Seen utilizing an expanded skill set, including variations of hook and turnaround shots farther away from the basket than in the previous season, Courtney Bayles was often the first scoring option for the Bayfield Wolverines in a resurgent 2016-17 campaign.
Helping the Wolverines improve from 4-16 (0-10 in the 3A Intermountain) to 6-14 (2-8), the junior center/forward led the team in minutes per game (22.2) and rebounding (6.1), and finished a close second to senior guard Chloe Weybright in scoring (7.9 to 7.5) in earning Honorable Mention All-IML.
Also awarded the distinction were Monte Vista senior guard Brianna Villagomez and junior guard Mariah Barbosa; Alamosa senior forward Savana Geringer; Pagosa Springs freshman guard Hailey Griego; and Centauri junior guard Kyree Huffaker.
Centauri's Dave Forster was named Coach-of-the-Year after the Falcons finished fourth at the Class 3A state championships held at Denver University.
Losses to Lamar and Sterling left Centauri standing 23-3 overall, but with a First Team All-League nucleus of junior center Ember Canty, junior guard Alyssa Gomez, junior forward Caroline VanBerkum and sophomore guard/forward Melissa Wilson all set to return, next season could be just as special in La Jara.
Canty (11.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 4.4 blocks per, 2.7 steals per game) and PSHS junior forward/center Morgan Lewis (19.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.1 bpg, 2.1 spg) shared Player of the Year honors, with PSHS senior guard Megan Farrah and sophomore guard Devin Wilson joining them as All-Leaguers after the Lady Pirates finished 18-5 after a 43-42 overtime loss to Lamar - which then edged CHS 26-25 in the State Championships' "Great Eight."
Also named All-IML were AHS senior guard Jessica Archuleta-Trujillo and freshman guard Lily Lavier, and MVHS senior forward/guard Danielle Chacon, who averaged a surprising Lewis-like 17.7 points, 7.3 boards and 2.4 steals per game in helping Monte (13-10) reach the Championships' opening Round-of-32, when their season ended with a 46-38 loss to Olathe.
In one of the lowest-scoring grand finales ever, Lamar (25-2 overall) defeated Colorado Springs Christian (24-3) by a 24-18 margin to secure the state championship.
