Elias Castaneda has already stood on the podium at the CIF State Wrestling Championships. This season, the Bella Vista High School varsity wrestler is aiming to move up three spots. After finishing sixth at state, Castaneda has set a goal of placing in the top three.
His postseason record includes three appearances at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Masters tournament, and he placed each time he qualified. In 2026, he won the Masters title, his best finish in three trips to the tournament. He has also qualified for the CIF State Championships twice, earning a sixth-place finish against wrestlers from across California.
Castaneda is committed to wrestle at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he’ll continue competing after high school. What draws him to wrestling is the challenge it presents on two fronts. He says he loves how the sport pushes him mentally as well as physically. That’s the part of wrestling he looks forward to carrying into college.
For now, his focus is on the postseason at Bella Vista. He enters the season with a section title and a state medal to his name, and he knows exactly where he wants to finish when he gets another shot at the state podium.
