Bayfield High School’s absence from the state football tournament was a short one.
The Wolverines football team qualified for the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A playoffs in the bracket announced Sunday.
BHS (5-4), the No. 9 seed, will play No. 8 Faith Christian at 1 p.m. Saturday in Arvada.
“I think No. 9 was a generous seed for us. They went pretty strongly off the wild card numbers,” BHS head coach Gary Heide said. “I know Faith Christian has a great tradition playing football. We didn’t have to play one of the powerhouse one, two, three teams. I’m really happy eight faces nine.”
Faith Christian went 7-2 this season and finished second in the Colorado League behind No. 2 Kent Denver.
Saturday will be the third time the Eagles and Wolverines have matched up in recent postseasons.
BHS won the most recent meeting between the two teams 18-13 in 2012 in Bayfield en route to a state final four appearance.
Faith Christian got the better of the Wolverines 34-7 in the first round in 2009.
“I know that we wanted to extend our season, that was our goal. Once you get in the tournament, anything can happen,” Heide said. “We’re healthy. I think our psyche is good. We’re hungry to go out and play one more game. We couldn’t ask for more than that.”
Should BHS win, the Wolverines could face No. 1 Brush at home in the second round.
Whichever team does not travel for the first round has to travel in the second round in Colorado, unless both teams traveled, in which case, the higher seed will host.
“Obviously being home in the playoffs is a lot of fun and generates a lot of excitement for the community,” Heide said. “I don’t think that’s a motivational factor. We’d play anywhere.”
The Wolverines are one of three Western Slope South League teams to qualify for the postseason.
League champion Gunnison (8-1) is the No. 5 seed, and Montezuma-Cortez (7-2) earned the No. 7.
Both will host games in the first round.
“I think that’s just a testament to our league in the Western Slope South was really strong this year,” Heide said. “It’d be great for all three of us to go out and get a win, too.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
