of Poway.  Not only is Tovar a two-time California state place-winner but he has also made two consecutive trips to the Battle for the Belt finals having won a Title Belt in 2013 and come up just shy a year ago.  In what could be a matchup of two former Battle for the Belt champions, San Marino’s Zander Wick will look to earn a second belt of his own.  Not only is Wick the reigning Southern Section Masters champion, but he has also placed at the prestigious Walsh Ironman and Doc Buchanan tournaments this season.  Be on the lookout for fab freshman Jake Ryan of Oakdale to stir things up at this weight as well. Contending for medals should be returning state qualifiers Alex Hernandez of West Valley and Josh Annis of Bakersfield along with battle tested Matt Mejia of Canyon Springs.

Luke Troy – San Marino HS

152 POUNDS
The field at 152 pounds represents one of the more wide open weight classes in the tournament.  If returning state qualifier Luke Troy of San Marino can take home a Title Belt, it could have major implications on the team race.  Returning state placer Tanner Robison of Del Oro could also make a run for the Title Belt.  If Hoover’s Kenneth Moore decides to make the cut from 160 pounds, he could very well be the favorite.  Last year, Moore was a San Diego section finalist.  This year, Moore has already placed second at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions and fourth at the Doc B all at the 160 pound weight class.  Perhaps the most formidable challenger is defending Nevada state champion Storm Roper of Liberty.  Returning state qualifier Caleb Wilson of Hemet could also make a run at the finals.  In addition to the aforementioned list of very accomplished wrestlers, there are a handful of up-and-comers who could make waves at this weight class.  They include Canyon Springs’ Robert Skorheim, Poway’s DJ Garcia, San Ysidro’s Robert Ala Torre, Bakersfield’s Ricky Gonzalez, and Folsom’s Jason Bergquist.

Zac Velasquez – Ponderosa HS

160 POUNDS
A pair of Sac Joaquin Section rivals lead the way at 160 pounds in Folsom’s Lorenzo De La Riva and Ponderosa’s Zack Velasquez.  De La Riva is a former California state place-winner and was third at the Battle for the Belt a year ago.  De La Riva will seek to snap a two match losing streak that he has suffered at the hands of Velasquez this season.  Looking to derail a third matchup between De La Riva and Velasquez could be Hoover’s Kenneth Moore if he decides to remain at the 160 pound weight class.  Also keep an eye on returning state qualifier Sam Loera of Bakersfield and two-time San Diego Section finalist Alex McIntyre of La Costa Canyon.

Colt Doyle – Poway HS

170 POUNDS
Returning California state champion Colt Doyle of Poway comes in as the favorite at what looks to be the deepest weight class of the tournament.  A slew of returning state qualifiers could contend for a finals appearance.  They include three time state qualifier Michael Wright of Dinuba, two-time state qualifier Antonio Gutierrez of Bakersfield, Sac Joaquin section placers TJ Shamblin of Ponderosa and Mason Koshiyama of Folsom, Southern Section placer Mike Marshall of San Clemente, San Diego Section placer Duke Mackle of La Costa Canyon, and North Coast Section placer Gavin Hummel of De La Salle.  Don’t forget about Oakdale sophomore Abel Garcia who placed third at last year’s Battle for the Belt and is coming off a very strong showing at the Doc B last week.  Although they weren’t able to qualify out of the very deep Southern Section, Irvine’s Armon Fayazzi and ML King’s Sean Kain have produced strong campaigns this season and both should be in contention for a medal.  Throw in the out of state flavor of Seton Catholic’s Sergio Chavez who is ranked in the state of Arizona and Faith Lutheran’s Billy Bigelow who is a returning Nevada state placer and you have a weight class that should be very entertaining right from the start.

Matt Penyachek – Gilroy HS

182 POUNDS
Returning state qualifier Tristan Sutton of Hemet is the favorite at 182 pounds mainly by virtue of his third place finish at the Battle for the Belt a year ago.  In that tournament, Sutton secured five falls including two over Gilroy’s Matt Penyacsek.  Penyacsek, the defending Central Coast Section champion, comes into this year’s Battle for the Belt seeking to reverse the outcome of last year’s matches with Sutton.  Also hoping to challenge for a spot in the finals are returning state qualifiers Julio Fuentes of Golden Valley—Bakersfield, Frank Trent of Oakdale, and Andrew Tausch of Poway.  Should Tausch make a run at the finals, it could put the nail in the coffin of any teams hoping to challenge Poway in the team race.

Austin Flores – Clovis North

195 POUNDS
Clovis North’s Austin Flores is the clear favorite at 195 pounds.  The returning California state place-winner was third at last year’s Battle for the Belt and is coming off a championship run at last week’s Doc Buchanan Invitational.  Looking to meet Flores in the finals will be Poway’s Chris Bailey who is the defending San Diego Section champion.  Robert Castro of cradle-crazy Bloomington will hope to challenge Bailey for a spot in the finals.  Others who will vie for medal contention include Mike Colello of Great Oak, Jesse Madrigal of Oak Hills, Ronald Sallee of Eastlake, Jorge Rodriguez of Escondido, and Antonio Andrade of Gilroy.

220 POUNDS
Despite missing a bid to last year’s California state tournament, Poway’s Liam Sorahan comes in red hot and ranked first in the state.  Defending Central Coast Section champion Mark Penyacsek of Gilroy and defending Los Angeles Section champion Davit Stepanyan of Birmingham both have a viable shot to meet Sorahan in the finals.  Returning state qualifiers Jared Nooner of Folsom and David Padilla of Dinuba along with Ponderosa’s Kyle Jennings and De La Salle’s Darryl Aiello should all contend for medals at this weight.

285 POUNDS
For the first time in the past several years, the Title Belt in the heavyweight division is truly up for grabs.  Each of the last three Battle for the Belt tournaments has had a clear number one seed that ran through the competition.  While any one of this year’s heavyweights may very well run through the competition, it is certainly not clear which heavyweight that will be.  There are some frontrunners, however, including returning state qualifiers Saul Meneses of Del Oro, Dawuud Davis of Dinuba, David Hernandez of Birmingham, and Mike McCauley of Vacaville.  Others who could contend in this wide open weight class include Bloomington’s Enrique Salazar, Temescal Canyon’s David Eubanks, Mira Costa’s Jimmy Millea, Gilroy’s Noe Garcia, and Newbury Park’s Robert Knight.