The view from the Southwestern College football field at 6:30 p.m. on October 29 was bathed in light; a sea of white on one side of the stands for the Barons and a sea of green and black on the other for the Lancers. Bonita Vista High’s (BVH) fans had arranged to wear white in celebration of Senior Night, the last game varsity senior players will play before they graduate from high school. BVH’s football varsity team played against the Hilltop High Lancers, where the Barons won 31 to 14 and finished off the season with a 2-3 league placement score and a 4-5 overall season score.

With winning came reflection. While the team did make some good plays, players agreed some things still needed work.

“I think the game was perfect. We made some mistakes. But, as a fairly [good team], we’re gonna come back [and] gonna fix our mistakes,” varsity and junior Cornerback Trenton Newman said. 

The first quarter began with a few mistakes, however, the Barons learned from their mistakes and adjusted their plays accordingly. The team and crowd demonstrated unity; When the team was in low spirits, so was the crowd. However the same can be said for when the team was in high spirits. This was an advantage that the Barons held over the Lancers, whose crowd was not as in sync with their team.

“The crowd was great tonight, the white-out and the atmosphere tonight were all great. I think it helped the team perform better,” History teacher and Football announcer Don Dumas said. “I was happy to see that.

This game was the last of the season, however the etiquette hasn’t always been as positive in previous games. Several football games this season had little turnout or cheering compared to this game. Former receiving coach for San Diego State University Ray Peterson, an avid football enthusiast and unofficial scorer for BVH football, strongly believes the team needs the same levels of school spirit at every game they play.  

“Tonight was a reflection of how things could and should be on a consistent basis. No matter how things are going, school spirit will support anybody that’s competing,” Ray Peterson said. “We could use the positive energy, the positive vibes, so you should continue to come out and support the program.”

Whether it be helping another teammate off the field after an injury or celebrating their accomplishments, the Barons share many strengths.

“I think camaraderie is a strength that a team can have [and] that they need to be successful. Their ability to work together and their willingness to work together is the best quality,” Dumas said. 

Peterson shared similar thoughts, as the Barons still fought through adversity. He remarks that, whether BVH is winning a game or losing, BVH players continue to fight to the end. With strengths come weaknesses, both on the Barons’ part and the Lancers’.

“I think our opponents did well. They make some mistakes, they do some [things] good. We all come together, we all make mistakes. So I think our opponents did well and they’re [a] great honorable team,” Newman said.

On the Barons’ part, they faced challenges on their road to victory. Peterson thought some improvements could be made on both the defensive and offensive line.

 “I think some improvements that we can make from a defensive standpoint, are to make the appropriate shifts, fly around the ball, [and] be super aggressive,” Peterson said. “Offensively, just take advantage of things that are given to you like simple runs or simple short passes. No matter what level of team you are, you should take advantage of these things.”

Dumas was also focused on change and improvement over a period of time, much like #42 Julian Acosta, who is a kicker that has been on the varsity team for four years. Dumas watched Acosta improve as a kicker and punter compared to when he first started playing. Dumas commends Acosta’s development.

“Well I was happy for the seniors to go out on the wind, people like Malosi Iuli [and] Dante Gerbella have been around a long time. But I thought also we got some bright spots to look forward to in future years,” said Dumas.