SAN MIGUEL COUNTY – Not getting on-paper results he’d have liked from back-to-back road matches preceding the start of 3A Southwestern League work, Bayfield High School boys soccer head coach Chris Zoltowski was nevertheless pleased the Wolverines battled to the end against Piedra Vista on Saturday and on Tuesday at 2A Telluride.
“We got to watch some ‘big game’ films from last season, and we all got to see that it wasn’t the opponent outperforming us; instead, it was us underperforming because of pressure,” Zoltowski said. “The boys know they can play better; now they’re focused on keeping each other’s confidence high and pushing each other so we’re ready.”
But after a competitive 2-0 loss at PVHS (8-2-0 overall) Bayfield fell behind THS (3-2-3 overall) 13 minutes in and ultimately fell 3-1 at sun-soaked, speed-rewarding Judy Long Memorial Field.
Bayfield dropped to 4-4-1 after its loss to Telluride.
Junior Ayden Casillas netted the Wolverines’ goal not long after intermission, converting a long outlet pass from freshman brother Colton in the 46th minute, but was later denied a second strike by the Miners’ crossbar in the 74th and ultimately stopped 1-v-1 by THS freshman goalie Maddox Slosberg in the 77th, with senior defender Luka Remec then bumping Casillas off his route to the available rebound.
Junior Leyton Holbrook scored in the 13th and 62nd for Telluride, and classmate Fynn Nash converted his own 25th-minute carom off sliding BHS keeper Orion Botsford’s hands.
“It always takes us a while to get started,” said Telluride head coach Ramon Rodriguez. “Usually Mondays are our days when we take a breather and do light stuff in practice, just because we (coaches) know we’re not going to get a lot out of the kids … so scoring that first goal right out of the gate was awesome; it gives them confidence.”
Each side unfortunately received one red card as the action intensified; THS senior co-captain Isaiah Lokie was sent off in the 55th minute and BHS junior Zach Hufnagel was dismissed in the 66th – leaving the Miners without a vital cog for their Friday trip to reigning 2A State Champion Crested Butte, and the Wolverines without one for their upcoming match on Tuesday at Pagosa Springs.
The Pirates will enter the contest standing 1-0-1 in league and 4-1-3 overall after a scoreless double-overtime draw on the 24th at Taos.
