Frontier's Estrada, six Drillers reach quarterfinals at CIF State Wrestling Championships

Feb. 23—It's been six years since a Kern County wrestler won consecutive state championships, but following a dominate first day Miguel Estrada is halfway there.

The Frontier junior, who won the 145-pound title last season, went 3-0 at Thursday's CIF State Championship opener and now needs three more victories to become the first to repeat since Bakersfield's High's Navonte Demison finished off an undefeated season with a victory in the 2017 final at the same weight.

Estrada cruised through his three matches, winning by pin, major decision and technical fall on Thursday as one of seven area wrestlers to reach the quarterfinals.

In addition to Estrada, six Bakersfield High wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals, with performances that former Driller Demison would have approved of.

Bakersfield was led by some familiar faces, most notably Tye Monteiro, Michael Murillo and Jake Honey, all of whom placed at last year's event.

Monteiro, the top seed at 182, won his first two matches by fall in a combined 57 seconds, and then posted a 9-3 decision over Oakdale's Wes Burford to reach the quarterfinals. Monteiro was runner-up last season and finished eighth at 152 as a freshman while wrestling at Garces in 2020.

Murillo, who was third last year at 195, pinned his first two opponents and then earned a major decision victory over Elijah Vinoray of San Diego-Patrick Henry to reach the Elite Eight for the second straight year.

"I'm just taking it match to match and doing what I've been training to do all year," Murillo said. "I've made it before and I know I can make it again. A lot of these guys on the first day, they're just glad to be here. I'm not satisfied with that, I want to win the final."

Honey was perhaps the most dominant. He finished eighth last season and looks primed to improve that finish after winning by fall in all three matches on Thursday. The No. 6 Honey will now face No. 3 Angel Posada of Poway with a chance to reach the semifinals.

BHS's Aiden Simmons (126), Beau Priest (145) and Adam Stanley (285) also reached the quarterfinals.

After winning by forfeit in his opening match, Stanley defeated Centennial's Silas Akins by fall in 33 seconds to advance. He was 0-2 at the state tournament as a freshman last year.

"I feel like I got a lot more experience wrestling with my practice partners and Coach (Matt) Monteiro," Stanley said. "It helped to grow a lot from last year, after messing up (at state last year)."

Stanley felt his conditioning wasn't what it needed to be, and the extra work has obviously paid off.

"I feel like I have a better feeling this year," said Stanley, who next must wrestle top-seeded Daniel Herrera of Palm Desert, the defending state champion at 285. "After going 0-2 last year it's a lot better feeling this year."

106

Daniel Benavides, Bakersfield, freshman (0-1): Lost to Erik Ramirez, Palm Desert, by fall at 3:30. Next: Friday vs. Elijah Poe, Santa Ana-Calvary Chapel, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Levi Mazzei, Frontier, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 4 Paulo Valdez, Hesperia, by fall at 3:03. Next: Friday vs. Yousef, Jubrail, West Hills-Chaminade, in Consolation 32, Round II.

113

9. Anthony Ayon, Golden Valley, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 5 Hayden Ancheta, Cupertino-Monta Vista, by fall at 4:57. Next: Friday vs. Kyle Holtberg, Stockton-St. Mary's, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Caleb McElroy, Bakersfield, sophomore (0-1): Lost to No. 12 Mason Carrillo, Simi Valley-Royal, by decision, 7-6. Next: Friday vs. Ethan Huang, San Francisco-Galileo, in Consolation 32, Round II

Eric Rivera, Highland, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 8 Aaron Silva, Santa Ana-Calvary Chapel, by major decision, 13-2. Next: Friday vs. Wyatt Sandoval, Vacaville, in Consolation 32, Round II.

120

Tobias Lombera, Frontier, freshman (0-1): Lost to No. 15 Micah Viloria-Merrill, Tracy-West, by fall at 1:45.Next: Friday vs. Ricardo Ponce, Redlands-East Valley, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Daniel Parra, South, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 5 Jacob Jones, San Diego-Rancho Bernardo, by fall at 1:06. Next: Friday vs. Giancarlo Plaza, Lake Balboa-Birmingham, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Isaac Ronquillo, Bakersfield, sophomore (0-1): Lost to No. 16 Dustin Merlos, Modesto-Gregori, by decision, 9-7. Next: Friday vs. winner of Cannen Quintana, Dinuba, and Mateo Ochoa, Martin Luther King, in Consolation 16, Round I.

126

6. Aiden Simmons, Bakersfield, sophomore (3-0): Defeated Zaydrein Hernandez, Bellflower-St. John Bosco, by decision, 8-2. Defeated Jacob Bell, Rancho-Cucamonga-Etiwanda, by technical fall, 15-0; Defeated No. 11 Isaac Herrera, Loomis-Del Oro, by decision, 5-1. Next: Friday vs. No. 3 Joseph Toscano, Clovis-Buchanan, in quarterfinals.

Ernest Grant, South, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 4 Bryce Luna, Mountain View-St. Francis, by decision, 7-0. Next: Friday vs. No. 15 Gavin Laverde, Long Beach-Millikan, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Jonathan Woods, Highland, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 5 Richard Murillo, Moreno Valley-Canyon Springs, by fall at 3:23. Next: Friday vs. Jesse Meza, Oakdale, in Consolation 32, Round II.

132

6. Christian Herrera, Bakersfield, junior (0-1): Lost to Alias Raby, West Valley, by decision 9-8. Next: Friday vs. Evan Roy, Hesperia, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Luie Acosta-Tackett, Frontier, sophomore (0-1): Lost to No. 12 Elijah Flores, Walnut, by fall at 0:39. Next: Friday vs. Emilio Medina, Camarillo, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Daniel Reza, South, sophomore (0-1): Lost to No. 15 Jagger French, Loomis-Del Oro, by fall at 2:00. Next: Friday vs. Vincente Rodarte, Benicia, in Consolation 16, Round I.

138

No. 15 Braden Priest, Bakersfield, sophomore: Defeated Devon Wells, El Cajon-Granite Hills, by decision, 6-5. Lost to No. 2 Dario Lemus, Clovis, by major decision, 11-3. Next: Friday in Consolation 16 Round II.

Sonny Lora, South, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 9 Ryder Yoshitake, San Marino, by technical fall, 17-1. Next: Friday vs. Jeremiah Villaros, Santa Maria-Righetti, in Consolation 16, Round I.

Arnulfo Leon, Golden Valley, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 1 Brock Mantonona, Palm Desert, by fall at 0:10. Next: Friday vs. Joel Garcia, Exeter, in Consolation 32, Round II.

145

2. Miguel Estrada, Frontier, junior (3-0): Defeated Mikel Uyemura, San Marino, by technical fall, 15-0, 4:57. Defeated Johncarlo Franco-Felix, Oakland-Coliseum College Prep, by fall at 0:33. Defeated No. 15 Marcus Caro, San Diego-Rancho Bernardo, by major decision, 11-3. Next: Friday vs. No. 7 Thomas Thongseng, Exeter, in quarterfinals.

5. Beau Priest, Bakersfield, sophomore (2-0): Defeated Sean Otero, Norwalk, by decision, 8-1. Defeated No. 12 Ammar Khan, Elk Grove-Franklin, by decision, 7-2. Next: Friday vs. No. 4 Devin Alexander, Clovis-Buchanan, in quarterfinals.

Isaac Quiroz, Independence, junior (0-1): Lost No. 10 Evan Manzo, Rancho Cucamonga-Etiwanda, by decision, 8-2. Next: Friday vs. Sean Otero, Norwalk, in Consolation 32, Round II.

152

13. Adrian Juarez, Highland, senior (1-1): Defeated Joshua Kroschel, McArthur-Fall River, by fall at 5:53. Lost to No. 4 Leo Contino, Clovis-Buchanan, by decision, 3-1. Next: Friday in Consolation 16, Round II.

14. Austin Simmons, Bakersfield, junior (1-1): Defeated Abdul Nasiri, Oakland, by fall at 1:06. Defeated Elyija Austin, Turlock-Pitman, by fall at 3:58. Lost to No. 3 Maxximus Martinez, Gilroy, by major decision, 11-2. Next: Friday in Consolation 16, Round II.

Silas Orozco, Stockdale, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 1 Beau Mantanona, Palm Desert, by fall at 0:48. Next: Friday vs. winner of Abdul Nasiri, Oakland, and No. 16 Tyler Brown, San marcos-Mission Hills in Consolation 16 Round I.

160

6. Jake Honey, Bakersfield, junior (3-0): Defeated Dominic Williamson, Canoga Park, by fall at 3:20; Defeated DJ Arvizu, Concord-De La Salle, by fall at 3:47. Defeated No. 11 Joe Perez, Carlsbad-La Costa Canyon, by fall at 4:37. Next: Friday vs. No. 3 Angelo Posada, Poway, in quarterfinals.

Jackson Naven, Frontier, freshman (0-1): Lost to No. 3 Angelo Posada, Poway, by fall at 1:00. Next: Friday vs. Alex Dominguez, Orland, in Consolation 32, Round 2.

170

Junior Bojorquez, South, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 5 Carlos Garcia, Oakdale, by decision, 9-7. Next: Friday vs. Kai Vasquez, Bakersfield, In Consolation 32, Round II.

Kai Vasquez, Bakersfield, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 10 Khale McDonnell, Fountain Valley, by decision, 5-0. Next: Friday vs. Junior Bojorquez, South, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Brian Arredondo-Velasquez, Frontier, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 1 Luke Condon, Poway, by major decision, 11-2. Next: Friday vs. Raymond Fernandez, Los Banos, in Consolation 32, Round II.

182

1. Tye Monteiro, Bakersfield, senior (3-0): Defeated Logan Corona, Gilroy-Christopher, by fall at 0:24; Defeated Kymari Rhodes, Oakland Tech, by fall at 0:33; Defeated Wes Burford, Oakdale, by decision, 9-3. Next: Friday vs. No. 8 Alex Munoz, Valencia, in quarterfinals.

Xavier Gonzalez, Arvin, sophomore (0-1): Lost to No. 2 Timothy McDonnell, Fountain Valley, by fall at 0:26. Next: Friday vs. winner of Trace Jackson, Kingsburg, and Shea Gabriel, Oak Hills, in Consolation 16, Round 1.

Brock Rios, Frontier, sophomore (0-1): Lost to No. 14 JC Escutia, Salinas-Palma, by decision, 9-2. Next: Friday vs. Logan Corona, Gilroy-Christopher, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Rafael Roman-Amador, Shafter, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 6 Diego Costa, Yucaipa, by fall at 4:58. Next: Friday vs. Nate Northrop, Santa Maria-Righetti, in Consolation 32, Round II.

195

Joe Demacabalin, Kennedy, freshman (2-1): Defeated. No. 3 Eugenio Franco, Newport Beach-Corona Del Mar, by fall at 0:28; Defeated Kevin Ramirez, Yucaipa, by fall at 1:30; Lost to No. 14 David Calkins, Brentwood-Liberty, by fall at 4:30. Next: Friday in Consolation Round 2.

Ram Lopez, Wasco, junior (0-1): Lost to No. 7 Elias Corona, Oakdale, by technical fall, 20-4, 4:39. Next: Friday vs. Diego Morales, Palm Desert, in Consolation 32, Round II.

DJ Weimer, Bakersfield, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 13 Coby Merrill, Gilroy, by fall at 1:52. Next: Friday vs. No. 15 Christian Davidson, Paso Robles, in Consolation 32, Round II.

220

2. Michael Murillo, Bakersfield, junior 3-0): Defeated Anthony Cowan, Linden, by fall at 3:54; Defeated Joseph Wynn-Wilson, Pacifica-Terra Nova, by fall at 1:45; Defeated Elijah Vinoray, San Diego-Patrick Henry, by major decision, 8-0.

10. Angel Cervantes, Highland, junior (2-1): Defeated Angel Martinez, San Diego-San Ysidro, by decision, 5-2; Defeated Anthony DeLeon, Phelan-Serrano, by fall at 3:27; Lost to No. 7 Joseph Ellis, Napa-Vintage, by fall at 4:30. Next: Friday in Consolation 16 Round II.

285

8. Adam Stanley, Bakersfield, sophomore (2-0): Defeated Reagan Dunten, Susanville-Lassen, by forfeit; Defeated Silas Akins, Centennial, by fall at 0:33. Next: Friday vs. No. 1 Daniel Herrera, Palm Desert, in quarterfinals.

Andres Rodriguez, Chavez, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 1 Daniel Herrera, Palm Desert, by fall at 1:09. Next: Friday vs. Hector Jimenez, Covina-Charter Oak, in Consolation 32, Round II.

Silas Akins, Centennial, senior: Defeated No. 9 Jerry Witty, San Pedro, by decision, 2-1 UTB. Lost to No. 8 Adam Stanley, Bakersfield, by fall at 0:33. Next: Friday in Consolation 16, Round II.