The Bayfield High School boys basketball team completed a season sweep of Montezuma-Cortez with an 86-66 victory in the Wolverines’ final home game of the regular season Saturday at BHS.
“We had a good effort and, more importantly, we had some fun on parents’ night, and you always want to have a good game for parents’ night,” BHS head coach Jeff Lehnus said. “It was a nice bounce back from the disappointing Pagosa (Springs) loss (on Feb. 3), and not just because we won but we had a really good practice week.”
Four Wolverines finished with double-digit scoring. Ryan Phelps led the way with 25 points and 18 rebounds. Dax Snooks had 18 points, McKay Wells had 15 points, and Keyon Prior added 13 points. Prior also had five rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Hayden Farmer, who was dealing with the flu, had nine points for BHS (12-6, 7-2 3A Intermountain League).
Bayfield’s defense contained Cortez’s Teagan Whiteskunk and Jasen Engel to 11 and eight points, respectively, but Cordell Baer went off for 30 points for the Panthers (10-8, 4-5 IML).
“He drove from midrange to score, posted up, rebounded, made some jumpers and even hit a 3,” Lehnus said of Baer. “He was on fire. ... We’ll have to give him a little more attention if we see them again in the (IML) tournament.”
Bayfield will play the Mean Moose of Alamosa (16-2, 8-1 IML) on Thursday in Alamosa, while the Panthers will wait to learn their opponent for the league tournament.
The Bobcats tasted defeat for the first time in 2A/1A San Juan Basin League play this season, as the Ignacio High School boys basketball team suffered a 42-41 loss to Ridgway Saturday in Ridgway.
Ignacio (12-4, 9-1 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) beat Ridgway (7-10, 6-5 SJBL) 67-31 last month in Ignacio, but the Bobcats have been shorthanded of late with injury and an academically ineligible player.
The Bobcats beat Telluride (8-9, 7-4 SJBL) 59-51 on Friday in Telluride.
Bobcats head coach Chris Valdez was not available for comment.
IHS will play Mancos (13-4, 8-3 SJBL) Thursday in Mancos.
Girls Basketball
Girls BasketballBayfield High School’s girls basketball team broke its game against Montezuma-Cortez open in the first half for a 27-6 halftime lead and held on for a 43-33 victory Saturday at BHS.
“It came down to defensive effort,” BHS head coach Josh Kitchen said. “We came out and played really hard on the defensive end and didn’t give them many open 3s or second-chance points, and I think that’s what helped us get out to the lead.”
The Wolverines (6-12, 3-6 3A Intermountain League) picked apart the Panthers (4-14, 2-8 IML) with their half-court offense and had big games from their two seniors – Tiarra Christensen and Cinnaman Varnell – on senior night. Christensen had 10 points and Varnell added nine points.
Jordan Lanning matched Christensen for the team high with 10 points, and Tymbree Florian added seven points.
Bayfield will play Alamosa (11-6, 5-4 IML) on Thursday in Alamosa before the Wolverines turn their focus to the IML tournament.
The Ignacio High School girls basketball team held Ridgway to single-digit points for the second time this season, as the Bobcats cruised to a 52-9 victory against the Demons (0-17, 0-10 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) on Saturday in Ridgway.
When the two teams met last month in Ignacio, the Bobcats (15-1, 10-0 SJBL) rolled 84-7.
Ignacio beat Telluride (4-12, 4-5 SJBL) 42-19 Friday in Telluride.
“We played good and executed on the offensive end,” IHS head coach Trae Seibel said of Friday’s game against Telluride. “We played team ball and we are humbled to be back on the winning side.”
Ignacio will host Class 3A powerhouse Pagosa Springs (15-3) on Tuesday at IHS.
kschneider@durangoherald.com
