Hunter Killough rushed for four touchdowns and caught another, Hayden Farmer passed for four scores, and the Bayfield High School football team blew past Montezuma-Cortez 56-12.
The Wolverines (6-0, 2-0 2A Intermountain League) had no trouble in their second consecutive road game to open league play. The Saturday trip to Cortez started with a flurry of Bayfield scores, and the Wolverines led 21-0 after the opening 8½ minutes of play.
Montezuma-Cortez (1-4, 0-2 IML) found limited success offensively on short passes to wide receivers running slant routes toward the middle of the field, and quarterback Ike Dennison completed two touchdown passes – one to Cole Herrmann and another to Vinny Conklin. But the Bayfield defense largely held the Panthers in check the rest of the way thanks to several sacks, a relentless pass rush, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
“The defense gave us a short field a bunch and we were able to take advantage of that,” BHS head coach Gary Heide said. “They have some talented athletes and got us with the slant patterns, but we have great pass rushers and teams have to account for all of our D-linemen. That’s why so many passes were errant, because of our pass rush.”
BHS opened the scoring early with a 36-yard TD run from Killough. Minutes later, Farmer hit Dawson Heide on a 53-yard TD pass to give the Wolverines a 14-0 lead.
The Panthers never recovered the ensuing kickoff, and Snooks fell on the ball on the Panthers’ 14-yard-line and gave the ball back to the
Wolverines. One play later, Farmer hit Dax Snooks for a TD pass, the first of two connections for Farmer and Snooks in the game.
After Killough intercepted Dennison on the next Cortez drive, Bayfield again looked like it would score before a Carl Heide fumble was recovered by the Panthers. Cortez took over on its own 8-yard-line but went three-and-out for the fourth time in the first quarter and punted back to the Wolverines.
As the Wolverines again looked to score, Farmer was intercepted on the 5-yard line. One play later, Cortez fumbled back to Bayfield, as Isaac Lorenzen recovered the ball on the Panthers’ 1-yard line. One play later, Killough was in the end zone on a run. A 2-point conversion was good by Garrett Beebe, and BHS led 29-0 with 9 minutes to play in the first half.
Cortez finally got its offense going with big pass plays, and Dennison hit Herrmann on a 6-yard TD pass to cut the BHS lead to 29-6 before halftime. Bayfield’s David Hawkins blocked the extra point try.
Out of the break, BHS again marched down the field and scored on a Killough 6-yard TD run to extend the lead to 36-6.
Dawson Heide came up with an interception of Dennison on the next Cortez drive, but Bayfield again fumbled the ball back to the Panthers. Dennison then hit Conklin on a 1-yard TD pass after finding Cordell Baer on a big pass play to set up the score. The 2-point try was no good, leaving the score at 36-12 and wouldn’t score again.
BHS added a touchdown on a 9-yard TD pass from Farmer to Snooks – the duos ninth TD connection of the season. Killough scored again on an 11-yard run, and Killough capped off the scoring with an 11-yard TD reception from Farmer.
“Our offensive line made gaping holes,” coach Heide said. “They set the edge, and we knew we could run off-tackle, and that happened.”
Chris Mooney made all six of his extra-point attempts for the Wolverines, a promising sign for a team with state title aspirations.
“When it comes to the playoffs, those mean a lot,” coach Heide said. “It’s a good confidence builder for him and us as a coaching staff to know, ‘OK, we can get those extra points for every touchdown.’ That’s huge in a playoff game.”
BHS will return home at 7 p.m. Friday against Pagosa Springs. Montezuma-Cortez will travel to face Delta at 7 p.m. Thursday with a tough turnaround on only four days rest.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
