Preps: Aspen soccer holds off Steamboat, AHS volleyball beats Rifle in ex-ed return
The Aspen High School boys soccer team returned from ex-ed on Saturday with a 3-2 win over visiting Steamboat Springs on the AHS turf. Brody Taylor scored twice for the Skiers, while Micah Sanders-Silva had the first goal.
Aspen led 2-0 early before conceding a penalty just before halftime. According to coach Dave Francis, Steamboat was “stronger than us in the second half and dominated the first 25 minutes,” including another goal to tie the game. Taylor put the Skiers back on top with about 10 minutes to play and AHS hung on from there.
“We defended with heart to see out the game,” Francis said via text. “I am very proud of their resilience and determination to not be beaten today.”
Steamboat dropped to 4-3 overall, while Aspen improved to 2-1. AHS will continue non-league play on Wednesday with a trip to rival Basalt. The Longhorns are 1-5 and did not play this weekend.
VOLLEYBALL
The Aspen High School volleyball team played its third five-set match in three games this season, returning from ex-ed on Saturday to win 3-2 at Rifle.
Aspen took the first set, 25-20, before losing by the same score in the second. The Bears rolled 25-14 in the third set before the Skiers escaped 28-26 in the fourth and won 15-11 in the fifth.
“After 10 days away on ex-ed while everyone else is making their way through the season, I’m proud of the girls for the win,” AHS coach Brittany Zanin wrote in a text. “Rifle was a great opponent to come back to — they have a good team.”
Aspen is now 2-1 overall and is off until traveling to Gunnison next Saturday. Basalt, 6-2, hosts Grand Valley on Tuesday after having the weekend off.
SOFTBALL
The Aspen High School softball team hosted Meeker in a doubleheader on Saturday, losing 22-2 and 17-1 in its return from ex-ed. Now 0-5, the Skiers host Eagle Valley on Wednesday.
Basalt (3-10) did not play this weekend.
CROSS COUNTRY
The Aspen High School cross country team competed Saturday at Connected Lakes State Park in Grand Junction, with the girls racing to a second-place finish. AHS finished with 38 points, behind only Montrose’s 35 points. Grand Junction was third with 67.
Aspen junior Elsie Weiss led the way by winning Saturday’s race in 19 minutes, 46.40 seconds, about 15 seconds ahead of runner-up Kenzie Bush of Montrose. A pair of AHS freshmen in Eden Bohart (seventh, 21:40.50) and Darienne Kenny (eighth, 21:55.5) also finished inside the top 10, while freshman Julia Diaz was 13th in 23:26.80 and sophomore Yasmine Khan-Farooqi was 15th in 23:37.70.
In the boys race, Aspen sophomore Edwin Ryerson led the Skiers by finishing 13th in 18:48.50. The race was won by Crested Butte’s Connor Williams in 16:15.80.