A winless Bayfield High School girls basketball team came out on its home floor and stunned the Pagosa Springs Pirates for one quarter Tuesday afternoon.

But the Class 3A seventh-ranked Pirates responded in the second and third quarters, as they outscored the host Wolverines 10-2 in the second and 18-3 in the third after they had trailed 10-6 through the game’s first eight minutes.

Eventually, behind 20 points from Molly Graham and 13 from Chantelle Caldwell, the Pirates (7-1, 4-1 3A Intermountain League) would earn a 45-23 victory at Bayfield (0-7, 0-4 IML).

With a hand in her face, Bayfield’s Abby Tate rises up for a shot against Pagosa Springs on Tuesday night at BHS.
With a hand in her face, Bayfield’s Abby Tate rises up for a shot against Pagosa Springs on Tuesday night at BHS.Travis Prior/Special to the Herald

Bayfield used a 3-pointer from Cayanne Carlson and six points from Abby Tate to build its initial lead. Pagosa drew even on a mid-range jumper from Caldwell with 5 minutes, 13 seconds to play in the second quarter. Fifty seconds later, a Graham free throw had the Pirates in front for good.

Pagosa Springs would end the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take a commanding lead to the fourth quarter.

Caldwell was a difference maker with 10 points in the second and third quarters combined. BHS played strong defense on Pagosa Springs’ Adelyn Dozier to hold her to five points and no 3-pointers after she had entered the game with 22 made 3-pointers on the season and a team-high 16.8 points per game.

Pagosa Springs’ Chantelle Caldwell got through the Bayfield defense for 13 key points to lift the Pirates past the Wolverines on Tuesday at BHS.
Pagosa Springs’ Chantelle Caldwell got through the Bayfield defense for 13 key points to lift the Pirates past the Wolverines on Tuesday at BHS.Travis Prior/Special to the Herald

Tate finished with nine points for Bayfield, while Carlson scored seven.

BHS will host Class 3A No. 3 Centauri (7-0, 2-0 IML) at 4 p.m. Friday before a 4 p.m. game at Montezuma-Cortez on Feb. 25. BHS fell 43-41 to the Panthers at home on Saturday in its best chance yet at its first win of the season.

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