When the Bayfield High School football team takes its unblemished record to Cortez to battle the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers, the Wolverines will try to not look past this game as it has all the fixings for a possible upset.
With a new head coach in place and a losing record by its side, Montezuma-Cortez (2-4, 1-1 2A Western Slope South) will try to play spoiler to a magical Bayfield season.
“(The seniors) have only got three regular season games left,” Bayfield head coach Gary Heide said Thursday in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “I don’t think they’ll play below their abilities. They don’t have too many Friday night lights left. Our coaches are proud to be coaching this team, but there’s a challenge in front of us to end this season on a high note.”
The Wolverines (5-0, 2-0) will enter Friday night’s matchup ranked No. 2 for the second consecutive week by the Colorado High School Athletic Association and will boast its heavy style of rushing offense and senior workhorse to that offense Zane Phelps. Through five games, Phelps leads Bayfield with 10 touchdowns and 141 yards per game.
The Panthers, however, have a good defense that is anchored by a pair of linebackers that will have Phelps’ number. Both Coby Baer (30 solo tackles) and Tanner Desrosiers (46) lead the Panther defense that could give Bayfield a problem on the ground. Baer also leads the Panthers on offense by amassing 478 all-purpose yards.
“Their linebackers come hard; they have some good athletes,” Heide said. “They’ve been improving, and they have a defense that is active. I expect a tough game out of them. We’re going to have to buckle down.”
Montezuma-Cortez took down Bayfield last year 47-13. In a game played in Bayfield, the Panthers held Phelps to only 95 yards on the ground. However, with new head coach Scott Conklin, the Panthers’ offense has sputtered in 2015.
With only three games left, Heide said he’s aware of this game possibly being a “trap” game for an upset Bayfield can’t overlook. However, Bayfield’s coach is confident his seniors will pull off the win and continue onto a great end to the season.
“At this time of season, and with three games to go, we’ll be good,” Heide said.
The Wolverines will square off against Panthers at 7 p.m. Friday at Montezuma-Cortez High School.
jmentzer@durangoherald.com
If you go
Who: No. 2 Bayfield at Montezuma-Cortez
What: High school football
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Montezuma-Cortez High School
Listen Live: KLJH 107.1 FM
TWITTER: @jonathanmentzer
