Preview: Poway, Brawley on collision course in boys wrestling

2025-26 High School Boys Wrestling Preview

Last possible league competition: Feb. 7

Division tournaments: Feb. 14 at various sites

Masters meet: Feb. 20-21 at Olympian High School

Defending champions

Division 1: Poway

Division 2: Bonita Vista

Division 3: Brawley

Division 4: Imperial

Wrestler of the Year: Angelo Posada, Poway (now at Stanford)

Preseason Top 10

1. Poway

2. Granite Hills

3. Brawley

4. Rancho Bernardo

5. La Costa Canyon

6. Imperial

7. Valhalla

8. Torrey Pines

9. Mira Mesa

10. Bonita Vista

Returning state qualifiers

(in alphabetical order)

Damian Arreola, Granite Hills, Sr.

Adam Avila, Brawley, Sr.

Carter Bolt, Torrey Pines, Sr.

Mario Carini, Poway, Jr. (2025 state champion at 165 pounds)

Aiden Chur, Granite Hills, Sr.

Rene Cordero, Poway, Jr.*

Dax Curry, Rancho Bernardo, Sr.

Dominic Dotson, Poway, Sr.*

Emilio Escobar, Granite Hills, Sr.

Lawson Fry, La Costa Canyon, Sr.

Liam Gonzalez, Ramona, So.

Ricardo Noah Guro, Mira Mesa, Sr.

Uriah Hawkins, Granite Hills, Jr.

Ames-Michael Hoevker, Granite Hills, Sr.*

Bailey Holman, Poway, Jr.

Shane Ito, La Costa Canyon, Jr.

Cade Johnson, Vista, Sr.

Arseni Kikiniou, Poway, So.*

Noah Larios, Imperial, So.

Daryn Leon, Brawley, Jr.

Jason Lin, La Costa Canyon, Jr.

Jovanni Mansour, Granite Hills, Jr.

Daniel Moylan, Poway, Jr.*

Xamian Munoz, Brawley, Jr.

Marcelino Nona, Valhalla, Sr.

Matthew Orbeta, Poway, Jr.

Nickolas Ortiz, Brawley, So.

Ricardo Ortiz, Brawley, Sr.

Gabriel Pacheco, Central Union, Jr.

Justin Torres, Brawley, Sr.

Carlos Valdiviezo, Poway, Sr.*

* Masters meet champion

Notable

A year ago, Poway finished second in the state tournament behind Fresno Buchanan with nine medalists and four finalists. Gone are two-time state champ Angelo Posada, four-time state medalist and two-time finalist Edwin Sierra and Billy Townson, who just took a sixth-place medal for Rutgers at the Keystone Classic in Philadelphia. Robert Jones is at Cal State Bakersfield. Leading the way this year are defending state champion and Virginia Tech commit Mario Carini, 2025 World U17 two-time place-winner (a USA first) Arseni Kikiniou; third-place heavyweight medalist Daniel “Mick” Moylan; and seventh-place state medalists Matthew Orbeto and Bailey Holman. California Wrestler ranks Poway No. 4 in the state this preseason, and Sports Illustrated put the Titans at No. 9 in the country.

• Granite Hills did quite well last year, finishing 14th at the state meet with a pair of medalists. Brawley was 20th, with one medalist. Granite Hills is ranked No. 12 this preseason by the California Wrestler, while Brawley is No. 14. The San Diego Section returns nine state place winners, including Imperial’s Noah Larios, the No. 2-ranked heavyweight in the state; Granite Hills’ Ames-Michael Hoevker; and Brawley’s Ricardo Ortiz.

• We take it for granted that Poway will win another section title, something it has done every year since 1994. Brawley has been a champion every year since 2001, with the lone exception being the COVID year of 2021. Poway drops down from Division 1 to Division 2 this year due to enrollment, while Brawley moves up from Division 3 to Division 2, right smack into the Titans. Imperial moves up to Division 3 from Division 4.

• Newcomers to watch this season: Wyatt and Mason Carnrite (Poway), David McClurg (Granite Hills), Nicholas Tuatoo (Olympian), Elias Pedroza (Granite Hills), Tas Storer (Poway), Damian Jones (Granite Hills), Jack Malinconico (Poway), David Daniels (Granite Hills), Cayden Phillips (Granite Hills).

KEVIN J. FARMER