High School Sports

Doc Buchanan wrestling tournament has impressive field. Here’s what you need to know

Clovis’ Seth Nevills, center, stands on top of the podium as the champion in the 285-pound final at the 2015 Doc Buchanan Invitational wrestling tournament. He goes for his fourth Doc title this weekend.
Clovis’ Seth Nevills, center, stands on top of the podium as the champion in the 285-pound final at the 2015 Doc Buchanan Invitational wrestling tournament. He goes for his fourth Doc title this weekend. Fresno Bee file

The Doc Buchanan Invitational high school wrestling tournament always has a national feel to it. The 2018 event even has international flavor.

Flo Wrestling’s nationally-ranked No. 2 Bergen Catholic-New Jersey and No. 24 Pomona-Arvada, Colo., lead the charge to Clovis High for the Friday-Saturday event.

But the 108-team field includes Canadian invader Villanova Catholic from LaSalle, Ontario, plus teams from Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Missouri and Illinois.

On top of that, wrestlers who competed at the 2017 state championships will try take home a Doc Buchanan Cowboy Hat – the traditional winner’s trophy.

Wrestling begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday, and continues at 9 a.m. Saturday, with semifinals at 10 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m.

Defending state champion and national No. 7 Buchanan won the 2017 Doc Buchanan Invitational over rival Clovis 216-174. Clovis is No. 19 in this year’s national rankings, one spot behind Selma.

The field includes four defending California state champions plus 39 wrestlers who placed at last year’s state meet in Bakersfield and 156 who competed there.

Seth Nevills of Clovis High, who has committed to Penn State, is a three-time state champion and a three-time Doc champion – one at 220 and two at 285. He’s seeded second this year. Why? Because Cohlton Schultz of Ponderosa-Parker, Colo., a two-time Doc champion at 220, moves up to 285. In September, Schultz became the first American to win a Cadet world title in Greco-Roman wrestling since 1997, according to Flo Wrestling.

Anthony Galaviz: 559-441-6042, @agalaviz_TheBee

Doc Buchanan Invitational

Friday: Wrestling starts at 9:30 a.m., with quarterfinals about 4 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m., with semifinals about 10 a.m., finals at 5 p.m.

Site: Clovis High

Tickets: Adults $8 Friday, $7 Saturday; students and children 12 and younger are $5 Friday, $4 Saturday. Finals for all entrants $5

Doc Buchanan Invitational seeds

106 pounds: 1. Nick Kayal, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 2. Jonathan Prata, Downey; 3. Richard Figueroa, Selma; 4. Isaac Salas, St. John Bosco-Bellflower; 5. Carlos Negrete, Clovis North; 6. Wyatt Yapoujiann, Pomona-Arvada, Colo.

113: 1. Antonio Lorenzo, St. John Bosco-Bellflower; 2. Giano Petrucelli, Clovis; 3. Brendon Garcia, Pueblo County-Colo.; 4. Tristan Lujan, Selma; 5. Enrique Sanchez, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 6. Maximo Renteria, Buchanan

120: 1. Robert Howard, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 2. Nicolas Aguilar, Gilroy; 3. Devin Murphy, Clovis North; 4. Cole Reyes, Frontier; 5. Justin Pacheco, Pomona-Arvada, Colo.; 6. Brandon Paulson, Clovis

126: 1. Cleveland Belton, St. John Bosco-Bellflower; 2. Ethan Leake, Buchanan; 3. Josh Nira, Greeley Central-Colo.; 4. Terrell Barraclough, Layton-Utah; 5. Ryan Franco, Clovis North; 6. Chase Saldate, Gilroy

132: 1. Therius Robison, Pomona-Arvada, Colo.; 2. Carmen Ferrante, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 3. Elijah Palacio, Edison-Huntington Beach; 4. Angelo Martinoni, Folsom; 5. Kyle Parco, De La Salle-Concord; 6. Job Greenwood, Poudre-Fort Collins, Colo.

138: 1. Jaden Abas, Rancho Bernardo-San Diego; 2. Matthew Olguin, Buchanan; 3. Colton Yapoujian, Pomona-Arvada, Colo.; 4. Alex Felix, Gilory; 5. Cole Polluconi, Monarch-Louisville, Colo.; 6. Dalton Lakmann, Foothill-Palo Cedro

145: 1. Jacob Greenwood, Poudre-Fort Collins, Colo.; 2. Peyton Omania, De La Salle-Concord; 3. Andrew Alirez, Greeley Central-Colo.; 4. Tony Mendoza, Selma; 5. Bernie Truax, Rancho Buena Vista-Vista; 6. Jake Ryan, Oakdale

152: 1. Gerard Angelo, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 2. John Manning, Villanova Catholic-LaSalle, Ontario; 3. Tony Asatrian, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 4. Gabe Dinette, Lakewood-Colo.; 5. Jace Luchan, Selma; 6. Peter Enos, Francis Howell-St. Charles, Mo.

160: 1. Shane Griffith, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 2. Joel Romero, Buchanan; 3. Drake Engelking, Longmont-Colo.; 4. Noah Blake, Del Oro-Loomis; 5. Beau Bradley, Monache; 6. Alexander Escudero, Los Gatos

170: 1. Chris Foca, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 2. Christian Rodriguez, Selma; 3. Joseph Barnes, Gilroy; 4. Mark Cardwell, Monache; 5. Cole Moody, Bingham-Jordan, Utah; 6.. Gabe Martinez, Oakdale

182: 1. Anthony Montalvo, Buchanan; 2. Jacob Cardenas, Beren Catholic-N.J.; 3. Connor Bourne, Faith Lutheran-Las Vegas; 4. Gerardo Hernandez, Capistrano Valley-Mission Viejo; 5. Guillermo Escobedo, Bishop Amat-La Puente; 6. Issaya Finley, Righetti-Santa Maria

195: 1. Colbey Harlan, Oakdale; 2. Antonio Andrade, Gilroy; 3. Ryan Reyes, Clovis West; 4. Jayden Woodruff, Ponderosa-Parker, Colo.; 5. Jacob Good, Clovis; 6. Matthew Martinez, Alvarez-Salinas

220: 1. Joey Daniel, Santa Ana; 2. Trevor Ervin, Buchanan; 3. David Aranda, St. John Bosco-Bellflower; 4. Erich Osteen, Chaminade Prep-Chatsworth; 5. Dante Garcia, Pueblo County-Colo.; 6. Maika Tautteoli, Pleasant Grove-Utah

285: 1. Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa-Parker, Colo.; 2. Seth Nevills, Clovis; 3. John High, Bergen Catholic-N.J.; 4.. Austin Gillham, Sultana-Hesperia; 5. Randy Gonzalez Jr., Lakewood-Calif.; 6. Hayden Still, Lakewood-Colo.

States represented

California: 86 teams

Colorado: 8 (Greeley Central, Lakewood, Longmont, Monarch, Pomona, Ponderosa, Poudre, Pueblo County)

Nevada: 3 (Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran, Las Vegas)

Utah: 3 (Bingham, Corner Canyon, Pleasant Grove)

Oregon: 2 (North Medford, Roseburg)

Washington: 2 (Pullman, Sumner)

New Jersey: 1 (Bergen Catholic)

Missouri: 1 (Francis Howell)

Illinois: 1 (Fenton)

Canada: 1 (Villanova Catholic)

This story was originally published January 4, 2018 at 11:05 AM with the headline "Doc Buchanan wrestling tournament has impressive field. Here’s what you need to know."

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