Talk about saving the best for last.
Eclipsing their previous single-game high offensively, the Bayfield girls’ basketball team wrapped up regular-season play Saturday by crushing Creede 59-24 inside BHS Gymnasium.
Playing her final basketball game before her home crowd, senior Alaysia Kremer exploded for six points in the first quarter and nine more in the second and eventually scored as many points by herself, 24, as the Miners did collectively.
Fellow saluted seniors Abria Thayer (3 points) and Cindi Varnell (2 points) also made the evening one to remember.
Junior Genesis Barrera went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line and racked up 16 points, while sophomore Renae Foutz also reached double figures with 10. Juniors Maddie Mead and Michelle Kirk each chipped in two points, and all 10 of Lauren Moran’s uniformed players received minutes.
Bayfield led 18-2 after one quarter and, despite the guests’ awakening in the second, raced into halftime up 33-15. The Wolverines (5-14 overall, 0-10 3A/4A Intermountain) then put the nonleague contest well out of reach in the third quarter, outscoring CHS 16-1.
Junior Jalen Laing led Creede (7-11, 2-4 1A Southern Peaks) with seven points, four coming during the fourth quarter. Freshman Jasmin Laing scored five points, going 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, while freshman Lila Fairchild, senior Eliana Jerabek and senior Jaden Twite each contributed four points.
All told, the Miners went 8-of-16 from the charity stripe and did not make a 3-point basket. BHS went 8-of-12 from the free-throw line while Kremer sunk a 3-pointer during the second quarter.
“Our girls can work hard, work together. We just have to find ways to be able to connect with one another and not be frustrated,” Kremer said earlier this season. “When we get caught up in our own frustration, we then play not as well. Once we get that out, we play 10 times better.”
CHS was to next see action Tuesday, hosting Lake City in SPL District Tournament play. Seeded fifth for 3A IML District Tournament action, Bayfield was to travel to 4-seed Montezuma-Cortez on Tuesday for a play-in against the Panthers (4-14, 2-8 IML).
The Bayfield at M-CHS winner advances to the Intermountain’s bracket phase to face hosting No. 1-seed Centauri (17-2, 10-0) on Feb. 23 in La Jara. Seeded second, Ignacio (10-9, 4-6) will that same evening battle No. 3-seed Crested Butte (13-6 overall), brought in from the 3A/2A Southern Peaks for postseason play as part of CHSAA’s altered basketball alignments this winter.
