Making more free throws (13) during the fourth quarter than visiting Alamosa did the entire game (10), the Bayfield boys held off a furious AHS rally and re-built up a nine-point advantage en route to a 62-56 win Tuesday night, Jan. 22, inside BHS Gymnasium.

Previewing the intensity sure to impact the teams' scheduled rematch Saturday out in the San Luis Valley, Mean Moose senior Chad Jackson ended the game draining a three-pointer with 0:00.1 left on the clock. It was his third trey within the closing eight minutes, and fourth overall.

Wolverine senior guard Turner Kennedy sank three treys, one being the battle's very first basket, and matched Jackson's game-high 18 points. Jackson's first three-pointer, a straight-on bank shot, ended a thrilling first quarter just seconds after Bayfield senior guard Keyon Prior buried a triple at the other end.

Hanging on to a tentative 16-15 lead, BHS slowed things down somewhat during the second quarter, but increased their pad to 26-20 with 2:11 remaining until halftime as Prior converted a three-point play, then junior forward Ethan Morris cashed an inside feed from junior guard James Mottin.

Kennedy's third three-ball answered a Davis Gonzales free throw, and Bayfield (8-4, 3-0 3A Intermountain) went back into the locker room ahead 29-21.

Kennedy then began the third quarter sinking two free throws (he'd finish the second half 7-of-8 from the stripe). Two late Hayden Farmer FTs kept the Wolverines out front by 10 points, 41-31, as the final quarter started.

Held to just one field goal, Farmer still managed 15 points as he finished 13-of-18 from the foul line. He made more and attempted more freethrows himself than Alamosa, awarded just 17 tries.

Still, the Moose (8-5, 3-1) pushed the issue and pressed Bayfield into numerous hurried mistakes. A basket by junior Ian Jackson, resulting from intercepting a Kennedy save attempt underneath BHS' basket, brought AHS back to 53-47. With 1:13 to go, a team technical foul was called for Alamosa having six men on the court. Then a botched double substitution while junior Brenden Crowther was shooting a second free throw allowed Farmer to nail two crucial freebies and stabilize a crumbling advantage at 56-52.

With the guests trying to conserve every possible second, AHS junior reserve Sam Clark fouled out with 32.3 seconds left. And with only 16.5 remaining, Prior swished two decisive chances.

He finished with 12 points as Bayfield, coming off a 69-64 home win over Monte Vista on the Jan. 17, finished 25-of-40 from the foul line. Morris (2-6 FT) also reached double figures for the Wolverines with his hard-earned 13 points, while Mottin and senior reserve Briant Cuellar each logged two points.

Crowther registered 15 points in defeat, while Ian Jackson contributed 12 and senior guard Nicholas Brubacher five. The Moose bench players combined for just three points, but that humorously bettered BHS' two.

Bayfield will next head to Pagosa Springs (8-5, 2-2) Friday night in preparation to visit AHS the next evening.

Bayfield vs. Monte VistaBlowing up for 14 third-quarter points, Farmer scored a team-high 20 points in the win over MVHS. Morris, Kennedy and Prior each scored 12 and Mottin chipped in six. Always problematic for BHS, Pirate senior guard David Mascarenas fouled out with 16.9 second left, but pumped in a game-best 22 points as Monte Vista nearly whittled down a 12-point deficit during the final minutes.

MAKE-UP DATE ANNOUNCED: Postponed due to a winter storm, the Wolverines' scheduled Jan. 18 home game versus Centauri has been reset for Monday, Jan. 28, with varsity play to begin at 7 p.m.