Needing to find some offense, the Bayfield Wolverines turned to their powerful offensive line and an equally tough running back.
Coming off its first loss since 2014 to open a season with goals of defending a state championship, the Bayfield High School football team got back to its winning ways on a rain- and lightning-filled night in Bloomfield, New Mexico. The Wolverines used four touchdowns by 6-foot-3, 215-pound sophomore running back David Hawkins to beat Bloomfield High School 35-0 to improve to 1-1 this season.
The Wolverines’ offense still sputtered at times, but good field position led to two first-half touchdown runs by Hawkins that gave Bayfield a 16-0 lead at the break.
Shortly after halftime, lightning around Bloomfield brought the game to a halt for more than an hour. The game resumed at 9:47 p.m. with more than 5 minutes left to play in the third quarter.
The Wolverines came out slow after the break and needed to punt, but a short kick was muffed by Bloomfield, and the Wolverines recovered to get back in business.
Bayfield senior quarterback Josh Westbrook, who completed a 2-point conversion pass to Ryan Phelps in the first half, hit wide receiver Brian Mashak on a 47-yard pass that got the Wolverines into Bobcat territory. Hawkins then had runs of 10, 12 and 10 yards to get back into the end zone for a third time and give Bayfield a 22-0 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The Bobcats coughed the ball right back up to the Wolverines with a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter. Hawkins immediately made the team pay. He ran the ball six more times before finding the end zone for a fourth time to give Bayfield a 28-0 lead.
Westbrook and the Bayfield offense continued to grow confidence in the fourth quarter, as Westbrook hit Keyon Prior on a 61-yard touchdown pass, with Prior zipping through the Bloomfield defense on his way to the end zone. A successful extra point made it 35-0 and started a much-needed running clock in a game that took more than three hours to complete after the lightning delay.
Bayfield will return home next week for the first time since last year’s state semifinals against La Junta. The home fans will welcome their Wolverines and the Aztec Tigers to Wolverine Country Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
