When the skyline dims and the cool air settles down, all football eyes will focus on what could go down as the “Game of the Year” when Class 1A Paonia brings its fresh No. 1 ranking and 26-game win streak to the Bayfield homecoming crowd.
The undefeated Wolverines will try to avenge their 2014 defeat at 7 p.m. Friday night at Bayfield’s Wolverine Country Stadium.
Both teams will enter Friday night’s game undefeated with Bayfield (2-0) recently receiving a No. 5 rank in Class 2A for the Associated Press poll and a No. 3 rank in the Colorado High School Athletic Association poll. Paonia (3-0) received a No. 1 ranking in Class 1A from both the AP and the CHSAA.
Bayfield has had an extra week to prepare for its battle with Paonia. The Wolverines are coming off a bye week after defeating Miyamura (New Mexico) in a non-league meeting, 34-20, Sept. 11. The extra week is usually good, but, with extra time teams can over-prepare for such a big game.
However, according to Bayfield head coach Gary Heide, that shouldn’t be an issue.
“We have had some time to practice some more so we know what we’re up against,” Heide said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald.
What Bayfield is up against is a two-time defending Class 1A champion Paonia team that has a winning streak of 26 games heading into Friday night’s game. The Eagles have scored 118 points while only surrendering 13 the whole season. The Eagles also average 39 points per game and 328 total yards of offense (248 yards rushing, 80 yards passing). Paonia also has a swarming defense, as it has piled up 14 turnovers (all interceptions) in its three games. Paonia intercepted the ball eight times in a 49-0 win over Ignacio on Sept. 11.
“We just have to know that it’s going to be a physical game,” Heide said, adding his Wolverines need to be more physical than their previous two wins against Kirtland and Miyamura. “We have to match the physicality and respond to it. (Paonia) wants to knock our socks off so we have to respond.”
Boasting so many takeaways, Paonia’s secondary creates a lot of opportunities for its offense. Good thing for Bayfield because the offense is centered around its wing-spread style formation where the ground game will see plenty of plays and neutralize Paonia’s secondary.
Bayfield is averaging 39 points a game while allowing 20 points on defense the entire year. The Wolverines’ focus so far has been on the legs of senior Zane Phelps who has four touchdowns and 301 yards rushing on 46 carries through two games. The Wolverines feature a two-headed monster in the backfield, as Phelps ran for 161 yards and senior Brody McGhehey ran for 125 yards in their last game against Miyamura.
Bayfield is heavy on its seniors and is led by its quarterback, Kelton McCoy who has 151 yards through the air with a 50 percent completion percentage.
Paonia has been led by senior quarterback Taylor Waters, who has rushed for more than 100 yards each game this season with seven scores on the ground and another three passing touchdowns. He has only attempted 17 passes this year, completing 10 for 173 yards.
In front of a homecoming crowd, Bayfield will also try to avenge a crushing defeat to Paonia, who beat the Wolverines 55-34 in Paonia last season. The game was closer than the lopsided score led on with Bayfield keeping up with Paonia for the entire game; however, in the fourth quarter of the game, mistakes were made and the game got away from the Wolverines.
“They’re physical and I know Paonia will be well-coached,” Heide said. “They have a good mental toughness, and we have to have mental execution.”
Both teams will be heavy on the run, so this game should have a nice flow to it. It also means players will be fatigued more. Any way it turns out, it will be a slobber knocker in the end.
jmentzer@durangoherald.com
If you go
Who: No. 1 Paonia at No. 3 Bayfield
What: High school football
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Wolverine Country Stadium, Bayfield
Listen Live: KLJH 107.1 FM
Twitter: @jonathanmentzer
