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Game of the Week: No. 5 Bayfield looks to repeat as league champions against Alamosa

Wolverines can secure league championship with win Saturday

One down, one to go for a league championship.

Bayfield High School’s football team went on the road to take down previously fifth-ranked Delta 23-7 to tackle the first of two big challenges standing in the way of a second consecutive Class 2A Intermountain League championship. Now, the Wolverines are ranked No. 5, with Delta slipping to No. 7.

But rankings don’t matter this week, as BHS will look to avoid a three-way tie atop the IML standings by taking care of business against Alamosa in the final week of the regular season.

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday at Wolverine Country Stadium in Bayfield.

“We try to instill in our kids the idea of one step at a time,” BHS head coach Gary Heide said. “That was a big win last week, but it’s far from over. We knew we needed two big wins to finish off the regular season if we want to win championships and meet our team goals of hopefully playing in November.

“This game is for the league championship. It couldn’t get any more important.”

BHS (6-2, 4-0 IML) has been a force on defense, as the starters held its first three league opponents to under 50 yards of total offense. Last week against the leading rusher in the state, the Wolverines smothered him and allowed only 30 yards to Damon Jensen of Delta, who entered the game with 1,500 yards in seven previous games.

This week, that defense will turn its attention to Alamosa (5-3, 3-1 IML) and an offense that is well-rounded behind junior quarterback Angelo Ramirez. Senior QB Ryan Brubacher has also played in all eight games and has similar statistics to Ramirez, but Heide’s team is more concerned about Ramirez’s running ability. The junior has rushed for 468 yards and four touchdowns, but Brubacher has also rushed for 441 yards and eight touchdowns. Those two players will have to be accounted for at all times.

“They’re a dangerous squad with big-play capability,” Heide said.

“They’re playing lights out running and passing the ball lately.”

Heide’s offense has found balance with senior QB Josh Westbrook continuing to improve each week with the help of big-play wide receiver Brian Mashak. The Wolverines also boast a full stable of runners, whether it is David Hawkins, Carl Heide, Hunter Killough, Keyon Prior or Jesse and Josh Westbrook. That run game is helped by a sturdy offensive line that hasn’t been beat often this season.

Heide said the team isn’t worried about opening up the playbook but more on executing each play better.

“We feel we have a lot of talent, but we have to execute,” he said.

“We’re going against an awful good defense that is active with four or five linebackers stunting and moving around. We have to play lights out and execute.”

If the Wolverines want a chance to defend their Class 2A state championship from a year ago, it will start with a league title this weekend. If Alamosa can beat Bayfield, it would join BHS and Delta as one-loss teams in the league and create a tiebreaker scenario the Wolverines can avoid with a victory.

“We want to be able to use our crowd to our advantage and capture that excitement,” Heide said. “Alamosa, we feel, is as good as Delta if not better. It will be a ball game because they’re coming in here playing for a league championship, too.”

Pueblo County (4-4) at Durango (5-3)

What: Class 3A South Central League football

when: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Durango High School Stadium

Listen Live: KKDG 99.7 FM

Twitter: @The7thFreezer

More Info: The Demons are floating on the RPI bubble when it comes to state tournament seeding criteria and need to win each of their final two games of the regular season to have a chance to make the 3A state playoffs.

That makes this week’s home finale against Pueblo County (4-4, 1-2 SCL) another big contest for DHS (5-3, 2-1 SCL), as the Demons are coming off two big lopsided wins against league opponents who haven’t won a game yet this season in Sierra and Pueblo Central. After waxing those teams by a combined score of 89-6, DHS will get a bigger test against the Hornets.

Pueblo County is led by junior QB Jace Fillmore, who has seven passing touchdowns and four rushing this year with more than 1,000 total yards.

The Hornets have a well-rounded rushing attack with senior Zach Adkins and junior Adrian Soto sharing the load. The defensive secondary of DHS will have to keep tabs on wide receivers Brandon Bueno and Jake Wilson, who have combined for seven touchdowns and 500 yards this season.

The DHS offense didn’t have to do much last week, as the defense forced eight turnovers.

The Demons will look to win the turnover battle once again Saturday and set up a big road contest at Harrison (6-2, 3-0 SCL) to close out the regular season.

Center (5-3) at Ignacio (3-5)

What: Class 1A Southern Peaks League football

when: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Ignacio High School Stadium

Listen Live: KSUT 91.3 FM

Twitter: @jlivi2

More Info: The best season for the Ignacio High School football team since 2011 will come to an end Saturday, with this year’s Bobcats having a chance to match that year’s record of 4-5 overall and 2-3 in league play.

But Saturday’s challenge comes against Center (5-3, 3-1 SPL), which is trying to keep its league championship hopes alive with Centauri and Monte Vista also 3-1 in league entering this week.

The Bobcats will hope for a big home crowd to motivate a dwindling number of players late in the season.

IHS is 1-2 at home this season and have lost two in a row to Centauri and John Mall since a 49-6 homecoming win against Dolores.

jlivingston@durangoherald.com

If you go

Who:

Alamosa at Bayfield

What:

Class 2A Intermountain League football

When:

5 p.m. Saturday

Where:

Wolverine Country Stadium, Bayfield

Listen Live:

KLJH 107.1 FM

Twitter:

@jlivi2

Oct 27, 2016
Durango girls cross country primed for state


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