CARBONDALE – Despite being one of the coldest matches in program history, Bayfield made its 2022 CHSAA Class 3A State Tournament round-of-32 match Wednesday one of the most its memorable.
“I always say, when people complain about the cold, ‘That’s how you know you’ve made it!’” said BHS head coach Chris Zoltowski in the wake of a season-ending 5-2 loss to defending state champion Roaring Fork. “And they were like, ‘We’re going to have fun and just play.’”
“The game was up in the air a little bit,” said RFHS coach Nick Forbes. “The conditions were not great, and it was pretty cool to see the community come together to make it happen. And to see the effort from the boys, and just their composure ... I think this was the best game we’ve played all season, in terms of connectivity to our system and the way we want to play.”
Ignoring the night’s falling Fahrenheit and Carbondale Middle School’s solidifying natural-grass pitch – cleared of more than 3 inches of snow by a platoon of volunteers, representing both teams – the Wolverines were the main reason why.
Bayfield trailed 4-0 at intermission after Ram senior Bryan Rascon booted a 40-yard free kick, which appeared to glance off a BHS player, past Bayfield goalkeeper Kaedon Rademacher in stoppage time.
BHS, the tournament’s No. 28 seed never lost hope.
Initially denied on a 46th-minute penalty kick by Fork goalie Diego Loya, BHS freshman Ayden Casillas hustled to the rebound and forced the ball over the goal line just before like-minded junior Asher Madonna.
“They were saying that (Casillas) can’t kick it again after it touches the keeper,” Zoltowski said about the goal being briefly disallowed. “But he indeed can; the ref just got confused.”
Roaring Fork junior Josh Hernandez, who netted last season’s title-winning goal, soon rebuilt the hosts’ lead to four goals with a successful 50th-minute PK. Wolverine freshman Zach Hufnagel did all he could to slow Hernandez’s run inside BHS’ 18 before finally being whistled for excessive contact.
Hernandez finished with a hat trick, also scoring in the 17th and 20th minutes on two of junior Foster Hayes’ three assists. The 5-seeded Rams (14-2-0 overall) will next host No. 12 Colorado Springs James Irwin (12-3-1) on Tuesday.
“Josh was injured earlier in the season, so it’s really good for him to come back and score some goals,” Forbes said.
Forbes also expressed elation over seeing playmaker Hayes tend to such trickery.
Ram junior Eli Cohen scored first in the 12th minute with an upper-90 placement to Rademacher’s right off a Hayes pass.
Bayfield (9-4-2 overall) would strike last with Casillas converting a 75th-minute Hufnagel feed.
“Anything’s possible, really,” he said, of BHS’ never-say-die attitude after halftime – leaving mud stains on almost all of the Bayfield’s white jerseys. “If we come together as a team, we can put it in the back of the net.”
“All season long we’ve been talking about learning how to win, being a part of a playoff culture, and to make it through that first half, I was happy; it could have been worse,” Zoltowski said. “We were able to collect our nerves in the locker room, discuss some strategies and it showed. Once (we) settled (our) nerves and got in the game, we had a 2-1 win!”
Unofficially, RFHS outshot the Wolverines 27-6, with a 14-6 shots-on-goal advantage, and also gained four corner kicks to BHS’ one. Rademacher finished with nine saves and Loya four.
“It was cold; my gloves are soaked right now,” Rademacher said. “But it was a really good year. Knowing that’s (my) last game, it’s rough … but there was no better way to end it. No better way.”
“Standing out here, looking at the field, it’s hard – that’s my last game ever,” fellow senior Shaw Foster said. “But I’m glad it’s with this team; I’m glad we played our hearts out – it means a lot.”
“Obviously we’re pretty sad, but I wouldn’t regret anything that we’ve done as a collective the last four years,” said classmate Andrés ‘Andy’ Monger. “They’ve been the best four falls of my life; I love soccer and I love these guys even more.”
“It was an emotional night for sure; the final talk was pretty tough,” Zoltowski said, of his seniors’ lasting impact. “They kind of set the culture of this team; they’ve set the standard of what we expect … for the younger underclassmen, to not let this legacy down, make playoffs an annual thing for (BHS).”
“You know, our team’s going to be very strong,” Casillas said. “I think this season, how we played, it’s going to carry on for the next few years … knowing our full potential and how much better we can be as a group.”
“My hat’s off to Bayfield; all I can say to them is thanks for coming,” Forbes said. “They played a great game, have some good players and they kept fighting to the end.”
