Getting past the Bayfield Wolverines has been one of the primary hurdles for any contender in the 2A Southwest League for the past couple of decades.
Montezuma-Cortez High School’s third-year head coach, Ivan Mack, knew that, even as Bayfield entered with a winless record to start its 2022 campaign, that his Panthers would have to show tremendous grit to topple the Wolverines.
Bayfield had already played state title favorites in Utah (San Juan) and New Mexico (Bloomfield), along with defending Colorado 1A state champ Centauri.
Meanwhile, the Panthers (6-1, 2-0 2A SWL) hadn’t beaten Bayfield (0-6, 0-1 2A SWL) since their last winning season, in 2014, but came in brimming with confidence after their Homecoming domination of Salida.
No. 9 M-CHS found a way, however, thanks to a late comeback, to deny the Wolverines an eighth consecutive win in the series, as the Panthers won 24-16.
The Wolverines made an early statement, building an early lead and limiting the high-octane Panther offense. An injury to star sophomore Tay Wheat further hampered the visitors’ efforts to take control of the contest. A lone first half score for M-CHS meant that the Panthers didn’t lead at the half for only the second time this season, in a 10-10 deadlock.
Bayfield and M-CHS played out a defensive-minded third quarter, but a big turnover from M-CHS set the Wolverines with a short field to start the fourth.
Bayfield punched in the go-ahead score in the first minute of the fourth quarter to inch ahead 16-10.
However, M-CHS responded with a methodical drive down the field, pushing into the Bayfield red zone. Senior quarterback Jake Blackmer produced a couple of big runs, but none bigger than his 1-yard dive to give the Panthers their first lead.
From there, the defense turned up the volume, forcing a Bayfield fumble and setting up another TD with less than a minute to go. The resulting Panther defensive stop sealed the win to move the Panthers’ win streak to five in a row.
M-CHS will return home for Senior Day on Friday, Oct. 14, versus Pagosa Springs at 7 p.m. – another pivotal league matchup. Currently, M-CHS sits tied with No. 2 Delta (7-0, 2-0 2A SWL) for the top spot in the standings – with the two teams on a potential league title collision course when they face each other on Friday, Oct. 28, in Delta.
