In an easier-than-expected home game, Bayfield High School clinched the Intermountain League title for the second year in a row, blowing the Alamosa Mean Moose out of the game 44-0.
At the end of the Senior Day game, the team dedicated their win to Troy Zabel, superintendent of the Bayfield School District. Team members held a "ZabelStrong" banner up in honor of the district head, who is fighting brain cancer, as they thanked the crowd for their support during the regular season.
Scoring started early for BHS, with quarterback Josh Westbrook getting the ball to Brian Mashak for the first touchdown. Westbrook then ran in the next touchdown from about a yard out.
David Hawkins muscled in the next two touchdowns, the first being a two-yard run, but the second was a 39-yard streak down the field.
That ended the first half for the Wolverines 31-0.
Sophomore Hayden Farmer came in to quarterback in the third quarter, throwing a 14-yard pass to Carl Heide for the team's sixth touchdown. The final touchdown of the game was a 30-yard pass by Farmer to Mashak. With a lead of more than 40 points, the mercy rule went into effect toward the end of the fourth quarter, ending the shutout of the Mean Moose.
While the offense kept the Mean Moose busy, hard hitting by the Wolverine defenders sealed the BHS victory.
"That offensive line keeps getting better and better," Head Coach Gary Heide said after the game on KLJH radio. Cole Wood, Sam Westbrook and Hunter Killough had top performances on the offensive line and also on defense, Heide noted.
BHS will host the first game of post-season play at home Saturday, tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. The Wolverines will find out who their opponent is on Sunday.
