Twenty years ago, one of the best Bayfield Football teams ever nailed down the Class 2A Intermountain championship-completing a 9-0 run into the postseason-by torching local nemesis Ignacio 54 to 7.
Already mirroring the 1995ers' five shutouts going into last Friday's regular-season finale, the 2015 Wolverines assumed added similarities to their predecessors by not only securing a conference crown (the Western Slope, South Division) but also in how they capped an unbeaten itinerary-a 54-8 pulverizing of Pagosa Springs.
This weekend, however, Gary Heide's gang will look to distinguish itself from Jon Keirns' crew in one important aspect: surviving the state playoffs' opening round. The Wolverines are hoping to avoid a fate against Manitou Springs akin to the 28-6 stunner sprung by Meeker upon an unsuspecting Pine River Valley.
Improving to 8-0 overall, 5-0 in the WSC-South after prevailing out at Golden Peaks Stadium, Bayfield protected its #1 standing in the CHSAANow.com 2A poll and was soon deservedly seeded #1 in the tell-all bracket's initial Round of 16. At the other end of the playoff spectrum, Manitou Springs made the 16-seed and the unenviable task of traveling out to La Plata County to feel just how title-hungry BHS truly is.
Kickoff tomorrow at Wolverine Country Stadium is set for high noon. Coach Monte Gutowski's Mustangs will also have some momentum working in their favor after having improved to 3-6 (3-2 Tri-Peaks) overall with last week's 53-0 flogging of Colorado Springs St. Mary's (0-9, 0-5).
The BHS-MSHS winner will climb into next weekend's quarterfinals to face either 8-seed Moffat County or #9 Brush. The MC Bulldogs (7-2, 5-0 Western Slope-North) and Brush Beetdiggers (6-3, 3-2 Patriot) are slated to kick off up in Craig an hour after the Wolverines and Mustangs.
On the road in Archuleta County, Bayfield got a devastating 196 yards on 27 carries-four finishing in PSHS' end zone-from senior Zane Phelps. Prying apart the Pirates began as a slow process with BHS leading just 6-0 (via a touchdown run by sophomore Hunter Killough) after one mud-slowed quarter.
But in the second, the Wolverines expected were the Wolverines in view, and Bayfield went into halftime ahead 26-8 after a two-yard keeper by senior quarterback Kelton McCoy (5-of-8, 95 yards passing; 10-40 rushing), a two-yard Phelps plunge and takeaway-return by senior defensive back Cash Snooks.
Two more Phelps touchdowns kept BHS cruising into the third quarter. After two turnovers and three punts looked to stall the attack, Phelps got it back in gear with a fourth-quarter score and McCoy understudy Josh Westbrook (4-35 rushing; 0-of-1 passing) later scored on a punctuating sneak as PSHS fell to 1-8, 0-5 WSC-South.
Defensively, freshman David Hawkins led the Wolverines with a reported seven tackles. Senior Wyatt Freier and junior Jesse Westbrook each had six and Phelps four, and BHS was also shown as having recovered five Pagosa Springs fumbles (Hawkins was credited with forcing three).
Senior Taed Heydinger caught two passes for 37 yards, and classmate Brody McGhehey one for 34.
TICKET INFORMATION: Admission prices for Manitou Springs-at-Bayfield are $8 for adults, $5 for students (K-12) and seniors (65+), with no charge for children ages 4 and under. Additionally, only CHSAA and CHSCA passes will be accepted for all playoffs contests.
FUEL UP, FANS: There will be a pre-game lunch barbecue starting at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow just outside WCS' gates, with bratwurst, hamburger and hot dog meals (including chips and a drink) available for $5 or less!
SOME SIMILAR STINGINESS: Yet another aspect of 1995 the 2015 Wolverines are happily emulating is scoring defense. Two decades ago, BHS allowed only 25 points during regular-season action; PSHS' eight last Friday night upped this year's points-against total to 49. 5A Gallup, N.M., Miyamura got 20 on Sept. 11.
50-YEAR FLASHBACK: Half a century ago, Bayfield Football booked eight wins in the program's finest season since the first recorded in 1924. Allowing only 13 regular-season points, Tom James' 1965 Wolverines posted seven shutouts-still the school's one-year most-and notched a Class 'A' Playoffs win over Norwood before succumbing to Springfield and finishing 8-1-2 overall.
In the second of the teams' four consecutive meetings for all the marbles, SHS ultimately fell 26-12 in the grand finale to Limon, as the dynastic Badgers claimed their second of what became five consecutive (including a 1964 draw with Springfield) State Championships during the 1960s.
