Bayfield football head coach Jason Wenzlau was, overall, pleased with his team’s effort after the Wolverines got their 2025 season underway this past Friday with a 38-0 rout of visiting Aztec, – even if it wasn’t as perfect as he’d have preferred.
Or, given the multiple scuffles after several plays, as disciplined.
“Aztec, they’re always a little chippy … so I tried to reel (the Wolverines) back in,” Wenzlau said. “But I’m proud of the boys; they put a goose egg on the scoreboard. We had some people missing in certain quarters but … in the second half we got some backup players in to get a little bit of experience, and that’s always a good thing to do.”
Particularly after lead running back Tyler Harriman was lost during the first quarter to a serious left shoulder injury, after topping 130 yards on only five carries – including a 69-yard score on BHS’ first offensive play this fall. Fortunately, sophomore Max Johnston and senior Keegan Johnston were able to not only shoulder the workload, but each also scored a touchdown – taking pressure off first-time quarterback Kaiden Witte, a senior, who did hit sophomore Harrison Williams for a 17-yard TD.
“I feel like I could always do better; I’d give myself probably like a five out of 10 because there’s room for improvement,” said Max Johnston. “We’d been practicing for a month, a lot of effort has been put into this team, and I just thought I should go out there and perform as well as what we should have done. We could have done way better, but we still won.”
Going on the road for the first time in ’25 this Friday, Bayfield (1-0 overall, will especially look against 3A Gallup for more precise passing; Witte and second-half switch Cole McWhirter, BHS’ starter in 2024, were intercepted a total of three times by AHS junior Lorenzo Lucero.
BHS, meanwhile, picked off AHS quarterbacks twice (senior Estevan Gonzales, junior James Sandoval) and nearly had two more in the rout, which actually ended with Tiger Joseph Martin completing a 31-yard pass down to Bayfield’s 8-yard line – and thus reminded Wenzlau’s squad that the job wasn’t yet done.
“Lot of things to work on,” said Wenzlau. “We’ll work on the line this week, improve our pass blocking and improve our run blocking, but after not having a (preseason) scrimmage I’m pretty proud of the boys, you know? They toughed it out – I think we’re going to be a scary team at some point this year.”
Expect the Wolverines to concentrate on applying as much pressure to GHS’ quarterback(s) as they did to Aztec’s and hopefully keep the Bengals’ offense off the field as long as possible while not overlooking a team they’d thrashed 67-0 last year inside Wolverine Country Stadium.
Hoping for their first season with two or more wins since 2019, Gallup this past week regrouped and, after season-opening blowout losses at 2A Tuba City, Arizona, and at home to in-state 4A foe Silver, Gallup put together a 40-24 victory (only GHS’ fourth since, and including the COVID-19 pandemic-delayed/shortened 2020 campaign) on the Sept. 5 at Newcomb (1-2 overall)
Kickoff between the Bengals and Wolverines at Angelo DiPaolo Memorial Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
BOBCATS BACK FROM BYE: Returning to action this Friday after a welcome week off to reload in the wake of turnover-wracked, but high-scoring nonconference losses to Denver Manual (62-36) and at Cedaredge (50-22), Ignacio will welcome Olathe to IHS Field on Friday for a 7 p.m. start.
“They’re going to be tough,” head coach Jake Nossaman said before departing CHS. “I know they had a growing group (in 2024) so we’ve definitely got our work cut out for us. We’re going to go after it.”
OHS (2-0 overall) will be away from Wilson Field for the first time this fall, having defeated both Del Norte and Center at home by a combined 41-12 margin.
The Pirates will have to contend with not only the running of the proven senior Lincoln deKay and promising junior Brandon Blevins, but a potent aerial attack powered by quarterback Zane Pontine and receiver Gabe Archuleta. The two seniors already have nearly 20 connections this season, gaining the Bobcats (0-2 overall) more than 200 yards.
