Buchanan Reclaims CIF State Wrestling Title, Edges Poway in Dramatic Finish

Rocklin Zinkin's second straight title clinches it for the Bears; Daniel Zepeda captures his third straight crown; Gilroy goes 5-for-5 in the finals; team and individual results

Buchanan's Rocklin Zinkin has arm raised after securing his second consecutive CIF Southern Section state title. The win also clinched the 2025 teams championship for the Bears as they edged rival Poway for the crown. / Rocklin Zinkin Instagram

In a dramatic showdown at the CIF State Wrestling Tournament, No. 13 Buchanan High School reclaimed its spot atop California wrestling by edging out No. 12 Poway in a thrilling team race that came down to the final bouts at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday evening. Led by Rocklin Zinkin's clutch victory at 120 pounds, the Bears secured their ninth state title in 10 years, holding off Gilroy, which crowned an impressive five individual champions.

The onset of the final round saw Buchanan ahead of No. 12 Poway by 10.5 points, 243.5-232, while No. 18 Gilroy was in fourth, with five finalists lurking and 217 points. The Bears would also have five in gold medal contention and the Cougars, four. 

(Note: All team rankings refer to the latest High School On SI Top 35 National High School Wrestling Team Rankings and all individual wrestler rankings refer to the latest 2024-25 High School On SI National High School Wrestling Rankings.)

The three-day journey began on Thursday and a lot would have to go right for Poway to overcome their deficit heading into the finals. 

Buchanan only won one of its five opportunities for individual titles, opening the door for the Titans, but they could not bring it home, as they only crowned two champions. The finals began at 157 and concluded with Gilroy’s Daniel Zepeda winning his third title at 150-pounds.

In that bout order, the only head-to-head meeting between the team title contender, in the finals, came at 120-pounds with the Bears’ No. 6 Rocklin Zinkin taking on No. 7 Edwin Sierra. This occurred just past the middle of the card. When Zinkin captured his second state championship, it also closed the book on the team race as Buchanan then had 247.5 points to the Cougars’ 240, with Poway only having one left to compete. 

Buchanan wrestling shows off its state championship prizes after winning the 2025 CIF State Wrestling Championships at Mechanic's Bank Arena in Bakersfield. / Photo: David Dennis

The Bears and Cougars would stay at those totals, but Gilroy went five-for-five to jump into the top three, just a point behind Poway with 239 points. No. 9 St. John Bosco (229.5) was fourth followed by No. 17 Clovis (211). The Bears reclaimed the throne from the Cougars, a year after it ended Buchanan’s seven-year win streak. 

The Bears’ only champ was Zinkin. The importance of his win can’t be overstated. If he had lost to Sierra in the finals, Poway would have gone on top (244-243.5).

 As both teams are neck and neck in our national rankings, and Zinkin’s previous dance with Sierra in last year’s state finals resulted in a 2-1 score, this one could have gone either way. Zinkin started without hesitation and secured a takedown ten seconds into the match, that set the tone for the junior the rest of the way as he posted a 7-2 decision.

Back 2 Back State Champion! Buchanan's Rocklin Zinkin defeats Poway's Edwin Sierra 2 years in a row with a 7-2 decision.@gabecamarillo_ @AlecABC30 @bhs_sports13 @centralsectiono @PAGMETER pic.twitter.com/ejc6BWJsOR

— Matthew Tatum (@MatthewTatum_) March 2, 2025

Of Buchanan’s runners-up, No. 30 Paris Ruiz (126) has had the wildest two-week ride. At the Central Section Masters, Ruiz was ranked 13th nationally and was tripped up in those finals by Clovis’ Thunder Lewis.

The quick turnaround in facing each other favored Ruiz in his round of 16 tangle with Lewis as he put up a 10-0 major. In the quarters, Ruiz outdid himself and sent shockwaves through the stands when he decked the top seed Ronnie Ramirez of Walnut, who is rated 3rd nationally, in the third round, 4:49. Ramirez is a senior who came in as a two-time defending state champ. 

Ruiz got by another opponent who was expected to slay him in the semis when he dropped No. 26 Slater Hicks (Valencia). 7-1. Hicks was fresh off an upset of St. John Bosco’s No. 5 Nathan Carillo, 9-4. Ruiz’s Vision Quest was removed from his thoughts as Isaiah Cortez smothered him, posting points with ease, resulting in a 9-0 loss. 

Poway’s two titlists were No. 12 Mario Carini (165) and two-time champ No. 3 Angelo Posada (215). Posada was favored in his bout with Fountain Valley’s 10th-ranked Khale McDonnell and used two takedowns and an escape to push his tally to 7-0. For the senior who won last year’s 175-pound bracket, taking down Pitman’s Mason Ontiveros, 5-1, it was his second win of the year against McDonnell accompanying the Doc B, 10-0, finals result.

Carini, a sophomore, was cruising to victory with a 4-1 lead when No. 14 Joseph Antonio (St. John Bosco) hit a Japanese Whizzer and eventually worked for the takedown to tie it before a quick escape gave Carini the edge he needed to claim supremacy, 5-4. Twelve months earlier, Carini was a 144-pound freshman earning a state bronze. 

Gilroy crowning five champions is a top three storyline of the tournament alongside their grappler, Zepeda’s third championship, and Buchanan getting back on top of the California hierarchy. Zepeda became the 24th three-time champ.

Zepeda arrived in the finals, using two major decisions and two technical falls in his earlier matches. The senior encountered No. 15 Alias Raby of Anderson, who was not scared of the moment. Raby put the first points up on a takedown with twelve seconds on the clock in the first, countered by a quick Zepeda escape, for a 3-1 advantage. 

Zepeda chose down to start the second and was just granted a release by Raby to make it 3-2. Raby went on to hit a sweet shot that was countered masterfully by Zepeda for what would be the winning points in the 5-3 outcome. 

Isaiah (126) and Elijah (138) doubled up on state championship credentials in different manners. After Isaiah’s relatively easy handling of Paris Ruiz, the win was accompanied by some post-match celebratory breakdancing moves. The senior captured his first crown as a sophomore 120-pounder and was third a year ago.

No. 11 Elijah worked to pull off a mild upset of No. 10 Jesse Grajeda (St. John Bosco) in a tightly contested affair in which escapes were traded in regulation and the first tiebreaker round. Grajeda opted to start on the bottom and much to his dismay, was not able to break free as Elijah posted the 3-2 victory. 

Elijah, who took a similar path to Isaiah’s the last three years at states, avenged two earlier losses from this season to get back on top. The senior fell to Grajeda at Reno Tournament of Champions and Clovis North’s No. 17 Leo Maestas at Doc B as he finished third at both. Elijah’s third place finish at states a year ago was influenced by a loss to Grajeda. 

Gilroy swept the crowns from 126 to 138 with No. 6 Moses Mendoza securing the 132-pound bracket with a 3-1 decision of No. 18 Billy Townson (Poway). Mendoza didn’t finish his freshman campaign and was third here last year. 

No. 5 Tyler Eise transferred to Poway from Colorado’s Ponderosa where he was a two-time state titlist. Eise, a senior, survived an overtime scare with No. 29 Adrien Reyes (Clovis), 4-1, in the semis, then coasted to the top with a 13-4 major of No. 18 Ontiveros at 175. 

Nikade Zinkin made Clovis’ lone championship a memorable one as it was his second straight time reaching those heights. Zinkin has owned the rivalry with No. 3 Joseph Toscano (Buchanan) this year, winning all five meetings, including this one, 4-1. 

Another two-time champ claims Birmingham as his turf, No. 4 Henry Aslikyan (113). The junior fell to No. 3 Paul Ruiz, a freshman from Buchanan in the finals of the Doc Buchanan Tournament, 9-8. For all the glory, and when it mattered most, Aslikyan secured the win with a 5-3 tally. 

A noteworthy showing was put forth by No. 16 Chris Creason (El Diamante) on his way to the 165-pound title. Creason got on our radar last year by pinning his foe in these finals, No. 17 Leo Contino (Buchanan) at the Central Section Masters. Creason kept a low profile nationally and faded back a bit and was unranked until his recent post season run. 

Creason first jumped back in the picture when he went down to the wire with No. 15 Beau Priest (Bakersfield) in a loss at the CIT Finals in January. In last week’s Central Section Masters, Creason again defeated Contino, this time, 4-0, setting up a rematch with Priest that would have the same outcome as the earlier faceoff, minus the overtime, a Priest win.

Interestingly, Creason got the better of Priest when they crossed paths last season at the Zinkin Classic and Central Section Masters. The junior was sixth in the state in 2024. 

Creason, who was seeded fourth, ran into Priest, the top seed, in the semis, and not only found a way to win, but blew the headgear off Priest with a 17-2 tech. Contino greeted him in the finals and discovered that Creason has his number as a 4-1 score again doomed Contino to defeat. 

The No. 1 285-pounder in the country wrestled in one of the few bouts that have gone the distance for him this year, as JW North’s Coby Merrill didn’t even add bonus points to his 8-2 win over No. 17 Mark Marin (Clovis). Merrill, a junior, did not compete at states as a freshman and was a runner-up at 215 as a sophomore. 

Another top-rated grappler in the nation, Esperanza’s Samuel Sanchez is also an U17 World Freestyle Champion. The freshman rocked sophomore, No. 12 Anthony Garza of Clovis with an overwhelming 20-0 tech fall. Sanchez won the Doc B crown with a 7-1 decision of Garza.

No. 18 Levi Bussey (Granite Hills) was second in his master’s qualifier to No. 17 Brokton Borelli (Los Gatos), who he had previously beaten at Doc B. Borelli was seeded one and Bussey two. No. 13 Jonathan Rocha (Clovis North) received the fourth seed and stuck Borelli in the semis when he hit a “Herbie” aka “Portuguese Nut Drop” right to the back with 19 seconds left to secure the fall at the 5:55 mark. 

There would be no pin in the 190-pound final, instead Bussey would ride a late first period takedown and later escape point to a 4-3 downing of Rocha, that saw him give up two points on stall calls in the waning moments and improve on last year’s sixth place finish. 

St. John Bosco’s fourth place finish was achieved with zero champions, but the Braves saw all but one of their 14 wrestlers reach the podium. It was the first time in tournament history that a scholl has 13 wrestlers place in the event. Silver medalists were Antonio and Grajeda. Two placed third, No. 14 Julian Rios (106) and No. 26 Sean Willcox (120). 

Placing fourth for the Braves was No. 27 Michael Romero (144). Mason Savidan was fifth at 190. Landing in sixth were Aaron Meza (113), Zaydrein Hernandez (132), Tigran Greyan (157), and Kevin Rodriguez (215). No. 4 Nathan Carillo (126) and No. 27 Isai Fernandez (175) were seventh with Sergio Gomes finishing eighth at 150. 

Team Scores (Top 15)

1. Buchanan 247.5

2. Poway 240

3. Gilroy 239

4. St. John Bosco 229.5

5. Clovis 211

6. Clovis North 144.5

7. Fountain Valley 124.5

8. Esperanza 113.5

9. Pitman 80.5

10. Birmingham 71

11. Bakersfield 68

12. Los Gatos 61.5

13. Del Oro 51

14. Granite Hills 48.5

15. Vacaville 47.5

Championship Finals

106-Samuel Sanchez (Esperanza (SS)) TF Anthony Garza (Clovis (CS)), 20-0 5:04

113-Henry Aslikyan (Birmingham (LA)) DEC Paul Ruiz (Buchanan (CS)), 5-2

120-Rocklin Zinkin (Buchanan (CS)) DEC Edwin Sierra (Poway (SD)), 7-2

126-Isaiah Cortez (Gilroy (CC)) MD Paris Ruiz (Buchanan (CS)), 9-0

132-Moses Mendoza (Gilroy (CC)) DEC Billy Townson (Poway (SD)), 3-1

138-Elijah Cortez (Gilroy (CC)) DEC Jesse Grajeda (St. John Bosco (SS)), 3-2 UTB

144-Nikade Zinkin (Clovis (CS)) DEC Joseph Toscano (Buchanan (CS)), 4-1

150-Daniel Zepeda (Gilroy (CC)) DEC Alias Raby (Anderson (NS)), 5-3

157-Chris Creason (El Diamante (CS)) DEC Leo Contino (Buchanan (CS)), 4-1

165-Mario Carini (Poway (SD)) DEC Joseph Antonio (St. John Bosco (SS)), 5-4

175-Tyler Eise (Gilroy (CC)) MD Mason Ontiveros (Pitman (SJ)), 13-4

190-Levi Bussey (Granite Bay (SJ)) DEC Jonathan Rocha (Clovis North (CS)), 4-3

215-Angelo Posada (Poway (SD)) DEC Khale Mcdonnell (Fountain Valley (SS)), 7-0

285-Coby Merrill (JW North (SS)) DEC Mark Marin (Clovis (CS)), 8-2

3rd Place

106-Jorge Rios (St. John Bosco (SS)) DEC Jax Vang (Buchanan (CS)), 9-2

113-Aiden Garcia (Palma (CC)) DEC Max Murillo (Esperanza (SS)), 3-0 SV

120-Sean Willcox (St. John Bosco (SS)) DEC Christian Garcia (Walnut (SS)), 8-2

126-Ronnie Ramirez (Walnut (SS)) TF Siraj Sidhu (Del Oro (SJ)), 19-3 4:49

132-Ashton Besmer (Buchanan (CS)) TF Leo Macias (Kingsburg (CS)), 15-0 2:11

138-Leo Maestas (Clovis North (CS)) F Raymond Rivera (Clovis (CS)), 3:38

144-Ryan Espiritu (Vacaville (SJ)) DEC Michael Romero (St. John Bosco (SS)), 3-0

150-Ivan Arias (Buchanan (CS)) DEC Matthew Luna (Saint Francis (CC)), 11-6

157-Beau Priest (Bakersfield (CS)) DEC James Curoso (Clovis (CS)), 14-11

165-Travis Grace (Gilroy (CC)) MD Slava Shahbazyan (Birmingham (LA)), 12-3

175-Dylan Pile (Los Gatos (CC)) DEC Adrien Reyes (Clovis (CS)), 10-3

190-Brokton Borelli (Los Banos (SJ)) TF Carter Vannest (Pitman (SJ)), 18-0 4:05

215-Wes Burford (Oakdale (SJ)) F Kayden Cartee (Mayfair (SS)), 3:44

285-Daniel Moylan (Poway (SD)) MD Devin Alarcon (Clovis North (CS)), 10-2

5th Place

106-Tyler Sweet (Clovis North (CS)) DEC Nathaniel Granados (Merced (SJ)), 3-2

113-Zack Samano (Chino (SS)) DEC Aaron Meza (St. John Bosco (SS)), 4-1

120-Paulo Valdez (Hesperia (SS)) F Elijah Almarinez (Vacaville (SJ)), 2:11

126-Antonio Rodriguez (Los Gatos (CC)) DEC Slater Hicks (Valencia/Valencia (SS)), 5-0

132-Christopher Arreola (Esperanza (SS)) DEC Zaydrein Hernandez (St. John Bosco (SS)), 10-3

138-Vinnie Gutierrez (Fountain Valley (SS)) F Ames-michael Hoevker (Granite Hills (SD)), 4:34

144-Arseni Kikiniou (Poway (SD)) DEC Victor-alexander Gutierrez (Central Catholic (SJ)), 7-2

150-Niko Valenzuela (Fountain Valley (SS)) DEC Chris Anguiano (Millikan (SS)), 9-8

157-Mark Del bosque (Clovis North (CS)) DEC Tigran Greyan (St. John Bosco (SS)), 7-0

165-Wyatt Lewis (Clovis (CS)) DEC Damian Montoya (Buchanan (CS)), 7-1

175-Anthony Vargas (Central (CS)) DEC Logan Bruce (Maria Carrillo (NC)), 4-3

190-Mason Savidan (St. John Bosco (SS)) DEC Primo Catalano (Fountain Valley (SS)), 8-6

215-Brock Rios (Frontier (CS)) DEC Kevin Rodriguez (St. John Bosco (SS)), 4-0

285-Chad Troxler (Liberty Bakersfield (CS)) M FOR Xander Firm (Sultana (SS))

7th Place

106-Elijah Butler (Northview (SS)) F Julius Villamil (Poway (SD)), 4:04

113-Carlos Melgoza (Kingsburg (CS)) MD Hunter Jauregui (Fountain Valley (SS)), 12-0

120-Caleb Rivas (Mission Oaks (CS)) MD Ricardo Ortiz (Brawley (SD)), 12-2

126-Nathan Carrillo (St. John Bosco (SS)) DEC Thunder Lewis (Clovis (CS)), 4-0

132-Orion Hill (Folsom (SJ)) DEC Cael Humphrey (Sultana (SS)), 11-4

138-Matthew Orbeta (Poway (SD)) F Daniel Reza (South (CS)), 4:30

144-Braden Priest (Bakersfield (CS)) MD Axel Esparza (Lakeside (SS)), 16-3

150-Gregory Torosian (Birmingham (LA)) DEC Sergio Gomez (St. John Bosco (SS)), 4-2

157-Bailey Holman (Poway (SD)) DEC Anthony Manno (Newport Harbor (SS)), 5-3

165-Cross Rodriguez (Calvary Chapel/SA (SS)) DEC Isaiah Rangel (Palma (CC)), 12-9 SV

175-Isai Fernandez (St. John Bosco (SS)) DEC Junior Bumanglag (Granite Hills (SD)), 7-1

190-Kaleo Garcia (Gilroy (CC)) TF Danny Frailey (Trabuco Hills (SS)), 19-3 4:46

215-Adan Castillo (Clovis (CS)) M FOR Dominic Wilson (Tulare Union (CS))

285-Noah Larios (Imperial (SD)) DEC Troy Ceja (Pitman (SJ)), 4-2