Paste BN High School Sports Awards: Los Angeles boys wrestling nominees
The Paste BN High School Sports Awards are slated to celebrate the top student-athletes in the Los Angeles area.
On June 18, 2020, at 6 p.m., Paste BN will fete high school standouts with a star-studded online show available free of charge to all viewers. The show will also be available on demand after the initial live event.
Here are the 11 nominees for Los Angeles Boys Wrestler of the Year.
Valor Buck
School: Servite
Class: 2020
Weight: 170 pounds
College: Cal State Bakersfield
Noteworthy: Buck locked up the 170-pound title and was awarded upper-weight MVP honors in the CIF-Southern Section masters meet.
Emilio Franco
School: Corona del Mar
Class: 2021
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: The Sea Kings captain pinned all four of his counterparts at the CIF-Southern Section Division 6 dual meet championships.
Nathan Haas
School: St. John Bosco
Class: 2020
Weight: 182 pounds
College: Nebraska
Noteworthy: Haas outlasted Joe Curtis of La Costa Canyon to secure a second consecutive CIF state championship at 182 pounds.
Eli Holiday
School: Esperanza High
Class: 2021
Weight: 138 pounds
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: After pinning each of his five opponents, Holiday earned lower-weight MVP honors at the CIF-Southern Section Southern Division Championship.
Josh Medina
School: Servite
Class: 2020
Weight: 138 pounds
College: Cal Poly
Noteworthy: The senior grappler pinned Buchanan’s Kyler Lake in the Mann Classic’s title match for the fourth consecutive year.
Aaron Nagao
School: Esperanza High
Class: 2020
Weight: 132 pounds
College: Minnesota
Noteworthy: Nagao claimed his second CIF state title when he defeated Buchanan’s Hunter Leake, 8-2, in Sacramento.
Roy Okada
School: Servite
Class: 2021
Weight: 152 pounds
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: Trained in judo, Okada wrapped up a 4-2 win in the 152-pound class to help the Friars to beat Fountain Valley, 43-25, in a dual meet at Servite.
Alex Ramirez
School: Rowland High
Class: 2021
Weight: 138 pounds
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: Ramirez rallied to score three points in the final 20 seconds of the third period to defeat St. John Bosco’s Isaac Salas, 4-1.
Sonny Santiago
School: St. John Bosco
Class: 2020
Weight: 152 pounds
College: North Carolina
Noteworthy: The future Tar Heel held his own in claiming third place at 152 pounds in the CIF state championship meet.
Andrew Sparks
School: Calvary Chapel
Class: 2020
Weight: 160 pounds
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: Sparks won a 7-1 decision against St. John Bosco’s Cael Valencia to capture the CIF championship.
Tristen Wilson
School: Servite
Class: 2020
Weight: 195 pounds
College: Undecided
Noteworthy: The senior was the champion at 195 at Five Counties, but he lost his state semifinal match, 6-4, to Tyler Gianakopulos of Clovis. He finished in third place.