After slow start, Aspen boys lacrosse lives up to No. 1 seed, advances to state quarters
The undefeated Skiers will host Steamboat Springs on Tuesday
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Even the top dog gets nervous sometimes.
But after the Aspen High School boys lacrosse team worked through the early butterflies, the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A state tournament rolled to an easy 14-4 win over No. 16 Green Mountain on Friday in their second-round game on the AHS turf.
“We came out slow,” AHS senior goalie Treven Ward said. “We were really flat, and we brought it together in the second half and came out with the energy we came out with every game in the season and just finished.”
Green Mountain, which beat No. 17 Glenwood Springs in the first round, played to a 1-1 tie after a quarter but a strong offensive stretch led by Aspen junior Gavin Terry gave the Skiers a 5-2 halftime lead.
The third quarter was dominated by Aspen, with critical turnovers by the Rams leading to a flurry of goals by the home team. The Skiers would lead 10-2 after three quarters and never let Green Mountain make any sort of comeback attempt.
The Rams finish their season at 8-9 overall.
“Am I happy with the slow start? No, but I think it’s indicative of the fact these boys are accomplishing things they haven’t necessarily accomplished before,” AHS coach Tommy Cox said. “Along with that comes new challenges and new mountains to climb, and they found a way to adapt coming into the second half. The looks were there all first half, we just weren’t finishing. I knew the floodgates would open, and ultimately, they pulled through.”
Not only did Aspen defend its No. 1 seed on Friday, but the win keeps the historic perfect season intact. AHS is now 15-0 overall heading into Tuesday’s 4A quarterfinal game, where the Skiers will host No. 9 Steamboat Springs.
That game is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on the AHS turf.
“It puts a lot of pressure on our shoulders,” Ward said of being the No. 1 seed. “We got to go out and be that team. Everyone wants to beat us. Everyone wants to knock us off. We got to come out and play our game.”
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse player Bobby Lizotte, right, chases down a loose ball against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse player Landon Thurber, left, controls the ball against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse goalie Treven Ward brings the ball upfield against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse player Ryan Rigney, front, fights off a Green Mountain defender on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Aspen High School boys lacrosse team talks during a timeout against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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The Aspen High School boys lacrosse team defends against a Green Mountain attacker on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse players celebrate a goal against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf. The Skiers won, 14-4, to advance.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse player Andrew Palmaz, left, controls the ball against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys lacrosse player Gavin Terry winds up for a shot against Green Mountain on Friday, May 9, 2025, in a second-round playoff game on the AHS turf.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Aspen and Steamboat played twice this spring, the most recent coming in the regular-season finale on May 1, an 8-7 overtime win for AHS in Steamboat to claim the undefeated regular season. The teams also met on March 20 in Aspen, an 8-5 AHS victory.
The Sailors (11-6) beat No. 8 Grand Junction (11-5) in their second-round game on Friday, winning 11-2 at Colorado Mesa University.
“Seeding, at the end of the day, it sets us up for success, but every game nothing is guaranteed, and we have to go onto the next,” Cox said. “We’ve been using the word ‘brotherhood’ consistently throughout the season. These boys are about as locked in and as tight as your roster is going to get.”
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