Paloma Valley boys wrestling team claims title in return to Riverside County Championships – Press Enterprise

RIVERSIDE — Paloma Valley boys wrestling coach Luis Robles said the time was right for his program to return to the Riverside County Championships.

Paloma Valley had been absent from the tournament for a dozen years, but changes to the setup at Arlington High School in recent years ultimately lured the Wildcats back.

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Canyon Springs’s Isaac Castaneda competes against Palm Desert’s Evan Ferrat at the Riverside County Boys Wrestling Championships at Arlington High School’s gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 3rd. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer)

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“It was primarily a safety issue,” Robles said. “You had wrestlers literally being thrown into the bleachers because it was so cramped (in Arlington’s main gymnasium).”

Arlington added a second gymnasium in 2021. The tournament now runs three mats in the main gym, a fourth in the wrestling room with two more in the new gym.

“I had heard good word of mouth in recent years, so it was time to come back,” Robles said. “There is a lot of nostalgia here. I wrestled in this tournament. …. They have done a phenomenal job with the changes and made it a great event to compete at.”

Paloma Valley’s return was a triumphant one, too, as the Wildcats captured the team championship for the first time in program history with 300.5 points, easily outpacing Palm Desert (241.5) and Centennial (237.5). Paloma Valley’s point total is the most scored in the event’s history in at least 15 years.

“I knew we had a chance to do well, but we exceeded expectations,” said Robles, who also earned the Ron Main Award for outstanding coaching during the tournament.

Paloma Valley’s depth was on display. The Wildcats sent 26 wrestlers to the tournament and 14 were on the podium (top eight in each weight class) Saturday evening.

Anthony Saldana led the way for Paloma Valley this week. Saldana won the 138-pound championship last year while wrestling at Vista Murrieta, and Saldana became a two-time county champion with a 10-2 major decision over Rancho Mirage’s Edward Ramirez in the 132-pound title bout Saturday night. Saldana grabbed the early lead with a takedown but was clinging to a 4-2 lead entering the final period. Saldana scored two points with a reversal and added four back points to help secure the victory.

“It really means a lot,” Saldana said of winning another county title. “I think the tournament was a lot tougher this year, so it’s nice to see exactly where I’m at right now.”

Saldana was 1 of 5 wrestlers who were repeat champions.

Lakeside’s Madrid Ladines won the 113-pound title, and teammate Jesus Guzman prevailed at 165 pounds. Ladines squared off against Palm Desert’s Deagan Kinkade, a rematch of last year’s 106-pound final. Ladines once again pulled out a 3-2 overtime win, scoring the decisive point on an escape with 2 seconds left in the final overtime period. Guzman was the 157-pound champ last season, and he added this year’s 165-pound title to his collection following a 21-5 technical fall over Hillcrest’s Mario Alvaradejo.

King’s Deegan Hernandez brought home the 138-pound championship with an 8-3 decision over North’s Mason Wilson. Hernandez trailed 3-0 entering the final period.

“I think it means more coming back and winning again,” said Hernandez, who won at 132 pounds last year. “It took a lot of heart and a lot of conditioning to win this one.”

Kaden Cryer won the 190-pound title last season while wrestling at Norco. Now at Moreno Valley, Cryer prevailed at 215 pounds after pinning Hillcrest’s Miguel Gomez in the second period.

Centennial produced four individual champions, tied with Palm Desert for the most at this year’s tournament.

William Martinez Gutierrez scored a 13-2 major decision over North’s Naithen Chavez in the 190-pound final. Martinez Gutierrez also earned Upper Weight MVP honors.

“I have to thank my coaches for pushing me hard and getting me here,” Martinez Gutierrez said. “The competition was good and I’m excited to be a county champion.”

Centennial’s other champions were Rocco Godinez, Keshaun White and Angel Rodriguez. Godinez scored a 12-0 major decision over Paloma Valley’s Brandon Owen in the 150-pound final. White defeated Norco’s Jaxen Cooke 8-4 in the 175-pound title bout. Rodriguez beat Moreno Valley’s Andrew De La Torre 5-2 in overtime in the 285-pound final.

Peter Brown of Canyon Springs cruised to a 13-5 major decision over Norco’s Ethan Zabala in the 157-pound title match and joined the list of first-time county champs.

Palm Desert’s four champions were Mark Ramirez (106 pounds), Evan Ferratt (120 pounds), Salvador Bautista (126 pounds) and Sebastian Rodriguez (144 pounds). Ramirez was chosen Lower Wight MVP, and Rodriguez secured Middle Weight MVP honors.

2026 RIVERSIDE COUNTY BOYS WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Top 10 teams: 1. Paloma Valley 300.5; 2. Palm Desert 241,5; 3. Centennial 237.5; 4.Canyon Springs 190.5; 5. Norco 187.5; 6. Hillcrest 172.5; 7. North 168; 8. King 138; 9. Lakeside 132.5; 10. Elsinore 122.5.

106 — Championship: Mark Ramirez (Palm Desert) technical fall William Leyva (Paloma Valley) 16-0. Other placers: 3. Paxton Schulte (King); 4. Jaelen Dixon (Paloma Valley); 5. Adolfo Fuerte (Hillcrest); 6. Antonio Quiros (Roosevelt); 7. Daniel Manley (Arlington); 8. Corbin Cagle (Shadow Hills).

113 — Championship: Madrid Ladines (Lakeside) decision Deegan Kinkade (Palm Desert) 3-2, OT. Other placers: 3. Alexander Espinoza (Palm Desert); 4. Brayden Barr (Paloma Valley); 5. Alfredo Rodriguez (Hillcrest); 6. Carlos Rodriguez (Elsinore); 7. Nolan Montelongo (Norte Vista); 8. Eric Lomeli Perez (Lakeside).

120 — Championship: Evan Ferratt (Palm Desert) decision Isaac Castaneda (Canyon Springs) 6-5. Other placers: 3. Anthony Martinez (Paloma Valley); 4. Samuel Olivier (Notre Dame); 5. Jake Agolia (Lakeside); 6. Rudy Galima (Vista Murrieta); 7. Elijah Madera (Norco); 8. Gilfredo Galindo (King).

126 — Championship: Salvador Bautista decision Uriel Cruz (Paloma Valley) 3-0. Other placers: 3. Tyler Hiraoka (North); 4. Trevor Nicholson (Great Oak); 5. Gregory Logan Tan (King); 6. Robert Alcaraz (Paloma Valley); 7. Raymond Contreras (Jurupa Valley); 8. Isaac Ihmud (Roosevelt).

132 — Championship: Anthony Saldana (Paloma Valley) major decision Edward Ramirez (Rancho Mirage) 10-2. Other placers: 3. Cash Andrade (Palm Desert); 4. Jesse Campau (Arlington); 5. Maddox Murakami (Great Oak); 6. Enrique Vega (Canyon Springs); 7. Ruben Herrera (Norte Vista); 8. Leonardo Torija Ibarra (Tahquitz).

138 — Championship: Deegan Hernandez (King) decision Mason Wilson (North) 8-3. Other placers: 3. Josue Mejia (Valley View); 4. Jason Bacha (Canyon Springs); 5. Mark Wysocki (Elsinore); 6. Nathan Salmeron (Paloma Valley); 7. Daniel Southerland (Temescal Canyon); 8. Roman Lomeli (Rancho Mirage).

144 — Championship: Sebastian Rodriguez (Palm Desert) pinned Aidan Ruelas (Canyon Springs) 3:45; Other placers: 3. Lucas Wozniak (Norco); 4. Julian Diaz (Patriot); 5. Leon Fitarau (King); 6. Isaac Benavidez (Paloma Valley); 7. Michael Santiago (Valley View); 8. David Mannriquez (Elsinore).

150 — Championship: Rocco Godinez (Centennial) major decision Brandon Owen (Paloma Valley) 12-0. Other placers: 3. Jesse Jimenez (Centennial); 4. Bryce Williams (Palm Desert); 5. Anthony Gonzalez (Norco); 6. Mitchell Hernandez (Palm Desert); 7. Logan Roedel (North); 8. Angel Ocampo (Hillcrest).

157 — Championship: Peter Brown (Canyon Springs) major decision Ethan Zabala (Norco) 13-5. Other placers: 3. James Cameron (Centennial); 4. Dylan Gojich (Paloma Valley); 5. Brody Martinez (Palm Desert); 6. Jacob Hernandez (Ramona); 7. Danny Malloy (Great Oak); 8. Mike Conteh (Hillcrest).

165 — Championship: Jesus Guzman (Lakeside) technical fall Mario Alvaradejo (Hillcrest) 21-5. Other placers: 3 Riley Carnes (Temescal Canyon); 4. Sebastian Perada (Centennial); 5. Ali Ibrahim (Canyon Springs); 6. Isaac Granillo (Palm Desert); 7. Adrian Tinajero (North); 8. Dallas Pasik (Norco).

175 — Championship: Keshaun White (Centennial) decision Jaxen Cooke (Norco) 8-4. Other placers: 3. Izaac Esparza (Paloma Valley); 4. Angel Ramirez (Rancho Mirage); 5. Josh Torres (Murrieta Mesa); 6. Ezra Chaidez (Beaumont); 7. Santino Cannone (Xavier Prep); 8. Christian Arrizon (Citrus Hill).

190 — Championship: William Martinez Gutierrez (Centennial) major decision Naithen Chavez (North) 13-2. Other placers: Isaac Galiza (Patriot); 4. Gilberto Peralta (Beaumont); 5. Michael Chandler (Tahquitz); 6. Luis Estrada (Valley View); 7. Lennon Tinahui (Paloma Valley); 8. Cael Cryer (Moreno Valley).

215 — Championship: Kaden Cryer (Moreno Valley0 pinned Miguel Gomez (Hillcrest) 3:39. Other placers: 3. Armando Alvarado (Lakeside); 4. Daniel Estrada (Vista Murrieta); 5. Dillon Gray (Elsinore); 6. Dominick Arredondo (West Valley); 7. Nathaniel Flores (Paloma Valley); 8. Jorge Castro (Temescal Canyon).

285 — Championship: Angel Rodriguez (Centennial) decision Andrew De La Torre (Moreno Valley) 5-2, OT. Other placers: 3. Aaron Gonzalez (Canyon Springs); 4. Wyatt Kirch (Hemet); 5. Nicolas Veasley (North); 6. Nehemiah Morgan (Temescal Canyon); 7. Ricardo Talavera (Norco); 8. Oliver Cole (Great Oak).

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