Preps: Basalt girls basketball falls to Moffat in finale, awaits postseason fate
The Basalt High School girls basketball team wrapped up its regular season on Thursday night with a 45-32 loss to Moffat County in Craig. The Longhorns hung tough most of the game, but was limited to a mere two points in the second quarter and that proved costly.
The Bulldogs improved to 9-3 overall, while the Longhorns fell to 9-3. Now, Basalt has to wait to learn its postseason fate, which should come with the playoff bracket release, likely on Monday.
BHS had an RPI of 16 prior to Thursday’s game, with 24 teams making the state tournament this season. There are no league tournaments this winter because of the pandemic.
Postseason begins this weekend
Season B, the normal winter sports season, is fast approaching the finish line. The Aspen High School boys basketball team will play its final regular season game Saturday at home against Moffat County (6-6). The Skiers had tried to schedule a game Thursday against Valor Christian, but that game fell through.
AHS (11-1 overall) is in a good position to host a Class 3A playoff game next week.
The Aspen hockey team will play its final game of the regular season on Saturday at home against Summit. The Skiers will not make the postseason, which this year is only a four-team bracket for both Class 5A and the newly formed 4A classification.
The postseason officially begins this weekend for girls swimming and wrestling. The AHS swim team competes Friday in Grand Junction at the conference meet, with the Class 3A state championship meet scheduled for March 13 in Thornton.
Basalt wrestling is competing this weekend at its regional tournament, hosted by Pagosa Springs. Class 3A state wrestling is scheduled for a single day, Friday, March 12, in Pueblo.
The Aspen Nordic ski team competes in its portion of the state championship Saturday in Breckenridge. State skiing combines Alpine and Nordic, with the Alpine athletes not competing until March 11 and 12 at Loveland Ski Area.
Season C, including football, ready to get underway
Season C — essentially the high school sports that didn’t happen in the fall, as they normally would have — kicked off Thursday with the start of football practice. Nearly 80% of the teams statewide opted to play in the fall, leaving 48 teams left to play in the spring. This includes both Aspen and Basalt high schools.
Teams can begin playing games as soon as March 18, with AHS scheduled to open its season March 19 at Glenwood Springs. Basalt’s first game is tentatively March 20 at home against Salida.
The Season C football schedules include six games, with a shortened postseason beginning April 30. State championship games are scheduled for the middle of May.
The remainder of the Season C sports, which around here includes boys soccer and volleyball, begin practice on Monday with first contests allowed March 15. Football can’t have full contact in practice until Wednesday.
Season D, which is the normal spring sports season, won’t begin official practices until April 26, outside of girls golf’s early start on April 19.