Per tradition, basketball season at Roaring Fork High School began in earnest with the annual Brenda Patch Memorial Tournament last weekend, Dec. 2-3. Brenda Patch was a Roaring Fork High School athlete who’s life was tragically cut short on Thanksgiving Day, 1986.
In her honor, all proceeds from the tournament are given to student athletes in the form of two scholarships. “These two basketball athletes will share the leadership, sportsmanship, determination and a love of the game of basketball that Brenda embodied,” wrote Athletic Director Crista Barlow in a letter addressed to all teams, officials, volunteers, fans and supporters.
The tournament was attended by boys and girls, JV and varsity teams from Rifle High School, Prospect Ridge (Broomfield), Palisade, Plateau Valley (Colbran), Aspen, Steamboat, Hayden and West Grand (Kremmling).
The Roaring Fork boys defeated West Grand by a wide margin (62-7) and narrowly lost after an exciting game against Plateau Valley (49-51). The Lady Rams gave Steamboat Springs a close match, losing by three points (27-30) and were defeated by Rifle (27-42).
The boys and girls will next travel to play Basalt on Dec. 14. The girls’ first home game is on Jan. 11 against Meeker. The boys play Cedaredge at home on Jan. 13.
Photo by Sue Rollyson