On Jan. 25, the Bonita Vista High (BVH) boy’s varsity wrestling team took home the Metro-Mesa League championship title in a dual meet against the Eastlake High Titans (EHS) in the BVH gym. EHS were the previous title holders of the 2022-2023 league. This title was BVH’s first league title after an eleven year deficit, marking an important day for the boy’s wrestling team.
This particular match is referred to as a dual meet, where two schools are put against each other and each player’s score contributes to an overall score of their respective school, rather than points being given individually. BVH sophomore Jed Keddo (192) further explains what a dual meet is.
“Wrestling normally is individual weight classes going against each other, but during a dual meet, the two team’s scores are compiled. So every win is counting towards the team’s score instead of towards your own progression in the tournament,” Keddo said.
For many of the players, wrestling requires a great amount of discipline and hard work. For BVH Captain and junior Josue Garcia (122), he was able to use discipline to build and foster self-growth and relationships with his teammates. He believes that discipline and effort is integral to the success of his team, and also explains that discipline is what motivates him on the mat.
“I decided to join wrestling when I was younger because I was overweight. I wanted to get in shape and ended up falling in love with the sport. I love the discipline it takes and how it’s just you out there [when competing],” Garcia said.
Keddo believes that team chemistry is a huge factor in helping raise spirits and gives the team the boost they need to succeed on the mat. The morale was high ever since the first rounds of the meet, something that Keddo was specifically proud of and believes contributed heavily to BVH’s victory.
“I think [the morale] was very integral. The lightweights just set it off, they started winning and set the energy for the rest of the night. The team all know each other, so we were excited to see each other win and represent each other,” Keddo said.
Winning a league title was a big achievement for all players on the BVH wrestling team and is something they all worked hard towards. Especially Garcia, who explains that winning the league title showcased his skills as a leader through disciplining the team to ensure they were in the best position to win the championship.
“It felt really good [to win], especially since it’s the first year I’m here [at BVH]. This title is important to me because it shows my leadership and influence I have on all of these other guys. Bringing them together, making sure they’re all on weight and making sure they’re at practice,” Garcia said. “They’re wrestling their best and staying positive, win or lose, every single match.”
For BVH junior varsity Head coach Zahi Davis, winning this match was a huge milestone for the team. The match serves as a stepping stone to the next major tournaments coming up including the Metro league, State championships and the California Interscholastic Federation tournament (CIF). Davis posits that with small victories like winning the league title, come greater opportunities to advance further and for the team to improve.
“I enjoy those little league victories that we hold on to and be happy about, but there’s a lot more work to be done. Metro and states [are] coming up, the bigger picture is getting guys to state,” Davis said. “We [have] got to realize that we’re big fish in a small little pond that is the South Bay, so we really got to shoot for much higher than just a league title.”
Keddo explains that the coaches have played a major role in helping him grow as a player. As the anticipation for the upcoming competitions builds, Keddo reflects on the unwavering dedication of the coaches who have been pivotal in shaping the team’s mindset. Poway High, in particular, is one opponent Keddo is anticipating to be a major obstacle, and explains further that the coaches influence is what is helping him work harder.
“[The coaches] push me to work harder because [they] talk to us about how this is our first chance to win CIF against Poway,” Keddo said. “ [Poway] has a lot of fun wrestling. They’re really good and pretty much unbeatable for most schools. He’s been pushing us hard this year, saying that we have to pick up the flag and win CIF.”
Garcia shares similar sentiments with Keddo, stating that the coaches, particularly varsity Head coach Joe Marcotte, are the primary driving force behind his motivation to improve. With major tournaments coming up, it’s necessary that each player try to be the best they can possibly be.
“Marcotte is a different kind of motivation. He’s always there for you, win or lose. He’s always gonna be on you. He’s gonna be mad at something no matter what, which helps us a lot to not get complacent over things and to make sure we’re always growing,” Garcia said.
Davis explains that having a team focused around morale and supporting each other was a key facet in giving BVH the strength to push forward. He explains that wrestling is not an easy sport since wrestlers cut a lot of weight and is considered mentally draining. But, having players who care about the well-being of their fellow teammates, complemented the team’s individual improvement and strengthened it.
“We had a lot of [people] who were slacking and some who brought the room up. If you can get some self-motivated guys who act like they enjoy it, they come in and they’re happy. That is what matters [in wrestling],” Davis said.
