Unable to catch Pagosa Springs in the 3A Southwestern League’s title chase, Bayfield remained on course to earn at-large inclusion into the 32-team CHSAA Class 3A Boys’ Soccer State Tournament with a strong showing Monday.
Improving to 27th in the CHSAA seeding index (an average of the Association’s RPI standings, in which BHS ranked 28th, and MaxPreps rankings in which the Wolverines stood 27th), Bayfield recorded a 5-0 win at Montezuma-Cortez in a contest originally rescheduled for the 20th.
“It’s a good feeling when you know it’s not a close game, that it’s not going to come down to if one really good shot goes in,” said senior goalkeeper Kaedon Rademacher, who posted his seventh shutout in the 2022 season. “It’s good to know there’s some leverage room there, just in case one really good shot does go in – unlike the last game.”
Alluding to a 2-1 double-overtime loss at Pagosa Springs, in which the Pirates (now 10-4, 6-0 SWL) netted the match-winner with an estimated 90 seconds remaining, the Wolverines recovered well on the road. In the 24th minute, a long, left-footed crossing pass from senior Shaw Foster found freshman Zach Hufnagel, who then passed off to Gavin Larson with M-CHS goalie Samson Lein out of position to stop the BHS senior.
Three minutes later, senior Andy Monger attempted a shot from roughly 15 yards out. Blocked by traffic in front of Lein, the ricochet went to freshman Ayden Casillas, who passed back to Monger for a similar follow-up shot, which zipped low and into the net for a 2-0 lead which lasted into halftime.
Splitting two Montezuma-Cortez defenders with a perfect through ball on the ground, senior Shaw Foster assisted Casillas’ in-stride breakaway strike in the 48th minute. Fouled hard within the Panthers’ 18 by M-CHS freshman Nicholas Abate – an incident nearly sparking a scrap – sophomore Magno Silva increased the visitors’ lead to 4-0 after recomposing himself to shoot the 64th-minute penalty kick low and to Lein’s right.
And after Foster chipped a sure fifth goal over the crossbar in the 73rd minute, Bayfield (8-3-2, 3-2-0 SWL) nailed down victory in the 78th when Larson bypassed a Panther with a ball – almost mirroring Foster’s highlight-reel feed – to Casillas, who capitalized on another one-on-one against M-CHS’ drawn-out keeper, who unofficially totaled 10 saves.
But Montezuma-Cortez (2-9, 2-3) never willingly accepted being blanked; Rademacher learned that firsthand after intermission as a Panthers header, set up by a corner kick, arced just high and over his crossbar. And after making a tentative, bobbled save on junior Raul Soto’s 40-yard free kick in the 52nd minute, Rademacher (four saves, unofficially) had to make his own highlight with a denial of Soto’s later attempt targeting a high corner.
“There’s kids like who took that shot, who can bend it over the wall,” said Rademacher, “and it’s just a reaction at that point, to get up and block that corner … make a great upper-90 save. That’s most of what these games are about, organizing your defense to (let) as little as possible come to you.”
“I think if I wouldn’t have gotten there it would have gone in,” he said.
The two squads were to complete their home-and-home at 6 p.m. the next evening in Bayfield, with the Wolverines set to salute Larson, Foster (who’d set up Casillas’ goal at PSHS), Monger, Rademacher, and Zander Berriman on Senior Night.
M-CHS’ Gadiel Gonzalez, Isaak Lewis, Rickie McDonald, Gabe Crowley and Evan LaMunyon will play their last match.
“We know what they can do, what they can’t, how they do their goal kicks – their weaknesses and strengths,” Rademacher said, addressing the teams’ unusually quick turnaround and rematch. “So it’s good to play them and then play again … knowing exactly what to expect.”
Larson, Foster and junior Shae Railsback were each given a yellow card in Pagosa Springs (one Pirate received two and was ejected), but BHS head coach Chris Zoltowski indicated that even in defeat he was pleased with his crew’s effort in the rivals’ heated battle.
“I was really impressed with Gavin’s and Zander’s performances. They both played fearless and attacked every ball that came across center field,” he said. “Not only are they making nice tackles, but they support each other well on the buildup.”
“The result … is a reflection of the growth of this team. Even though we didn’t get the ‘W,’ the score differential from the last game (against PSHS) shows that the boys are beginning to peak just in time.”
