Sean Wilcox, left, of St. John Bosco against Aaron Meza of Esperanza during a 126lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Mason Schlaht of St. John Bosco wrestles Uriah Holiday of Esperanza during a 113lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Mason Schlaht of St. John Bosco defeates Uriah Holiday of Esperanza during a 113lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sean Wilcox, top, of St. John Bosco against Aaron Meza of Esperanza during a 126lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Jesse Grajeda, right, of St. John Bosco defeats Jame Ruiz of Esperanza during a 144lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Michael Romero, top, of St. John Bosco defeats Mateo Centeno of Esperanza during a 150lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sean Wilcox, top, of St. John Bosco against Aaron Meza of Esperanza during a 126lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sean Wilcox, top, of St. John Bosco against Aaron Meza of Esperanza during a 126lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) head coach Jenaro Santillan of St. John Bosco hoists the championship plaque after defeating Esperanza to win a CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Final at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Michael Romero, top, of St. John Bosco defeats Mateo Centeno of Esperanza during a 150lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sean Wilcox, bottom, of St. John Bosco against Aaron Meza of Esperanza during a 126lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sergio Gomez, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Dimetry Molina of Esperanza during a 157lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sergio Gomez, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Dimetry Molina of Esperanza during a 157lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Zaydrien Hernandez of St. John Bosco against Micah Garcia of Esperanza during a 138lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Isai Fernandez, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Jude Holiday of Esperanza during a 175lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Alexandros Kosmitis, left, of St. John Bosco defeats James Holiday of Esperanza during a 165lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Nathan Carrillo, left, of St. John Bosco against JoJo Guardado of Esperanza during a 132lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sergio Gomez, right, of St. John Bosco defeats Dimetry Molina of Esperanza during a 157lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Sergio Gomez, right, of St. John Bosco defeats Dimetry Molina of Esperanza during a 157lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Isai Fernandez, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Jude Holiday of Esperanza during a 175lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Mason Savidan, top, of St. John Bosco defeats Gabe Barragon of Esperanza during a 190lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Isai Fernandez, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Jude Holiday of Esperanza during a 175lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Mason Savidan, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Gabe Barragon of Esperanza during a 190lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) St. John Bosco teammates cheer on Mason Savidan of St. John Bosco as he defeats Gabe Barragon of Esperanza during a 190lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Isai Fernandez, left, of St. John Bosco defeats Jude Holiday of Esperanza during a 175lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Kaden Curry, right, of St. John Bosco against Chase Gardner of Esperanza during a 215lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Head coach Christian Holiday of Esperanza looks on against St. John Bosco during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Show Caption1 of 27Sean Wilcox, left, of St. John Bosco against Aaron Meza of Esperanza during a 126lb match during the CIF-SS Boys Wrestling Division 1 Dual Meet Finals at Bosco High School in Bellflower on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG) Expand
BELLFLOWER — St. John Bosco’s wrestling team finished off a dominant run to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship Wednesday with a 56-9 win over Esperanza in the dual meet final.
The Braves won 12 of their 14 bouts with the Aztecs.
“This is a good way for us to get ready for the end-year run,” Bosco coach Jenaro Santillan said. “We were prepared, ready to wrestle. All the boys did a nice show tonight and we’re ready to keep it going.”
The teams split the first two matches before St. John Bosco seized momentum with Sean Wilcox’s 12-9 win over Aaron Meza in the 126-pound class.
It was battle of ex-teammates — Meza attended St. John Bosco last season — and required a sudden-death extra session after they were tied through three two-minute rounds.
Wilcox won the contest 16 seconds into the one-minute round.
“He’s one of my boys,” Wilcox said after outlasting Meza. “In the practice room last year, he was my main partner so we would always be scrapping.
“I knew that I trained hard. I rely on God, and I’m prepared mentally. This cut for 126 is hard, but at the end of the day I got the dub.”
Meza trailed 4-0 before tying the match 5-5 early in the third. He then momentarily pulled in front 7-5 at the 1:44 mark.
Trailing 9-7, Wilcox tied the match with 24 seconds left in regulation to force the extra session.
“It was a good match to see both of them,” Santillan said. “Aaron’s a good kid. They know each other, wrestled with each other all last season.”
It was the lone match to be decided after regulation and it gave Bosco a lead, 8-6, that it did not relinquish.
“That was a great match,” Esparanza coach Christian Holiday said.
“Bosco’s an extremely tough team, one of the best in the nation. They’re elite, no question about it. … We knew we had a massive battle ahead of us, an uphill battle.”
The Aztecs got their lone individual victories from 120-pounder Sammy Sanchez and 165-pounder James Holiday. Sanchez won via pinfall and Holiday prevailed in a 3-1 decision that was scoreless through one round.
Christian Holiday said both results went as expected, and his team was unable to pull out any of the other toss-ups he perceived were winnable matches.
Among them was Dimetry Molina’s loss to Bosco’s Sergio Gomez in the 157 class. Molina, who lost 7-2, nearly stole a pinfall with 40 seconds left in the third.
“That’s what makes you proud,” Christian Holiday said. “When you can teach the kids to become men by continuing to fight — in the right way — and fight through things in life, things that are worth fighting for,. That’s the battles you hope they can take off the mat.
“Dimetry is a warrior. … He’s had some great battles with Sergio, highly entertaining battles back and forth last year like that.”
The Braves got convincing victories from Luke Loren (106), Mason Schlaht (113), Nathan Carrillo (132), Zaydrien Hernandez (138), Jesse Grajeda (144), Michael Romero (150), Mason Savidan (190) and Milton Carter (285) in their respective weight classes.
Loren, Romero and Savidan each won via pinfall.
Bosco’s other narrow victory was Kaden Curry’s 14-13 decision over Chase Gardner in the 215 match.
The two went back and forth and Gardner overcame a 13-10 deficit in the third to tie it. However, Curry scored the final point after an escape from Gardner’s clutches with eight seconds remaining and held on.
Santillan credited his coaching staff for keeping the team sharp after a dominant 64-18 win over Corona Centennial in the semifinals.
“Then, it comes to the hard work of the boys,” Santillan said. “They all come in and do their job. … These guys don’t take any breaks.”
Up next for Bosco will be the Trinity League finals on Friday before the individual CIF-SS championships, the Masters Meet and CIF State Championships later in the month.
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