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All-County Boys Wrestling Team: Fountain Valley’s TJ McDonnell is the O.C. wrestler of the year

April 4, 2023

BOYS WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

TJ McDONNELL, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, SENIOR

CIF State champion TJ McDonnell of Fountain Valley is the Orange County boys wrestler of the year for the 2022-23 season.

McDonnell was Orange County’s only boys wrestling state champion this season, winning at 182 pounds. He also was his weight class’ champion at the CIF Southern Section Inland Division finals and was first in that weight class at the CIF-SS Masters Meet.

He finished first at the Mann Classic and the Doc Buchanan tournaments, and was the Sunset League champion at his weight class.

For McDonnell nothing could top winning his first state championship after falling short in previous attempts, and he was surprised by how calm he was at the CIF State meet in Bakersfield in late February.

“The whole state tournament, it felt a lot different this time knowing I was supposed to win it,” he said. “I was able to enjoy it more this time.”

TJ McDonnell of Fountain Valley High School, top, competes in the 182-pound championship match at the CIF-SS Inland Division Individual Championships against Laguna Beach’s Jeremy Kanter, pinning him at the 1:14 mark, on Saturday, February 11, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Fountain Valley won a CIF-SS championship and finished 11th in the CIF State team scores.

“I was lucky enough to be on a team with guys who were friends even outside of the (wrestling) room and outside of school,” McDonnell said. “Sometimes the friends you wrestle with are just the friends you wrestle with.”

Fountain Valley coach Brad Woodbury said of McDonnell: “He’s a leader and he puts in the time. He strived to win his first state championship and he did it.”

McDonnell, who has a 3.4 grade-point average, will continue his wrestling career at Oregon State.

COACH OF THE YEAR

BRAD WOODBURY, FOUNTAIN VALLEY

Brad Woodbury of Fountain Valley is the Orange County boys wrestling coach of the year.

Woodbury led the Barons to the CIF Southern Section Inland Division championship. It was the school’s third CIF-SS wrestling championship over the past five years. Fountain Valley compiled 282 points to second-place Hesperia’s 221.

The Barons also won the Sunset League championship, their 12th straight league title and 14th in Woodbury’s 24 seasons as Fountain Valley wrestling coach. Fountain Valley finished 11th among the teams at the CIF State meet.

“Our kids are the hardest-working group of kids around,” said Woodbury, 52, who added that assistant coach Dennis Piramo and the rest of the coaching staff deserve plenty of credit for the program’s success.

Fountain Valley’s Brad Woodbury is the Register’s Orange County boys wrestling coach of the year year for the 2022-23 season. (Photo courtesy of Brad Woodbury)

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

106 pounds

Elijah Poe, Calvary Chapel, Jr.: Poe finished third in his bracket at the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet and was second at the CIF-SS Eastern Division Championships.

113 pounds

Anthony Lucio, Fountain Valley, Jr: He was sixth at the CIF State Championships, finished first at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and was a champion at the CIF-SS Inland Division Championships.

120 pounds

Isaiah Quintero, El Dorado, Jr.: Quintero was runner-up at the CIF State championships, won his division at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and was a CIF-SS Northern Division champion.

126 pounds

Haden Hernandez, Marina, Sr.: He finished eighth at the CIF State meet, second in his bracket at the CIF-SS Masters Meet and was a CIF-SS Inland Division champion.

132 pounds

Benjamin Wimberly, San Clemente, Sr.: Wimberly was second at the Masters Meet, placed eighth at the CIF State finals and won a CIF-SS Eastern Division championship.

138 pounds

Hercules Windrath, Fountain Valley, Jr.: He finished sixth at the CIF State meet, was third at the Masters Meet and was a CIF-SS Inland Division champion.

145 pounds

Steve Caday, Calvary Chapel, Sr.: Caday won the CIF-SS Eastern Division championship and was third at the Masters Meet.

152 pounds

Antonio Aramburu, Corona del Mar, Jr.: Aramburu was a second-place finisher in the CIF-SS Inland Division finals and placed third in his bracket in the Masters Meet.

160 pounds

Will Cox, Yorba Linda, Sr.: Cox was a second-place finisher at the Masters Meet and was a CIF-SS Northern Division champion.

170 pounds

Max McWilliams, Calvary Chapel, Jr.: He won his bracket at the Masters Meet and finished seventh at the CIF State meet.

182 pounds

TJ McDonnell, Fountain Valley, Sr: The Orange County boys wrestler of the year.

195 pounds

Ryland Whitworth, Fountain Valley, Jr.: Whitworth finished fifth at the CIF State Championships, won his bracket at the Masters Meet and was and was a champion at the Inland Division finals.

220 pounds

Henry Sturn, Trabuco Hills, Sr.: He finished fifth at the CIF State meet, won his bracket at the Masters Meet and was an Eastern Division champion.

285 pounds

Dib Sawaya, Valencia, Sr.: Sawaya was second at the Masters Meet and won a Northern Division championship.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

106 pounds: Hunter Jauregui, Fountain Valley, Fr.

113 pounds: Aaron Silva, Calvary Chapel, Fr.

120 pounds: Demian Priyama, Newport Harbor, So.

126 pounds: Maddox Herrera, Esperanza, So.

132 pounds: Loscar Riestra, Corona del Mar, Sr.

138 pounds: Kenneth Rogers, Esperanza, Sr.

145 pounds: Josh Valdez, Servite, Jr.

152 pounds: Dominic Morales, San Clemente, Sr.

160 pounds: Zion Hernandez, Corona del Mar, Jr.

170 pounds: Khale McDonnell, Fountain Valley, So.

182 pounds: Talha Bektas, Calvary Chapel, Sr.

195 pounds: Eugenio Franco, Corona del Mar, Jr.

220 pounds: Luke Webb, JSerra, So.

285 pounds: Dylan Avila, Segerstrom, Sr.

Orange County Register

News Details

All-County Boys Wrestling Team: Fountain Valley’s TJ McDonnell is the O.C. wrestler of the year

BOYS WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

TJ McDONNELL, FOUNTAIN VALLEY, SENIOR

COACH OF THE YEAR

BRAD WOODBURY, FOUNTAIN VALLEY

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