By Al Fontes, NWHOF Writer

The May 2026 SBLive National High School Rankings, compiled by Billy Buckheit, once again reinforce a widely recognized reality among wrestling observers nationwide: California has firmly established itself as one of the deepest and most well-balanced wrestling states in the country, consistently producing elite-level talent across every weight class and competitive division year after year.

From highly ranked freshmen already positioned among the nation’s best to experienced seniors preparing to transition into collegiate programs, California continues to make a strong impact across the national prep wrestling landscape. While Pennsylvania remains the standard-bearer at the very top of the sport nationally, California stands firmly within the elite tier of states.

The latest rankings not only highlight top-end individual talent, but also underscore the exceptional statewide depth that distinguishes California from nearly every other wrestling state in the nation.

CALIFORNIA’S NATIONAL NUMBERS TELL THE STORY

California placed an astonishing 61 wrestlers in the national rankings or honorable mention categories across the 14 weight classes.

Even more impressive:

• 4 wrestlers earned a No. 1 national ranking (PA leads with/5)
• 25 California wrestlers ranked inside the national Top 10
• California produced nationally ranked wrestlers in every major CIF section
• Multiple programs placed four, five, six, and even seven-plus wrestlers into the national rankings

That level of depth is typically matched only by the nation’s most elite wrestling states.

CALIFORNIA’S NO. 1-RANKED WRESTLERS

The Golden State boasts four nationally top-ranked wrestlers entering the summer of 2026:

• Ashton Besmer (Buchanan, CS) — #1 at 132 pounds
• Moses Mendoza (Gilroy, CC) — #1 at 138 pounds
• Mario Carini (Poway, SD) — #1 at 175 pounds
• Coby Merrill (John W. North, S) — #1 at 285 pounds

What makes this especially significant is the geographic spread. California’s No. 1 wrestlers come from four different powerhouse regions — the Central Section, Central Coast Section, San Diego Section, and Southern Section — reinforcing how widespread elite wrestling has become throughout the state.

25 CALIFORNIANS RANKED INSIDE THE NATIONAL TOP 10

California’s Top-10 national performers span nearly every weight class and every major section. Among the headliners:

• Cash McClurg — #2 nationally at 106
• Luke Loren — #3 nationally at 106
• Anthony Garza — #2 nationally at 113
• Rocklin Zinkin — #2 nationally at 120
• Samuel Sanchez — #2 nationally at 126
• Henry Aslikyan — #3 nationally at 126
• Antonio Rodriguez — #3 nationally at 132
• Slater Hicks — #4 nationally at 132
• Slava Shahbazyan — #3 nationally at 165
• Jonathan Rocha — #7 nationally at 190

The rankings also highlight something uniquely Californian: underclassmen are not simply participating — they are immediately competing at elite national levels.

THE FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE: CALIFORNIA’S YOUTH MOVEMENT

California’s freshman and sophomore classes may be the strongest in the nation.

Freshmen such as Cash McClurg, Luke Loren, and Michael Bernabe already hold Top-10 national rankings. Meanwhile, sophomores including Samuel Sanchez, Paul Ruiz, Isai Fernandez, and James Curoso are emerging as future national title contenders.

In total:

• 5 freshmen earned national recognition
• 11 sophomores earned national recognition
• 13 juniors earned national recognition
• 29 seniors earned national recognition

That pipeline ensures California’s dominance is not slowing down anytime soon.

THE CENTRAL SECTION REMAINS CALIFORNIA’S KING

No CIF section in California rivals the depth of the CIF Central Section.

The Central Section produced a staggering 22 nationally ranked or honorable mention wrestlers, led by national powerhouse programs such as Buchanan High School Wrestling, Clovis High School Wrestling, and Clovis North High School Wrestling.

The section features:

• 2 nationally No. 1 wrestlers
• Multiple Top-5 nationally ranked athletes
• Elite depth at nearly every weight class
• Strong representation from freshmen through seniors

The Central Section’s week-to-week competition level continues to mirror that of a national tournament.

SOUTHERN SECTION CONTINUES NATIONAL SURGE

The CIF Southern Section remains California’s largest and one of its deepest sections, producing 13 nationally ranked wrestlers.

Programs such as St. John Bosco High School Wrestling and Esperanza High School Wrestling continue to rise nationally while producing elite upper- and middle-weight talent.

The Southern Section is led nationally by heavyweight No. 1 Coby Merrill and features several nationally elite underclassmen poised for future title runs.

SAN DIEGO SECTION STILL POWERED BY POWAY

The CIF San Diego Section continues to maintain one of the nation’s premier wrestling cultures thanks largely to Poway High School Wrestling.

The section produced 8 nationally recognized wrestlers, including No. 1-ranked Mario Carini.

Poway alone placed six wrestlers into the national rankings or honorable mention categories, proving once again why the Titans remain one of the country’s elite programs.

CENTRAL COAST SECTION STILL PRODUCING ELITE TALENT

The CIF Central Coast Section remains nationally relevant behind the continued success of Gilroy High School Wrestling.

Led by No. 1-ranked Moses Mendoza, Gilroy continues to cement itself as one of the nation’s iconic wrestling programs.

LOS ANGELES CITY SECTION’S BIRMINGHAM MAKES A STATEMENT

The Birmingham wrestling program from the Los Angeles City Section is currently experiencing a historic moment of depth and national relevance, with three wrestlers simultaneously earning national rankings across separate weight classes—an unprecedented achievement for the program and the City Section as a whole.

At 126 pounds, Henry Aslikyan (Michigan commit) leads the group with a national ranking of #3, continuing to establish himself as one of the most accomplished and technically refined wrestlers in California. His consistent elite-level performances have placed him firmly among the top competitors in the country.

At 132 pounds, Arno Vardanyan (Cal Poly commit) holds a national ranking of #9, adding critical depth to Birmingham’s lineup and reinforcing the program’s ability to produce high-caliber talent across multiple weight classes. His ranking reflects sustained success at the highest levels of state and national competition.

At 165 pounds, Slava Shahbazyan (Stanford commit) stands out with a national ranking of #3, giving Birmingham another top-tier presence near the top of the national landscape. His position further highlights the program’s strength in developing athletes capable of competing at podium-level standards.

Together, these three rankings mark the first time in history that three wrestlers from the Los Angeles City Section—and specifically Birmingham—have been nationally ranked at the same time, signaling a new level of sustained excellence for the program.

Much of this success can be attributed to the strong leadership and long-term vision of head coach Jimmy Medeiros, whose steady guidance has helped transform Birmingham into a consistent producer of elite academic and wrestling talent. His emphasis on discipline, technical development, and competitive culture has created an environment where athletes are not only successful at the city and state level, but are also prepared to excel on the national stage.

This milestone reflects more than individual achievement—it represents the culmination of a program-wide standard of excellence that continues to elevate Birmingham wrestling into one of the most respected high school programs in California.

THE TOP SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA

Buchanan High School Wrestling — CALIFORNIA’S DEEPEST TEAM

No program placed more nationally ranked wrestlers than Buchanan.

The Bears produced nine nationally recognized wrestlers, including:

• No. 1-ranked Ashton Besmer
• No. 2-ranked Rocklin Zinkin
• Top-10 standout Paul Ruiz

Buchanan’s lineup depth from 120 through heavyweight is arguably unmatched nationally.

St. John Bosco High School Wrestling — SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA POWERHOUSE

St. John Bosco placed seven wrestlers into the national rankings, including elite stars:

• Luke Loren
• Jesse Grajeda
• Michael Romero
• Isai Fernandez

The Braves continue to establish themselves as one of the nation’s fastest-rising programs.

Poway High School Wrestling — NATIONAL CONSISTENCY

Poway once again showcased elite balance with six nationally recognized wrestlers, highlighted by No. 1-ranked Mario Carini.

Clovis High School Wrestling AND Clovis North High School Wrestling

Together, the Clovis programs continue to form one of the nation’s strongest regional wrestling hubs, producing nationally ranked athletes across the lower, middle, and upper weights.

CALIFORNIA REMAINS THE GOLD STANDARD

What separates California from nearly every other wrestling state is not simply the presence of elite individuals — it is the extraordinary depth throughout every level of competition.

Nationally ranked freshmen are battling nationally ranked seniors every weekend. Multiple CIF sections possess state-title caliber teams. Powerhouse schools routinely field lineups stacked with nationally ranked athletes from top to bottom.

The 2026 SBLive rankings reinforce a reality the wrestling community has recognized for years: California is not merely producing elite wrestlers — it is producing elite wrestling ecosystems.

And entering the 2026 postseason cycle, the Golden State appears deeper than ever.

SBLive National High School Rankings by Billy Buckheit 

MAY 2026

CALIFORNIA WRESTLERS

106 – POUNDS

• Cash McClurg (Granite Hils, 9, SD) #2
• Luke Loren (St. John Bosco, 9, S) #3
• Aiden Talavera (Reedley, 10, CS) #4
• Tyler Sweet (Clovis North,10, CS) #5
• Giovani Suarez (Esperanza, 10, S) #20

113 – POUNDS

• Anthony Garza (Clovis, 11, CS) #2
• Michael Bernabe (Clovis, 9, CS) #7
• Max Murillo (Esperanza, 11, S) #8

120 – P0UNDS

• Rocklin Zinkin (Buchanan, 12, CS) #2
• Thiago Silva (Buchanan, 9, CS) #22
• Thales Silva (Buchanan, 9, CS) HM

126 – POUNDS 

• Samuel Sanchez (Esperanza, 10, S) #2
• Henry Aslikyan (Birmingham, 12, LA) #3
• Siraj Sidhu (Clovis North, 12, CS) #10
• Thunder Lewis (Del Norte, 12, NC) #24
• Sean Willcox (St. John Bosco, 12, S) #25

132 – POUNDS

• Ashton Besmer (Buchanan, 12, CS) #1
• Antonio Rodriguez (Los Gatos, 12, CC) #3
• Slater Hicks (Valencia, 11, S) #4
• Paul Ruiz (Buchanan, 10, CS) #7
• Arno Vardanyan (Birmingham, 12, LA) #9
• Nathan Carillo (St. John Bosco, 12, S) #15

138 – POUNDS 

• Moses Mendoza (Gilroy, 12, CC) #1
• Chris “CJ” Huerta (Buchanan, 12, CS) #10
• Ray Rivera (Clovis, 12, CS) #17

144 – POUNDS 

• Arseni Kikiniou (Poway, 11, SD) #9
• Chris Arreola (Clovis North, 10, CS) HM
• Joseph Toscano (Buchanan, 12, CS) HM
• Vinnie Gutierrez (Fountain Valley, 11, S) HM
• Matthew Orbeta (Poway, 11, SD) HM

150 – P0UNDS 

• Jesse Grajeda (St. John Bosco, 11, S) #3
• Michael Romero (St. John Bosco, 11, S) #4
• Ivan Arias (Buchanan, 12, CS) #21
• Alias Raby (Anderson, 12, N) #24

157 – POUNDS

• Christopher Creason (El Diamante, 12, CS) #11
• Tommy Holguin (Bellarmine Prep, 12, CC) #25
• Bailey Holman (Poway, 11, SD), HM
• Wyatt Lewis (Del Norte, 11, NC) HM
• Jacob Perez (Everett Alvarez, 12, CC) HM

165 – POUNDS

• Slava Shahbazyan (Birmingham, 12, LA) #3
• Kaleo Garcia (Gilroy, 12, CC) #22

175 – POUNDS

• Mario Carini (Poway, 11, SD) #1
• Isai Fernandez (St. John Bosco, 10, S) #3
• James Curoso (Clovis, 10, CS) #18
• Travis Grace (Gilroy, 12, CS) #27

190 – POUNDS 

• Jonathan Rocha (Clovis North, 12, CS) #7
• Mason Ontiveros (John H Pitman, 12, SJ) #10
• Mason Savidan (St. John Bosco, 10, S) #25
• Dominic Dotson (Poway, 12, SD) #26
• Carter Vannest (John H. Pitman, 12, SJ) #29
• Gabriel Barragan (Esperanza, 12, S) HM

215 – POUNDS

• David Calkins (Liberty-Brentwood, 12, NC) #12
• Wes Burford (Oakdale, 12, SJ) #13
• Mick Moylan (Poway, 11, SD) #16
• Brian Haran (Gilroy, 11, CC) HM

285 – POUNDS 

• Coby Merrill (John W. North, 12, S) #1
• Andrew Arroyo (Clovis, 10, CS) HM
• Sammy Seja (Buchanan, 10, CS) HM
• Noah Larios (Imperial, 11, SD) HM