On Sept. 9, Bonita Vista High’s (BVH) varsity football team played against Hilltop High School (HHS) on a rainy day at Southwestern college. This match marked the first home game of the season. The outcome of the game leaves everyone in the crowd excited on what will happen next. It left not only Dog Pound, the BVH’s student section, but also the crowd ecstatic for what will happen next.

Starting the game off, kicker and senior Daniel Ugarte kicked it to HHS and BVH began the game on defense. At kickoff, linebacker and senior Bryan Burt suffered an injury. He walked off the field limping on his left leg. BVH played efficient defense keeping the ball within 20 yards off the initial touchback. HHS proceeds to punt the ball, leaving it a dead ball. Despite the bad play, wide receiver and senior Dante Herrero made a move that led to BVH’s first touchdown, with Ugarte making the PAT. The crowd goes wild, as the score changes to 7-0. 

“Coming into todays’ game I was locked in. I was focusing on what I had to do and then when the game started I just had to remember my assignments and just perform,” wide receiver, defensive back and senior Isaiah Chappell said. 

With nine minutes left in the first quarter HHS fumbles on the play and BVH receives it. The crowd’s energy is through the roof as BVH is on roll. BVH stops after losing 10 yards and settles for a field goal with HHS making an impressive stop. On the third down, HHS is starting to catch up. They play well on defense, but BVH decides to go in for a pre-kick field goal advancing Bonita two more points, the score is now 10-0. With little time left in the first quarter, HHS has a penalty offside favoring BVH. As the rest of the quarter goes on, BVH plays great defense, not allowing HHS to score. Offensive and defensive line and senior Samuel Sandoval 76 talks about his mentality coming into the game. 

“I felt very excited Coming off 0 and 2 you know we had to get this [win] any way possible, so I was ready to do whatever I could,” Sandoval said.

Going into the second quarter, HHS ties the game by missing the PAT, nonetheless they begin to pick up steam. HHS picks up an offside which helps Bonita. Herero bulldozes through the HHS offense and replaces tackles with impressive runs and offense with defense. HHS manages to score a touchdown making the score 10-6. Offsides is called again by HHS, but starts to pick up the energy once again. Herrero on the field does not let the ball get out of his sight, tackling any opponent that comes his way. Second down, BVH makes some metal lapses with drops and bad routes. With only a minute left in the second quarter, the crowd from BVH starts to get rowdy and begins to boo at the other team. Athletic director and coach Tyler Arciaga shares how he feels on the team’s progress. 

“I felt really proud of the kids. Coming back after a tough loss coming from the bay area, I felt like they showed a lot of perseverance that they weren’t going to quit and that they were going to fight and so it was really good to see that inside of them,” Arciaga said. 

The second quarter ends in 17-6, as Chappell scores a touchdown. During halftime, Get to The Pointe (GTP) performs a dance routine gaining support from the audience. While Dog Pound sings to the lyrics of the songs, former BVH Principal Roman Del Rosario and ASB advisor Patricia Perez are seen around showing their support to BVH. 

Third quarter starts off with HHS putting the ball. Going back and forth with tackles, BVH pushes forward to their first down and is able to make great passes, making it to the 30 yard line. After a while of inching closer and closer to the end zone, BVH earns another touchdown, with an outcome of 24-6. Supporters of BVH are going crazy, yelling, air horns going off, and celebrating with them. Continuing into the third quarter, Chappell suffers from an injury, limping off of the field. BVH plays aggressive as they are on point with their tackles, preventing HHS from moving further. HHS eventually fumbles the ball, being at the 28 yard line. 

“I think it teaches patience you know also team work, leadership, especially as a senior I step up as a leader to show the underclassmen what they have to do,” Chappell said. “It’s just really working as a team and that’s a skill I’m going [to] need for the rest of my life” 

In the last quarter, 10 minutes are left, BVH calls for a timeout as HHS gets close to the endzone. A flag is then thrown as there is a false start, making BVH lose five yards. BVH proceeds to push HHS further from their end zone and closer to BVH’s zone. But immediately, BVH is given back their five yards back from the referees on the field. Ultimately,  BVH is able to pick up the energy to move closer to the endzone, scoring another touchdown.With five minutes left, BVH is at their first down, but soon gets another flag again. Burt gets injured on the field again at the 2:55 mark on the time. After three hours, BVH plays off a win with the score of 24-6. Besides winning games, Mr. Arciaga wants his team to come away with valuable memories of their football career at Bonita. 

“I want the kids to come away with great experience and a memorable high school experience to come away with some life lessons they can carry on into adulthood and with that you know the wins will come,” Arciaga said. “If they learn things they can use in adulthood, whether its discipline, perseverance, hard work, characteristics that’ll help them in the future.”