Whatever recollections any current Wolverine might have of varsity football versus Delta will likely come from newspaper or yearbook accounts, or possibly through tales told by older family members.
Because simply put, no current Wolverine, or Panther, for that matter, was yet born.
An early third-quarter Marshall Hahn point-after kick was the difference in BHS' 7-6 victory then, and 20 years after appearing on what ended up as Bayfield football's first-ever undefeated schedule, Delta at last reappears as BHS attempts a successful follow-up of the program's second perfect season.
DHS won't be the Wolverines' only semi-ancient opponent rediscovered in 2016. Eleven days after officially beginning practice, CHSAA's reigning Class 2A State Champions will travel to Blanding, Utah, on Aug. 26 to kick off their title defense against practically-permanent postseason pillar San Juan High School.
Under longtime coach Monty Lee, entering his 14th year at his prep alma mater with a 119-29 career win-loss record, SJHS has qualified for the Utah state playoffs every year since 1977. Under Lee, the team has earned the latter three of its impressive six (1989, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010) crowns.
Statistically, Lee needs 15 victories to pass predecessor Art Burtenshaw (133-49 from 1987-2002) for Bronco Football's all-time lead amongst head coaches. Meanwhile, Bayfield hasn't seen San Juan since its Burtenshaw days when BHS booked a 44-25 road victory over the Broncos' JV team, ending the 2000 season under Dave Close (who went 25-40 from '00-06).
Prior to the 7 p.m. start, SJHS - which went 7-4 and averaged over 35 points per game in 2015 - will have already had a difficult test a week earlier at Kamas South Summit, with the Wildcats having finished 11-1 and losing only in the UHSAA Class 2A State Championship (which they'd reached by routing the Broncos 47-23, in the eight-team bracket's semifinals, and which they'd won in '14).
Bayfield will next face Bloomfield, which was most recently a varsity opponent in 2001, away on Sept. 2. The Bobcats won that game in 2001, 26-13.
Having left District 5-4A (now 4-4A) Moriarty for Bloomfield in 2014, head coach Bob Allcorn led the Bobcats to a 4-0 mark and 1-4A title in '15, and Bloomfield finished 9-2 overall after a loss to Las Vegas Robertson in the quarterfinals of the 12-team NMAA Class 4A State Playoffs.
The 'Cats averaged just under 40 points per game but graduated three running backs, each with over 600 yards and a combined 27 rushing touchdowns (as well as 11 receiving scores). Expect now-senior quarterback Brendon Charley, with almost 2,000 passing yards in two seasons under center, to be a force as Bloomfield moves up into 1-5A in 2016.
San Juan County neighbors/rivals Aztec know how tough the Bobcats might be. Battered 48-28 by Bloomfield beginning 2015, Aztec struggled to a 4-7 overall finish after losing at Roswell in the NMAA Class 5A Playoffs' opening round. Ripped for 52 points, it was one of six times Matt Steinfeldt's Tigers, who visit Wolverine Country Stadium Sept. 9, gave up 43 or more (twice, AHS surrendered 62).
But in an uncharacteristic campaign for the proud program, Aztec did finish a second-place 3-1 in 1-5A, and flexed some offensive muscle as well with a 70-point explosion at Gallup Miyamura, concluding the regular season and earning AHS the 12-team Playoffs' No. 11 seed.
His school feared for prolific passing attacks in years past, including 2009 when Aztec blasted Bayfield 61-20, Steinfeldt and his staff will look to build upon now-junior Cody Smith's strong 2,841-yard (25 TDs, 11 INTs) effort last fall.
He also gained 425 yards and scored 11 times on the ground, making him AHS' top rushing returnee as well.
BHS will get a bye the weekend of Sept. 16-17, in preparation for a long-awaited rumble which would have rocked the state had the Wolverines and Durango met last year.
The Demons, who host Bayfield on Sept. 23 (7 p.m. kickoff), blasted Aztec 53-14 during a memorable 10-2 season under David Vogt, and also scored shootout-style victories at former 4A/5A Southwestern Conference nemesis Montrose (36 to 35) and recent 4A Pikes Peak foe Monument Palmer Ridge (48 to 35).
Second place in the Pikes Peak Conference during the regular season, DHS' wild ride also included a 21-6 defeat of Aurora Central beginning the 16-team Class 4A Playoffs.
It all came to an end via a 49-21 loss at Loveland - which ultimately lost the State Championship by 21 points to Windsor - in the quarterfinals.
Durango will have to replace its vicious offensive nucleus of QB Terrence Trujillo (1,921 yards, 27,13), RB Lawrence Mayberry (203-1,445, 14 TDs) and WR Lucas Baken (45-795, 15 TDs) to be anywhere near as successful in the new 3A South Central - which also counts Colorado Springs' Harrison and Sierra high schools, Pueblo County, Pueblo Central and Pueblo East as members.
And speaking of realignments, Bayfield will begin work within the modified and renamed 2A Intermountain on Sept. 30 at home against Gunnison. The Cowboys struggled under new boss Shane Zimmerman in 2015, finishing 5-5 overall.
Montezuma-Cortez (2-7, 1-4) comes to town next on Oct. 7, and the Wolverines then travel on Oct. 14 to Pagosa Springs (1-8, 0-5) before at long last re-visiting Delta on Oct. 21.
New to the Intermountain after a long run in the 3A Western Slope, the Panthers will be hungry to replicate last year's authoritative 11-2 (7-0 WSC) showing, cut short at Johnstown Roosevelt in the playoffs' semifinals.
Now-senior Kole Roberts should return at QB, having thrown for 2,091 yards (11 TDs, 6 INTs) in 2015. Classmate Tristan Brown (69-450 rushing, 18 TDs) should likely be Delta's featured runner to replace graduated weapon Jonny Ponce, who gained 3,694 yards (7.9 per carry) and scored 32 TDs in only two varsity seasons.
Finally, BHS' regular season comes to a close Oct. 28 at home against Alamosa (4-6, 4-1). The Mean Moose allowed only 13 points in conference play last season, not counting Bayfield's 41, en route to runner-up status.
That was enough to make the playoffs, but not enough to impress La Junta. The Tigers rolled into the quarterfinals, 39-0.
All games are currently set for Friday nights at 7 p.m., but are always subject to change.
Most recently, Bayfield met Durango's JV from 1987 through 1993, but BHS hasn't seen the Demons' varsity since, as best as historian Dan Ford's research reveals, a 28-6 loss - eight decades ago, in 1936! With only about 20 miles between the schools, that truth is indeed stranger than fiction!
