Bonita Vista High School is enjoying a wrestling renaissance this season after winning the Metro-Mesa League dual meet championship with a bone-crushing 54-28 victory over defending champion Eastlake.
It was the first league dual meet championship for the Barons since 2009 – a span of 15 years.
Bonita Vista extended its prowess on the mat by capturing the team title at last Friday’s conference championship tournament at Chula Vista High School. The Barons out-distanced the 13-team field with a meet-best 195.5 points. Metro-South Bay League runner-up Chula Vista finished in second place with a respectable 138.5 points while Olympian, last year’s conference tournament champion, was third with 136.5 points, just a flicker behind the Spartans.
Metro-South Bay League champion Montgomery finished fourth with 120.5 points while Metro-Mesa League runner-up Eastlake was fifth with 109 points.
“It’s been a while,” BVHS coach Joe Marcotte succinctly summed up in describing this year’s return to the championship circle.
The Barons advanced seven wrestlers to the championship round, winning five individual weight class titles.
BVHS Metro champions included Edwin Flores (113 pounds), Josue Garcia (120 pounds), Ivan Hernandez (126 pounds), Nathan Banaszek (132 pounds) and Julian Valdivia (144 pounds).
The Barons also had two wrestlers place runner-up in their respective weights: Matthew Molina (138 pounds) and Luke Krecklow (175 pounds).
Also for Bonita Vista, Conlon Merton finished fourth at 150 pounds while Isaiah Benitez was fourth at 150 pounds.
Flores had three pins, including a 55-second fall in the final, while Valdivia had three pins and an 8-4 championship-round decision. Banaszek had two pins and a 9-2 finals victory.
Garcia and Hilltop’s Justin Bernardo may have met in the tournament’s highest profile match with both wrestlers holding top-40 state rankings. Garcia won 8-2 in the battle of elite mat men.
Chula Vista had four finalists, including two individual champions: John Reyna (175 pounds) and Alejandro Scolari (heavyweight). Paul Alvarez (144 pounds) and Edgar Ramos (150 pounds) both placed runner-up in their weights.
Reyna (31-2) finished 3-0 with two pins. He defeated BV’s Krecklow by a 3:24 fall in the finals.
Scolari (28-1) earned recognition as the tournament’s outstanding upper weight wrestler with four pins in 6:15. All of his pins came in the first period.
The tournament runner-up Spartans also had two third-place finishers — James Sanchez (106 pounds) and Oswaldo Pina (132 pounds) — and one fourth-place finisher (Ke’Andre Davis at 190 pounds).
Ramos is 23-8 on the season while Davis is 21-10.
Montgomery had five finalists but only one champion. Esteban Sanchez captured first place at 215 pounds while Timothy Finnie (126 pounds), Jose Aspericueta (157 pounds), Joel Maya (190 pounds) and Eduardo Reyes (285 pounds) each recorded second-place nods.
Sanchez tallied three first-period pins and a 17-2 technical fall in winning his weight class. Aspericueta had three pins.
Olympian had three finalists and one champion. Andres Gonzalez won the gold medal at 150 pounds while Will Costa (106 pounds) and Ian Ramos (132 pounds) both finished as runners-up. The Eagles also had three fourth-place finishers: Alejandro Sarabia (120 pounds), Rene Pena (157 pounds) and Samuel Carbajal (175 pounds).
Gonzalez recorded four pins in as many trips to the mat.
Eastlake’s Leo Pedregal (157 pounds) was another grappler who rode an upset win (make that two) to a gold medal. Seeded third, Pedregal (19-4) defeated second-seeded Madden Poderick by a 6-3 decision in the semifinals. The Titan matser then upset top-seeded Aspericueta by a 5-2 decision in the championship match.
Eastlake also had a pair of third-place finishers and two fourth-place finishers. Third-place finishers included Vincent Lam (144 pounds) and Eric Ramos (190 pounds). The Titans also had a pair of fourth-place finishers: Patrick Parker (132 pounds) and Daniel Salcido (285 pounds).
Bonita Vista’s Edwin Flores defeated Sweetwater’s Ryan Guerra at 113 pounds. Photo by Phillip Brents
Alejandro Gurrola (106 pounds) led Mar Vista’s fortunes on the mat with an upset win by a 14-3 major decision over top-seeded Costa in the finals. Gurrola, the No. 2 seed in the weight class, scored pins of 1:57 (quarterfinals) and 3:07 (semifinals) to reach the championship round.
The Mariners also had two wrestlers place third: Aaron Marcial (138 pounds) and Ezera Drew (215 pounds).
The talent at this year’s 148-deep conference finals was spread around. Overall, 11 schools recorded at least one finalist and eight had at least one weight class champion.
Castle Park, which finished eighth in the conference tournament field, left its mark on the mat with two individual champions: David Gambino Martinez at 138 pounds and Emilio Surposa-Buendia at 165 pounds.
Gambino Martinez also earned the tournament’s outstanding upper weight award with four pins in 6:35.
“It’s been a long time since Castle Park has had two champions in Metro,” CPHS coach Robert Schertzer said. “Both have had a great season so far. David was first at the San Pasqual tournament and won this one.
“Last year, he was very defensive. He has been working on his offense and shooting. It’s paid off. He’s getting ready for CIF. David and Emilio are wrestling partners in the room, so they’re pushing each other. The Metro tournament has gotten tougher, it’s not easy to win a Metro (weight class) title anymore.”
Gambino Martinez, the top seed in his weight class, recorded four first-period pins — 1:40, 1:30, 1:50 and 1:35 — in a power-packed showing. He improved to 20-4 on the season.
Surposa-Buendia, another top seed, had three pins in as many matches — all in the first period (1:37, 1:53 and 0:55). He improved to 16-7 on the season.
Hilltop had one second-place finisher (Bernardo at 120 pounds), three third-place finishers and one fourth-place finisher.
Taking thirds for the Lancers were Isaac Medrano (150 pounds), Ricardo De La Torre (165 pounds) and Lukas Mendez (175 pounds). Julius Delgado (113 pounds) placed fourth for Hilltop.
Southwest had one champion – Brian Moreno and 190 pounds. The Raiders also produced one third-place finisher (Uziel Diaz at 113 pounds) and one fourth-place finisher (Alex Kibodeausx-Campo at 165 pounds).
Otay Ranch had two finalists — Porfirio Nino (165 pounds) and Diego Camacho (215 pounds) — both in second place. The Mustangs also lassoed three thirds: Dominick Martinez (120 pounds), Alijah Wardrobe (126 pounds) and Ricardo Spittler (285 pounds).
Sweetwater had one second-place finisher (Ryan Guerra at 113 pounds) and one fourth-place finisher (Armando Nunez at 106 pounds).
San Ysidro netted three fourths: Omar Vargas (126 pounds), Joseph Garcia (138 pounds) and Jaiden Dominguez (144 pounds).
Mater Dei Catholic’s Madden Poderick placed third at 157 pounds.
Next level
The section’s four divisional championship tournaments on Saturday feed into the San Diego Masters state-qualifying tournament Feb. 16-17 at Southwest El Centro High School.
The Division I tournament is at San Marcos High School, the Division II tournament is at Orange Glen High School, the Division III tournament is at Montgomery High School and the Division IV tournament is at Mar Vista High School.
Among Metro teams:
Eastlake, Olympian, Otay Ranch and Sweetwater will compete at the Division I tournament while Bonita Vista, Chula Vista and San Ysidro will compete at the Division II tournament. Hilltop, Montgomery and Southwest will compete at the Division III tournament while High Tech High Chula Vista, Mar Vista, Mater Dei Catholic and Castle Park will compete at the Division IV tournament.
Metro Conference Championship Tournament
Top Individuals
106 Pounds
Championship: Alejandro Gurrola (Mar Vista) won by a 14-3 major decision over Will Costa (Olympian.
Third place: James Sanchez (Chula Vista) won by a 9-5 decision over Armadno Nunez (Sweetwater).
113 Pounds
Championship: Edwin Flores (Bonita Vista) pinned Ryan Guerra (Sweetwater), 0:55.
Third place: Uziel Diaz (Southwest) pinned Julius Delgado (Hilltop), 1:56.
120 Pounds
Championship: Josue Garcia (Bonita Vista) won by 8-2 decision over Justin Bernardo (Hilltop).
Third place: Dominick Martinez (Otay Ranch) pinned Alejandro Sarabia (Olympian), 2:09.
126 Pounds
Championship: Ivan Hernandez (Bonita Vista) won by 15-8 decision over Timothy Finnie (Montgomery).
Third place: Alijah Wardrobe (Otay Ranch) pinned Omar Vargas (San Ysidro), 2:32
132 Pounds
Championship: Nathan Banaszek (Bonita Vista) won by 9-2 decision over Ian Jacob Ramos (Olympian).
Third place: Oswaldo Pina (Chula Vista) won by 12-7 decision over Patrick Parker (Eastlake).
138 Pounds
Championship: David Gambino Martinez (Castle Park) pinned Matthew Molina (Bonita Vista), 1:35.
Third place: Aaron Marcial (Mar Vista) won by 9-4 decision over Joseph Garcia (San Ysidro).
144 Pounds
Championship: Julian Valdivia (Bonita Vista) won by 8-4 decision over Paul Alvarez (Chula Vista).
Third place: Vincent Lam (Eastlake) pinned Jaiden Dominguez (San Ysidro), 3:39.
150 Pounds
Championship: Andres Gonzalez (Olympian) pinned Edgar Ramos (Chula Vista), 3:50.
Third place: Isaac Medrano (Hilltop) won by 6-4 decision over Conlon Merton (Bonita Vista).
157 Pounds
Championship: Leo Pendregal (Eastlake) won by 5-2 decision over Jose Aspericueta (Montgomery).
Third place: Madden Poderick (Mater Dei Catholic) won by 8-1 decision over Rene Pena (Olympian).
165 Pounds
Championship: Emilio Surposa-Buendia (Castle Park) pinned Porfirio Nino (Otay Ranch), 0:55.
Third place: Ricardo De La Torre (Hilltop) won by 3-2 decision over Alex Kibodeaux-Campo (Southwest).
175 Pounds
Championship: John Reyna (Chula Vista) pinned Luke Krecklow (Bonita Vista), 3:24
Third place: Lukas Mendez (Hilltop) won by 8-0 major decision over Samuel Carbajal (Olympian).
190 Pounds
Championship: Brian Moreno (Southwest) pinned Joel Maya (Montgomery), 3:48.
Third place: Eric Ramos (Eastlake) won by 8-6 decision over Ke’Andre Davis (Chula Vista).
215 Pounds
Championship: Esteban Sanchez (Montgomery) won by 17-2 technical fall over Diego Camacho (Otay Ranch).
Third place: Ezera Drew (Mar Vista) won by 2-1 decision over Isaiah Benitez (Bonita Vista).
285 Pounds
Championship: Alejandro Scolari (Chula Vista) pinned Eduardo Reyes (Montgomery), 1:31.
Third place: Ricardo Spittler (Otay Ranch) won by 9-4 decision over Daniel Salido (Eastlake).
Outstanding Lower Weight: David Gambino Martinez (Castle Park), 138 pounds (four pins in 6:35)
Outstanding Upper Weight: Alejandro Scolari (Chula Vista), heavyweight (six pins in 6:15)
Team Standings
Points: 1. Bonita Vista 195.5, 2. Chula Vista 138.5, 3. Olympian 136.5, 4. Montgomery 120.5, 5. Eastlake 109, 6. Hilltop 104, 7. Otay Ranch 102, 8. Castle Park 70, 9. Mar Vista 68.5, 10. (tie) San Ysidro, Southwest 67, 12. Sweetwater 39, 13. Mater Dei Catholic 37.5
Note: 148 total entrants
