A Coast-to-Coast Collision for No. 1: Buchanan Seizes the Throne at Doc B

With Faith Christian flying in from Pennsylvania, the nation’s top ranking was on the line — and Buchanan made sure it stayed in California

Top-ranked Rocklin Zinkin won his second Doc B title, helping Buchanan win the event in impressive fashion over the nation's No. 1 team – Faith Christian Academy of Pennsylvania. / Buchanan Wrestling

Over the Christmas Break, No. 2 Buchanan hopped on a plane to Ohio where it won the Brecksville Holiday Tournament, finishing ahead of numerous ranked teams, but not any in the top ten.

A National No. 1 Showdown Comes to California

The cross-country journey was returned to them as a factor for this weekend ‘s Doc Buchanan Tournament at Clovis High School when No. 1 Faith Christian Academy boarded a plane in Pennsylvania, destined for California, setting up a battle for the number one ranking in the nation.

Buchanan Capitalizes on Its One Shot

Buchanan took advantage of the only opportunity they will have this year to gain the top spot by outpointing Faith Christian by 49, 238.5-189.5.

“It's great to be recognized,” said Buchanan coach Troy Tirapelle. “The best part of our sport anymore is that almost all the top teams wrestle each other at some point. So, the rankings are actually pretty close to a genuine outcome. That does not mean if you wrestled the tournament again that things wouldn't change. Also, you have to take into account a dual as compared to a tournament makes a big difference. Still, it was great to see all of the competition and even better for us individually to get to see our kids fight from start to finish.”

In an interview following the Brecksville Championship, Tirapelle told High School on SI that his squad’s biggest event and greatest concern is the California Interscholastic Federation State Tournament. We wondered if Doc B had any more significance this year given what was at stake with Faith Christian’s presence.

“Honestly, we did not go over it too much,” Tirapelle offered. “Our kids are always pretty pumped for the Doc B. It's the best tournament in the state, if not the country, and it's in our own backyard. So, they usually are able to find a way to be at their best on their own. They do not want to underperform in front of the hometown crowd. That being said, it does not mean anything if we don't continue on and win the states at the end of the year. It'll all be for naught.

“(We) just emphasized our normal motto; "WBF - Win by Fall". It's not a secret. You win the best tournaments with bonus points. Falls secure the most points. It was evident in our wrestling that our kids were always looking to score bonus, rather than just win the matches. It pays off.”

The Biggest Test on the West Coast

Doc B is considered the West Coast’s most difficult in-season high school tournament. It’s up there in the conversation with the Ironman as the nation’s most difficult this year. The influx of Faith Christian, Delbarton, and other top ranked teams elevated the 2026 edition of Doc B.

“Billy, Buchanan is the real deal,” said Idaho Sports.com writer and longtime wrestling journalist, Al Fontes. “Doc B is the top tournament in 2025-’26.”

After Day One’s Quarterfinals, the Bears were up by 25 points (143.5-118) over the Lions. Farther separation did not commence until the final rounds as after the semis, the lead was still at 25 (191-166.5). By the time the placement matches began, Buchanan’s advantage was up to 37 (213.5-176.5).

“(On Saturday morning we told them) mainly that Friday means nothing anymore,” remarked Tirapelle about the team standings. “The good... the bad... it's irrelevant now. All we can do is move forward with where we are on Saturday.  We were pretty sure we had a full team of wrestlers that could compete with anyone and anywhere. It makes it easier to do your job when you know the guy next to you is going to pull his weight as well.

“My favorite part was our toughness. The Doc B has become a mini college tournament. Meaning, no matter if you're winning or losing the matches, you're getting beat up. That's what wrestling is, a controlled fight. It showed big time, late on Saturday when everyone started to wear down. Everyone wants to keep going when they're in the championship rounds. But our kids push on until the last whistle of the tournament. We train for that. It's going to be hard. Accept the fight and give it your all. Don't take the easy way out.”

Championship Moments Anchor Buchanan’s Title Run

The standalone final matches, a rarity in the big tournament world, would entertain no team drama, just individual glory as the Bears were up by 48 points as the champions began being crowned, two of which would come from their stable, No. 2 Rocklin Zinkin (120 pounds) and No. 2 Ashton Besmer (132).

Doc B listed the root weights plus three pounds, so 120 was 123 on their brackets and results. We are using the root weight for this article.

Zinkin’s bout was one of the most exciting of the final round as he engaged with No. 7 Cam Sontz of Delbarton, New Jersey. Sontz was the first to strike in a wild scramble that was close to going Zinkin’s way but was switched up by Sontz for the initial takedown. A Zinkin escape came shortly after to end the first, 3-1.

Sontz chose down and escaped in the second. Zinkin, who was noticeably more aggressive in the bout, was in on low singles twice during this frame but couldn’t finish it off. The Bear went down for the third and got a quick escape with a Granby.

The two were tied up on their knees when Zinkin decided a new approach would better suit him and briefly considered a cradle before exploding for a Barrell Roll that put Sontz straight to his back, turning his lights out at the 5:02 mark of the third.

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“The biggest part is he's not afraid,” Tirapelle said. “No moment is too big for him, and he's willing to go for it no matter what. That's why good things happen for him.”

The win gives the senior his second Doc B title to accompany the one he won as a freshman. Zinkin was second a year ago and third as a sophomore.

For Besmer, this was his second title as well, but his came consecutively as the senior broke through last year for his first ever placing at Doc B, including a win over this year’s 138-pound champ, No. 1 Moses Mendoza (Gilroy).

Besmer authored a 10-2 major decision of No. 10 Slater Hicks (Valencia) in which he controlled the action at all times, adding a takedown in each of the rounds, with the only other scoring coming on escapes. The low single was Besmer’s friend in this one. Hicks picked off No. 5 Nathan Carillo (St. John Bosco), 11-9, in the semifinals.

“Extremely dominant,” remarked Tirapelle. “When he uses his whole arsenal, he's very difficult to defend because he is always on you and can attack you in a lot of different ways.”

Depth, Toughness, and a Full Team Effort

Claiming silver for the Bears was No. 3 Thales Silva (106 pounds). Taking home bronze was No. 9 Paul Ruiz (126) and No. 15 CJ Huerta (138 pounds). Placing fourth were No. 26 Thiago Silva (113) and No. 14 Ian Arias (150 pounds).

“I was extremely impressed with the Silva twins,” Tirapelle added. “I know they've been around wrestling a long time, but they showed toughness and composure beyond their years as freshmen. It's difficult to navigate your first Doc B, and they had no trouble with it. What I appreciate most is for the full time allotted, they are giving their all to win the match. I know that sounds like a basic concept, but all kids do not have that mentality.”

Sammy Seja was sixth at 285, Carlo Contino finished seventh at 157 pounds. David Chacon was a second-place winner at 113 pounds (and non-scorer) landing in eighth. Buchanan’s ten placers, nine of which scored team points, were the most of all teams. Doc B allows multiple entries per team, but one must be designated as the point scorer.

California does not have a dual meet state tournament with only the granddaddy at the end of the year. Major events ahead for Buchanan are a few high caliber duals and then the state tournament series.

“The best duals will be between us and Clovis, and us and Poway, both later on in January,” offered Tirapelle. “We train hard for about the next five weeks and then ride out the qualifying process to the state tournament now.”

Faith Christian, Bosco, and a Loaded Podium

Faith Christian was right behind them in that count too, with eight who reached the podium in some fashion. Leading the way for the Lions were champions, No. 3 Adam Waters (190 pounds) and No. 5 Mark Effendian (285).

Waters was involved in a wild Ironman bracket with multiple upsets taking place, including one of Waters by Delbarton’s No. 2 CJ Betz. Chaos followed Waters into this gymnasium as more zaniness played out on the Doc B mats with No. 18 Ladd Holman (Juab, Utah) robbing Waters of a rematch with Betz, by disposing of the Jersey grappler himself, 1-0, in the semis.

Waters cruised out to an early lead on the strength of three takedowns and would ride that to a 9-6 victory over Holman in the finals and beat No. 11 Jonathan Rocha (Clovis North) in the semis, 7-3.

Effendian dominated with three pins and a tech fall en route to the finals and continued his hammering ways, as he discarded No. 33 Zayne Candelaria (Sunnyside, Arizona) with a fall in 2:15. Candelaria started the second on bottom and as he came up to attempt an escape, Effendian welcomed him with a powerful front headlock.

Ending wearing silver for the Lions were the Bachmann brothers, No. 3 Freddy (126 pounds) and No. 2 Joe (150). Landing in fourth were No. 6 Cael Weidemoyer (215 pounds), No. 2 Nick Singer (175), and Jay Singer (190). Jay Singer’s placing did not count in the team scores. Cruz Little came in seventh at 113 pounds.

Nick Singer defeated Edmond North’s No. 1 Joseph Jeter rather handily at Who’s No. 1. Jeter turned that around in the Ironman finals, 6-4. The rubber match occurred for third and fourth at Doc B, with Jeter jumping out big with a 7-1 count, only to watch Singer get back in it and force overtime, where Jeter held on for a second straight win over his rival.

All seven of No. 7 St. John Bosco’s placers are nationally ranked by High School On SI, powering the Braves to third in the team standings with 161 points. Finding gold were No. 4 Jorge Rios (113 pounds), No. 5 Jesse Grajeda (144 pounds), and No. 7 Michael Romero (150).

Rios, a sophomore, who was fourth here last year relegated Clovis’ No. 5 Anthony Garza to runner-up status for a second consecutive season with a 4-1 decision that saw the points keeping it from overtime arriving literally at the very end as Rios was able to come through one of many superb scrambles for a takedown with moments left.

Grajeda knows what it’s like to be a silver medalist two years in a row as that was his fate before he hit paydirt as a junior this year, using a 7-3 decision of No. 26 Tommy Verrette (Edmond Norhth) to ascend to the top spot. Grajeda put up takedowns in the first and final frames along with an escape. Verrette tallied three escape points.

Romero’s showdown with No. 2 Joe Bachmann was one of the highlights of the round with Romero executing a beautiful shuck-by to a shot for what would be the winning score in the opening window. Bachmann escaped following the takedown, rode out Romero in the second, and then added another escape in the third.

The biggest, unexpected Champion was Oakdale’s Wes Burford at 215 pounds. There were a few other upsets during the gold medal bouts but nothing as shocking as watching the unranked Burford march through the bracket and then take out No. 43 David Calkins (Liberty-Brentwood) in the finals.

Both had an escape as Calkins hit a blast double in the third. Burford used Calkins’ momentum against him and hit a slick lateral drop from his hip, straight to the back, adding three near-fall points. Calkins escaped and took Burford down then allowed a Burford escape to end all scoring at 8-5.

To reach the finals, both grapplers pulled out huge upsets. Burford edged No. 9 Daniel Moylan (Poway), 6-5. Calkins got by No. 6 Weidemoyer, 4-1. In the quarters, Burford added another upset victory, sticking Clovis’ No. 42 Adan Castillo, 5:29.

Senior, No. 24 Christoper Creason of El Diamante, was a California state champion last year (single class in California – so difficult) but has never stepped on the Doc B awards stand. Creason wrestled in Virginia as a freshman and started making national waves from California as a sophomore.

Creason’s biggest win to date came in these Doc B Finals, opposite No. 10 Austin Paris (Layton, Utah). Paris, an Ironman placer and Reno Tournament of Champion titlist was on a roll, but Creason was not concerned with any of Paris’ previous antics.

Creason went ahead 3-0 on a first period takedown. They traded reversals in the second before Creason blew it open in the third with some great work on his feet including a very physical throw-by for the last three of a match that ended with a 12-3 count.

The hosts’ sole champion, No. 4 Michael Bernabe, needed to overcome setbacks at Arballo Hammer (13-7) and the Zinkin Classic (4-2) at the hands of Thales Silva to capture the 106-pound crow, and that’s exactly what he did, to the tune of a 6-1 score.

A tight battle that had scoring minimized to just an escape by Silva to start the third changed quickly in the closing stanza as Bernabe worked for a reversal and rolled to a four-point tilt on “Oh, crap” points. Bernabe contained Silva the rest of the way.

“Oh, crap” points, refers to points scored immediately after reversing or taking your opponent down as they struggle to gain their bearings about their new positioning.

Poway’s No. 3 Mario Carini didn’t use an upset in the finals for his gold. His 8-1 win there over No. 4 Mason Ontiveros (John H. Pitman) was expected. To face Ontiveros, Carini had to get past No. 2 Nick Singer in the semis and made it happen, 11-9. Ontiveros took out top-rated Jeter in the other semi, 8-5.

Two more followed Zinkin’s path of being a freshman champ and then not repeating for a few years, No. 8 Ignacio Villasenor (Stillwater, Oklahoma) and No. 1 Moses Mendoza (Gilroy).

Of the two, Villasenor’s was the least likely as he was paired with Freddy Bachmann in a showdown of former World Medalists, Villasenor (bronze) and Bachmann (silver). With credentials like that, a razor close match was expected and delivered upon.

Bachmann was granted a takedown on a quick call in the first that we felt should have been waved off. Villasenor was given an escape point but began in a 3-1 hole through no fault of his own. After selecting bottom, Bachmann escaped.

Eventually, on the edge of the mat Villasenor rolled over in a scramble and was able to elevate the Lion’s feet off the mat to earn the three. Escapes for each were put up the rest of the way to end regulation at 5-5.

They traded escapes after going scoreless in the minute long sudden victory frame to set up ultimate tiebreaker, in which Villasenor was able to keep Bachmann on the mat for the 30 second window and the win. There’s was the Grand Finale of the round as the organizers of Doc B like to randomize the championship bouts instead of running in a traditional order.

Mendoza was facing the unranked Chris Lalonde out of Roosevelt, Colorado, who worked some early round magic to gain wins over No. 34 Ryan DeGeorge (Delbarton)and No. 43 Gino Schinina (St. Peter’s Prep, New Jersey). Mendoza pummeled Lalonde relentlessly on his feet posting takedown after takedown in an eventual 21-6 technical fall.

Villasenor’s freshman title came when he was with Colorado’s Pomona. The junior transferred to Stillwater ahead of his sophomore year. Stillwater did not attend Doc B in 2025, so Villasenor was kept off the top spot due to absenteeism.

Mendoza, on the other hand, was tripped up in his title defenses, last year by Besmer as he finished third, coupled with a silver medal as a sophomore.

World Champion, No. 1 Jayden James (165 pounds), will be explaining how Cowboy Hats are given out to the champions while he dons his and flies home as No. 5 Delbarton’s lone top gun. James worked to an easy 18-2 tech of Birmingham’s Slava Shahbazyan (No. 17 at 185 pounds).

No. 11 Poway tied Delbarton in the team standings in fourth with 141.5 points. Sixth through twelfth were, in order - No. 12 Clovis, No. 14 Edmond North (OK), No. 21 St. Peter’s Prep, No. 19 Clovis North, No. 20 Gilroy, No. 13 Stillwater, and No. 40 Bergen Catholic. No. 34 Esperanza was 15th. Illinois’ IC Catholic Prep (13th) and Layton (UT), 14th, round out the top 15 teams.

For those interested, the running order for the finals was: 138 pounds, 190, 120, 157, 190, 106, 150, 285, 165, 144, 175, 113, 132, and 126 pounds.

Team Standings

(all teams are from California, unless otherwise noted).

1-Buchanan 238.5

2-Faith Christian Academy (PA) 189.5

3-St. John Bosco 161

4-Delbarton (NJ) 141.5

4-Poway 141.5

6-Clovis 125.5

7-Edmond North (OK) 115.5

8-St. Peter’s Prep (NJ) 106.5

9-Clovis North 101.5

10-Gilroy 81.5

11-Stillwater (OK) 67.5

12-Bergen Catholic (NJ) 63.5

13-IC Catholic Prep (IL) 62.5

14-Layton (UT) 59.5

15-Esperanza 54.5

16-Bixby (OK) 51

17-Fountain Valley 50

17-Sunnyside (AZ) 50

19-South Anchorage (AK) 44

20-John H. Pitman 43

Individual Results

106 lbs

1st Michael Bernabe (Clovis) DEC Thales Silva (Buchanan), 6-1

3rd Tyler Sweet (Clovis North) DEC Lincoln Valdez (Pomona (CO)), 4-3

5th Luke Loren (St. John Bosco) MD Kingston Cruzat (Folsom), 10-1

7th Aiden Talavera (Reedley) M FOR Kaden Oldroyd (Westlake (UT))

113 lbs

1st Jorge Rios (St. John Bosco) DEC Anthony Garza (Clovis), 4-1

3rd Turner Ross (Edmond North (OK)) DEC Thiago Silva (Buchanan), 6-0

5th Michael Rundell (Oak Park River Forest (IL)) M FOR Max Murillo (Esperanza)

7th Cruz Little (Faith Christian (PA)) F David Chacon (Buchanan), 4:58

120 lbs

1st Rocklin Zinkin (Buchanan) F Cameron Sontz (Delbarton (NJ)), 5:02

3rd Jr Ortega (Grandview (CO)) MD Hunter Jauregui (Fountain Valley), 12-0

5th Darion Johnson (West Linn (OR)) MD Zachary Samano (Chino), 10-2

7th Rene Cordero (Poway) M FOR Steve Romero (Toppenish (WA)), 4-0 2:24

126 lbs

1st Ignacio Villasenor (Stillwater (OK)) DEC Freddy Bachmann (Faith Christian (PA)), 7-6 UTB

3rd Paul Ruiz (Buchanan) DEC Siraj Sidhu (Clovis North), 3-1

5th Mikey Ruiz (Randall (TX)) M FOR Owen Marshall (Tahoma (WA))

7th Isaiah Jones (Bixby (OK)) DEC Cooper Mathews (Cherokee Trail (CO)), 7-2

132 lbs

1st Ashton Besmer (Buchanan) MD Slater Hicks (Valencia), 10-2

3rd Sal Borrometi (St. Peter`s Prep (NJ)) DEC Eric Casula (Stillwater (OK)), 5-3

5th Nathan Carrillo (St. John Bosco) M FOR Cael Humphrey (Sultana)

7th Max Cumbee (Immaculate Conception (IL)) DEC Jack Maliniconico (Poway), 4-1

138 lbs

1st Moses Mendoza (Gilroy) TF Chris Lalonde (Roosevelt (CO)), 21-6 2:39

3rd CJ Huerta (Buchanan) F Vinnie Gutierrez (Fountain Valley), 2:41

5th Matty Orbeta (Poway) M FOR Mathius Garza (Etiwanda), 7-1 1:13

7th Gino Schinina (St. Peter`s Prep (NJ)) F Griff Powell (Lyons Township (IL)), 2:44

144 lbs

1st Jesse Grajeda (St. John Bosco) DEC Tommy Verrette (Edmond North (OK)), 7-3

3rd Drake Hooiman (SLAM Academy (NV)) DEC Gideon Gonzalez (Bergen Catholic (NJ)), 4-0

5th Chris Arreola (Clovis North) FOR Laudan Henry (St. Peter`s Prep (NJ)), 0-0

7th Diego Valdiviezo (Poway) M FOR Jayden Ramirez (Frontier), 0-0 0:00

150 lbs

1st Michael Romero (St. John Bosco) DEC Joe Bachmann (Faith Christian (PA)), 3-2

3rd Nick Schwartz (Delbarton (NJ)) DEC Ivan Arias (Buchanan), 8-2

5th Garrison Sartain (Edmond North (OK)) DEC Alias Raby (Anderson), 4-1 SV

7th Tommy Holguin (Bellarmine Prep) MD Matthew Centeno (Esperanza), 16-3

157 lbs

1st Christopher Creason (El Diamante) MD Austin Paris (Layton (UT)), 12-3

3rd Jacob Perez (Everett Alverez) MD Daniel Acosta (Randall (TX)), 22-10

5th Wyatt Lewis (Del Norte) DEC Aiden Arnett (Immaculate Conception (IL)), 4-2

7th Carlo Contino (Buchanan) F Joseph Ruiz (St. Peter`s Prep (NJ)), 1:29

165 lbs

1st Jayden James (Delbarton (NJ)) TF Slava Shahbazyan (Birmingham), 18-2 4:22

3rd Zane Gerlach (South Anchorage (AK)) DEC Kaleo Garcia (Gilroy), 5-2

5th James Curoso (Clovis) M FOR Josh Piparo (St. Peter`s Prep (NJ))

7th Robert Kendall (Windsor (CO)) DEC Gunner Lopez (Grandview (CO)), 4-1

175 lbs

1st Mario Carini (Poway) DEC Mason Ontiveros (Pitman), 8-1

3rd Joseph Jeter (Edmond North (OK)) DEC Nick Singer (Faith Christian (PA)), 9-8 TB2

5th Brody Kelly (Immaculate Conception (IL)) DEC Isai Fernandez (St. John Bosco), 7-5

7th Kalob Ybarra (Pomona (CO)) DEC Travis Grace (Gilroy), 7-1

190 lbs

1st Adam Waters (Faith Christian (PA)) DEC Ladd Holman (Juab (UT)), 9-6

3rd C.j. Betz (Delbarton (NJ)) DEC Jay Singer (Faith Christian (PA)), 5-2

5th Jaxon Penovich (St. Viator (IL)) M FOR Jonathan Rocha (Clovis North)

7th Mason Savidan (St. John Bosco) MD Carter Vannest (Pitman), 10-2

215 lbs

1st Wes Burford (Oakdale) DEC David Calkins jr. (Liberty-Brentwood), 8-5

3rd Mick Moylan (Poway) M FOR Cael Weidemoyer (Faith Christian (PA))

5th Adan Castillo (Clovis) DEC Wyatt Hanssen (Wasatch (UT)), 2-1

7th Brian Haran (Gilroy) M FOR Satoshi Davis (SLAM Academy (NV))

285 lbs

1st Mark Effendian (Faith Christian (PA)) F Zayne Candeleria (Sunnyside (AZ)), 2:19

3rd Andrew Arroyo (Clovis) DEC Redmond Lindsey (Bixby (OK)), 4-2

5th Trayvn Boger (South Summit (UT)) DEC Sammy Seja (Buchanan), 5-1

7th Rhodes Molenda (Edmond North (OK)) FOR Noah Larios (Imperial)