Cuesta Men's Wrestling returns to action this week at Friday's Sac City Tournament. The Cougars are fresh off a 6th place finish at the 2025 3C2A State Championships and a Runner-up finish in the SouthEast Conference (SEC). Cuesta's "Matmen" are loaded and ready to chase the program's first State Title since 1980. This year the Cougars are led by returning All Americans and State Finalists Preston Scharf and Chance Evans. Scharf posted a 28-3 record, including losses in the regional and state finals, while his .903 winning percentage ranks 5th all time at Cuesta. Evans worked his way to all-SEC Second team and a Regional Bronze, before also taking a Silver at the State Championships. Fellow Sophomore Grant Eklund returns after leading the Cougars with a school record 37 wins, while also joining Scharf with one of Cuesta's Top 10 top winning percentages (single season) at .841. Eklund finished in 5th place at State, however he joins Scharf and Evans to give the Cougars three legitimate State Title contenders before their first match of the season.
The Cougars also boast returning State Meet Qualifiers Marshall Beecham, Dom Marquez and Luke Vanbrabant, who won a combined 78 bouts on the season. All three grapplers placed at the Regional Meet, where Beecham and Marquez both finished in 4th place, while Vanbrabant took 9th. Beecham took advantage of the open spot and advanced to State to become the Cougars' fourth State Place winner by taking 5th place finish at 165. all-SEC Honorable Mention Ben Green is also back after earning all-WSC Honors at 184 and finishing 10th at the 3C2A Regionals.
The Cougars are also excited about the potential of their newcomers and how they respond to college matches. It is expected to be a collective effort as the Cougars challenge for a top spot on the podium as individuals and as a team.
Coach Joe Dansby says, "Our Freshman twins Johny Navarette and Jeo Navarette-Maganda shall join fellow newcomers Noel Rosales and Kaden Pryor to give us depth at the lightweights. We will need them to step up and get our team started for our sophomores." Navarette-Maganda is a four-time CIF Champion, while Johny Navarette earned all-Butte County accolades.
Other freshman that will be in the mix and finding their spots in the line-up include Drew Croft and Enson Munoz, while adding depth for the Cougars in the middle weights will be Romeo Saligan and Anthony Rubio. Coach Dansby also expects a lot of contribution from sophomores Brady Svetich, who is coming off a redshirt year, along with fellow veterans Kodie Cooks and Kyle Foerst. Coach Dansby is looking forward to seeing them each post solid double-digit victories this season.
After the Cougars open the season in Sacramento this weekend, they will remain on the road until October 24, when they host Victor Valley and East Los Angeles for a pair of SouthEast Conference matches. The Rams and the Huskies will remain in SLO for the night, and all three teams compete in the 22nd Meathead Mover Invitational on Saturday, November 25. The Friday twinbill and the invitational represent the Cougars only home events of the season.
