Six days removed from literally one of the closest races run in program history, Bayfield’s boys – who ended up dead even with Farmington at the BHS Invitational before the teams’ No. 6 runners became the deciding factor – returned to action Friday morning at Dolores’ 6th Annual Boggy Draw Bear Chase.
With homecoming week activities preventing some individuals from traveling, the Wolverines weren’t at full strength but still managed two – and nearly three – top-25 times in placing fourth overall. Paced by junior Porter Sutherlin’s 11th-place 20 minutes and 7.77 seconds and senior Will Kennedy-Jones’ 25th-place 21:22.61, Bayfield totaled an adjusted score-four of 68 points.
Monticello, Utah, took third with 57 points, and the event-hosting Bears posted a solid runner-up 35, but there’d be no deadlock atop the standings thanks to Blanding (UT) San Juan’s 1-2-3-4 finish and perfect score of 10.
Junior Parker Perkerewicz came in 26th, clocking 21:24.65, and freshman Travis Taylor filled out BHS’ scoring quartet by finishing 31st in 21:53.38.
SJHS junior Rosendo Martine earned first place by dominating the demanding course in 18:56.38.
In the preceding girls’ feature, sophomore Abigail Robertson finished ninth and notched Bayfield’s only top-10 result. She recorded a 23:44.23, and with junior Kamala Smith (30:20.75) coming in 32nd the Wolverines’ score-four count of 78 points landed them in sixth place overall.
First, however, was decided by tiebreaker; paced by individual winner Marah Long (21:20.43), Monticello accumulated 33 points – equaling runner-up Austin Cook (21:29.07) and Telluride, which ultimately won the team title thanks to No. 5 finisher Nora Haskell (17th, 25:43.48) bettering MHS counterpart Alexis Bailey (22nd, 26:55.02).
Crossing the finish line within two ticks of each other, Emily Cordova Rios (38th, 34:05.85) and Bridgette Ireland (39th, 34:07.20) completed BHS’ lead quartet.
Bayfield will next see action on Oct. 5, at PSHS’ McGinn Memorial Challenge where the Intermountain League champion will be crowned upon Reservoir Hill.
