BHS boys cut down net at end-of-year banquet

Thursday, Apr 23, 2015 1:53 PM

With his team behind him, following a ceremonial cutting down of one net, Bayfield head coach Jeff Lehnus presents onlookers inside BHS Gymnasium the one-off Class 3A State Championships sixth-place plaque made for the Wolverine boys' varsity to recognize and memorialize its sixth-place finish up in Golden this season. It was the program's best postseason result in nearly 30 years. The gathering inside BHS Gymnasium brought to a close the night's end-of-season banquet dinner/celebration.

PHOTOS BY JOEL PRIEST

Bayfield senior Conner Kennedy chooses his strand of net carefully before making the separating cuts Monday night inside BHS Gymnasium as part of Wolverine Boys' Basketball's end-of-year banquet dinner/celebration. He and the other varsity players were afforded the opportunity to cut down one of the nets inside their home venue in recognition of this season's incredible sixth-place finish at the Class 3A state championships in Golden.

Bayfield senior Preston Hardy, right hand still on the mend, puts the scissors to the net.

When not flipping through the meticulously-arranged, full-color pages of a hard-cover, commemorative photo book-assembled by Kelly Gabbard, mother of senior guard Trevor-the Wolverine boys wrote the final chapter of a spectacular, and also improbable 2014-15 basketball season Monday night.

"It was a roller-coaster ride, to say the least!" head coach Jeff Lehnus told a packed BHS Cafetorium at the team's end-of-year banquet. "You achieve something like this.after 30 years, it deserves a little extra attention."

And a little extra emotion as well.

"I told you guys back in mid-school, I want you to have as much fun as I did," assistant coach-and player on the previous Bayfield squad to reach the 'Great Eight'-Trent Phelps, father of freshman forward Ryan, said to the team while struggling to hold back some elated tears.

Senior center Preston Hardy was announced as having received First Team All-Intermountain League distinction, as well as First Team CHSAA Academic All-State. All 5 winning academic honors were Trevor Gabbard, senior guards Conner Kennedy and Matthew Knickerbocker, and junior guard Taed Heydinger.

Senior guard/forward Dillon Hoselton received Honorable Mention Academic All-State as well as the team's Hard/Smart/Fun/Together Award, while Hardy was announced as a recipient of a $500 scholarship from the Durango Basketball Officials Association.

"You had to fight for those two weeks you enjoyed," said assistant coach Jacob Posey, in reference to BHS' amazing wins over Federal Heights The Pinnacle and Eaton at regionals in the Denver Metro Area, and resulting 1-2 run and sixth-place finish at the Class 3A State Championships in Golden. "Remember how hard you had to fight for that!" he stated.

"I hope they walk away with quite a bit," Lehnus said. "From Day 1 they believed they were capable of going to the state tournament."

And hoping to instill a desire in his squad to return next year, Lehnus ultimately asked everyone in attendance to end the night by taking a quick walk down the hallway and into BHS Gymnasium to watch the Wolverine players ceremonially sever free one net for the trophy case, with Hardy making the first cuts and reserve Fred Edwards the last-officially closing the 'book' on a 14-12 campaign.

While Hardy was the only Wolverine honored with a league award, the girls' Wolverine counterpart is Jessie Roukema, who was named honorable mention to the IML girls' team.