2025-26 High School Girls Wrestling Preview
Last possible league competition: Jan. 31
Division tournaments: Feb. 7 at various sites
Masters meet: Feb. 21 at Eastlake High School
Defending champions
Division 1: Olympian
Division 2: Brawley
Division 3: Ramona
Wrestler of the Year: Lauren Zaragosa, Brawley
Preseason Top 10
1. Poway
2. Brawley
3. Olympian
4. Steele Canyon
5. Rancho Bernardo
6. Granite Hills
7. San Marcos
8. Mira Mesa
9. Central Union
10. Ramona
Returning state qualifiers
(in alphabetical order)
Caroline Collins, Carlsbad, Sr.
Noemi Cordero, Poway, So.*
Diana Duarte, San Marcos, Sr.*
Ava Ebrahimi, Poway, Sr.*
Sierra Fahn, Santana, Jr.
Ava Fodera, Poway, Sr.*
Isabella Fodera, Poway, So.*
Marina Gonzales, Steele Canyon, Sr.
Mia Gonzales, Central Union, Jr.
Kayala Hopkins, Steele Canyon, Sr.
Lucia Ledezma, Granite Hills, Jr.
Tairen Lee, Ramona, Jr.
Isabella Manalansan, Mira Mesa, Jr.
Mahea’ani Manubison, Mira Mesa, Jr.
Elisa Najera, Olympian, Sr.*
Rossy Parra, Lincoln, Sr.
Chloe Pearce, Rancho Bernardo, Jr.
Giuliaha Pekelder, Ramona, Jr.
Reika Proctor, Steele Canyon, Sr.
Arabella Rascon, Central Union, Jr.
Natalia Righellis, Olympian, Sr.*
Patricia Rivera-Juarez, Southwest-El Centro, Jr.
Keyona Mae Simmons, San Diego, Jr.*
Mary Snider, Rancho Bernardo, Sr.*
Addison Taufa, San Marcos, Jr.
Alethia Tolentino, Coastal Academy, Jr.
Madison Vandiver, Brawley, Sr.
Lauren Zaragoza, Brawley, Sr.* (2025 state champion at 135 pounds)
* = Masters meet champion
Notable
Brawley’s Ray Leon has made it known that this will be his last season coaching the Wildcats girls. The 2024 CIF Girls Coach of the Year has led Brawley to seven straight section titles in his dozen years at the helm. He has coached 27 individual CIF champions, 13 Masters meet champions, six state place winners and three state champions: Savannah Gomez (2022), Delarie Juarez (2024) and Lauren Zaragosa (2025).
• Last year, Poway lost to Olympian in Division 1 only to go on and win the Masters meet. Under new coach Kaimi Cummings, Poway has only about a dozen girls on its roster. Olympian, by comparison, has more than 40 and Steele Canyon has 60. Poway brings back a trio of state place winners in Ava Fodera (second place at 105 pounds), Ava Ebrahimi (fifth at 120) and Rene Cordero (seventh at 110). Freshman Aleia Apostol is one of the top newcomers in the state.
• Two-time state medalist Lucia Ledesma will start the season on the disabled list. “She tore her ACL, or MCL, one of those CLs,” said Granite Hills coach Jesse Sheard. “Her recovery is ahead of schedule, so we did the weight assessment and we may see her this year. But only if it is absolutely safe for her.”
• With the continuous rise of numbers in girls wrestling, the Masters meet will split from the boys for the first time. The standalone girls tournament will be a one-day format held at Eastlake High School.
• Seven state medallists return, led by Zaragosa, a state champion. Rancho Bernardo’s Mary Snider was a state finalist, while San Diego’s talented Keyona Mae Simmons took sixth last year.
KEVIN J. FARMER