The 2025-26 high school wrestling season continued with the Jimmy Hamada Classic Dec. 12-13 at La Costa Canyon High School, regarded as one of the top regional events in the state and an early season rankings preview.
Esperanza captured the team title with 318 points and seven individual champions while Granite Hills finished in second place with 234.5 points and one individual champion (Cash McClurg at 113 pounds).
Brawley finished sixth in the two-day 51-team tournament with 141 points and two individual champions Ricardo Ortiz at 126 pounds and Adam Avila at 215 pounds).
Granite Hills tallied nine place-winners (first through eighth place). Top performers also included Uriah Hawkins (second place, 132 pounds), Ames-Michael Hoevker (second, 144 pounds), Jovanni Mansour (second, 190), Travin Shahbaz (second, 285), Emilio Escobar (third, 120), Steven Gomez (third, 215), Damian Arreola (seventh, 126), and David Daniels (sixth, 157).
San Diego Section finalists also included LCC’s Shane Ito (second, 120) and Carlsbad’s Roman Zelenka (second, 138).
Other top place-finishers included LCC’s Luke Menzimer (third, 138) and Jason Lin (fourth, 126), Scripps Ranch’s Elisha Hosseini (third, 150), Brawley’s Justin Torres (third, 144), Caleb Benevides (fourth, 144) and Aydann Correa (fifth, 106), , Del Norte’s Jaidon Samuels (third, 285), Mar Vista’s Ryder Bareng (fourth, 106) and Aaron Mariscal (fifth, 175), Mission Vista’s Christian Ripa (fourth, 138), Carlsbad’s Landon Nelms (fourth, 150), El Cajon Valley’s Jayden Parks (fourth, 215), Imperial’s Levi Mincher (fourth 285), Bonita Vista’s Edwin Flores (fifth, 132) and Nathan Banaszek (fifth, 144) and Helix’s J.J. Matinez (fifth, 215).
Tourney host La Costa Canyon finished eighth with 122.5 points, followed by Bonita Vista in 12th place with 113 points. Other section teams included Carlsbad (16th, 98 points), Rancho Bernardo (18th, 92 points), Imperial (74 points), San Marcos (72.5 points), Torrey Pines (64 points), Scripps Ranch (61 points), Helix Charter (53.5 points), Mission Vista (44 points), Holtville (39.5 points), Ramona (38 points), St. Augustine (37.5 points), Mar Vista (37 points), Rancho Buena Vista (34 points), El Cajon Valley (26.5 points), Olympian (22 points), Cathedral Catholic (19 points ), Patrick Henry (19 points), West Hills (17.5 points), Orange Glen (11 points) and Steele Canyon (seven points).
