Preps: Runners shine at regionals; Rams lone soccer team to make playoffs
Plus, it's Aspen vs. Basalt football week
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press
The fall high school prep season is quickly coming to a close, if it hasn’t already for your sport of choice. Here’s the latest updates, with golf, tennis, and softball seasons already put to rest.
Scott repeats at XC regionals
Basalt High School senior Towler Scott again led the local contingent at the Class 3A Region 1 cross country meet on Friday. Held at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig, Scott won the regional title, winning the boys race in 16 minutes, 16.57 seconds. Moffat senior Haven Carr was second in 16:43, and Coal Ridge sophomore Lucas Von was third in 16:46.2.
The BHS boys came up a little short as a team, finishing fifth with 109 points. Only the top four teams and any individuals in the top 15 qualify for state. BHS sophomore Levi Friday was 11th at regionals in 17:46.38, so he also qualifies for state.
“The last five minutes I was thinking I might as well enjoy this, my last regionals,” Scott told the Craig Press after repeating as regional champion. “I feel like I’ve brought a pretty good mindset to the group and for some of the guys to look up to. I don’t know if it was our best race today as a team, but I think the rest of the guys are pretty happy with how they did.”
The Aspen boys did finish fourth as a team (98 points) and will qualify their whole group for state. Moffat defended its home soil, winning the boys regional title with 47 points. Coal Ridge was second with 57 and D’Evelyn third with 61.
AHS junior Jack Diaz led the Skiers by finishing seventh in 17:00.5. Sophomore Boston Jennings was 18th in 18:13.18.
Both girls teams will compete at state. Coal Ridge won the girls regional title with 34 points, followed by Aspen in second (52), Basalt in third (73), and D’Evelyn in fourth (104).
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Runners compete in the regional cross country race on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig.
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press
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An Aspen runner competes in the regional cross country race on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig.
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press
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The Aspen High School girls cross country team poses after the regional race on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig.
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press
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Basalt High School’s Towler Scott competes in the regional cross country race on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig. He won the race.
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press
Coal Ridge junior Effie Fletcher won the girls regional title in 18:19.95. Basalt freshman Scarlett Jones was second (19:15.74), Moffat sophomore Sydney Wattles was third (19:56.95), and AHS junior Annabelle Case was fourth (20:10.01). Other notable finishes include AHS freshman Livia Wesner (sixth, 20:26.91), AHS junior Edyn Roy (10th, 20:52.34), and AHS freshman Molly McPhee (11th, 21:04.91).
The CHSAA state meet is Saturday, Nov. 1, in Colorado Springs.
Rams to host soccer playoff game
Roaring Fork boys soccer was named to the postseason field on Monday, when CHSAA announced the brackets for the Class 3A state tournament.
The Rams, who went 9-4-2 in the regular season and finished third in the 3A Western Slope League, will be the No. 16 seed and host No. 17 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART in the first round of the 32-team bracket. All first-round games are scheduled for Wednesday.
The winner would face either No. 1 Colorado Academy or No. 32 Rifle in the second round.
Neither Aspen nor Basalt made the playoffs. The Longhorns finish their first season under coach Chris McDermand with a 5-8-2 overall record, going 2-4-1 in league play. BHS beat Grand Valley in the finale on Thursday, 7-1, but finished No. 35 in the CHSAA seeding index, making the Longhorns among the first left out of the state bracket.
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Aspen High School boys soccer player Thomas McDowell, center right, battles for the ball against Rifle’s Ernesto Suarez on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, on the AHS turf. The Bears won, 3-0.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys soccer player Mateo Faccio, right, battles for the ball against Rifle’s Ian Lopez on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, on the AHS turf. The Bears won, 3-0.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys soccer player Ryan Nitti, back, battles for the ball with Rifle’s Yandel Marquez on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, on the AHS turf. The Bears won, 3-0.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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With a snowy Pyramid Peak in the background, the Aspen High School boys soccer team hosts Rifle on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, on the AHS turf. The Bears won, 3-0.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys soccer player Eli Genshaft, No. 6 in red, chases down the ball against Rifle on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, on the AHS turf. The Bears won, 3-0.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Aspen High School boys soccer player Thomas McDowell, right, battles for the ball against Rifle’s Ernesto Suarez on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, on the AHS turf. The Bears won, 3-0.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Aspen finished the fall 4-5-6 overall and 0-4-3 in league play under coach Oren Schragger. Like Basalt, the Skiers ended the year with a 1-0 win over Grand Valley on Saturday. AHS finished ranked No. 39 in the seeding index.
Other regional teams to make the postseason include No. 29 Delta playing at No. 4 Kent Denver in the first round; WSL champion and No. 3 seed Steamboat Springs hosting No. 30 Berthoud; and No. 7 Coal Ridge hosting No. 26 Holy Family.
Football season down to final game
The football season is down to one regular-season game for Aspen and Basalt, with the two going head-to-head on Friday night. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on the AHS turf.
The Skiers haven’t beaten the Longhorns since a 21-10 victory in 2013, meaning the Longhorns are going for their 12th straight win in the rivalry this week.
Also at stake for Basalt is an undefeated league season. After a rough 2-3 start to the fall, the Longhorns have won three straight over league foes Delta (14-0), Coal Ridge (37-25), and Moffat County (47-6). BHS has already locked up the league title and the automatic playoff spot that comes with it.
Aspen’s playoff hopes likely evaporated on Friday with a 55-6 loss at Coal Ridge. The Skiers are 2-5 overall and 1-2 in league but are only ranked No. 29 as of Monday afternoon in the CHSAA seeding index. Only 16 teams will make the playoff field.
Basalt is only No. 20, but the WSL champion does get an automatic playoff spot. This could still lead to a lower seed and likely road playoff game in the first round, however. Delta (No. 14) and Coal Ridge (No. 18) are both sitting higher in the index, despite head-to-head losses to the Longhorns.
The state brackets will be announced following this weekend’s games.
Tennis season ends at state
The Aspen boys tennis season came to a close last weekend at the 4A state tournament in Pueblo. The Skiers had three doubles teams — Nos. 2, 3, and 4 — qualify, but all three teams lost in the first round. Basalt did not have any players qualify for state.
University wins softball title
The state softball season ended over the weekend, with No. 1 University winning the 3A championship 5-4 over No. 2 Eaton. Neither Aspen nor Basalt made the postseason. Softball joins golf and tennis as fall prep seasons that have officially come to a close.
AHS volleyball chasing regionals
Aspen volleyball, now 17-5 overall following last week’s win over Basalt, has only a game Saturday at Moffat County remaining in the regular season. A win likely secures a top 12 seed for regional play, which would allow the Skiers to host the regional games.
Basalt (5-9 overall entering Monday) has some ground to make up if it wants to join AHS in the postseason. The Longhorns will have a chance with more games scheduled for this week.
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