Throughout the 2025-26 season, Bayfield High School girls basketball head coach Ben Martinez has rarely hesitated, nor has been short of praise when describing his developing varsity’s willingness to learn on the job.
Then pick themselves up and go through it again. Visiting Ignacio had to fight hard for an early lead, but pulled away for the 47-28 win on Thursday.
The 3A Wolverines’ resolve had fans filling BHS Gymnasium experiencing a newfound optimism as the team dug its collective heels in for a second 3A/4A Intermountain League rumble with 3A Ignacio. Two baskets by sophomore forward Grace Brown helped Bayfield hang with Travis Nanaeto’s speedy Lady Bobcats through the opening eight minutes, though the visitors, helped by a quick-draw 3-pointer by freshman guard/forward Justina Jessepe, still owned a 9-7 edge.
Beyond eager to recover from a torturous 91-9 loss to 3A Centauri this past Saturday in La Jara, Bayfield tried pressing harder in the second quarter, only to find IHS able to push back and increase the lead to 15-8 via senior guard Alyssa Atencio’s end-to-end take with 4:09 left.
Martinez used a timeout, but the Wolverines could manage just a Brown free throw against 2-point shots by Ignacio senior Juliann Avila and junior Maliyah Martinez, plus junior Aubree Lucero’s 3-pointer coming with roughly two minutes remaining until intermission – which began with IHS up 22-9 and well on track to an eventual road win.
Stopping a five-game slide following their last victory – recorded Jan. 22 inside IHS Gymnasium over Bayfield, the Bobcats (4-14 overall, 2-6 IML) survived BHS’ third-quarter rally, fueled by singular threes courtesy freshman forward Macy Robinette and junior guard Kimball Anderson, and entered the fourth quarter up 34-19.
Back-to-back treys by Martinez and Lucero then rebuilt Ignacio’s lead to 44-23 and effectively put the game out of reach for the Wolverines (3-16 overall, 0-9 IML).
Lucero (1-2 FT) totaled a game-high 13 points while Avila logged nine.
Anderson (2-3 FT) matched Brown’s nine points in defeat.
BHS will take a break from the brutal IML grind and travel to non-league 3A Telluride on Feb. 21 for a 12:30 p.m. start. Results from the Wolverines’ Friday home game versus 3A Monte Vista (10-8, 4-4 IML) were unavailable at press time. Ignacio, meanwhile, was to next host CHS (15-3, 8-0) on Friday, then await a visit on Tuesday from 4A Montezuma-Cortez.
