The best thing that can be said about Bayfield Middle School football on Saturday was the players did not give up.
That wasn't enough, however, against the Miller Middle School Angels in the middle school league district championship. Miller won the A team competition 15-6, while the B team game was much further apart at 44-14.
The A team, comprised of Bayfield eighth grade players, was undefeated this season. That record looked as if it might continue when the team scored a touchdown in the first quarter as Kobe Prior carried the ball in on the Durango High School field. The Angels responded a short while later with a touchdown and kicked extra point, and the score was 7-6, remaining that way through the fourth quarter. Then Miller scored another touchdown and made a two-point conversion, finalizing the game at 15-6.
On offense, Bayfield had strong performances from Marco Evangalista, quarterback Isaac Ross, Cael Schaeffer and Simon Schneider. Tristan French made a long carry through the middle to set up Bayfield's only touchdown.
Those players also made several blocks and tackles, as well, along with Braxton Nistler, Dylan Aragon and Prior.
Also playing this year on the A team were Caleb Lake, Aurelious Diamond, Levi Pribble, Raygan Gosney, Elyas Coleman, Andrew Peacock, Kade Smith, Carter Rohlf, Cameron Palmer and Ben Morris.
The seventh-grade B team was 4-2 for the season. On Saturday, they worked to overcome a 14-0 deficit against the Angels in the first half, coming as close as 14-8. Bayfield's first touchdown was run in by Cooper Williamson. Quarterback Lance Mazur threw a quick connect to Deegan Barnes for the two-point conversion.
Bayfield's offense never really congealed, however, and the score was 20-8 at halftime. Miller made three more touchdowns, while Bayfield had only one more, on another Mazur pass to Barnes.
Bayfield's defense worked hard, as Caden Wood, Daniel Scheider, Williamson, Jayden Vagneur, Noah Chamblee, Barnes and James Floyd racked up tackles and blocks. Wood also recovered a fumbled ball from the Angels, one of the few turnovers in the game.
Other players on the team are Keyton Cugnini, Michael Merritt, Andrew Russell, Byron Pringle, Brett Hayden, Ethan Spady, Sam Petersen, Judd Stayley, Jace Carmeneros, Dylan Russell, Silas Wilbourn and Kaden Valencia.
