Bayfield showed no rust in its season opener last week at Farmington. Now, the defending Colorado Class 2A state champion football team has another business trip, this time to Utah.
The Wolverines, the top-ranked team in 2A, will take on the San Juan High School Broncos at 7 a.m. Friday in Blanding, Utah. BHS had no trouble in a 54-13 win last week against a New Mexico Class 5A opponent, and now they will face a storied Class 2A school in San Juan that has a rich history of going deep into Utah’s postseason.
San Juan (1-1) has already played two games this season. The Broncos opened with a 56-13 loss at South Summit but rebounded with a 47-0 thumping of regional rival Monticello.
“They’ve got two games, but we’ve got one now, so I think we’ll be OK,” BHS head coach Gary Heide said after last week’s win at Farmington.
The Broncos and Wolverines (1-0) have clashed numerous times in recent years. BHS won last year’s game in Bayfield 39-0. But a year earlier, the Wolverines fell 19-0 in Utah. “The guys remember that loss a couple of years ago,” Heide said. “We can’t be complacent and we have to be consistent or else those things can happen to you.”
BHS was anything but complacent last week. The defense had five interceptions in the first half, and David Hawkins and Keyon Prior each returned one for a touchdown.
Hayden Farmer went 6-of-14 passing for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He overthrew a few receivers, and Heide is looking forward to his senior quarterback settling into the season and connecting on many more opportunities down the field.
Junior Dylan Hilliker led the team with 93 rushing yards on only six carries. He broke a 73-yard touchdown run. Hawkins added 73 rushing yards and one score on 17 carries, and Prior rushed for 66 yards and another touchdown on only six carries.
James Mottin led BHS with 61 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Prior also had three catches for 46 yards.
Daniel Westbrook and Hawkins each had 10 tackles to lead the Wolverines’ potent defense. The team had six sacks, with two each from Isaac Lorenzen and Westbrook.
San Juan boasts a balanced offense behind senior quarterback Corbin Palmer. He has passed for 360 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions this season. He has completed 20-of-42 pass attempts. Palmer is also third on the team with 55 rushing yards. Shaw Nielson is the team’s top receiver. He has seven catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He also has run for a team-high 67 yards.
“We’re looking forward to going up there,” Prior said after last week’s win. “We remember the loss up there a couple of years ago. We will definitely be ready to go.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
If you go
Who:
Bayfield at San Juan
What:
High school football
When:
7 p.m. Friday
Where:
Blanding, Utah
Listen Live:
KPTE 92.9 FM; KLJH 107.1 FM
Twitter:
@jlivi2
