Bonebright Hoping to End His Career on Positive Note : Wrestling: Thousand Oaks senior, who stresses the mental approach, is thinking about a state championship.

Tim Bonebright is a gripping example of the power of positive thinking.

The Thousand Oaks High senior stretches mentally and physically before a big wrestling match. As he goes through his warm-up routine, he repeats to himself two simple messages:

You can beat this guy. Give it your all, and you will win.

Those thoughts turned to truth in the Marmonte League finals and the Southern Section Division I championships, as Bonebright took titles at 145 pounds.

Last weekend at the Masters tournament, Bonebright said he wasn’t mentally ready for the final, and lost, 15-7, for only the third time all season.

“I just wasn’t into it and I wrestled terribly,” he said. “Maybe it was because I had already qualified for state.”

By making the final Bonebright achieved a season-long goal, qualifying for the state championships which begin today in Stockton.

Positive thinking is part of a persona change whenever Bonebright steps onto the mat. Normally quiet, he becomes intense and aggressive.

In the league finals three weeks ago, Bonebright avenged two earlier losses to Simi Valley’s Jesse Holt and celebrated with a victory lap around the mat. Then he jumped into Coach Larry Mortensen’s arms.

Bonebright repeated the post-match celebration after an 11-5 victory over Kevin Young of Hueneme in the Division I final.

He will have plenty of incentive for the state tournament. One loss and he’s eliminated from the field of 32.

Mortensen believes Bonebright will recapture the intensity he needs to wrestle well.

“He’s a down-to-earth kid and I think he was disappointed in himself last week,” Mortensen said. “His goals were to place in CIF, Masters and State and I don’t think he’s satisfied with two of three.”

The coach is somewhat surprised that his star pupil made it as far as the state tournament in the first place.

Mortensen wanted Bonebright to wrestle over the summer, but Bonebright chose to work out in the weight room instead.

But once the season started, Bonebright had the advantage of two teammates, Parry Wu and Fred Birckhead, who were comparable in weight and ability to Bonebright.

The threesome pushed each other and became the Lancers’ best wrestlers. Wu was a Masters qualifier at 135 pounds and Birckhead was a league runner-up.

“Tim works really hard in practice,” Wu said. “He’s intense and can get really mad when he’s frustrated.”

Bonebright is one of 13 area wrestlers advancing to the state championships. Alemany’s James Casteneda (119 pounds), who finished fifth at 103 pounds last year, placed second in this year’s Masters, suffering his first loss of the season.

Agoura’s Chad Payne (125 pounds) finished third in the Masters. Other Southern Section wrestlers qualifying are Rio Mesa’s Tom Nelford (152 pounds) and Ventura’s Sean Burdick (heavyweight).

Eight City section champions from Valley schools qualified for the tournament. El Camino Real has three: Andy Becker (103 pounds), Casey Lee (119) and Rick Ullman (152).

Canoga Park (Jose Barahona and Hadi Jubrail) and Monroe (Alfonso and Jose Brizuela) each placed two wrestlers. Chatsworth’s Fernando Avila qualified at 135 pounds.