Torched for 75 points or more in four of their previous five outings, with two opponents topping 90, the Aztec Tigers and new head coach Jeremy Archuleta couldn't stop their streak of struggling as Bayfield went south into San Juan County last Saturday and left as 84-43 victors.
Denied a season-resuming Jan. 5 trip to 2A Mancos due to heating problems inside the Mancos Performance Center, and denied a visit from 4A Durango three nights later due to the week's multi-day snowstorm, the Wolverines not only halted a four-game skid but gained momentum for tonight's Intermountain League opener versus Alamosa-a rematch of last season's fifth-place game at the Class 3A state championships in Golden.
Led by the backcourt work of junior Ryan Brubacher and senior Clayton Brubacher, and the inside presences of sophomore Angelo Ramirez and senior Robbie Alejo, the Mean Moose-ranked sixth in the CHSAANow.com 3A poll before the holiday break-began the New Year losing 56-55 last Saturday at Parker Lutheran (7-2 overall; was #4 in the poll), leaving them 5-4 before coming to the Pine River Valley.
BHS improved to 2-5 as 10 of its 11 players scored at least two points. Sophomore Ryan Phelps was destructive with 21, and senior Zane Phelps netted 13 while grabbing a team-leading 12 rebounds. Senior Taed Heydinger had 12 points, six boards and four assists, sophomore Hunter Killough had nine points, and junior Fred Edwards and freshman Hayden Farmer each chipped in eight.
Nabbing four steals, Killough collected seven caroms as well to match senior Zach Kujath for second-most.
At the charity stripe the Wolverines were excellent, hitting 27 of 32 for an 84-percent success rate. Ryan Phelps was 9-12, Farmer 6-6 and Killough 5-5 to lead in punishing Aztec (1-11, 0-0 NMAA Dist. 1-5A) for its mistakes.
A late addition to the original 2015-16 schedule, BHS will quickly turn around from battling Alamosa to host 3A Farmington (N.M.) Navajo Prep tomorrow, with action against the resurgent Eagles-currently 10-4 under Coach Rick Hoerner,beginning at noon.
CALENDAR CHECK: Bayfield's game at Mancos has been rescheduled for Jan. 19.