2006-07 San Diego Section
Dual of the Week

Mesa League
Mesa League shocker: Bonita Vista 37, Eastlake 34
CHULA VISTA, Feb. 1, 2007 -- When Matthew Periola was a freshman and sophomore, he admitted his wrestling skills then were not what they are today as a senior. "I got my ass kicked when I was a freshman and sophomore. I lost most of my matches," he said. "I cried and coach Ruz (Bonita Vista head coach Gabe Ruz) told me to work it out, to keep going."

Periola's moment of triumph arrived Thursday night as he took the mat in the final match of the Barons' Mesa League showdown dual meet against defending league champion Eastlake. Both teams entered the prime time encounter with undefeated 3-0 records. Bonita Vista trailed 34-32 on the scoreboard in the 171-pound finale pitting Periola against the Titans' A.J. Romero.

The BV wrestler finished with his first winning season last year at 19-7 after placing sixth at 140 pounds at the San Diego Section Division II championship meet. This season, Periola has wrestled in full bloom from the onset, reaching the finals of the Mar Vista Battle by the Beach and placing third in his 160-pound weight division at the El Cajon Invitational. The Baraon grappler was asked to wrestle up a weight class against Eastlake, taking on an opponent who outweighed him by 10 pounds.

Periola focused on the task at hand and strode coolly onto the mat. One minute and 58 seconds later pandemonium broke loose in the Bonita Vista gym as Periola first ran around the mat with upraised arms, then collapsed onto the mat, overcome with emotion, after his pin gave the Barons a thrilling, and most unlikely, 37-34 victory -- and sole possession of the Mesa League lead.

With three matches remaining, the Titans led 34-20.

Ruz was carried off the mat on the shoulders of his team, clenched fists waving in the air.

It was a magical sight -- a new beginning for a program in the throes of disarray when Ruz took over control of the team four seasons ago.

"I'm so glad for the boys," Ruz said. "They worked so hard."

Eastlake twice held leads of 14 points -- doubling the hosts' score at 28-14 following Stephen Lampa's pin with six seconds left in the first period in a matchup of 135-pounders.

The inspired finish was set in motion by three consecutive pins to end the contest. Marttin Periola recorded a fall in 1:01 at 152 pounds. Freshman Frank Bell, younger brother of injured 215-pound BV standout Ed Bell, scored what may have been the most crucial victory of the night when he won in dramatic fashion on a fall with six seconds remaining in the first period.

That left it up to Matthew Periola and Romero to decide which team would be left undefeated in league. Periola quickly worked his opponent into a cradle, flipping him on either side of his body until the referee's hand slammed down.

It was then time to celebrate. In fact, it was good fortune that Periola won by pin, as the Barons were penalized one team point for excessive celebration. Had Periola won by decision, the one-point deduction would have left the teams knotted in a 34-34 tie.

"When Frank won, I was 90 percent sure we would take it," Ruz said. "That was the decisive match right there."

Bell's bout turned out to be just his second varsity dual match on the mat. He pinned his first opponent and later drew a forfeit in a subsequent dual meet. As fate would have it, he had previously wrestled his opponent from Eastlake at a junior varsity tournament earlier this season, scoring a fall. The younger Bell was the aggressor from the beginning, though he gave up the first takedown before recovering to pin his foe with a head-and-arm move.

"I had already beaten that guy before at the Otay JV tournament. I wanted to wear him out and do the move I did at the end," said Bell, whose victory edged the hosts to within two points on the scoreboard, though still trailing, 34-32. "I wanted the guy after me (Matthew Periola) to win, too."

Said Ruz in admiration: "That's one thing about that kid -- he's got a lot of heart. There's no quit in him."

The same had to be said about Matthew Periola. "I went out there like it was any other match," Periola said. "It was just the same guy -- whether it was Poway or Vista or anybody. I just kind of phased that out and focused on my match. I knew my team wanted a pin and I gave my team a pin. My opponent had 10 pounds on me. I knew the guy was strong and I would have trouble trying to take him down, so I relied on my cradle. That's my best move. When I pinned him, I felt excited. It's been four years of close matches against Eastlake. I'm a senior. It was the last time I was going to get a shot at them in dual competition and I wanted to go out with a bang."

Periola improved to 25-9 with 19 pins (all by cradles) via the dramatic victory and Bonita Vista improved to 4-0 in Mesa League duals with Otay Ranch remaining on the regular season schedule Feb. 8.

It could be the beginning of something special for the Barons. "Ninety percent of my team is freshman and sophomores," Ruz said. "We're really looking ahead to the years to come. I'm glad for the kids, for the school and the program. It was exciting. These kids give me all I can handle."

The Titans led 10-0 early on a 1:53 pin by Alex Johnson at 189 pounds and an 11-2 major decision by Ryan Zacharzuk at 215 pounds. Curtis Smith gave Bonita Vista its first win on a 1:08 fall at 285 pounds and Jeff Breton's 22-6 technical fall at 103 pounds pushed the hosts to a temporary 11-10 advantage. Eastlake won the next three matches to go up 22-11 as George Castilleja scored a 9-7 minor decision at 112 pounds, Tony Denegall broke a 6-6 standoff against BV's Cesar Sandoval on a takedown and near-fall in the final nine seconds in a battle of 119-pounders and Lamar Dent (125) recorded a pin in 31 seconds.

Juan Diaz claimed a toss-up match at 130 pounds for the Barons, who pulled to within eight points, 22-14, on the scoreboard. But two ensuing pins by the Titans at 135 (Lampa) and 145 (Hawk Thompson) gave the Barons a very steep hill ton climb. One loss and it was over.

Aided by Devon Cornell's 3:15 pin at 140 pounds, Bonita Vista had just enough breathing room to get the job done, with three points to spare.

An incredible -- and perhaps, a defining moment.