All-County boys wrestling: Max Murillo is the OC wrestler of the year

ALL-COUNTY BOYS WRESTLING TEAM 2025-26

BOYS WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

Max Murillo, Esperanza, Junior 

Max Murillo had some catching up to do.

The Esperanza junior, who wrestles at 113 pounds, strained a knee during the Doc Buchanan tournament in Clovis in January. He had to take a couple of weeks off of training to get the swelling down and regain stability and strength.

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“I felt so behind everybody when I came back,” Murillo said.

Murillo caught up. He won his weight class at the CIF Southern Section Northern Division championships for the second year in a row. He then won a championship at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and advanced to the finals at the CIF State Championships.

Murillo lost to Clovis junior Anthony Garza, 15-6, in the CIF State meet.

Murillo and  Esperanza sophomore Sammy Sanchez were the only Orange County wrestlers to advance to the CIF State finals this year.

CalGrappler.com had Murillo at No. 3 at 113 pounds in its final state rankings.

When Murillo did return this season he adjusted his routine with guidance from wrestling coach Sam Calvaitta. Additional emphasis was placed on cardiovascular endurance.

“I’ve felt that my wrestling skills have always been there,” Murillo said. “I put my trust in Coach Cal because he knows what he’s doing with athletes. I did some hard workouts and that helped me mentally for my matches, so when I got to CIF I felt fresh and I felt good.”

Murillo won all of his CIF-SS Northern Division matches by fall or technical fall including a pin against El Dorado’s Dylan Esquivel in the final.

He powered his way through the 113-pound class of the Blue Division at the Masters Meet. He had a 15-2 decision over Palm Desert’s Alekzander Espinosa in the final.

Then it was on to the CIF State meet.

“I always had high confidence that I could get there,” Murillo said. “I never doubted myself, even when the season was not going my way.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Christian Holiday, Esperanza

Christian Holiday led Esperanza to a seventh-place finish at the CIF State Championships. It was the highest finish by an Orange County team this season.

Esperanza had seven wrestlers reach the state meet, and two of the wrestlers, Max Murillo and Sammy Sanchez, reached the finals.

At the CIF-SS Masters Meet, the Aztecs finished second to St. John Bosco. Esperanza repeated as CIF Southern Section Northern Division champion.

ALL-COUNTY TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

106: Giovanni Suarez, Esperanza, So.: He was his weight division’s CIF Southern Section Northern Division champion. He was a CIF-SS Masters Meet champion and won three matches in the CIF State Championships.

113: Max Murillo, Esperanza, Jr.: Murillo is the Orange County boys wrestler of the year.

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120: Sammy Sanchez, Esperanza, So.: Sanchez overcame an early-season knee injury to advance to the CIF State finals, won a CIF Southern Section Northern Division championship for the second year in a row and was a CIF-SS Masters Meet champion.

126: Aaron Silva, Corona del Mar, Sr: He finished fourth at the CIF State Championships and was a CIF-SS Coastal Division champion.

132: Jojo Guardado, Esperanza, Jr.: Guardado took third place in the CIF-SS Northern Division championships, was third at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and finished eighth in the CIF State meet.

138: Vinnie Gutierrez, Fountain Valley, Jr.: He was a CIF-SS Coastal Division, CIF-SS Masters champion and finished third in the CIF State championships.

144: Kavi Garvey, Fountain Valley, Jr.: Garvey fought through injury to win CIF-SS Coastal Division and CIF-SS Masters Meet titles and was a fourth-place finisher in the CIF State meet.

150: Mateo Centeno, Esperanza, So.: He was the CIF-SS Northern Division champion at his weight class, finished fourth in the CIF-SS Masters Meet and was eighth at the CIF State meet.

157: Dimetry Molina, Esperanza, So.: Molina was a second-place finisher in the CIF-SS Northern Division championships, was a champion at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and took sixth at the CIF State Championships.

165: Cross Rodriguez, Calvary Chapel, Sr.: Rodriguez was the CIF-SS Southern Division champion at his weight class, finished second at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and won two matches at the CIF State meet.

175: Kelen Stever, San Clemente, Sr: He was eighth at the CIF State meet, finished second in the CIF-SS Inland Division meet and third in the CIF-SS Masters Meet.

190: Gabriel Barragan, Esperanza, Sr: Barragan finished sixth at the CIF State Championships after finishing first at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and at the CIF-SS Northern Division Championships.

215: Griff Lawson, El Dorado, Sr.: Lawson finished fourth in the CIF-SS Northern Division meet, was third at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and won his first-round match at the CIF State meet.

285: Jeremy Harris, Woodbridge, Sr.: Harris was fifth in the CIF-SS Masters Meet and fifth in the CIF-SS Southern Division championships.

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SECOND TEAM

106: Elijah Ramirez, Mission Viejo, So.

113: Uriah Correa, Servite, So.

120: Hunter Jauregui, Fountain Valley, Sr.

126: Isaac Torres, Fountain Valley, Sr.

132: Liam Qureshi, Fountain Valley, Sr.

138: Marcello Calavitta, Esperanza, Jr.

144: James Ruiz, Esperanza, Jr.

150: Mikel David Uyemura, Fountain Valley, Sr.

157: Mason McDonnell, Fountain Valley, Fr.

165: James Holiday, Esperanza, Jr.

175: Jude Holiday, Esperanza, Jr.

190: William Schindele, El Toro, Jr.

215: Xavier Brooks, Laguna Beach, Jr.

285: Buyna Baasanbayer, Irvine, Jr.