Bonita Drops Water-Style Wrestling Match 10-9

Kevin Webb is just one of the players making a big splash for Bonita this season. All photos by Paul and Suzana Munson.

Glendale scored the last three goals of the game and shut out Bonita in the final quarter to earn a come-from-behind 10-9 win in the non-league match between the two highly ranked teams.

Bonita had its chances to tie the game in the waning seconds. First, Keaton Renta’s 5-meter penalty shot bounced off the right upright. Alex Munson gathered up the deflection and passed it to Alec Snow who dropped the ball back to Renta in the post. After Renta attracted a swarm of Glendale defenders, he passed the ball to Matt Zachary, whose catch-and-shoot was blocked at the buzzer.

At the horn, Glendale let out a roar after knocking off Bonita, ranked No. 1 in its division.

The game was physical, and at times resembled an underwater wrestling match.

Keaton Renta led Bonita with four goals.

Before Renta’s penalty shot, it appeared Bonita had tied the score at 10 when Munson’s shot found the back of the goal. But the goal was waved off after the referee ruled it was inside the 2-meter zone.

The game was closely contested throughout. Bonita led 4-2 after the first period, 6-5 at the half, and 9-8 at the end of the third. Renta led the team with four goals while five other players each contributed a goal apiece.

Bonita made the mistake of letting Glendale hang around, and behind the steady play of their post player, Armand Mondzhyan, who scored half of his team’s 10 goals, Glendale continued to swim with more confidence as the match progressed.

“They shot well, and scored a bunch from the outside,” Bonita coach John Ashby said after the match. “If we score nine goals, we should win the game, so the defense has got to tighten up as we go forward.”

At the same time, Bonita must have hit the side bar eight or nine times, just missing several scoring opportunities.

Indeed, the game could serve as a wake-up call or a cold splash of water for Bonita, which has been cruising in league play.

“I think it’s 28 days until the playoffs; we’re excited,” Ashby said.

Bonita lost the prize fight on Friday, but not the championship, which still awaits the team that can both play physically and execute under pressure.

Alex Munson elevated his play to another level.

Bonita goalie Caleb Guarino helped shrink the size of the goal.

Bonita coach talks to his players during a time-out.

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