Playoff football’s return to Bayfield also has brought back another tradition: blond hair dye.
A collection of BHS juniors and seniors dyed their hair blond to mark the Wolverines’ selection for the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A Football State Championships.
It’s a custom also followed by the wrestling team that the football team wasn’t able to enjoy last season.
“It’s fine, as long as we all agree on one thing,” BHS head coach Gary Heide said of the dye jobs. “They did that before I got here, and I just keep letting them do it. It helps that it’s one of our school colors.”
No. 9 BHS will play No. 8 Faith Christian at 1 p.m. Saturday in Arvada in the first round of the state playoffs.
The Wolverines missed last year’s postseason but qualified this year with an identical 5-4 record but significantly more wild-card points than in 2013.
“The kids are excited and want to play another game. They’re real proud of what they’ve earned,” Heide said. “We want to play week by week and extend the season another week.”
Faith Christian (7-2) finished second in the Colorado League, earning an automatic berth. The Eagles have won five out of their last six games but finished 3-2 at home this season.
In their two losses, Faith Christian’s opponents ran the ball well and only turned the ball over once.
No. 2 Kent Denver, who will play No. 15 La Junta in the first round, and No. 14 Florence, who drew No. 3 Strasburg, averaged 284 yards on the ground in their victories. Both teams featured a primary ballcarrier that received most of the touches and several other auxiliary backs to change the pace.
That plays directly into Bayfield’s strength.
BHS junior Zane Phelps leads the Wolverines’ ground attack with 1,195 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s also caught 18 passes during the year for 211 yards and three touchdowns as Bayfield’s leading receiver.
BHS junior Brody McGhehey and BHS senior Colter McMenimen have stepped up in recent weeks, though, to take some of the heat off Phelps.
“The level of athlete we have in our skill positions is so equal,” Heide said. “The best part about it is when you run your offense, you run your system. You don’t have to worry about who’s getting the ball, who’s not getting the ball.”
They’ll be facing an Eagles’ defense, though, that allows just more than 11 points per game with three shutouts on the season.
Offensively, Faith Christian brings balance to the line of scrimmage.
The Eagles have run for 2,294 yards this year propelled by five ballcarriers with more than 200 yards this season, but junior quarterback Adam Buchmann also has thrown for 816 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“Across the board, they’ve got great athletes. We’re going to have to execute our game to perfection to beat them,” Heide said. “We have to execute all of our assignments every play practically perfect. We have to try to be perfect.”
Saturday will be the third time BHS has matched up with Faith Christian in the postseason in the last five years.
Each team won once in the previous two matchups.
Bayfield’s position in the postseason wasn’t certain until the brackets were announced.
The Wolverines endured two different two-game losing streaks and needed a win in their final regular-season game to secure a playoff berth.
“We’ve had ups and downs this year, more than anything they’ve battled through it and got to a point where they’ve earned something to be proud of,” Heide said. “Just like the last couple weeks, it’s do or die.”
kgrabowski@ durangoherald.com
