Losing eight of nine, following a 16-10 win at Alamosa in the second half of an April 13 doubleheader, probably wasn’t how the Bayfield Wolverines, regardless of youth, envisioned their 2024 baseball season ending.
The teams defeating BHS down the stretch, however, were far from slack:
Montrose finished 14-10 (4-4 in the 4A/5A Southwestern League) overall, while Blanding, Utah, San Juan went 10-2 in UHSAA 2A East play and ended up 20-8. Bloomfield, New Mexico, went 10-0 in NMAA Dist. 1-4A action and finished 19-6.
Then there were Bayfield’s own 3A Intermountain opponents – particularly Pagosa Springs and Montezuma-Cortez. Like the Wolverines (7-15 overall), PSHS finished 4-4 in IML play and, after receiving the CHSAA Class 3A State Tournament’s initial No. 28 seed and a spot in the Region V bracket for the beginning Round-of-32, ended up 11-11 after promptly losing 13-3 in six innings at No. 5-seed Coal Ridge.
Seeded 12th, IML champ M-CHS also traveled up to the New Castle area for CRHS’ regional. Able to oust 21-seed Gilcrest Valley 8-7, the Panthers’ hopes of returning to Greeley for Great Eight action were then dashed, 13-3 in six, by the hosting Titans.
But after M-CHS’ elimination votes for an All-Intermountain Team were tallied, and Bayfield wasn’t left wanting.
Shortstop/third baseman Tavian Box, junior pitcher/second baseman Austin Wilmer and senior pitcher/infielder Brandon Anderson were each named First Team All-IML.
“Tavian, just being a sophomore …. Last year he put up good numbers, but he kind of fell in as a ‘role’ player,” head coach Clay Miller said. Like…he played a big part, but didn’t have to be the leader. But I think this year he really knew he had to be the guy that was going to do stuff if we were going to win games. He really stepped up in that facet.”
Miller also credited Wilmer with stepping up into a new position after only five innings on varsity last year.
Anderson was one of only two seniors on former Wolverine Miller’s first official varsity roster and along with Box, was announced Thursday morning as an Honorable Mention All-3A selection.
“He’s not scared of the big moment, gave us 30 quality innings…had some of the best numbers on the team,” Miller said. “He was never scared of the big moment. Definitely one of the reasons I stuck around to coach; kids like that don’t come around very often.”
M-CHS sophomore shortstop/third baseman/pitcher Cory Carver was named IML Player of the Year and was a First Team selection along with junior outfielder/pitcher Seth Oakes, sophomore pitcher/catcher/shortstop Darren Daves, sophomore outfielder/utility player Parker Conrad and sophomore first baseman/pitcher Jaris McDonald. Carver, Daves and Oakes also received Honorable Mention All-3A nods.
Pagosa Springs senior catcher Hunter Pouyer, junior shortstop Christopher Young-Martinez, senior pitcher Riley Laugel (Honorable Mention All-3A) and sophomore outfielder Zach Pouyer were First Team All-League, while new boss Ben Garcia was voted Coach of the Year as the Pirates improved from 10-14 (2-6 IML) in 2023, and scored Springs’ first win over BHS since 2015.
Honorable Mention All-IML went to Bayfield junior OF/3B/P Micah Cornelia, M-CHS freshman OF/C/P Easton Pixler and PSHS junior catcher Kyler Henderson.
“Micah’s a gamer; he gets out there and he wants to win,” Miller said. “This year he moved to a new position he’d never really played, so his first year at third base was pretty danged good. He was on it all the time.”
