You’d have to hand it to Autumn Settles.
The only Dolores starter to make a field goal through three quarters of the Bears game Dec. 17 at Bayfield, with extra weight on her shoulders after junior Taylor Erautt picked up her fourth foul in second quarter, the sophomore’s answer to a play of the game was Dolores’ best hope for a rally.
Settles’ 15-foot jumper in the first half’s closing seconds brought the guests back to 18-9, but couldn’t still the buzz generated by the Lady Wolverines’ transition attack moments before.
Giving a glimpse of the home team’s growth in the 2024-25 season, BHS sophomore guard Kimball Anderson led a rush into the frontcourt and as she entered the paint drew a defender to her – which also blocked the sight line of another.
Anderson then bounced a look-away pass across to senior Renae Foutz, whose layup dropped into the hoop.
“They pointed it out: Let’s take the easy ones and if they’re not there, let’s make some ball rotations and then we’ll get easy ones,” Bayfield head coach Ben Martinez said. “So they’re recognizing what’s open and what’s not, which is a real positive. We (coaches) were pleased with how they executed the offense.”
Leading by nine points at halftime, the Wolverines then controlled the third quarter. Converting steals into fast-break baskets, BHS outscored DHS 20-4 – Settles’ four points – and entered the fourth quarter ahead 38-13.
The Bears goaded Bayfield into committing six fouls during the fourth quarter, but went just 3-of-8 in trying to close the gap. Settles forced in one last two-pointer, as did Erautt and sophomore Akaia Edwards, but the Wolverines were too far gone to be caught.
Foutz finished with a game-high 18 points as Bayfield prevailed 43-22, and sophomore Vivien Clance contributed 11, with nine takeaway-fueled points coming after halftime. Freshman Kieley White Thunder sank a 3-pointer (as did Foutz) and finished with eight points, while Anderson booked four points and junior Sylvia Hesford two.
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Settles finished with a team-best 11 points in defeat for Dolores in the team’s last outing before the holiday break. Erautt and freshman Jordyn Erautt, coming off the bench, each totaled four points and Edwards three.
Having swept the season’s home-and-home with Dolores, Bayfield (2-1 overall) had little time to celebrate with three games coming up at the Rye Invitational. The Lady Wolverines were slated to begin the Dec. 19-21 event reportedly facing either 2A Rangely (4-0 overall) or Pueblo West-based 2A Swallows Charter Academy (1-3) on Day 1 at 3:30 p.m.
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Already seasoned by two tourneys, including the Dec. 12 Western Slope Winter Classic, the Bears (2-6 overall) are billed to next see action on Jan. 7 at Monticello, Utah.
