Bonita Vista Barons football team streaking into Mesa League play

Josh Santos was a key ingredient in the Barons' rushing game. Photo by Phillip Brents

The Bonita Vista Barons, once owners of an 0-2 start, are suddenly streaking — in full uniform and gear, that is — into Friday’s Metro-Mesa League opener/homecoming game against the budding rival Otay Ranch Mustangs. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Southwestern College.

The Barons (3-2-1) hiked their unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1) following last Friday’s scrappy, hard-nose 14-3 non-league victory at Hilltop.

“It was hard fought, toe-to-toe, a battle,” BVHS head coach Greg Raby underscored. “Winning ugly is winning. It doesn’t matter by how many points.”

In a game that neither team seemed to want to win for the longest time, Bonita Vista finally decided it wanted the game when running back John Matranga scored on a four-yard run with 6:46 to play in the fourth quarter. A 36-yard pass completion — the only one of the night for BV QB Jon Manjarrez in 10 attempts— to Chris Moore set up the decisive score.

The defenses of both teams dominated. The Barons totaled 158 rushing yards, led by Matranga (12 carries, 67 yards) and Josh Santos (8 carries, 61 yards).

Manjarrez was picked off once (by Hilltop’s Ben Bernabe) and sacked once (by Hilltop’s David Vasquez). Also for the Lancers, Russell Ewbank blocked a punt and recovered a fumble.

Meanwhile, the Barons collected five sacks against Lancer signal-caller Omar Hernandez, whose rushing antics (especially on fourth-down fake punts) otherwise kept the visitors scrambling all game long.

BV’s Michael King had two fumble recoveries, including one on the five-yard line to negate a potential Hilltop touchdown, while Marcus Reyes, Marcos Hoyos, Steven Kavianian, Charlie Carillo and James Duberg each registered sacks, and Matranga made one interception.

“That was the best game our defense has played this year,” Raby said.

The teams combined to miss three field goals, including two by Hilltop’s Hernandez and one by BV female kicker Devon Roncoroni (who did kick two PATs).

Hernandez opened scoring in the game on a 41-yard field goal but the Barons capitalized on a fumble, recovering the ball at the Lancer 20-yard line, and Manjarrez took the ball into the end zone on an ensuing one-yard run for a 7-3 Baron lead with 2:07 left in the first quarter.

Hilltop, playing to the end on cue, had a touchdown negated with 1:00 left in the game when Hernandez was ruled to have crossed the line of scrimmage.