You’d have to hand it to Autumn Settles. As the only Dolores girls basketball starter to make a field goal through three quarters of the Bears’ game Tuesday evening, the sophomore’s answer to what was probably the play of the contest ended up being DHS’ best hope to begin a needed rally. Unfortunately, that rally wouldn’t be enough as Bayfield prevailed, 43-22.
Bayfield improved to 2-1 overall with the win while Dolores fell to 2-6 overall with the loss.
That highlight play was a perfect look-away pass from Bayfield sophomore guard Kimball Anderson to senior Renae Foutz, finishing a textbook fast break. Settles’ 15-foot buzzer-beater at the end of the first half brought the guests back to 18-9 but ultimately couldn’t slow the Wolverine’s momentum.
The Wolverines didn’t slow down entering the third quarter, intercepting numerous Dolores passes and turning several into fast-break baskets. BHS outscored DHS 20-4 and entered the final frame comfortably ahead, 38-13.
The Bears goaded Bayfield into committing six fouls during the fourth quarter but went just 3-of-8 from the free-throw line as the Wolverines cruised to a victory.
“They pointed it out: Let’s take the easy ones and if they’re not there, let’s make some ball rotations and then we’ll get easy ones,” Bayfield head coach Ben Martinez said about his players’ vision. “So they’re recognizing what’s open and what’s not, which is a real positive. We were pleased with how they executed the offense.”
Foutz finished with a game-high 18 points and sophomore Vivien Clance contributed 11, with nine takeaway-fueled points coming after halftime.
“We’re picking up our intensity on defense, getting some ball pressure so we can get some steals on the pass,” Martinez said. “But we still have a lot to work on, a lot of hustle … and rebounding, rebounding, rebounding.”
Settles finished with a team-best 11 points in defeat for Dolores in the team’s last outing before the imminent holiday break.
Having swept the season series against DHS, Bayfield had little time to celebrate with three scheduled games at the Rye Invitational looming starting on Thursday.
Bobcats victorious: After going 1-1 at Center’s 2024 C-Town Showdown (Dec. 13-14), with a 43-30 win over Blanca-based Sierra Grande and a 44-35 loss to the hosting Vikings, Ignacio’s girls hit the road again on Tuesday for a nonleague game at Crested Butte Community School.
Senior DaLaney Wesner pumped in a team-high 16 points, nine during the fourth quarter and senior Marissa Olguin totaled 15 points (14 during the second half) as the Bobcats left victorious, 53-19. Juliann Avila also reached double figures for IHS (3-1 overall) by tallying 10 points.
Olguin drained two 3-pointers, while Wesner, Avila and Martinez each sank one as Ignacio led 12-3 after the first quarter and 24-10 at halftime. Crested Butte (2-3 overall) managed to keep pace in the third quarter but began the fourth trailing 34-17.
Junior Molly Miller paced the Titans in defeat with 13 points.
Travis Nanaeto’s Bobcats are scheduled to compete this weekend in Aztec’s three-day Rumble in The Jungle, with their first game scheduled against 4A Belen, N.M.
