Two free throws by senior guard Turner Kennedy with 3.4 seconds left gave Bayfield, a week removed from a 2-0 showing at the 2019 Southwest Colorado Classic, a 50-48 win Saturday afternoon, Jan. 12, over ninth-ranked and previously unbeaten Montezuma-Cortez. Both Bayfield and Cortez won both of their classic contests, setting up the squads' first showdown this season.
A slow second quarter had left the Wolverines trailing the Panthers 27-19 at halftime, but BHS crept back into contention by winning the third quarter 11-10. They ultimately pulled even during the fourth at 41-41, and finished with three players scoring in double figures led by Kennedy's 14. Kennedy finished 4-of-5 from the foul line, at which the Wolverines were a combined 16-of-20, or 80 percent.
Struggling with his shot, going 1-for-8 from three-point land and 2-for-15 overall from the field, senior forward Hayden Farmer still managed to register 12 points by nailing seven free throws in eight tries. Junior guard James Mottin also logged 12 on team-high 5-of-8 accuracy from the field.
Farmer grabbed nine rebounds to narrowly miss a double-double, while Kennedy and senior guard Keyon Prior (9 points) each pulled down six. Kennedy was also credited with five steals defensively.
Junior forward Ethan Morris contributed three points and as many boards as Bayfield (6-4 overall) won their Intermountain League opener and third consecutive game. Held to their lowest point total yet this winter, Cortez slipped to 9-1 overall, 1-1 IML. Bayfield's Jan. 11 game with Alamosa was postponed due to snowy conditions in the San Luis Valley and on Wolf Creek Pass.
Up next, the Wolverines will host Monte Vista on Thursday and Centauri on Friday night, Jan. 18, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Down three spots to #10 in the updated CHSAANow.com poll, released Monday, Jan. 14, the Falcons will enter BHS Gymnasium standing 9-2 overall, 1-1 in league.
MAKE-UP DATE ANNOUNCED: The new date for the C/JV/V home games against Alamosa will be Tuesday, Jan. 22, with JV action in both gyms beginning at 4 p.m. The girls' varsities will tip off inside the main gym at 5:30, with the boys' C-team contest going on in the auxiliary gym, and the boys' varsity/girls' C action following at 7 in the same respective venues.
CHSAANOW.COM CLASS 3A BOYS' BASKETBALL POLL (1/14): 1.Sterling, 2.Denver Manual, 3.Englewood Kent Denver, 4.New Castle Coal Ridge, 5.Parker Lutheran, 6.Colorado Springs The Vanguard, 7.Arvada Faith Christian, 8.Denver Colorado Academy, 9.Loveland Resurrection Christian, 10.La Jara Centauri. (Others receiving votes-Colorado Springs Christian, Montezuma-Cortez, Alamosa, Delta, DSST:Byers, Gunnison, Kersey Platte Valley, BAYFIELD, DSST:Stapleton, Lamar.)
