REV’s Costa reaches quarterfinals at CIF State Wrestling Championships

Redlands East Valley High School freshman Marco Costa recorded the strongest showing among Citrus Belt League wrestlers at the CIF State Wrestling Championships, which concluded Feb. 28 at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield.

Costa, seeded 10th at 132 pounds, advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to a familiar opponent who had defeated him twice earlier in the postseason.

The ninth-grader lost the Southern Section Masters championship match to Slater Hicks of Valencia High, 11-2, on Feb. 21. The week before, Hicks also defeated Costa at the Northern Regional at Adelanto High School, winning by technical fall after building a 15-0 lead.

The two met again at the state championships, where Hicks — the No. 2 seed — prevailed for the third time, earning a technical fall after taking a 17-1 lead.

Costa opened the tournament with a bye in the round of 64. In the round of 32, he pinned Michael Nance of Castlemont High in 40 seconds. Costa then earned a 2-1 decision over George Pacheco of Central High School to advance to the round of 16.

Two other Citrus Belt League wrestlers also reached the round of 16.

Yucaipa High’s Luc Sorenson, who placed third at the Masters meet at 165 pounds, defeated Stephen Seymour of Hollister High, 8-3, in the round of 32. Sorenson later lost by forfeit to eventual state champion Slava Shahbazyan of Birmingham High.

Yucaipa’s Levi Means, who placed fourth at the Masters meet at 215 pounds, was pinned by Jace Demacablin of Robert F. Kennedy High at 2:50 in the round of 64.

Matthew Casas of Beaumont High, a third-place finisher at the Masters meet, opened the state tournament with a 6-5 decision over Jeremiah Mora of Pittman High in the round of 32. Casas was then pinned by David Calkins of Liberty High at the 4:30 mark of their round-of-16 match.

Girls state championships

Two Citrus Valley High wrestlers also qualified for the CIF State Girls Wrestling Championships but were eliminated in their opening matches.

Genesis Chavez, who placed third at the Masters meet at 120 pounds, lost a narrow 8-7 decision to Aliyah White of Casa Grande High in the round of 32. White later lost in the round of 16.

Hailey Barrios, who entered the Masters meet as the No. 1 seed at 235 pounds but finished second after being pinned by Ashley Wafer of Lakewood High, began the state tournament in the round of 32. She was pinned by Brianna Reid of Chico High at the 2:17 mark.

Former Citrus Valley standout Gia Coons, who finished sixth in the state at 155 pounds as a freshman in 2025 for the Blackhawks, captured a state title this year while competing for Orange Vista High.

Wrestling at 235 pounds, Coons pinned Taya Matagi of Nipomo High at the 2:39 mark of the championship match.