Chula Vista Grounds Bonita Vista’s Aerial Attack, 17-9

Chula Vista High School’s hard-nosed defense shut down high-flying Bonita Vista Friday night, limiting the Barons to 208 yards total offense in a 17-9 Metro-Mesa League win at Southwestern College.

The Spartans, ranked ninth in The Times’ Top 10, broke open a 3-3 halftime tie with two touchdowns in a 6 1/2-minute span in the second half. Running back Sione Fehoko, who gained 110 yards on 21 carries, scored the second touchdown.

The No. 8 Barons rallied for one touchdown midway through the fourth quarter and threatened to score again before Chula Vista stopped them.

Chula Vista (2-0 in league and 6-1 overall) now leads the Mesa League by one-half game. Bonita Vista fell to 0-1 and 5-2.

Chula Vista cornerback Robert Gambala said the key to the Spartans’ victory was a new defense installed to combat Bonita Vista’s offense, which had averaged 34 points per game, and, especially, the Barons’ duo of quarterback Doug Piper and wide receiver Vince Montano.

“We were worried about their awesome passing attack,” Gambala said, “so we threw in a new defense to stop them. It worked. We stopped the big plays they usually get.”

Piper completed just 4 of 19 passes for 45 yards and 3 interceptions. He was 0 for 7 in the second half. Montano caught 1 pass for 12 yards.

The first half was marked by turnovers--three for Chula Vista and two for Bonita Vista, and solid defensive play. Piper, under considerable pressure, was sacked three times and forced to rush several other passes.

Chula Vista went ahead to stay, 10-3, on a five-yard touchdown run by Sultan Mohammed midway through the third quarter.

The Spartans made it 17-3 when Fehoko scored on an 11-yard run with 10:41 left in the game.

Bonita Vista answered on its next possession. Halfback Eric Gomez scored on a brilliant 37-yard run, eluding several tacklers in the process.