The Montezuma-Cortez Panthers (1-2, 0-1 Southwest Soccer League) and Bayfield Wolverines (1-1-1, 1-1-1 SWSL) were tied at two to start the second half of their league contest on Tuesday.
But the Panthers had a chance to change that in the opening minute.
Taking possession near midfield, M-CHS junior Kolby Waltman sent a pass ahead to teammate Manuel Martinez who was streaking down the left side of the pitch.
Martinez received the pass and worked between, and then past, two Bayfield defenders before pulling up near the top of the box to let a shot fly. With Bayfield keeper Austin Bushnell positioned in the left third of the goal, Martinez aimed his attempt toward the right corner of the net.
In a move that seemed to defy physics, Bushnell took two quick, powerful steps to his left before launching into the air. Somehow, the Bayfield senior sprawled out, fully-extended, and managed to knock the shot away.
Bushnell was brilliant for the Wolverines, saving ten shots and shutting out the Panthers in the second half. He allowed two goals in the first half.
The first half scoring started just two minutes into the contest, when Bayfield’s Finlay Marshall was able to sneak the ball by M-CHS keeper Tegan Whiteskunk into the bottom right corner of the net to go up 1-0.
The Panthers struck back 30 minutes in when Waltman pushed a ball upfield to Martinez, who was fouled in the box. Martinez then calmly slid the penalty kick into the back of the net to tie the contest.
Bayfield answered quickly, though, scoring again just a minute after Martinez had knotted the score when Marcus Isiordia put a ball past Whiteskunk as he was coming out of the net.
Trailing 2-1, M-CHS was able to even the score again 36 minutes in when Juan Para sent a beautiful pass nearly three-quarters the length of the field ahead to Skyler Yarbrough who punched it in to send the Panthers to the break tied, 2-2.
The Panthers seemed like a different team in the second half. After Martinez’ initial second-half attempt was swatted away by Bushnell, the Wolverines seemed to take control.
Bayfield maintained possession for minutes at a time, peppering attempts at the goal. One shot bounced off the crossbar, another stayed out of the net after hitting the post and a few were saved by the Panthers’ keepers.
But the Wolverines got their go-ahead goal from Isiordia in the 46th minute to lead 3-2. And then in the 71st minute, Tilden Berriman capped off the scoring, as Bayfield went on to win, 4-2.
“Defensive mistakes, again,” said M-CHS head coach Sean Fitzgerald. “Offense was okay here and there, but we weren’t playing to feet like we should. It was a different team again.”
Fitzgerald utilized both of his freshman goalkeepers again, saying, “I think right now both of those kids are even.”
“We don’t have a set goalie right now,” he continued. “There’s mistakes made from both and there’s great things from both. So it’s kind of, ‘Who wants it?’”
Whiteskunk played the first 48 minutes in goal and finished with two saves and two goals against. And then Davian Robinson subbed in early in the second half and played 32 minutes, finishing with six saves and two goals against.
M-CHS will next host Crested Butte (2-1, 2-0 SWSL) on Saturday at 1 p.m. And leading up the match, Fitzgerald said that his team will be working on being more consistent on offense and defense.
“Consistency is key and we weren’t there,” he said after Tuesday’s contest. “Last Saturday to Thursday, huge difference. Thursday to today, again a big difference. It’s just a roller coaster right now, so we’ve got to figure it out.”
