On the eve of the Pine River Rivalry game, set to be played this year more than 60 miles away from the towns of Bayfield and Ignacio, the Bayfield High School boys basketball team made another trip of a similar distance to face the Farmington Scorpions.
It was the first game back from the holiday break for the Wolverines, but it played to a similar tune of the teams’ 2019 slate of games, as BHS lost by double digits for the sixth time in seven games this season, this time 55-37 on Thursday night inside Scorpion Arena on the Farmington High School campus in New Mexico.
“They played us man, and we just couldn’t make shots,” BHS head coach Klint Chandler said. “We didn’t shoot the ball well tonight.”
Bayfield (1-6) got in foul trouble early, and the Scorpions (7-9) took advantage and made 19 free throws in the win.
“That’s what hurt us,” Chandler said. “My two bigs got in foul trouble in the first half, and that put us down a bit.”
The Wolverines trailed 21-12 at halftime and 36-21 after three quarters. BHS would get within eight points halfway through the fourth quarter, but a final run by Farmington put the game out of reach for good.
“I thought we battled back, but they went on a run, and we couldn’t answer,” Chandler said.
Crosby Edwards led BHS with 11 points. Kacey Chandler had nine points, while Hunter Bayles scored eight. Zack Mcsweeney scored six for the Wolverines.
BHS will try to rebound in the first round of the Southwest Classic at 5 p.m. Friday against rival Ignacio in a game to be played at Montezuma-Cortez High School.
“Hopefully, we will be ready (Friday) and come out and shoot the ball a little bit better,” coach Chandler said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
