The group from the Golden State is headed to Fargo with gold medals in mind after putting three in the finals in 2021 and crowning three champs in 2019. Team California is led by a number of standouts from some of the nation’s best high school programs like Buchanan, Clovis, Gilroy and more.

2021 Freestyle Team Finishes

16U — sixth

Junior — 11th

2021 Fargo All-Americans

16U freestyle

Moses Mendoza — third at 94

Isaiah Quintero — third at 106

Brock Mantanona — second at 113

Aden Valencia — second at 120

Travis Grace — sixth at 132

Cody Merrill — second at 170

Nicholas Sahaklan — sixth at 220

Junior freestyle

Dominic Mendez — fourth at 113

Grigor Cholakyan — fifth at 120

Kimo Leia — fourth at 138

Nicco Ruiz — fifth at 145

Henry Porter — seventh at 145

Luka Wick — fourth at 152

Jamikael Lutle — fifth at 285

Hammers To Watch

#4 Nicco Ruiz (Junior/160) — Ruiz is a defending state champ and 2021 Super 32 champ who placed fifth in Fargo last year. On top of some serious athleticism, Ruiz also has a keen ability to tie up his opponents’ wrists as a way to neutralize their offense and set up his own attacks. A  rising senior, headed to Arizona State, he’ll be a handful in Fargo. 

#6 Isaiah Quintero (Junior/113) — Quintero navigated one of the toughest paths at any weight for his first CIF state title at 106 this season, taking out ranked wrestlers #7 Edwin Sierra, #10 Isaiah Cortez and #12 Ronnie Ramirez along the way. He took third at Fargo last year, losing only to the champ and national #1 Anthony Knox. Now, wrestling up in the Junior division, Quintero will hope his heavy pace will catapult him a couple extra steps up the podium.

#20 Brock Mantanona (16U/132) — The rising junior was the 2022 state champ winning a stacked bracket that featured three Fargo All-Americans. A Fargo runner-up himself, last year, Brock isn’t the only Mantanona you’ll find on this list… 

Beau Mantanona (Junior/145) — The older of the two Mantanona brothers listed here, Beau found himself ranked as high as #3 in the country at points this season. Beau Man was a Cadet World Team member last year and a Super 32 champion. 

#6 Aden Valencia (Junior/126) — No, he’s not part of the Valencia family who made their name at St. John Bosco, but Aden Valencia is still a name you should get familiar with. Valencia was a runner-up at Fargo and Super 32 last year before placing third in the state as a sophomore this past season. Valencia has a lot of really slick stuff from his feet that he’ll be showing off in Fargo. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it.

#12 Dario Lemus (Junior/138) — Heading into his senior season, for the storied Clovis program, Lemus was a state runner-up last year in what was another loaded California bracket. Lemus uses a lot of good reattack and go-behinds from his opponent’s forward pressure that could help put some heat on guys in the FargoDome.

Up-And-Coming Prospects Who Need To Be On Your Radar

#10 Isaiah Cortez —(16U/106) Cortez was a champ in Reno and placed third in the state at 106 this year, losing only to the champ, Quintero, in a battle of the Isaiah’s. He spent much of the year ranked as one of the best in the nation and should be expected to contend for a title in his Fargo debut. 

#7 Edwin Sierra (Junior/113) — Sierra was on the cusp of the podium at both Fargo and Super 32 last season as a part of some brutal brackets and followed those performances with a fourth-place finish in the state as a freshman. Still, Sierra sits inside the top 10 of the 113-pound national rankings. Tune in this weekend and you’ll see why.

Ray Ray Harris (Junior/126) — A Doc B runner-up and fourth in the state, Harris is one of the standouts of a Buchanan team that won its sixth straight California state title in 2022. That big breakout win is coming soon for Harris and he should get an opportunity in Fargo.

Laird Root (Junior/152) — Splitting time with Mantanona at 152, Root went 3-1 at Junior Duals, with all three victories by tech fall. He was a Fargo All-American in Greco last year and narrowly missed placing in freestyle. This year, he should enter as one of the favorites to contend for his first California state title.