A historic season came to an end Thursday.
The Bayfield High School boys soccer team reached the postseason for only the second time in program history and for the first time since 2005. The Wolverines received the No. 21 seed and hit the road Thursday afternoon to face No. 12 Delta in the opening round of the CHSAA Class 3A Boys Soccer Championships. Delta scored two second-half goals to secure a 2-0 win and advance to the Round of 16 against No. 5 Denver Science & Tech Stapleton.
The Delta Panthers (13-2-1) were gifted a penalty kick in the 55th minute, as Martin Corral scored his 14th goal of the season. Bayfield sophomore Jason Schneider was whistled for a penalty on the elbow of the 18-yard box, and the referees awarded the Panthers a PK.
Bayfield (12-4) had a chance to score on a PK of its own in the 61st minute, as Armando Lerma was fouled hard in the box by Delta’s Sergio Campos. Lerma fired his shot low and straight, and Delta goalkeeper Felipe Bedoy didn’t flinch and made the save.
Bayfield increased its pressure and nearly scored in the 80th minute, as Schneider went on a long run with the ball up the sideline before he fired a shot toward goal. He beat Bedoy, but the shot rolled three feet wide of goal.
Delta tacked on a goal in stoppage time when senior Danny Mendoza beat Bayfield goalkeeper Chad Winkler to secure the win. Bedoy made nine saves for Delta, while Winkler made three.
Bayfield was outshot 16-13 in the match and gave up 10 corner kick opportunities while it earned seven, including five in the second half. Fine nearly had a goal in the 15th minute on a free kick from 30 yards out, but his laser of a shot went two feet over the cross bar.
Delta only has six players from Delta High School, with players from Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Paonia and home school students filling the roster.
Bayfield’s 12 wins were the most in one season in program history. The resurgence of BHS boys soccer has been led by head coach Chris Zoltowski and eight committed seniors: Cordell Ashcraft, Tilden Berriman, Jack Ferguson, Fine, Marcus Isiordia, Lerma, Shea Marx and Winkler.
Two juniors from this year’s team, Berman Abdallah-Boehm and Dylan Doskocil will return next season along with four sophomores and five freshmen who now have the taste for winning.
jlivingston@ durangoherald.com