Perennial Power Canyon at the Top Again : Wrestling: The Comanches, ranked No. 1 in preseason poll, will be seeking their fourth 4-A title in past five seasons.

A returning state champion, a new weight class (no more 98-pound weaklings, please) and one of the most dominant programs in Orange County high school sports will highlight the 1990-91 wrestling season.

Tony Okada, a 135-pound Savanna senior who won the state championship at 132 pounds, returns to lead the Rebels.

This season, the Southern Section moved the lightest weight class from 98 pounds to 103, perhaps ending bad jokes about one of the sport’s most exciting divisions.

Canyon will try to continue its decade-long streak of league championships; the Comanches will be seeking their fourth 4-A title in the past five seasons.

The county coaches’ preseason top 10:

1) CANYON

League: Century

Coach: Gary Bowden

Is wrestling big at Canyon? A throng of 112 wrestlers turned out this season.

The Comanches have missed out on just one section title in four years, and that was a two-point loss to El Dorado in 1989. Bowden, in his 18th season at Canyon, has a career record of 184-40-1 and has led the school to 10 consecutive league championships.

Zach Cooper, The Times’ Orange County 1989 wrestler of the year and two-time state champion, is attending Harvard. But Canyon, also top-ranked in the Southern Section 4-A preseason poll, should be better than ever.

Jason Mitchell (140 pounds) was sixth in the state meet and won the Masters and 4-A championships last season.

Tom McCullouch (119) was third at the 4-A meet last season, and Matt Padgett (152) and Steve Sotelo (103) were each fourth.

2) IRVINE

League: South Coast

Coach: John Phillips

The defending South Coast League champions were 17-1-1 last season.

The core of that team is back.

Don Gunter, one of only two sophomores on the all-county team last season, was third at the 4-A meet at 105 pounds. He’s ranked No. 2 in the county’s individual rankings at 112.

Bobby Campos (119), Pablo Cunningham (189) and Elliot Morelan (135) give the Vaqueros great depth. And Dean Wakeham, a heavyweight who also is a starting tackle on the football team, is a two-time 4-A meet qualifier.

3) EL MODENA

League: Century

Coach: Alan Clinton

Erik Jacobs is top-ranked at 171 pounds in the preseason poll. He was second at the 4-A meet and won the Century League championship.

Danny Wells (119 pounds) three-year varsity record is 66-19. A two-time Century League champion, Wells was fourth in the 4-A meet last year and was an all-county selection. Danny Santana (145 pounds) was sixth at the 4-A meet.

4) LAGUNA HILLS

League: Pacific Coast

Coach: Cliff Jarmie

Jarmie, in his 12th season, said this year’s team has gone through a “housecleaning.” Only one senior returns from last season’s league championship, the Hawks’ third in a row.

Dave Vollenhals, a 160-pound senior, was a league champion and sixth at the 2-A meet, and Chad Kemmerer was 28-12 as a 98-pound junior but moves up to 112 this season.

5) SAVANNA

League: Orange

Coach: Tom Caspari

Look at the roster, and you figure county coaches might have ranked the Rebels a little low. Okada, a 135-pound senior, was 50-0 and the state champion last season. His career record is 132-14. Vince Surra (119 pounds) is a two-time league champion and was 30-6 last season. Brad Belanger, a junior who was the starting quarterback on the football team, is top-ranked at 130 pounds.

6) VALENCIA

League: Orange

Coach: Kent Lillenberg

Valencia, Savanna and Magnolia tied for the league championship last season. There’s not much separating the three teams again this season. Hugo Amaya and Doan Ho placed at the 3-A meet last year. Amaya is third-ranked at 103 pounds.

7) ESPERANZA

League: Empire

Coach: Chuck Bishop

Rob Langewalter, now at Cal State Fullerton, won three state championships for the Aztecs. Greg Carrescia (103 pounds) and Josh Gale (160) are two veterans who figure to lead the team. Each is top-ranked in his division.

8) BUENA PARK

League: Freeway

Coach: Rick Zabala

The Coyotes have 10 seniors back from last season’s league championship team. Chris Kirk (125 pounds), Jason Van Oel (140) and Paul Perez (161) are the best. Kirk is top-ranked, Van Oel third and Perez second.

9) SAN CLEMENTE

League: South Coast

Coach: John Owens

Senior Josh Kitner, a state finalist and third at the 4-A section meet at 98 pounds last season, leads the Tritons. He has moved up to 112. Paul Bartlett (189), Adrian Soto (heavyweight) and Craig Divire (145) are three Tritons to watch.

10) UNIVERSITY

League: Sea View

Coach: Chris Conlin

David Weiner (130) was the 2-A champion last season, and Joe Bowerbank (112) was fourth. They’ll lead the Trojans, who were ninth at the 2-A meet.