Established as one of the oldest and most respected tournaments in the state, the Five Counties Tournament at Fountain Valley High School remains the premier “pre-state” battleground. For coaches and wrestlers alike, a podium finish here isn’t just a trophy—it’s a major credential that carries significant weight for state seeding across the Western United States.
The 2026 team race featured a collision of regional dynasties, with the final standings reflecting the sheer density of talent that converged in Orange County.
Quick Analysis: The Top 10 Team Transition
The Gold Standard (Gilroy): The Mustangs once again proved why they are the class of California. After taking the Five Counties team title, Gilroy swept the Central Coast Masters and parlayed that momentum into a Top 5 finish at the CIF State Tournament.
Interstate Powerhouses: The tournament’s reputation as a national draw was solidified by Mountain View (AZ) and Cleveland (NM). Both programs used Five Counties as a springboard to dominant postseason runs, with Cleveland capturing the Division 5A title in New Mexico and Mountain View taking 2nd in Arizona’s highest division.
The California Depth: The presence of Fountain Valley (9th), Oakdale (12th), and Granite Hills (13th) in the state’s top tier underscores the reality that the Five Counties team race is often a more accurate predictor of Saturday night in Bakersfield than the sectional rankings themselves.
Boys Varsity – 106
Quick Analysis
Elite Finishers (25%): Luke Loren (St. John Bosco) and Cooper Green (Mountain View, AZ) both successfully converted their Five Counties podium finishes into State medals (5th and 4th, respectively).
The “State Gap” (37.5%): While the field was deep, three wrestlers on the podium—Kayden Khim, Luke Montero, and Cadence Harrell—did not reach the State tournament. Both Khim and Montero reached their respective Masters/Sectional tournaments, highlighting how difficult it is to qualify out of California’s toughest regions.
Consistency (62.5%): More than half of this podium proved to be among the best in their states, with 5 out of 8 grapplers reaching the big stage.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Luke Loren of St John Bosco – 2026 5th at CIF State Tournament
2nd Place – Kayden Khim of Clovis West – Central Section Masters Qualifier
3rd Place – Nathaniel Solorio of Damien – State Qualifier
4th Place – Cooper Green of Mountain View (Arizona) – 2026 4th at Division I State
5th Place – Roman Fonseca of Gilroy – State Qualifier
6th Place – Cadence Harrell of Mayfair – DNQ
7th Place – Luke Montero of La Mirada – 2026 6th at CIF Southern Section Masters
8th Place – Jaden Yacuta of Porterville – State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 5 | 62.5% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 2 | 25.0% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 3 | 37.5% |
Boys Varsity – 113
Quick Analysis
Elite Conversion (50.0%): An incredible half of this podium ended their season with a State medal. This includes Ricardo Poolaw (State Champ), Cash McClurg (3rd), Eli Mendoza (4th), and Daniel Mendoza (7th).
High-Level Consistency (75.0%): Six out of the eight placers advanced to the State tournament, reinforcing that if you can place at Five Counties, you are almost certainly a State-caliber athlete.
The “Tough Out” (25.0%): Even those who did not qualify for State, like Jonathan Jasso and Mason Schlaht, were competing at a level that forced multiple State placers into the lower consolation rounds.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Eli Mendoza of Gilroy – 2026 4th at CIF State
2nd Place – Jonathan Jasso of Redwood – DNQ
3rd Place – Santos Tizoc of Silver Creek – State Qualifier
4th Place – Chris Qureshi of Fountain Valley – State Qualifier
5th Place – Cash McClurg of Granite Hills – 2026 3rd at CIF State at 106lbs
6th Place – Ricardo Poolaw of Cleveland – 2026 1st at State in Division 6A
7th Place – Mason Schlaht of St John Bosco – DNQ
8th Place – Daniel Mendoza of Victor Valley – 2026 7th at CIF State
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 6 | 75.0% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 4 | 50.0% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 2 | 25.0% |
Boys Varsity – 120
Quick Analysis
Elite Consistency (87.5%): An incredible 7 out of the 8 placers qualified for their respective State Tournaments. This represents one of the highest qualification rates of the tournament, proving that placing at 120 lbs was a near guarantee of a state berth.
The Five-Timer (37.5%): Roman Luttrell (Cleveland) headlined the group with his 5th New Mexico State Title. He is joined on the elite conversion list by Troy Montero (8th at CIF State) and Nathan Reynolds (7th at CIF State).
Deep Field (12.5%): Only one wrestler on this podium—Aaron Gonzalez (Mater Dei)—did not advance to the State level, which speaks volumes about the level of competition required to even medal in this bracket.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Roman Luttrell of Cleveland – He won his fifth consecutive New Mexico State title. Eighth graders are eligible to compete at the state tournament. Other states that allow that, besides New Mexico, are Kentucky, New York, and Florida.
2nd Place – Troy Montero of La Mirada – 2026 8th at CIF State
3rd Place – Nathan Reynolds, of St John Bosco – 2026 7th at CIF State
4th Place – Emilio Escobar of Granite Hills – State Qualifier
5th Place – Carlos Melgoza of Kingsburg – State Qualifier
6th Place – Gavin Pongsai of Gilroy – State Qualifier
7th Place – Aaron Gonzalez of Mater Dei – DNQ
8th Place – Alex Ramos of Clovis West – State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 7 | 87.5% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 3 | 37.5% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 1 | 12.5% |
Boys Varsity – 126
Quick Analysis
The 100% Club: For the first time in the tournament results, we see a 100.0% State Qualification rate. Every wrestler from 1st through 8th place secured a spot at the State tournament, making this the most consistent bracket for predicting state-level talent.
Elite Silver Medalists: While Issac Torres (Fountain Valley) took the title and converted to a 7th place finish at CIF State, out-of-state hammers Aidan Hernandez (NV) and Elias Martinez (NM) both converted their Five Counties experience into State Runner-Up finishes.
A “State-Only” Podium: With 0.0% DNQ, this bracket confirms that at 126 lbs, the Five Counties podium was effectively an early-season State Championship field.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Issac Torres of Fountain Valley -2026 7th at CIF State
2nd Place – Massimo Ortiz of Servite – State Qualifier
3rd Place – Maximus Torrez of Gilroy – State Qualifier
4th Place – Jake Simmons of Oakdale – State Qualifier
5th Place – Aidan Hernandez of Sierra Vista (Nevada) – 2026 2nd at State in Division 4A
6th Place – Manuel Gutierrez of Selma – State Qualifier
7th Place – Jesse Quiroz of Eleanor Roosevelt – State Qualifier
8th Place – Elias Martinez of Cleveland – 2026 2nd at State in Division 5A
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 8 | 100.0% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 3 | 37.5% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 0 | 0.0% |
Boys Varsity – 132
Quick Analysis
The State Threshold (50.0%): Half of this podium—Gabriel Pacheco, Jayden Plata, Liam Qureshi, and Dominic Bozanic—successfully converted their Five Counties medals into State berths.
Elite Placement: Dominic Bozanic (Gilroy) was the lone “Elite” converter from this group, moving from a 5th-place finish at Five Counties to a 7th-place finish at CIF State.
Sectional Gauntlet (50.0%): The 50% DNQ rate highlights the brutal nature of the Southern and Central Section post-season. High-level placers like Azuan Gonzales-Rice and Robert Garcia competed in January but found the road to State blocked in February.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Gabriel Pacheco of Central Union – State Qualifier
2nd Place – Azuan Gonzales-Rice of Etiwanda – DNQ
3rd Place – Jayden Plata of Downey – State Qualifier
4th Place – Liam Qureshi of Fountain Valley – State Qualifier
5th Place – Dominic Bozanic of Gilroy – 2026 7th at CIF State
6th Place – Robert Garcia of Servite – DNQ
7th Place – Evan Cavazos of Immanuel – DNQ
8th Place – Uriah Hawkins of Granite Hills – DNQ
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 4 | 50.0% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 1 | 12.5% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 4 | 50.0% |
Boys Varsity – 138
Quick Analysis
Championship Caliber (25.0%): This bracket featured two legitimate hammers who converted their Five Counties success into State Gold. Moses Mendoza (Gilroy) continued his historic run toward his third CIF State Title, while Justin Beauvais (Mountain View, AZ) converted his 3rd place finish here into an Arizona State Championship.
The State Core (62.5%): Five of the eight placers reached the State tournament, showing that the middle of this podium was incredibly consistent with post-season expectations.
Masters Level Depth (37.5%): While three wrestlers did not reach State, the inclusion of Jimmy Alvarez Jr. (a Southern Section Masters Qualifier) highlights that even the 7th place finisher at Five Counties was among the elite in one of the toughest sections in the country.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Moses Mendoza of Gilroy – Three-time CIF State Champion
2nd Place – Mathius Garza of Etiwanda – DNQ
3rd Place – Justin Beauvais of Mountain View (Arizona) – 2026 1st at State in Division I
4th Place – Oliver Benninghoff of Trabuco Hills – State Qualifier
5th Place – Lincoln Chung of LB Poly – State Qualifier
6th Place – Jeremy Valdez of Servite – DNQ
7th Place – Jimmy Alvarez Jr. of Millikan – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
8th Place – Ruben Gonzales of Los Alamitos -State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 5 | 62.5% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 2 | 25.0% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 3 | 37.5% |
Boys Varsity – 144
Quick Analysis:
The State Threshold (50.0%): Exactly half of this podium—Kavi Garvey, Ames-Michael Hoevker, Marcus Abeyta, and Jacob Solano—successfully converted their Five Counties hardware into a trip to their respective State Championships.
Elite Placement: This bracket proved to be “Elite Heavy,” with 25% of the podium (Garvey and Hoevker) not only qualifying for State but securing high podium finishes in Bakersfield.
The Sectional Gauntlet: The 50.0% DNQ rate highlights the meat-grinder nature of the Southern Section. High-level placers like Jayden Palamino, Robert Ramirez, and Lucas Hernandez proved they could compete with the best in January but found the road to State blocked during the brutal Masters qualifying process.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Kavi Garvey of Fountain Valley – 4th at CIF State
2nd Place – Ames-Michael Hoevker of Granite Hills – 6th at CIF State
3rd Place – Marcus Abeyta of Cleveland – 2026 2nd at 5A New Mexico State Tournament
4th Place – Jacob Solano of Etiwanda – 6th at Southern Section Masters
5th Place – Jayden Palamino of Santa Ana – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
6th Place – Robert Ramirez of Pacifica (Oxnard) – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
7th Place – Lucas Hernandez of Santiago (Corona) – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
8th Place – Tony Membreno of Laguna Hills – DNQ
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers | 4 | 50.0% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 3 | 37.5% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 4 | 50.0% |
Boys Varsity – 150
Quick Analysis
The State Threshold (62.5%): An impressive five out of eight placers—Mikel David Uyemora, Dalton Compton, Emiliano Hernandez, Michael Kase, and David Daniels—successfully converted their Five Counties hardware into a CIF State berth.
The Tri-State Connection: This bracket featured heavy hitters from the Southwest. Cash McFate (Nevada) and Stryker Shores (Arizona) both validated their Five Counties medals by placing in the top four of their respective State Championships just weeks later.
The Sectional Gauntlet: Even the bottom of the podium held its weight. Vincent Hanna (Servite) proved the depth of the Trinity League and the Southern Section by battling through to the Masters Meet, falling just short of the Bakersfield trip in one of the nation’s toughest qualifying zones.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Mikel David Uyemora of Fountain Valley – State Qualifier
2nd Place – Dalton Compton of Gilroy – State Qualifier, 3x Louisiana State Champion
3rd Place – Emiliano Hernandez of Hesperia – State Qualifier
4th Place – Michael Kase of Chaminade – State Qualifier
5th Place – David Daniels of Granite Hills – State Qualifier
6th Place – Cash McFate of Bishop Gorman HS – 2026 2nd at Nevada 5A State Tournament
7th Place – Stryker Shores of Mountain View (Mesa) High School – 2026 4th at Division I Arizona State Tournament
8th Place – Vincent Hanna of Servite – Southern Section Masters Meet Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers (All States) | 7 | 87.5% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 2 | 25.0% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 1 | 12.5% |
Boys Varsity – 157
Quick Analysis
The State Threshold (87.5%): An elite seven out of eight placers—Aiden Chur, Sergio Gomez, Chris Anguiano, Mason McDonnell, Jake Jampolsky, Adam Salas, and Tristan Johns—successfully converted their Five Counties hardware into a trip to their respective State Championships.
Elite Placement: Chris Anguiano (Millikan) emerged as the “Elite” converter of the group. Despite a 3rd-place finish in January, he navigated the grueling Bakersfield brackets to secure a 7th-place finish at CIF State.
The Tri-State Dominance: The 157-lb podium showcased the reach of Five Counties, with Jake Jampolsky (Arizona) and Tristan Johns (Nevada) both parlaying their medals into top four finishes in their home states.
The Sectional Gauntlet: Only Giovanni Silva (Westview) fell victim to the brutal qualifying process, a testament to the sheer density of talent required to even place in the top eight at this weight.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Aiden Chur of Granite Hills – State Qualifier
2nd Place – Sergio Gomez of St John Bosco – State Qualifier
3rd Place – Chris Anguiano of Millikan – 7th at CIF State
4th Place – Mason McDonnell of Fountain Valley – State Qualifier
5th Place – Giovanni Silva of Westview – DNQ
6th Place – Jake Jampolsky of Mountain View (Mesa) – 2026 4th in Division I State Tournament in Arizona
7th Place – Adam Salas of Los Alamitos – State Qualifier
8th Place – Tristan Johns of Bishop Gorman – 2026 2nd at Division 5A Nevada State Tournament
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers (All States) | 7 | 87.5% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 3 | 37.5% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 1 | 12.5% |
Boys Varsity – 165
Quick Analysis
The State Threshold (87.5%): An elite seven out of eight placers—Kaleo Garcia, Brody McClure, Cross Rodriguez, Nathan Paul, Keanu Garcia, Griffin Gerber, and Reagan Luttrell—successfully converted their Five Counties hardware into a trip to their respective State Championships.
Elite Placement: Kaleo Garcia (Gilroy) proved why he is a cornerstone of the Mustangs’ program. After a dominant run to the Five Counties title, he maintained that momentum to secure a 3rd-place finish at the CIF State Championships.
The Multi-State Champions: This bracket featured an incredible interstate pedigree. Reagan Luttrell (Cleveland, NM) converted an 8th-place finish in January into a New Mexico 5A State Championship in February, while Brody McClure secured a top 4 finish in Arizona’s highest division.
The California Depth: The fact that 4th-place finisher Sebastian Garcia was the lone DNQ speaks volumes to the “blood round” nature of the California postseason; even a top-four finish at Five Counties offers no sanctuary in the brutal Central and Southern Section brackets.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Kaleo Garcia of Gilroy – 3rd at CIF State Tournament
2nd Place – Brody McClure of Mountain View (Arizona) – 2026 4th in state in Division I
3rd Place – Cross Rodriguez of Calvary Chapel (Santa Ana) – State Qualifier
4th Place – Sebastian Garcia of Junipero Serra – DNQ
5th Place – Nathan Paul of Bakersfield Christian – State Qualifier
6th Place – Keanu Garcia of Garces – State Qualifier
7th Place – Griffin Gerber of Oakdale – State Qualifier
8th Place – Reagan Luttrell of Cleveland (New Mexico) – 2026 State Champion in Division 5A
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage |
| State Qualifiers (All States) | 7 | 87.5% |
| State Placers (Top 8) | 3 | 37.5% |
| DNQ (Did Not Advance) | 1 | 12.5% |
Boys Varsity – 175
Quick Analysis
Total Conversion: In an astounding display of depth, 100% of the medalists in this weight class were California State Qualifiers. This is essentially a “State Preview” bracket, as no one on this podium finished their postseason short of the state floor.
Gilroy’s Hammer: Travis Grace continues to anchor the Gilroy lineup, adding a Five Counties title to his 4th-place state finish. His performance here cements him as the clear front-runner in this elite pack.
The “Oakdale-Gilroy” Factor: With Grace (Gilroy) and Cody Soares (Oakdale), the heavy hitters of the Central Coast and Sac-Joaquin sections proved they can weather the Southern Section storm.
Southern Section Wall: Despite Grace taking the title, the Southern Section dominated the volume of the podium, taking 5 of the 8 spots (Stevenson, Topete, Stever, Carson, and Hannegan).
Porterville Representation: Christian Tapia kept the Central Section in the mix, securing the 5th spot in a field where there were truly no “easy” matches.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Travis Grace of Gilroy – 4th at CIF State Tournament
2nd Place – Max Stevenson of Hesperia – State Qualifier
3rd Place – Rex Topete of South Hills – State Qualifier
4th Place – Cody Soares of Oakdale – State Qualifier
5th Place – Christian Tapia of Porterville – State Qualifier
6th Place – Kelan Stever of San Clemente – State Qualifier
7th Place – Brayden Carson of Fountain Valley – State Qualifier
8th Place – Finnian Hannegan of Junipero Serra Catholic – State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage of Podium |
| CA State Placers (Top 8) | 1 | 12.5% |
| CA State Qualifiers | 7 | 87.5% |
| Total | 8 | 100% |
Boys Varsity – 190
Quick Analysis
The Mountain View Standard: Delton Kaufman (Mountain View, Arizona) showcased why he’s a 2x State Champion. Despite not competing in the Arizona postseason this past year, his dominance at Five Counties reinforces his status as one of the elite upper weights in the West.
State Qualifier Logjam: A massive 75% of this podium (6 out of 8) consisted of California State Qualifiers. This represents incredible depth, as wrestlers like Brady Williams (Walnut) and Xander Birakos (Oakdale) had to navigate a field where nearly every match from the quarterfinals on felt like a state-level bout.
Sectional Diversity: This podium saw a healthy mix of the Southern Section (Walnut, Norco, La Quinta, Santiago) and the Central Section (Liberty Bakersfield), with Oakdale representing the Sac-Joaquin Section power.
Granite Hills & Santiago Depth: Both Jovanni Mansour and Logan Ulmer fighting back to the 7th/8th spots ensure that even the “bottom” of this podium is occupied by wrestlers with Bakersfield experience
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Delton Kaufman of Mountain View – 2x State Champion. ***Did Not Compete at the Arizona State tournament this past season.
2nd Place – Brady Williams of Walnut – State Qualifier
3rd Place – Xander Birakos of Oakdale – State Qualifier
4th Place – Jaxen Cooke of Norco – State Qualifier
5th Place – Ronin Davis of Liberty (Bakersfield) – State Qualifier
6th Place – Jacob Sanchez of La Quinta l (La Quinta) – 6th at Southern Section Masters Meet
7th Place – Jovanni Mansour of Granite Hills – State Qualifier
8th Place – Logan Ulmer of Santiago (Corona) – State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage of Podium |
| State Champions (Out of State) | 1 | 12.5% |
| CA State Qualifiers | 6 | 75% |
| Section Masters Qualifiers | 1 | 12.5% |
| Total | 8 | 100% |
Boys Varsity – 215
Quick Analysis
The Elite Tier: The top of this podium was historically strong. Brian Haran (Gilroy), Kaden Cryer (Moreno Valley), and Emilio Ayala (Kingsburg) all brought state-medal pedigrees to the mat, representing the Central Coast, Southern, and Central Sections, respectively.
The Brawley Factor: Adam Avila continues the tradition of Brawley Union toughness, securing the runner-up spot in a field filled with state medalists.
Southern Section Dominance: The Southern Section accounted for 62.5% of the podium (5 out of 8 spots), proving that the path to a 215-lb medal at Five Counties essentially ran through the SS Masters field.
Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Brian Haran of Gilroy – 5th in CIF State Tournament
2nd Place – Adam Avila of Brawley Union – State Qualifier
3rd Place – Kaden Cryer of Moreno Valley – 6th at CIF State Tournament
4th Place – Kaden Curry of St John Bosco – State Qualifier
5th Place – Edwin Hopkins of Westminster – 6th at Southern Section Masters Meet
6th Place – Emilio Ayala of Kingsburg – 7th at CIF State Tournament
7th Place – Matthew Olivarez of La Mirada – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
8th Place – Steven Gomez of Granite Hills – State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage of Podium |
| CA State Placers (Top 8) | 3 | 37.5% |
| CA State Qualifiers | 3 | 37.5% |
| Section Masters Qualifiers | 2 | 25% |
| Total | 8 | 100% |
285
Guaranteed Places
Exactly 50% of this podium consists of wrestlers who have reached the final Saturday of their respective state/section tournaments (1 State Champ, 1 State Placer, 2 State Qualifiers).
1st Place – Riley Haussler of Cleveland – 2026 New Mexico State Champion Division 5A
2nd Place – Brian Haas of Bell Gardens – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
3rd Place – Enrique Segura of Redwood – State Qualifier
4th Place – Noah Huss of Moorpark – 4th at CIF State Tournament
5th Place – Martin Gonzales of Western – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
6th Place – Zander West of Victor Valley – State Qualifier
7th Place – Luis Zamora of Warren – Southern Section Masters Qualifier
8th Place – Bedros Behnam of Clovis West – State Qualifier
Post-Season Conversion Statistics
| Qualification Level | Count | Percentage of Podium |
| State Champions (Out of State) | 1 | 12.5% |
| CA State Placers (Top 8) | 1 | 12.5% |
| CA State Qualifiers | 2 | 25% |
| Section Masters Qualifiers | 4 | 50% |
| Total | 8 | 100% |
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