Battle for the Belt Preview
Aaron Negrette – Cavalry Chapel HS
Preview by: Nick Kindred
Welcome to the National Sports Apparel Battle for the Belt hosted by Temecula Valley High School. In the seventh year since its inception, this year’s tournament continues the tradition of strong competition that includes numerous state and nationally ranked wrestlers. This year’s team race could provide some excitement as the balance that Poway and Vacaville bring to the competition could be challenged by the potential fire power of Gilroy. St. John Bosco has some fire power of their own which could put them near the top of the team race. Traditional California powers Bakersfield and Calvary Chapel enter the competition with a mixture of proven wrestlers along with some very impressive young talent which should make them both fun to watch. San Marino also joins the competition for the first time and they bring with them a heap of young talent. Both Folsom High School and Sultana High School have wrestlers at multiple weight classes with the potential to secure a spot in the finals. Alta Loma boasts some young talent which could make things interesting as we enter the later rounds of the tournament and defending Nevada state champions Green Valley also boasts some individual standouts. Solid programs including Ponderosa, James Logan, Oakdale, and La Costa Canyon round out a very balanced field that should result in an outstanding weekend of wrestling. Temecula Valley Wrestling would like to thank our sponsors, parents, volunteers, and fans of the great sport of wrestling for making this event possible.
106 Pounds
With 11 of the top 20 ranked wrestlers in the state, the 106 pound weight class appears to be one of the deepest at this year’s Battle for the Belt. Freshman standout Zander Silva of Alta Loma has some put together a very solid season and he may be the frontrunner here. Upperclassmen Isaac Blackburn of Del Oro and David Campbell of Mission Oaks will also challenge for the belt. Should De La Salle’s Donovin Guerrero make the cut, he may also be in the mix. Others who will challenge for medals include Christian Ramos (Benicia), Michael Rangel (Calvary Chapel), Kai Middlebrook (Poway), Kai Kramer (La Costa Canyon), Jordan Aquino (Vacaville), Navonte Demison (Bakersfield), and Gio Diaz (South Hills).
113 Pounds
The 113 pound weight class could set the stage for a rematch of last year’s California state finals at 106 pounds. Central’s Adrian Camposano is the reigning state champion as well as a returning Battle for the Belt champion. Hoping to avenge that loss in the state finals will be Gionn Peralta of Vacaville. Peralta is a three time state medalist and is making the cut down from 120 for the first time this season. Don’t rule out Monache’s Matt Gamble who was the runner-up at the prestigious Doc B tournament earlier this month. A pair of Bakersfield wrestlers may also find themselves in the mix. Junior Carlos Herrera and freshman JJ Figueroa share a top 8 state ranking and Herrera boasts an earlier season win over Gamble. Others vying for medal contention are Julian Gendreau of St. John Bosco, Christian Claudio of Calvary Chapel, and Scott Kivona of Poway.
120 Pounds
If Green Valley’s Sean Cannon remains at 120 pounds, he is the clear favorite to take home the belt. Already a three time Reno TOC champion, Cannon has finished second and third, respectively at his two previous Battle for the Belt tournaments. Returning California state medalist Nico Colunga of Oakdale has performed well at the Battle for the Belt in the past, but he will have to get past the likes of returning California state qualifiers Evan Wick of San Marino, Anthony Hernandez of Vacaville, Kimo Dial of Poway, and Jesse Vasquez of Gilroy should he hope to challenge Cannon for the belt. A solid group of medal contenders includes West Torrance’s Yoshito Funakoshi, Del Oro’s Isaac Engelbrecht, and Dixon’s Devan Turner.
126 Pounds
If returning state champion Johnny Parada makes the cut down to 126 pounds, he would be the clear favorite to take home the belt. Gilroy’s Victor Olmos is a three time state qualifier and may represent Parada’s greatest threat. Former North Coast Section champion Nathan Cervantes of De La Salle had a strong showing at the Reno TOC earlier this season and he should also make a run at a finals appearance. Don’t rule out returning state qualifier Gil Guitierrez of Calvary Chapel, Cadet Folkstyle National champion Zander Wick of San Marino, or defending Nevada state champion Josh Temple of Green Valley. A slew of other potential contenders include Poway’s DJ Garcia, Sultana’s Trent Smith, and returning state qualifiers Jacob Donato (James Logan), Kristian Vasquez (ML King), and Trevor Williams (Oakdale).
132 Pounds
The clear favorite at this weight class is Zahid Valencia of St. John Bosco. Not only is Valencia a returning Battle for the Belt champion and a former California state champion, but he is also ranked number one in the nation at this weight class. Returning state medalist Julian Flores of San Marino may represent Valencia’s stiffest competition. A slew of other returning state qualifiers including Joshy Cortez of Temecula Valley, Peter Cunningham of Calvary Chapel, Bobby Ehman of Vacaville, Max Stevens of Oakdale, Josh Sibayan of Monache, and Zach Ruybal of Del Oro help to make this one of the deeper weight classes in the tournament.
138 Pounds
Should Gilroy’s Niko Villareal make the cut from 145, he would be the clear favorite to take home the belt. Villareal is ranked in the top five nationally and he is already a two time California state champion. Having missed the last two Battle for the Belt tournaments, Villareal was a runner-up at this event in his freshman campaign. Winning his first title belt would be a great addition to Villareal’s already lengthy résumé. If Villareal does make the drop to 138 pounds, he will have to deal with one of the hottest wrestlers in the state in Bloomington’s Uzo Owuama. Owuama defeated several quality opponents en route to winning the prestigious Doc B tournament a couple weeks ago. Two extremely talented wrestlers that Owuama left in his wake were Sergio Enloe of Poway and Matt Ontiveros of Central-Fresno. Enloe dominated the competition at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions in December, claiming the title at 138 pounds. Ontiveros is a two time state qualifier out of the touted Central section. Both will look to challenge for a spot in the finals. Don’t rule out fab freshman Luke Troy of Calvary Chapel who already has some impressive wins over quality opponents this season and St. John Bosco’s Joseph Dominguez who was a Southern Section Masters runner-up last season before being eliminated in a the round of twelve at the state meet.
145 Pounds
The favorite at this weight class is Gilroy. Whether Niko Villareal chooses to stay up at this weight class or if Paul Fox chooses to make the drop from 152, Gilroy’s entry at this weight class will be the man to beat. Fox is a three time California state placer and two time state finalist. Looking to capture his second consecutive belt, however, is Poway’s Ralphy Tovar. Tovar followed his title run at last year’s Battle for the Belt by placing fifth at the California state championships in March. Returning state qualifiers Jacob Macalolooy of James Logan, Hayden Fry of Vacaville, and Antonio Gutierrez of Bakersfield also hope to make their mark on this weight class. Folsom’s Mason Koshiyama and Ponderosa’s Colin Hustrulid are standouts from the Sac Joaquin section who should vie for medal contention.
152 Pounds
A pair of returning California state medalists lead the way at 152 pounds which may be the most wide open weight class of the tournament. Lorenzo De La Riva of Folsom and Nolan Kistler of ML King will seek their first matchup of the season. Standing in their way could be returning Nevada state finalist London Thomas of Centennial. Temecula Valley’s Carter Armendarez and Ponderosa’s Zack Velasquez were both a match away from placing at last year’s state meet and they could also contend for a spot in the finals. Poway’s Cody Doyle also won matches at last year’s state meet and could be the dark horse at this weight class. Keep an eye on freshman standout Abel Garcia of Oakdale as well as returning state qualifiers Brad Pearce of Alta Loma as well as Alex McIntyre of La Costa Canyon.
160 Pounds
Calvary Chapel’s Aaron Negrette is the favorite at 160 pounds as he has established himself as a very real contender for the state title in March. Having placed at last year’s California state meet, Negrette brings a wealth of experience that could help him claim the belt. Looking to spoil Negrette’s bid at a championship run is Poway’s Colt Doyle. After a one year hiatus from Poway’s starting lineup, Doyle has made his mark on the 2013-14 season. Having placed third at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions and fourth at the Dob B, Doyle will hope to avenge a pair of 3-1 losses to Negrette from earlier in the season. Hoping to prevent a third matchup between Negrette and Doyle will be returning Nevada state finalist and Reno TOC placer Donovan Peek of Green Valley. Returning state qualifiers Trae Providence of Ponderosa, Joseph Granger of Rancho Buena Vista, and Michael Wright of Dinuba could also make a run at a finals appearance. Beckman’s Anthony Anderson, La Costa Canyon’s Phoenix Prefontaine, and returning state qualifier Ruben Avila could also establish themselves as viable medal contenders at the state meet with a strong performance at the Battle for the Belt.
170 Pounds
For those of you coming to this year’s Battle for the Belt hoping to see some superstars, you need look no further than the 170 pound weight class and St. John Bosco’s Anthony Valencia. Along with his brother Zahid, Anthony claimed the title at the prestigious Walsh Ironman tournament in Ohio this past December. This strong performance has earned Valencia the number two ranking nationally at this weight class. Valencia will look to erase the memory of an upset loss in last year’s finals by claiming his second title belt in three years. Hoping to meet Valencia in the finals will be a pair of returning California state medalists in Bryce Martin of Bakersfield and Alexander Graves of San Marcos. Should these two square off in the semis, it could be one of the more competitive matchups of the tournament. Others who should contend for medals include Gilroy’s Matt Penyacsek, Poway’s Chris Bailey, and Carlsbad’s Jake Heene.
182 Pounds
In what should turn out to be one of the more competitive finals matchups, Folsom’s Nick Fiegener and Sultana’s Corey Griego appear to be out in front of the rest of the competition. Fiegener was a runner-up at the California state meet at 160 pounds while Griego was a runner-up at the state meet at 170 pounds. The two have already met twice this year with Fiegener winning both matches. Returning state qualifiers Mark Penyacsek of Gilroy and Dylan Kainrath of Del Oro represent strong semifinalist contenders. Also hoping to contend for medals are Nevada Union’s Will Sumner, Hemet’s Tristin Sutton, Oakdale’s Frank Trent, Temescal Canyon’s Ricky Bonilla, and Temecula Valley’s Parker Yocum.
195 Pounds
Along with the 152 pound weight class, this weight class represents a division that is open for the taking. Although the state rankings have returning state champion Jeramy Sweany listed at 195, it appears that he will remain at the 220 pound weight class for the duration of the season. As a result, both the Battle for the Belt as well as the California state championship appear to be up for grabs at this point. James Logan’s Clayton Hartwell was fifth in the state last year, but he has suffered an earlier season defeat at the hands of Sultana’s Dylan Bollinger. Also in the mix for a title belt is Ian Baker of La Costa Canyon. Baker, who was last year’s San Diego Section champion, also won the NHSCA Junior Nationals in the off season. Others who should compete for a spot on the podium are Robert Alvarado of Mission Oaks and returning state qualifiers Steven Gomez of Vacaville and Reggie Bland of Central Catholic.
220 Pounds
As returning state champion Jeramy Sweany of Vacaville prepares for the transition to the college heavyweight division, it appears that he will stay in the 220 pounds for the duration of the season before heading to Cornell in the fall. This decision would have set the stage for a dream matchup between Sweany and fellow returning California state champion Derrick Jones of Bloomington. Both wrestlers won their weight divisions at last season’s California state championships in dominating fashion. Regrettably, it appears that Jones will be unable to compete for the remainder of the season due to injury. This unfortunate news leaves Sweany all by his lonesome as the clear favorite to repeat as the Battle for the Belt champion as well as state champion in March. Although Sweany should once again dominate his weight class at the Battle for the Belt, the bid for second place is open to a bundle of other state ranked wrestlers. Returning San Diego Section champion Miracle Tausaga of Mt. Miguel, who comes in ranked fifth in the state, could be challenged by returning state qualifiers Daniel Pena of Birmingham and Liam Sorahan of Poway. Be on the lookout for freshman standout Sammy Evans of Alta Loma who has turned in some very impressive wins this season. Escondido’s Adam Waller, who was the San Diego Section champion at 195 pounds last year, will look to make his mark on this weight class with a strong showing at the Battle for the Belt. Others who have shown promise include Travis Ellebracht of Bakersfield, Kyle Jennings of Ponderosa, and returning Battle for the Belt medalist Daniel Gonzalez of Temescal Canyon.
285 Pounds
The heavyweight division at the Battle for the Belt will include several heavyweights vying for medal contention. It appears, however, that the title belt is Chance Eskam’s to lose. Competing for Carlsbad High School, Eskam has won two consecutive San Diego Section titles and he placed sixth at the state meet last March. The other spot in the finals appears there for the taking by whichever wrestler rises to the occasion. Some potential candidates include San Pasqual’s Derrek Cooper, Sultana’s Justin Gillham, Del Oro’s Saul Meneses, and Benicia’s Steven Rohrer.
