KING OF THE HILL – Bakersfield’s Darrell Vasquez earns #4 in 2002
As we enter the 44th year of the prestigious CIF State Championships, there has only been “ONE” 4x State Champion. This great feat took place on March 2, 2002 at the University of Pacific when Bakersfield’s Darrell Vasquez defeated Jason Williams of Clovis in front of a standing room only crowd (the year prior, Vasquez prevented Independence’s Jacob Palomino from becoming the first). Unlike when David Lee of Bell Vista became the first 3x State Champion in 1984, many more followed. Since 2002, several talented California wrestlers have come close to earning the BIG #4, but fell short. In 2017, 3x State Champion Justin Mejia of Clovis enters the season in pursuit of #4.
JACOB PALOMINO of Independence HS (CC) became the first CA wrestler to pursue four titles (1, 1, 1, 3).
CA wrestlers that were in position to win four titles, but fell short of achieving this great feat:
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Anthony Valencia – St. John Bosco (S): 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st (2012 – ’15)
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Zahid Valencia – St. John Bosco (S): 1st, 3rd. 1st, 1st (2012 – ’15)
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Israel Saavedra – Modesto (SJ): 1st, 1st, 3rd, DNQ (2012 – ’15)
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Nick Nevills – Clovis (C): 1st, 3rd, 1st, 1st (2011 – ’14)
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Alex Cisneros – Selma (C): 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd (2009 – ’12)
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Louis Bland – Central Catholic-Modesto (SJ): 1st, 1st, 2nd, 1st (2005 – ’08)
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Jacob Palomino – Independence-San Jose (CC): 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd (1998 – ‘01)
Illinois bound JUSTIN MEJIA (Clovis, CS) has won three state titles and is in position to win #4
Junior SETH NEVILLS (Clovis, CS) has won two titles and is in position to pursue four.
Sophomore MATHEW OLGUIN (Buchanan, CS) won state last year as a freshman and is in line to position four.