In the mix for the Intermountain League title last fall, Bayfield volleyball might have enough to take it in 2025.
“There was a little shift but not a big one,” longtime head coach Terene Foutz said, discussing how much talent will return for BHS Volleyball this season. “Out of 36 (total) players we graduated four, and we have over 30 returning kids … and a strong, senior-loaded group.”
Foutz thinks the team is as deep as its been in a long time. The Wolverines have seven seniors with five who are on their third year of varsity.
Though the absence of graduated regulars Tanna Owens, Christiana Sutherlin, Kambrie Byrd and Audrey Knapp might be felt a bit in the new campaign’s early goings, the presence of seniors Avery Shipman (setter), Grace Barber (middle), Evelette Hollibaugh (middle/outside), Lauren Rich (libero) and others will quickly make friend, foe and fan focus primarily on the Wolverines’ pursuit of not only a league crown, but a return to the CHSAA class 3A state championships – where BHS’ 2024 season ended with a four-set loss to Lamar and five-set loss to IML rival Centauri.
“We have a lot to prove,” Foutz said. “I feel that to become the league champion in the IML, the past couple years, has really started to mean something. I talked to my team this week … and that’s on our mind; we’re not overlooking anybody or anything … as we’re looking for an IML run this year.”
Along with Bayfield, Centauri and Alamosa also made the state tournament last year from the IML. Foutz isn’t assuming anything about the IML as she thinks it’s evolving in a great way.
Bayfield (16-11 overall, 5-3 IML in ’24) will get underway at roughly 2 p.m. Saturday at home against Delta (11-14, 6-6 4A Western Slope in ’24), then host Durango on the 26th at 6:15 p.m., with DHS (10-15, 3-7 4A/5A Southwestern) having logged multiple season-opening matches out in St. George, Utah, at Dixie’s 8/22-23 Fly High Tournament.
BHS’ initial homestand then continues on the 29th when Montrose (18-10, 8-2 SWL in ’24; 1-2 at the 4A state championships) comes to town, relatively fresh after beginning play Aug. 26 against Gypsum-based Eagle Valley.
“Three good teams so, it’s going to be a big challenge,” Foutz said. “But, we’re fortunate to go through a big storm like that at home; we’re grateful for that. There’s a lot to learn, and because we are speeding up, there’s a management piece with how fast is too fast, in terms of risk. So win or lose, we’ll be working on our competitive attention span to compete across multiple points, and this group’s … working very hard in the gym right now. Our hope’s to capitalize on that.”
The Wolverines’ first away action will come Sept. 6, out in Monument at the Lewis-Palmer Invitational, and Intermountain work will begin on the 9th (6:30 p.m.) at Montezuma-Cortez. BHS’ first league match at home, and a biggie at that, is set for the 11th (6:15 p.m.) against reigning IML ruler Alamosa.
“Our senior group is very, very good at bringing players along with them; they’re eager for team success and so I think whoever rises as our captains will earn it,” said Foutz. “We did not graduate any first-contact ball-handlers, so our (defensive specialist) ‘team’ is four deep. We have a returning setter who was Honorable Mention All-League, we have two returning middles, three returning pin hitters …. We really are picking up where we left off, and that’s an exciting thing.”
