The Eastlake Titans, unable to complete the prospect of an undefeated 20-0 season last year with a loss in the championship game to the Bonita Vista Barons, got the job done this year with a 7-1 victory over the Otay Ranch Mustangs to finish a perfect 14-0 campaign as Metro Conference roller hockey champions.
It’s not as easy task. The Titans became just the fourth team in the sport’s 26-year history to post an undefeated championship season.
“Just determination,” EHS head coach Chris Rollbusch Sr. said in regard to last Friday’s climactic final. “The kids were determined not to let this one get away again.”
Senior Chris Rollbusch Jr. (three goals, one assist) and junior Sid Jonason (two goals, one assist) were the catalysts on offense and goaltender Solana Kitamura posted 15 saves to hold the third-seeded Mustangs (10-5) at bay.
“She did her job, she made the saves when she had to,” Otay Ranch coach Carolina Alfonso-Pierce said.
Eastlake led 3-0 after the first period on goals by Jonason, Rollbusch (power play) and Desi Garcia. The Titans extended their lead to 4-0 on a goal by freshman Jacob Fox early in the second period.
The Mustangs got one back on a goal by Evan Frayer to trail 4-1. But the top-seeded Titans tacked on two more goals in the period to push in front 6-1. Jonason plopped in a shot off a point-blank save by Otay netminder Jasmine Gamez-Mack. Rollbusch then found an open corner for a picture-perfect goal.
Rollbusch completed a hat trick with a power play goal in the third period.
Sam Chavez also contributed an assist in the EHS victory.
Rollbusch, the Metro-Mesa League Player of the Year, finished the season with 77 points on 55 goals and 22 assists, followed by Fox with 64 points (46 goals, 18 assists) and Jonason with 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists).
“They know our guys pretty well and took away our strengths,” Alfonso-Pierce said. “We’re going to come back strong next year and see where we land. Eastlake is an amazing team.”
Eastlake, based on its 12-0 regular season finish, received a bye in the quarterfinal round as the No. 1 seed, then eliminated No. 4 Bonita Vista, 11-1, in the ensuing semifinals on Feb. 4.
Fox led all scorers in the mercy-rule game with five goals while Jonason brought his own excitement to the rink with five points on three goals and two assists. Rollbusch collected four points on two goals and two assists while Chavez pitched in with a goal and two assists.
Otay Ranch defeated No. 2 Hilltop (12-2) by a 10-3 score in the semifinals after topping No. 6 Southwest, 9-0, in the quarterfinals. Cole Frayer logged eight points in the win over Hilltop while the Mustangs’ own frosh phenom, Gavin Corriveau, collected three goals and one assist. Evan Frayer, Cole’s twin, contributed two goals and two assists.
Corriveau stacked the deck with four goals in the quarterfinal win over Southwest while Evan Frayer had two goals and two assists, Cole Frayer had two goals and one assist and Santiago Pearson logged a goal and assist.
The Frayer twins joined Otay Ranch at the tail end of regular season play from ice hockey and had an immediate impact on the Mustangs’ fortunes.
Neither had played roller hockey before.
“It’s new,” Evan Frayer said.
“It’s exciting,” his brother Cole chipped in.
Bonita Vista edged No. 5 Mar Vista, 4-3, in an overtime shootout on Feb. 2 to face off the playoffs. Sophomore Aaron Odvina notched the shootout winner after scoring three times in regulation.
Fernando Corona twice tied the game in regulation for Mar Vista, which received a 3-3 game-tying goal from Emilio Munoz, his first goal of the season.
Odvina scored in the fourth round of the shootout with the score deadlocked at 0-0 in the tiebreaker.
“Both teams obviously turned in a strong performance,” said Mar Vista coach Luis Neria, who was voted the South Bay league Coach of the Year. “It shows how far Mar Vista has come. It was one of the most amazing and fun games I’ve ever coached at this rink.”
Metro-South Bay League champion Hilltop eliminated No. 7 Sweetwater, 7-1, in its quarterfinal opener behind three goals and one assist from Tre Nichols, two goals by Michael Han, one goal and two assists from Brenden Beaver and one goal from Will Acevez. Ryan Lopez scored the lone goal for the Red Devils (4-10).
Metro Conference Playoff Scoreboard
2026 Seeding
1) Eastlake (BYE)
2) Hilltop
3) Otay Ranch
4) Bonita Vista
5) Mar Vista
6) Southwest
7) Sweetwater
x-San Ysidro (not selected)
Quarterfinals
Monday Feb. 2
(4) Bonita Vista 4, (5) Mar Vista 3 (shootout)
(3) Otay Ranch 9, (6) Southwest 0
(2) Hilltop 7, (7) Sweetwater 1
Note: Aaron Odvina (Bonita Vista) scores in fourth-round of sudden-victory overtime shootout. Odvina 3 goals in regulation. Fernando Corona (MV) 2 goals in regulation, Emilio Munoz (MV) 1 goal in regulation
Note: Gavin Corriveau (OR) 4 goals, Evan Frayer (OR) 2 goals, 2 assists. Cole Frayer (OR) 2 goals, 1 assist. Santiago Pearson (OR) 1 goal, 1 assist
Note: Tre Nichols (H) 3 goals, 1 assist. Brenden Beaver (H) 1 goal, 2 assists. Michael Han (H) 2 goals. Will Aceves (H) 1 goal
Semifinals
Wednesday Feb. 4
(1) Eastlake 11, (4) Bonita Vista 1 (mercy rule)
(3) Otay Ranch 10, (2) Hilltop 3
Note: Eastlake improves to 13-0 on season, freshman Jacob Fox 5 goals, senior Chris Rollbusch Jr. 2 goals, 2 assists, junior Sid Jonason 3 goals, 2 assists, senior Sam Chavez 1 goal, 2 assists
Note: Cole Frayer (OR) 5 goals, 3 assists, Gavin Corriveau (OR) 3 goals, 1 assist; Evan Frayer (OR) 2 goals, 2 assists; Sanitago Pearson (OR) 2 assists
Note: Aaron Odvina (BV) 1 goal
Note: Hilltop goals once each from Tre Nichols, Michael Han, Will Aceves. Nichols 1 assist.
Note: Hilltop finishes 12-2, Bonita Vista finishes 5-9
Championship Game
Friday Feb. 6
(1) Eastlake (13-0) 7, (3) Otay Ranch (10-5) 1
