His team awarded a high-profile position in the preseason CHSAANow.com football rankings released on Monday, Bayfield head coach Gary Heide emphasized Wednesday afternoon that only humility and hard work would allow the Wolverines to truly live up to the billing.
"We know that we've got to take one game at a time," he stated. "And our first test, obviously, is nine days from now," referring to the Zero Week season-opener, Aug. 25 at home versus San Juan of Blanding, Utah, which blanked BHS 19-0 at the beginning of Bayfield's otherwise-excellent 2016 campaign.
The Broncos will also have a possible advantage of seeing action beforehand, as they kick off their 2017 slate tonight at home against Kamas South Summit-last season's UHSAA Class 2A State Runner-up, which ousted SJHS in the semifinals.
"I'm not going to reference predictions or wherever we're ranked," Heide said, "but I do feel that we expect our team to be in the mix, the playoff hunt, and have a shot at it. That's pretty much what we feel and we're anxious to get going."
Starting the fall ranked behind only Englewood Kent Denver, Bayfield will stay at home for Week 1 and host 5A Bloomfield, N.M., at 1 p.m. on Sept. 2. The squad then visits 5A Aztec, N.M., on Sept. 8 for a 7 p.m. start, and after a Week 3 'bye,' the Wolverines welcome 3A Durango at 7 p.m. on the 22nd for Homecoming.
2A Intermountain work then begins a week later, with the long haul north for a night in Gunnison.
"We've got a real strong non-conference schedule...some real quality opponents all the way through, and I think that should set us up, get us prepared for our conference," Heide said.
"And our road trips aren't too bad this year," he added. "I think only one, I would say, is real long, so we're pretty excited. I think our schedule provides us to get rolling and see where we end up."
Personnel-wise, Bayfield would certainly warrant a No. 2 ranking; the veteran skipper was excited to report that through the first two full days of practice, 65 players were ready to rumble.
"Highest numbers since I've been here," Heide said proudly, "and word is one or two more might come out! I knew we were going to have numbers because we had just awesome numbers at CSUP camp-had 57 athletes go to CSU-Pueblo-and I knew that, historically, whatever you get in camp you also get ten percent or whatever more when the official season starts."
"So we're really excited; that bodes well for the future for Bayfield Football."
The present couldn't shine much brighter either, with starters, if not talent alone, returning at practically every position from last season's 9-3, Class 2A State Semifinals roster. Quarterback Josh Westbrook graduated back in May, but junior Hayden Farmer returns as his likely replacement.
"We had a strong summer, you know, and out of those two months Hayden did emerge as the number-one," said Heide. "But every position on our team has to earn their position. Hayden, as with him and all our other great athletes, we have great expectations."
Seniors Hunter Killough and Dax Snooks should bolster a punishing ground game also featuring juniors David Hawkins and Keyon Prior. Seniors Ryan Phelps and Carl Heide return as two of the top receiving options, and the line, despite losing center Sam Westbrook, will likely again keep things moving forward with road-graders like seniors Wyatt Killinen and Cade Killough.
Defensively, the same names will be prominent along with seniors Kirk Malone, Cole Wood and Ian Nelson, juniors Daniel Westbrook and Dalton Caviness, and any number of emerging stars.
"Well we certainly felt we were going to be a strong team. I'm really happy with the way our team is developing," Heide said. "But the goal was, to come out of our CSU-Pueblo camp-which we thought was very successful-and be able to keep that same momentum and intensity. No letdowns in practice; we don't have that many before our first game!"
"I'm really happy with their enthusiasm because we have a lot to prepare for," he continued.
"Our goal this week is to push pretty hard physically-lots of conditioning-but next week is game week, so we're going to start pulling back on that. That's kind of the goal, to get these kids in top-notch shape and be as proficient on offense, defense, special teams as possible!"
CHSAANOW.COM CLASS 2A PRESEASON POLL (released 8/14): 1.Englewood Kent Denver, 2.BAYFIELD, 3.La Junta, 4.Delta, 5.Colorado Springs The Classical Academy, 6.Loveland Resurrection Christian, 7.Sterling, 8.Denver D'Evelyn, 9.Arvada Faith Christian, 10.Kersey Platte Valley. (Others Receiving Votes-Manitou Springs, Alamosa, Eaton, Denver Bishop Machebeuf, Edgewater Jefferson, Keenesburg Weld Central, Basalt, Westminster The Academy, Denver West.)
