BLANDING - Victimized the previous evening by the inside intimidation displayed by San Juan junior forward Delaney Palmer in Blanding, the road-ready Wolverines weren't about to let another top gun call the shots as they returned to Utah Saturday for an afternoon start in Monticello.
Palmer paced the 3A Broncos to a 58-41 win with her game-high 25 points. On Saturday, Monticello senior guard Tymbr Black heated up with 12 first-half points before BHS froze her out after intermission, allowing her just one basket as the visitors erased a 12-point, third-quarter deficit. Bayfield won the final quarter by a 20-9 margin and pulled out a 46-42 win over the 1A Buckaroos.
Reliant upon senior guard Tymbree Florian (14 points at SJHS), sophomore guard Brooke Merchant (11 at SJHS) and sophomore center Macee Schultz (8 at SJHS) the previous evening, Bayfield had new leadership emerge against Monticello with sophomores Aubree Farmer (10) and Cayanne Carlson (9) leading the way offensively.
All told, nine different Wolverines scored, compared to six in Blanding.
For Monticello, Black finished with a reported 14 points to lead all, while junior guard Rianna Shumway booked 11.
Senior forward Journey Baird chipped in six and senior guard Tristen Esplin five but MHS dropped to 2-5.
BHS (2-4) will pause for the holiday break before beginning 3A Intermountain League playon Jan. 11 at home versus Alamosa. Tipoff is currently set for 5:30 p.m.
