Bayfield High School girls soccer coach Jen Moore has always been one to get her defenders involved in the match by pushing them forward. The tactic worked once again Friday afternoon at BHS, as sophomore defender Cayanne Carlson scored the game-winning goal in the eighth minute of the first overtime period to lift the Wolverines past Montezuma-Cortez High School to a 2-1 win.
“In general, I want defenders more involved and am always looking to have an advantage in numbers,” Moore said. “The more dangerous, the better. It made sense. Cortez was tired, and I reminded them they don’t only have to defend.”
Carlson’s shot came off of a partially-cleared ball, and she took one touch to settle it and fired it into the corner of the net. It was a come-from-behind win after Cortez (4-5-1, 1-4-1 3A Intermountain League) took the lead in the 18th minute when McKenzy Howerton found the back of the net. She stole the ball from a goal kick, dribbled in and scored to go up 1-0, but the Wolverines would create chances after that. They had a penalty-kick opportunity, but it sailed over the crossbar, and the score would stay 1-0 at halftime.
In the second half, BHS freshman Madison Oltmanns leveled the game off of a corner kick from Halle Loveday in the 60th minute. It remained tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, and Carlson ended the game just two minutes before the end of the first overtime.
The Wolverines (4-4, 2-1 3A IML) will host Alamosa at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wolverine Country Stadium in another key league game. BHS beat Alamosa 2-0 on the road last weekend.
In a rare soccer doubleheader, Ridgway blanked the Ignacio High School girls soccer team in both games Friday at RHS, as the Demons won 4-0 and 7-0 in Game 2.
In Game 1, Ridgway (3-3-1. 3-3-1 Class 2A Region 4) took a 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second, Caitlin Sanchez scored early to make it 2-0, and sophomore Cass Rikkers scored twice in the final five minutes to put it out of reach.
In Game 2, Ignacio (1-8, 1-4 2A Region 4) held firm until the final five minutes of the first half, when the Demons scored three times in the final seven minutes to lead 3-0. In the second half, there were two highlight-reel goals from Ridgway. Lydia Van Arsdell scored a half-volley, while Rikkers ended the scoring by a volley that flew into the top shelf.
Ignacio dropped both games to Meeker and Rangely and remained winless on the year, as IHS fell 20-3 in four innings, and 14-0 in five innings, respectively, at Kevin Ritz Field in Montrose.
In Game 1, Eli Hanks went 3-for-4 with two hits and three RBIs, including an inside-the-park home run, while five other Cowboys recorded RBIs. Lawrence Toledo went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Ignacio. Josh Murphy got the win and struck out seven.
In Game 2, Rangely (2-8, 0-3 2A District 3) had a stellar day at the plate, as Tristan Moore went a perfect 5-for-5 with a triple, home run, five runs scored and two RBIs in the 14-0 win. Dylan LeBleu threw a one-hitter, as he struck out 11 in the complete game. Ignacio (0-10, 0-5 2A District 3) broke up the no-hitter after Clint Talamante-Benavidez hit a double and finished 1-for-2.
IHS will host Dove Creek (11-4, 2-2 2A District 3) at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Durango was without its starting goalie and second-leading scorer in Friday evening’s 5A/4A Mountain League matchup against Aspen, and it hurt despite an early 2-0 lead in an 18-6 loss.
DHS senior Cullen Robinette had four points after he scored three goals and had one assist, and he is now 10 points off the all-time school record. He scored his first goal at 10:12 into the first quarter, and Sam Rodgers also scored to put DHS up 2-0 early in the first quarter.
But the Skiers (4-4, 2-2 ML) outshot DHS 16-1 and put in six goals on freshman goalie Bode Ensign and took a 10-2 halftime lead despite nine saves in the second quarter from Ensign.
Aspen would outscore DHS 6-2 in the third quarter. In the fourth, DHS outscored Aspen 2-1.
“We knew it was going to be an uphill battle,” said DHS head coach John Robinette. “They never quit, played hard the whole way and they did everything we asked from them.”
Durango (5-4, 1-4 ML) will travel to Telluride (5-4, 2-4 ML) at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
bploen@ durangoherald.com
