When Head Coach Nikko Cataline took the helm at Roosevelt High School, the principal asked a defining question during his interview: What are you going to do differently?

The answer was immediate: start a tournament.

It would have been easy to launch a standard, run-of-the-mill event—a tournament specifically structured for the home team to win and look good doing it. But for Cataline and his coaching staff, including co-head coach and tournament director Korey, the vision was much more ambitious. They didn’t want an easy weekend; they wanted to create a monster.

“I think having a tournament of this caliber was very important to what I was going to bring to the table that was different,” Cataline explains. “It’s been my goal to build this thing up to be our only fundraiser of the year. We are not at that point yet, but I can see us getting there.”

Now entering its fourth year, the Roosevelt Scuffle has rapidly evolved into a premier destination for elite wrestling programs across the West Coast, with a clear vision in mind: “I see us being the first tough tournament of a team’s schedule for the year, and top five toughest tournaments in California,” says Cataline.

Building the Field: The “Year Five” Plan

To attract top-tier talent from across Idaho, Arizona, Washington, Utah, and California, the Roosevelt staff employed a unique, long-term strategy.

“Well, to be honest, I don’t charge those bigger programs to come and wrestle,” Cataline admits. “Either Korey or I will reach out to some of these top teams and say, ‘Hey, you can bring your team for free and bring as many kids as you’d like.’ Once they get here, they see what we are about and how organized we try to keep it, and hopefully the product and the level of wrestling is what brings them back.”

Cataline was transparent with his supporters about this growth model. “I told my boosters in year one, don’t expect to make any money on this thing until about year five. I need to be able to build it up, and if I’m worried about making money, I don’t think we would get the same result.”

He remains relentless in his outreach: “I know I’ve reached out to all the best teams on the West Coast, personally inviting them. Idaho, Arizona, Washington, Utah, all of them. If you’re one of those coaches reading this article, check your email. You’ve probably gotten an invite from me!”

That grassroots networking has led to consistent, organic growth:

Edition	Participating Teams
Year 1	28 teams
Year 2	30 teams
Year 3	36 teams
Year 4 (2026)	33 fully committed by August, with 20 more in talks

Built on Efficiency: Timing Over Spectacle

A major early hurdle was the weigh-in process. “I recognized right away that we need to start our weekend with a bang, and that needed to happen as the schools started showing up and weighing in,” Cataline notes. By dialing in the process, last year’s weigh-ins were completed in an incredible 28 minutes.

That efficiency extends to the tournament’s finale. Through conversations with Poway’s Coach Myers and out-of-town teams, Cataline learned a valuable lesson: timing is more important than spectacle.

“Teams that are traveling in to wrestle at The Scuffle want to get home after it’s done,” Cataline says. “By expediting the championship rounds, no spotlight finals, 7th place matches during conso-semis, things like that, I think those out-of-town teams are more inclined to show up… Last year we were giving awards at 3:30 PM.”

The spectator experience is equally prioritized. “We are very fortunate to have a HUGE gym, and we set it up in a way that people can get a good view of every mat,” Cataline explains. The staff pulls out bleachers inside the wrestling area strictly for coaches and athletes, while fans have floor-to-ceiling bleachers behind the gates. “We also let people stand on the gates on the west end of the gym, so they can be closer to the action, because that end of the gym doesn’t have any spectators to block. KND [K&D Productions] has also been a big help in keeping the tournament on time and organized.”

The Poway Effect and Officiating Standards

A major catalyst for the tournament’s immediate legitimacy has been the steadfast support of state powerhouse Poway.

“Having Poway is huge,” Cataline acknowledges. “I think coaches will specifically schedule their tournaments based on the other teams that are there. Having Poway attend motivates some coaches to come to The Scuffle to get those high-level matches. It has also scared a lot of programs away. It’s a double-edged sword. At the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for my program, and hopefully it attracts like-minded coaches and programs.”

To match the elite talent on the mats, Cataline ensures top-tier officiating. “High-level wrestling needs high-level refs,” he states. “I believe of last year’s 11 referees, 7 of them had previous State experience, and all 11 were at least Masters-level refs.”

As the tournament grows, so do logistics. “Every year I’ve had to adjust start times, add mats, hire more refs, etc. These things are just part of the natural growth… we just have to keep doing a little bit more of what we are already doing.” (The staff is even eyeing future expansion, with Cataline revealing, “There are plans to do a girls’ tournament in the future. I don’t think it’ll be the same weekend as the boys, but we have definitely given it some thought to do something soon.”)

A Loaded Field and Setting the Tone

Even in August, the 2026 field is shaping up to be a gauntlet of state-ranked programs and out-of-state heavyweights, including:

Poway (CA State #2)

Esperanza (CA State #7)

Birmingham (CA State #8)

Centennial (CA State #24)

Slam NV (Reigning Nevada 5A #1)

Bishop Gorman (Nevada 5A #5)

Roosevelt (SS Southern Div #2)

Paloma Valley (SS Eastern Div #1)

While Clovis North will be missed this season, a major Central Section rival is currently in talks to fill the void.

Hosting this caliber of a tournament at the start of the year is no accident for the Roosevelt coaching staff.

“In building this tournament, we definitely weren’t looking to make it easy for our athletes,” Cataline emphasizes. “My career was built on seeking the toughest competition, year-round. We don’t shy away from the competition at Roosevelt.”

Ultimately, the Scuffle serves as a proving ground for the home team. “At a competition like this, it really just sets the tone for my varsity athletes,” Cataline says. “It’s such a tough tournament that if we get one win over a ranked opponent, we can turn that into an example for the rest of the team. And it being early in the season, we really use that energy to our advantage as coaches. It allows us to get in a kid’s ear and remind them of the level of competition that’s out there; they’ve faced it. We need to either raise the bar or not let off the gas.”

A Proven Proving Ground: Multi-Year Impact and State Success

The proof of the Scuffle’s caliber is in the postseason hardware. The fields that have battled it out at Roosevelt continue to make massive waves at the state level year after year.

The comparison between the two years of the tournament highlights several notable shifts:

Team Champion Scoring: Poway improved its winning team score from 357.5 points in 2024 to 377.5 points in 2025, widening their margin of victory.

Runner-Up Performance: Clovis North finished second both years, but their team score decreased from 297.0 points in 2024 to 234.5 points in 2025.

Podium Depth & State Representation: The tournament’s footprint at the CIF State level grew stronger in 2025, producing 19 state placers compared to 13 the previous year.

State Champions: The event’s alumni roster produced 3 state champions from the 2024 field (Mario Carini, Angelo Posada, and Coby Merrill), compared to 2 state champions from the 2025 field (Bailey Holman and Mario Carini).

State Qualifiers Tracked: The tracked list of non-placing state qualifiers ticked up slightly from 8 athletes from the 2024 tournament to 9 athletes from the 2025 tournament.

2024 Scuffle Data

State Champions (3): Mario Carini (Poway), Angelo Posada (Poway), and Coby Merrill (John W North)

State Placers (13): Edwin Sierra (Poway), Billy Townson (Poway), Jonathan Rocha (Clovis North), Leo Maestas (Clovis North), Daniel Moylan (Poway), Devin Alarcon (Clovis North), Tyler Sweet (Clovis North), Paulo Valdez (Hesperia), Arseni Kikiniou (Poway), Markez Del Bosque (Clovis North), Matthew Orbeta (Poway), Bailey Holman (Poway), and Julius Villamil (Poway)

State Qualifiers (8): Caleb Cisneros (Selma), Rene Cordero (Poway), Robert Jones (Poway), Bryce Pasvogel (Clovis North), Gunnar Neal (Poway), Dominic Dotson (Poway), Gabriel Barragan (West Valley), and Ross Cinfel (Clovis North)

2025 Scuffle Data

State Champions (2): Bailey Holman (Poway) and Mario Carini (Poway)

State Placers (19): Tyler Sweet (Clovis North), Phillip Hernandez (Clovis North), Zachary Samano (Chino), Julius Villamil (Poway), Rene Cordero (Poway), Siraj Sidhu (Clovis North), Henry Aslikyan (Birmingham), Jack Malinconico (Poway), Matty Orbeta (Poway), Christopher Arreola (Clovis North), Arno Vardanyan (Birmingham), Rocco Godinez (Centennial – Corona), Diego Valdiviezo (Poway), Greg Torosian (Birmingham), Carlos Valdiviezo (Poway), Mason Carnrite (Poway), Kelan Stever (San Clemente), Dom Dotson (Poway), and Carlos Sutton (Etiwanda)

State Qualifiers (9): Mark Ramirez (Palm Desert), Wyatt Carnrite (Poway), Jayren Chan (Ayala), Jesse Quiroz (Eleanor Roosevelt), Sebastian Rodriguez (Palm Desert), Peter Brown (Canyon Springs), Jaxen Cooke (Norco), Ari Hasani (Birmingham Charter), and Angel Rodriguez (Centennial – Corona)

Photo Courtesy: Chris Mora