On Thursday, Jan. 18, the Bonita Vista High (BVH) Barons boys’ varsity wrestling team hosted a dual meet, a team versus team competition entering one wrestler per weight class, against the Otay Ranch High (ORH) Mustangs. While spectators work their way in, the varsity boys’ wrestling team explodes through the door with music and cheers. Spectators sit with excitement to see friends and family of the BVH varsity wrestling team run out with a show of experience, hard training and regimes of competition, speed and aggression.
“We do a lot of drilling, wrestling is all about drilling. If you can set up the right drills, you’ll create the right reactions,” girls’ varsity wrestling coach and boys’ varsity wrestling assistant coach Phil Davis said.
The music dies down and the Barons move to the side, watching as Otay sends out their first wrestler. BVH 115 pound weight class wrestler (115) and Junior Noah Gallegos enters the match on par with his opponent. Getting into a neutral position in front of the Mustang, the referee’s whistle blows, triggering a speedy start into the match. Gallegos in his A game with evident confidence and eyes focused on his objective: to pin down his opponent.
“We worked a lot this off season and I’m glad that our guys that didn’t do as well last year are doing much better this year. A lot more of our team members trained this off season and it’s made a huge difference,” Davis said.
Gallegos shoves his opponent around to start the match before taking the opposing wrestler down. The opponent grabs and nearly takes him down from a small fumble of moves; however, Gallegos counters. Gallegos’ quick thinking assists him out of the scramble and forces a takedown. A series of moves would result in Gallegos pinning the opposing wrestler by forcing both his shoulders on the mat, giving BVH the first round win of the meet. Coaches cheer at this magnificent start to the game.
“I feel that our coaches here are really great and they are always encouraging us to get better.” Boys’ varsity wrestling captain and sophomore Edwin Flores (122) said.
As the next opposing Otay Ranch wrestler steps in, Flores enters and takes a neutral stance. An awaited whistle is heard by the referee and the wrestlers are off, flying into a tangle of legs and arms. The lightweights scuffle throughout the first period, then begin the second with Flores at the bottom position. Flores then deploys a flurry of attacks that lead to him pinning his opponent and winning the match for the Barons.
“Everybody wants to win and most of our team put in a lot of hard work so it’s just about reminding them in the moment to push through the uncomfortable moments in wrestling and end up on top,” Davis said.
Sophomore Ivan Hernandez (126) faces immediate pressure and multiple issues upon taking the mat. A tough first round results in Hernandez being forced to work up to his opponents score, luckily he manages to do so in small increments, resulting in a win by points.
“It’s kind of hard to describe but I get into a different headspace [when I’m wrestling]. All I think about is scoring.” Flores says.
Captain and junior Josue Garcia (134) is the next to go on the mat. Garcia would fight hard throughout the duration of the match, showcasing the scoring mindset mentioned by Flores in a collection of takedowns, escapes and tilts that would greatly increase his lead over his opponent. As a team captain, it’s not only Garcia’s job to be a leader amongst his peers, but also a great example for them in competition. As a result of his captainhood, there is an even greater pressure for Garcia to perform at his highest degree whenever he can..
“It is a lot of responsibility [being a younger captain], especially since there are still upperclassmen that look up to me and because I need to really display my leadership. I also have to set an example for the underclassmen,” Garcia said.
Sophomore Nicolas Wise (140) snaps his opponent off as the referee blows the whistle and he then creates a steady flow of collar tie pulls before going for a double-leg shot and assuming the top position. Having his opponent in submission, period two is called. Wise starts on top and uses his body strength to pull the opponent down into a turn, then slowly but surely pushing the opponent’s shoulders down against the mat, succeeding the match via pin.
“The most important piece of the wrestlers on this team is the effort that we give, to do whatever our coaches tell us to do, to go in whenever he tells us to,” Garcia said.
Using this determination to win, junior Matthew Molina (146) is rushed in. Molina makes quick work of his opponent and pins the Mustang in the second period of his match.
“We’re all focused on scoring the next point. [If] I get a takedown, he gets a takedown. I’m just focused on getting the next one,” Garcia says.
The following matches continued BVH’s dominant run if not for a few bumps in the road. Junior Julian Valdivia (152), sophomore Conlan Merton (159), junior Nabil Azizi (167), senior Luke Krecklow (177), sophomore Jad Keddo (192), senior Isaiah Benitez (217) and junior Manny Alvarez (287) wrestled their matches with the determination needed to create BVH’s eventual victory. Although the Barons would take a large lead ahead of the Mustangs, they are not flawless. Losses were taken from miscalculations and missed timing, yet wrestlers who lost their matches gained valuable lessons in personal improvement and growth that is unique to the sport of wrestling.
“I would one hundred percent encourage someone to join wrestling, it teaches discipline, it grows bonds, friendships, connections. It honestly turns you into a different person physically and mentally,” Garcia said.
