Fans inside BHS Gymnasium Tuesday evening didn't get to see Pagosa Springs' Payton Shahan signed by Fort Lewis College, although she scored 12 points.
They didn't even get to see an inspired effort from their own senior Wolverines; center Jessie Roukema and forward Andrea Zelinski combined for five points-with Roukema netting all five.
But with a halftime score of Guests 9, Hosts 4, it appeared the Pirates were attempting to crack the CHSAA Record Book-in the 'Fewest Points (2 teams)' category by torturously slow-playing almost every possession.
In fact, the crews' initial 16 minutes established a scoring pace that, had it endured, would have landed Bayfield and Pagosa Springs fourth all-time in Colorado Association annals with the first reported encounter in over 25 years (since Erie met Gilcrest Valley on Dec. 15, 1989) where both sides combined for fewer than 37 points.
The game's final math was PSHS 38, BHS 16.
Tuesday's tilt began with the BHS Choir, directed by Department of Music maestro Derek Smith, ably vocalizing the "Star Spangled Banner" before the Wolverines managed just a deuce by junior guard Aspen Pinnecoose during the opening eight minutes.
Pagosa Springs, however, managed just two Shahan free throws and a Shannel Wilson bucket in reply, making for a 4-2 score as the second quarter commenced. Bayfield junior guard Maddy Duran sank two FT's, and Shahan's next five points were all the rival teams could muster before intermission.
Still, from Bayfield's perspective, staying as close as five points to PSHS was an accomplishment and rightly birthed hope of an upset.
But in helping second-ranked [CHSAANow.com Class 3A poll, 2/16] Pagosa Springs avoid such a disaster, Morgan Schaaf booked eight points in the third quarter-for all practical purposes securing the Pirates a victory. BHS had only two Roukema freethrows as Pagosa built an unapproachable 21-6 lead.
Junior forward Emily Peinado scored five points for the Wolverines in the fourth frame, and Roukema added a three-point play, but PSHS (18-0, 9-0 IML) countered with a sudden 17, hitting seven of 12 FT's.
Activated in the game's closing seconds along with reserves Miranda Talbot, Courtney Bayles, Amber Johnson and Tori Tate, freshman forward Jade Pascale managed BHS' only other points, cleanly swishing one free throw and then properly using the backboard's square to bank in the next.
Bayfield dropped to 0-18, 0-9 with only Thursday evening's regular-season finale at #9 Centauri (13-5, 7-2) remaining on their schedule. Results from La Jara, however, were unavailable at press time.
This contest doesn't compare to the lowest of Colorado's lows; the March 7, 1941, boys' game between Bent County (now Las Animas) H.S. and La Junta ended with the former prevailing 2-0 in a district playoff. The National Federation of State High School Associations' record book still shows that meeting as the country's lowest two-team production for a boys' OVERTIME contest.
