Peshek, Aspen High football pass by Steamboat Springs in 42-6 road win

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Nothing good seemed to come out of the air Friday night for the Steamboat Springs High School football team.

Aspen quarterback R.J. Peshek rained down touchdowns with a huge first half of passing. Actual rain — cold and steady — then moved in over halftime and doused the second half, adding a bit of misery for any Steamboat fans hoping for a homecoming night miracle.

Aspen went on to win the game, 42-6.

Peshek, a senior, didn’t have anything to do with the weather, but what he delivered through the air made Steamboat plenty uncomfortable throughout the game. He connected on three passing touchdowns. He also ran for two touchdowns.

What truly showed Aspen owned the air, however, was a second quarter touchdown pass from Jordan Hornburg — throwing out of a wide receiver reverse pass — to Noah Hollander. Steamboat’s Tyler Doyne, Hollander and Aspen’s Max Ufkes all three went up to catch Hornburg’s pass, colliding as the ball arrived. Doyne and Ufkes fell to the field and the ball bounced up and over the group. Hollander, however, maintained his feet, ran under the ball, caught it and coasted in for a 37-yard touchdown pass.

Two more of Aspen’s other touchdowns came when Peshek, who connected twice with Trey Thorpe, first from 45 yards to open the game’s scoring, then from 12 yards later in the first quarter. Peshek also hooked up with Ufkes for a 28-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Peshek’s first rushing touchdown came from 37 yards and the second from one yard in the third quarter on what was his last play of the night.

Steamboat dropped to 2-6 overall, 1-3 in Class 2A Western Slope League play.

Aspen improved to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in league play. With Basalt having beaten Moffat County 47-0 on Friday to clinch the WSL title, the Skiers’ only route to the postseason would be via an at-large bid determined by RPI. AHS hosts the Bulldogs, now 4-4 and 3-1, on senior day Friday in Aspen.

Should the Skiers win, a playoff berth is almost guaranteed considering their strong RPI standing.

jreichenberger@steamboattoday.com