BAYFIELD - Dominant defense and a change of pace on offense sent the Bayfield Wolverines to a lopsided season-opening win Friday.
Bayfield High School, the second-ranked team in Colorado’s Class 2A, opened up a 6-0 lead after one quarter Friday night at Wolverine Country Stadium in Bayfield. The San Juan Broncos of Blanding, Utah, couldn’t keep up when Bayfield’s offense went to its speed package in the second quarter, and the Wolverines charged to a 26-0 halftime lead.
The onslaught continued in the second half behind Bayfield’s traditionally tough defense en route to a 39-0 win.
“We started off a bit slow, but it was our first game,” said BHS senior lineman Ryan Phelps. “They were already a game into it. Last year, we lost 19-0 to these guys. Winning 39-0 is a lot better.”
Bayfield (1-0) attempted to get its passing game going early in the game and saw mixed results. Bruising junior running back David Hawkins ran into a wall up the middle early on against the Broncos (0-2). When head coach Gary Heide put the team’s speed package on the field, the Wolverines marched down the field with ease the rest of the second quarter.
Keyon Prior opened the scoring with a 21-yard run up the middle late in the first quarter to give Bayfield a 6-0 lead. One possession after a Bayfield fumble on a pitch from quarterback Hayden Farmer, the Wolverines marched 61 yards in six plays and scored on an 11-yard run by Hunter Killough to make it 13-0.
Only 1 minute, 13 seconds later, Bayfield was back in the end zone on a 30-yard touchdown run from Carl Heide. Bayfield tacked on one more score with 2:28 to go in the first half on a 55-yard touchdown pass from Farmer to Prior to cap off a three-play, 73-yard drive.
Bayfield went right back to work in the third quarter, this time with Hawkins finding a groove running the ball in the power package. Heide scored on another 15-yard run to make it 33-0 with 10:53 to go in the third quarter.
“We had the defense off-guard,” Carl Heide said. “Our line was firing off, blocked everyone and gave us wide open holes for everyone.”
Heide intercepted a pass from San Juan quarterback Corbin Palmer on Bayfield’s six-yard line, and the Wolverines marched 94 yards behind Hawkins and a 36-yard touchdown run by sophomore Dylan Hilliker. The extra-point attempt by new kicker Chris Mooney was blocked for the second time in the game, preventing the clock from running with the 40-point mercy rule with 3:46 to go in the third quarter.
Phelps, Kirk Malone and Cole Wood struck fear into the San Juan offense. Phelps had three sacks, three pass deflections and an interception late in the second quarter when a ball ricocheted off a San Juan player, a referee and into his arms.
“Coach (Frank) Hawkins always teaches us to get our hands up on the line and block any pass you can,” Phelps said. “We knew their QB threw it quick and we couldn’t sack him a whole bunch, so we had to get our hands up.”
Wood was in on another sack, and Wyatt Killinen and Hawkins also had a sack each. Killough amassed 14 tackles.
Dawson Heide recovered a fumble for the Wolverines, and Killough added an interception of his own in the fourth quarter.
San Juan had only six yards of total offense in the first half and didn’t move the ball in the second half until the Wolverines’ second-string defenders entered the game. Palmer finished 9-of-34 passing with three interceptions.
Hawkins finished with 110 yards rushing on 17 carries. As a team, the Wolverines rushed for 298 yards. Carl Heide totaled 61 yards and two touchdowns. Prior had two touchdowns and 95 yards of total offense.
“I’ve got so many athletes this year, hopefully I’m wise enough to use them all effectively,” Gary Heide said. “Sometimes I’ve got so many of them, not everybody is gonna get the ball 10 times a half. We have to spread it out, and the guys took advantage when they got their chance.”
Farmer finished 6-of-15 passing for 128 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, both hauled in by San Juan’s Shay Laws.
Coach Heide would like to see the offense clean up a few fumbles on errant pitches as well as a few dropped passes before next week.
Bayfield will welcome Bloomfield at 1 p.m. Sept. 2 in its next game.
“Chapter No. 2 next week,” coach Heide said. “I told the guys, we’re going to have mistakes, but we have to clean it up. I’m not giving up on anyone for a dropped pass or a bad pass. They’re all going to make plays.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
