Even Gary Heide is surprised at how well his team is playing.
The No. 5 Bayfield High School football team took No. 4 Sterling’s breath away Saturday with a 41-0 win in the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A State Football Playoffs quarterfinals. It was a 441-mile bus trip, the longest in school history, for Bayfield. But the Wolverines showed zero signs of sluggish play, exploding out to a 20-0 halftime lead.
The Wolverines are the defending state champions, but the season has been far from smooth sailing. Heide, the BHS head coach, said he never expected his team to be back in the final four after a tough season-opening loss at San Juan High in Blanding, Utah.
“Our last three or four games have been total domination in all phases of the game,” coach Heide said. “It’s a tribute to the young men and the belief and desire they have to write their own chapter. I’m amazed by their talent.”
The Bayfield defense rarely allowed a first down, something that has become routine for the Wolverines. Giving up long scoring drives has been a rarity, and Sterling couldn’t do it Saturday at home as the higher-ranked team.
The BHS defense created three second-half turnovers, as Sam Westbrook recovered a fumble and Carl Heide and Hunter Killough each had an interception. All three of those turnovers resulted in offensive touchdowns for the Wolverines.
BHS held Sterling quarterback Bodie Hume to 12-of-25 passing for 97 yards and the two interceptions. Meanwhile, star running back Austin Burkholder played only the first drive for the Tigers (7-4). Burkholder also plays linebacker and exited with an injury after a David Hawkins rush on Bayfield’s first drive of the game, and he never returned.
“He’s a great football players, and they sure missed him,” coach Heide said. “We talked to them after the game, and it doesn’t sound like a serious injury, but it was bad enough he couldn’t come back.”
After being stuffed at the 1-yard line on fourth-and-goal on their first offensive drive, the Wolverines offense scored on its ext two drives to take a 14-0 lead. BHS’ first score came on a 1-yard run by Josh Westbrook, who had been stuffed at the goal line on that first turnover on downs.
Josh Westbrook then found Mashak on a 47-yard TD pass to go over 1,000 yards passing this season.
“We had no doubts,” Josh Westbrook said of the team’s attitude after being stopped on the goal line. “We knew right away we were moving the ball on them really good. Even though we didn’t score, we had confidence.”
The Wolverines defense forced a turnover on downs, giving Josh Westbrook and the offense 1:19 to drive the field and score before halftime. They did just that, as Josh Westbrook hit Keyon Prior for a 19-yard TD with 19 seconds to go in the first half.
Bayfield ran the ball 33 times to only three pass attempts in the first half, as the Wolverines ate up clock and yardage.
Josh Westbrook finished the game 4-of-6 passing for 82 yards and the two TDs. He also ran for 91 yards on 15 carries. He said the team was relaxed during the long bus trip and came out ready to go.
BHS got the ball first out of halftime but again turned it over on downs in the red zone. But Sam Westbrook’s fumble recovery turned the tide permanently in the Wolverines’ favor. After getting the ball on the Sterling 39, a short BHS drive ended with a 3-yard TD run by Jesse Westbrook, who joined Josh Westbrook in eating up yardage and clock the entire second half. That score gave BHS a 27-0 advantage, as Jesse Westbrook finished with 52 yards on 11 carries.
“He can run the ball,” coach Heide said of Jesse Westbrook. “His strength is running the ball. He was nicked up a bit earlier in the season, but now it’s the playoffs and he’s as valuable as they come to us.”
The Tigers had a big kickoff return out to the Bayfield 37-yard line, as Hunter Killough prevented it from going for a touchdown by chasing down the returner on the sideline. One play later, Killough intercepted a pass, and Coach Heide was able to send backup quarterback Hayden Farmer into the game.
Farmer delivered a pair of TD passes down the stretch. He hit Carl Heide for a 14-yard strike after Heide ran for a big 31 yards earlier in the drive. Farmer then found Prior for his second TD catch of the game, this one a 37-yard strike with 8:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. That score made it 41-0 and started the mercy-rule running clock to expedite Bayfield’s return trip home.
Prior amassed 67 receiving yards and had another strong game running the ball. Farmer finished the game 2-of-3 passing for 52 yards and two TDs.
“Hayden comes in and performs and we don’t miss a beat,” coach Heide said. “We have given him a lot of reps in practice so we are ready for anything. You don’t ever want to be in a situation where you don’t have a second quarterback ready.”
Carl Heide a a strong game in pass coverage and also added 52 rushing yards to go with his receiving TD. Killough also had 42 rushing yards on five carries.
BHS will rematch La Junta in the CHSAA Class 2A semifinals next Saturday in La Junta. A year ago, it was La Junta who visited the Wolverines in the semifinals. The game was close in the first half, but BHS went on to win 47-7 before going on to win the state championship.
La Junta (11-0) has the top offense in 2A, while Bayfield boasts the top defense.
“That’s a game you dream of playing,” coach Heide said. “Two teams that don’t want to surrender. They’re looking forward to us as much as we’re looking forward to them. I expect a close game, and I expect us to come out on top.”
For the senior leaders on the team, this run has provided validation to any doubters who looked ahead to the 2017 season and dismissed a possible chance at repeating as state champions.
“People doubted us and said we couldn’t do it,” Josh Westbrook said. “This has been pretty great, honestly. We have a lot of heart and just want to win.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
