The Bonita Vista High School roller hockey team accomplished something it has not done in who knows when Tuesday night when the Barons defeated the the defending Mesa League co-champion Eastlake Titans, 11-7, to complete a three-game sweep in the teams’ 2019-20 season schedule.
It’s been so long that such has happened that it’s been subjectively erased from memory.
“It’s been years and years since we have made a three-game sweep over our rivals, the Eastlake Titans,” confessed BVHS head coach Keith Quigley, whose team solidified its second-place position in the league standings with the eye-popping win.
Sophomore Maxwell Anderson paced the Barons on offense by scoring all 11 goals while senior goaltender Faith Sunga played well down the stretch to keep her team on top.
Bonita Vista led 5-3 at the end of the first period and 8-4 through two periods.
“We started out slow at the beginning but picked it up midway through the game,” Quigley assessed. “Max had an amazing, phenomenal performance. Others look at Max and see he’s got 50 or 60 goals. But he does more than just score goals. He back-checks. He gets back on defense, he passes to his teammates and he tries to set them up.”
He has become the team’s best likeness for Wayne Gretzky.
Anderson staked Bonita Vista (11-3 overall, 7-2 in league) to a quick 2-0 lead and tacked on two more quick goals after the Titans (5-5 in league, 8-6 overall) had initially halved the score on a goal by Kevin Eagles.
Gavin Gementera scored back-to-back goals to make the score 4-3 before Anderson answered the call once again with a goal to end the opening period.
Anderson opened the second period with two more goals to push the Barons in front 7-3 on an especially chilly night at the outdoor Castle Park High School rink.
Brendan Scharmann scored the opening goal of the third period to make the score 7-5 but that was as close as Eastlake would get over the balance of the game.
Bonita Vista twice led by five goals – 10-5 and 11-6 – midway through the third period.
The 11 goals are a personal best in roller hockey for the Baron skater.
“It was a competitive game, so I felt I had to step it up,” said Anderson, who has collected 61 goals and 20 assists for 81 points in 14 games this season.
Diego and Keala Nunes both picked up two assists while Aaron Pangilinan also was credited with an assist for the Barons.
Gementera led Eastlake with four goals while Eagles scored twice.
Bonita Vista will compete in this weekend’s Pam Wiser Classic at the CPHS rink. Pool games in the eight-team draw are Friday and Saturday. Teams are guaranteed four games.
Friday’s schedule run from 4-7:30 p.m. Saturday’s games are scheduled from 8-11:30 a.m.
“It’s been an exciting season so far,” Quigley said. “We’re excited the Pam Wiser tournament is happening.”
Hilltop rolls past Otay Ranch 12-1, nears Mesa League title
The Lancers moved closer to officially clinching this year’s Mesa League championship after rolling past the Mustangs on Tuesday.
Hilltop (9-1 in league, 13-1 overall) led 7-0 at the end of the first period and extended its lead to 8-0 on a goal by Jacob Lopez, normally the team’s goaltender but playing out in the field in this game. Lopez would later score another goal to finish the game with two goals.
Isaiah Macias and Trevor Fune both scored four goals and one assist to pace the Lancers in the scoring column while Alexis Samaniego contributed a goal and assist. Justin Sanchez scored one goal. Anthony Alvarez and starting goaltender Victor Guzman both collected one assist.
Walter Puffelis drew the assist on the lone goal by Otay Ranch (2-7 in league, 5-9 overall).
Hilltop shut out Eastlake, 10-0, on Jan. 30 as Fune notched nine points on seven goals and two assists and Macias collected five points on one goal and four assists. Jake Phillips and Justin Sanchez scored the Lancers’ other goals.
Fune has tallied 49 goals and 24 assists for 73 points through 14 games while Macias has collected 38 goals and 15 assists for 53 points.
In other games on Tuesday, Chula Vista moved closer to securing this year’s South Bay League championship with a 9-2 over Mar Vista while San Ysidro continued its record-breaking season with a 5-2 win over Southwest.
Lucio Gutierrez scored four goals and added an assist to lead Chula Vista (10-0 in league, 12-2 overall) to its 12th consecutive win while teammate Adrian Hernandez completed a hat trick. Sylvia Barba and Pedro Rivera also scored goals in support of winning goaltender Henry Evans.
Isaac Suarez scored both goals for Mar Vista (2-8 in league, 3-11 overall).
San Ysidro received goals from five players to raise its record to 5-4 in league play, 6-8 overall. The six wins are a school record.
Chula Vista previously defeated Southwest, 6-2, on Jan. 30 as Gutierrez logged a hat trick and Hernandez contributed a goal and assist. Max Arias was credited with both Raider goals.
In a Mesa League game on Jan. 30, Otay Ranch rolled past Castle Park, 5-1, on five goals by Lino Mayor.
CIF-METRO CONFERENCE SCOREBOARD
Team records
Sweetwater district teams
(Through Feb. 4)
Hilltop Lancers 13-1
Chula Vista Spartans 12-2
Bonita Vista Barons 11-3
Sweetwater Red Devils 9-4
Eastlake Titans 8-6
San Ysidro Cougars 6-8
Otay Ranch Mustangs 5-9
Mar Vista Mariners 3-11
Southwest Raiders 2-12
Castle Park Trojans 0-13
Mesa League standings
Hilltop 9-1
Bonita Vista 7-2
Eastlake 5-5
Otay Ranch 3-7
Castle Park 0-9
South Bay League standings
Chula Vista 10-0
Sweetwater 6-3
San Ysidro 5-4
Mar Vista 2-8
Southwest 1-9
Race for the Chase
(Through 14 games)
Maxwell Anderson (Bonita Vista) 61 goals, 20 assists – 81 points
Trevor Fune (Hilltop) 49 goals, 24 assists – 73 points
Pam Wiser Tournament Schedule
Friday, Feb. 7 at Castle Park High School
Round 1
Sweetwater vs, Southwest, 4 p.m.
San Ysidro vs. Chula Vista, 4:30 p.m.
Castle Park vs. Bonita Vista, 5 p.m.
Otay Ranch vs, Hilltop, 5:30 p.m.
Round 2
Sweetwater vs. Bonita Vista, 6 p.m.
San Ysidro vs. Castle Park, 6:30 p.m.
Chula Vista vs, Hilltop, 7 p.m.
Southwest vs. Otay Ranch, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 8
Round 3
Southwest vs. San Ysidro, 8 a.m.
Sweetwater vs. Chula Vista, 8:30 a.m.
Castle Park vs. Otay Ranch, 9 a.m.
Bonita Vista vs. Hilltop, 9:30 a.m.
Round 4
Sweetwater vs. Hilltop, 10 a.m.
Southwest vs Castle Park, 10:30 a.m.
Chula Vista vs. Bonita Vista, 11 a.m.
San Ysidro vs. Otay Ranch, 11:30 a.m.
