<\/p>\n
The Panthers were coming on strong.<\/p>\n
Daniel Fernandez\u2019s slick no-look pass to baseline cutter Cordell Baer had re-energized the Montezuma-Cortez crowd and given the Panthers a 50-49 lead with 4:45 to go.<\/p>\n
For Bayfield, a share of the 3A Intermountain title was on the line, and high-scoring Ryan Phelps was on the bench with four fouls.<\/p>\n
Bayfield head coach Jeff Lehnus gambled and re-inserted Phelps.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-4 Phelps racked up six straight points and later sank three free throws \u2013 giving him a game-high 20 points.<\/p>\n
Linchpin Panthers junior Jasen Engel fouled out with 2:03 left, and Montezuma-Cortez (7-12, 4-6 IML) trailing closely at 57-52. Wolverine sophomore Hayden Farmer (11 points) drilled the resulting two free throws, greatly stilling the wind in the Panthers\u2019 sail.<\/p>\n
Bayfield pulled away, winning 66-57 and their share of the league title with Alamosa.<\/p>\n
Lehnus would later talk about the tough Panthers team and crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir home, their senior\/parent night \u2026 they\u2019re a good team, you know? We had to beat them at the buzzer at our place, so \u2026 they came out better than we did,\u201d Lehnus said. \u201cBut championship teams find a way.\u201d<\/p>\n
M-CHS coach Michael Hall talked about how the Panthers stepped up.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to lose Jasen,\u201d said Hall. \u201cHe\u2019s a leader on the floor, very good defender, very good offensive player and \u2026 a hard kid to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was proud, though. Micah Hightower had a fantastic game, Quanah Casey knocked down some big shots,\u201d Hall said \u201cI was proud of the kids to step up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three-pointers by Hightower (12 points) and Casey (10) helped the home team build a 12-4 lead in the first quarter, which stood at 13-7 after the eight inspired minutes. Junior Obed Simental (11 points) drained a trey to start the second, but he and Engel were both curtailed by three fouls, making the visitors\u2019 comeback, achieved by sophomore Turner Kennedy\u2019s buzzer-beating triple to tie the game at 32, more manageable.<\/p>\n
Still, the Panthers were anything but ready to break.<\/p>\n
Wanting to send Hightower, Casey, Coby Baer and Braden Keetch (like Engel, held to six points) into the coming IML District Tournament at Bayfield on a high note, the Panchers shook off the Wolverines\u2019 8-0 run in the third quarter and entered the fourth trailing 46-40.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to come out very up-tempo and attack,\u201d Hall said. \u201cAnd we did. We came out and played very well at the start \u2014 knocking down our shots, penetrating real well, you know? It looked good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Casey\u2019s second cut Bayfield\u2019s lead to 46-45, and Simental sank a mid-range pull-up with 6:16 left.<\/p>\n
Bayfield junior Dax Snooks responded with a clutch three from the near corner. Baer came back with a free throw. Then, Fernandez dished to the younger Baer, setting up Bayfield junior Phelps\u2019 sprint to the finish inside a roaring Panther gym.<\/p>\n
The Panthers helped themselves at the line, knocking down 15 of 18 free throws in the game. Bayfield (13-6, 9-1) cashed 16 but needed at least 10 more tries to do so.<\/p>\n
Both coaches looked ahead to the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud of our hustle. And our defensive play right now \u2013 we\u2019re playing pretty high on the defensive end,\u201d Hall said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the tournament. We\u2019re \u2026 starting to peak, so I\u2019m excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
And that surge was clearly visible to Lehnus, knowing he might have to face the surging Panthers again.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first-round game \u2014 it could be them!\u201d he said. \u201cSo we wanted to make sure we came and played hard here tonight \u2026 try to make a statement. We have to be prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n