At one end of the table was a CIF championship wrestler from Bonita Vista High School and an the other end of the table was a football player and wrestler from Chula Vista High School. The pie-eating contest at Bonita’s annual Rootin’ Tootin’ Chili Cook-off and Fair has started to become a tradition and this year’s centerpiece slice of local color included some high school celebrity athletes.
Bonita Vista’s Ricky Haynes may have won championship titles in his 125-pound weight class at the Metro Conference and San Diego Section Division II finals before going on to win three matches at March’s state championship tournament in Bakersfield, but he was clearly no match for Chula Vista’s Roman Molina at Sunday’s pie-eating contest.
Molina was the first of a dozen contestants to dig deep and eat his way to the bottom crust of the lemon meringue pie in front of him to win this year’s prize – a crisp $50 bill.
He didn’t need to showcase any of his fancy moves on the gridiron or on the wrestling mat to beat his fellow competitors – he just had to do what he does best, which is eat.
Contestants could not use their hands. It was face first in the pie – the first barrier being a large mound of whipped cream.
“Well, I just eat a lot,” Molina said afterward. “I’m a good eater.”
This year’s event drew a sizable and steady crowd throughout the day to the parking lot of the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course. The event, which is sponsored by the Bonita Business and Professional Association, serves as a fundraiser for the Bonita Public Safety Center and Southwestern College Scholarship Fund.
There were a lot of things to do at last weekend’s event.
The Kids Fun Zone seems to grow each year. The popular pony ride was back but new this year were a rock-climbing wall and a puppet theater courtesy of the Sweetwater Community Church.
The Pint-size Prophets put on several shows throughout the day and enthralled all age groups in the crowd.
Live bands took the stage to entertain those sampling chili and browsing vendor booths. A beer garden was positioned to take advantage of the musical entertainment as well.
Information booths set up by the U.S. Border Patrol and California Highway Patrol caught the attention of many guests. However, it was the booth staffed by Niederfrank’s ice cream from National City that drew the longest line, especially after the sun broke through the morning cloud deck.
Eight teams of chili-makers vied for top honors this year. The people’s choice award went to Perry’s Plumbing while judges’ awards were bestowed on the Bonita-Sunnyside Fire Department (first place), Perry Plumbing (second place) and the House of Payne (third place).
The Bonita Optimist Club won the prize for best decorated booth.
“We haven’t won this in a while, so this is a big deal for us,” said Goie Cosca, who accepted the award for the winning team.
Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox and San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox were among the celebrity judges. Both are longtime attendees of the event – and experienced chili-tasters.
“It’s a good homegrown event with no real commercialism,” Supervisor Cox said. “There’s always at least one or two good chilis.”
Mayor Cox agreed with her husband’s sentiments. “It’s history – a part of what the community does to bring people together in a fun and friendly event,” she said. “There’s good food and good company.”
Also presiding over the day’s events were Miss Bonita Lynette Negron and Miss South County Ashley Horner. Negron is a student at Southwestern College while Horner attends U.S. Colleges in Mission Valley.
Both are members of the South County Educational Ambassador Program and attend about two to three community events each week during their reign.
For more information on the annual chili cook-off event, visit the Web site at www.bonitacalifornia.org.
