For a seventh straight season, Buchanan High is the state wrestling champion.
And the Bears didn’t even need to win any individual weight class to hoist another team trophy.
Buchanan amassed 244 points to win its latest crown Saturday night at the Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield.
Poway (202.5 points) and Gilroy (194 points) rounded out the top three.
How did Buchanan win its eighth state title in school history?
While no Bears won an individual state title, 10 of 14 who wrestled in Bakersfield made it to the medals podium. Four Buchanan wrestlers placed second, two placed third and others placed fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.
Rocklin Zinkin was one of the four Bears to reach the championship match Saturday night, although he had to work to get there in the semifinals.
He was down 6-2 in the 106-pound division and picked up four quick points to send the match to sudden death and picked up the win over Hesperia’s Paulo Valdez, 7-6.
Buchanan’s Rocklin Zinkin, bottom, wrestles Clarence Moore in the boys 106-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Zinkin lost the bout and finished second overall. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Zinkin was joined by teammates Joseph Toscano (126), Sloan Swan (170) and Kannon Campbell (220) in the championship matches.
Siblings win state titles
For the first time in Clovis High history, a brother and a sister won a state title at the same meet.
That would be Clovis’ Dario and Leilani Lemus.
Dario Lemus captured the state title at 138 pounds when he won by decision over Brock Mantanona of Palm Desert, 6-3.
“He’s been an incredible senior for us,” Clovis coach Gabe Schaeffer said. “We lost to this kid (Mantanona) in the Doc B finals. We saw what we had to work on. We had a great game plan. He executed completely perfect. He’s got everything going for him.”
Clovis’ Dario Lemus, right, wrestles Brock Mantanona in the boys 138-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Lemus defeated Mantanona and won the state championship. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Clovis’ Leilani Lemus, top, wrestles Vida Beckel of Cypress in the girls 160-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Lemus defeated Beckel for the championship. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Dario Lemus and his sister Leilani Lemus, both of Clovis High, congratulate each other after both won their CIF State Championship wrestling matches at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Leilani Lemus took the 160-pound title by fall over Vida Beckel of Cypress in 3:04. Lemus became just the 15th freshman to win a girls state title and said her goal is to be a four-time champion, then wrestle in college for Iowa.
Dario Lemus described his sister as a “monster on the mat.”
“I have a lot of faith in her. She’s a great wrestler.”
Leilani was overjoyed with being a state champion. “It’s so amazing.”
Girls state champions
Three other wrestlers from the Fresno area won a state title.
Brenda Nunez of Buchanan defeated Jillian Wells of Lakeside by a 3-0 decision at 101 pounds.
Clovis East’s Isabella Marie Gonzalez defeated Alex Waitsman of El Camino Real in the 116-pound match by fall in 1:38.
Clovis East’s Isabell Gonzales, left, is declared the winner in the girls 116-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match after defeating Alex Waitsman of El Camino at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
And in the 143-pound division, Jennah Creason of Redwood defeated Adelaida Fernandez of Birmingham by fall in 1:42.
Buchanan’s Joseph Toscano, top, wrestles Elijah Cortez of Gilroy in the boys 126-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Toscano lost the bout and finished second overall. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Buchanan’s Brenda Nunez, top, wrestles Jillian Wells in the girls 101-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Nunez defeated Wells for the championship. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Buchanan’s Kannon Campbell, right, wrestles Nicholas Sahakian in the boys 220-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Campbell lost the bout and finished second overall. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Central’s Paige Morales, right, wrestles Anaya Falcon of Walnut in the girls 106-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Morales lost the bout and finished second overall. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Clovis North’s Gavin Bauder, top, wrestles Daniel Zepeda in the boys 132-pound CIF State Wrestling Championship match at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Bauder lost the bout and finished second overall. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
This story was originally published February 24, 2023 at 8:58 PM.
Anthony Galaviz writes about sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He’s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology. Support my work with a digital subscription
