The post-spring break schedule for Roaring Fork High School sports presents its usual mix of wacky weather to contend with, while most teams are still just trying to find themselves.
The ladies soccer team made its home field debut on Tuesday, April 1, amid snow squalls and cold temps, emerging with a 2-2 tie against Class 4A Battle Mountain.
After a slow start for both teams, the Rams kept pace with the Huskies. Roaring Fork goals came from sophomore Riley Bevington and senior Carley Crownhart.
Roaring Fork, which plays in the 3A Western Slope League (WSL), moves to 0-1-2 on the young season, while Battle Mountain stands at 4-1-3.
The Rams host Glenwood Springs at 6pm this Friday, April 4, and Basalt next Tuesday, April 8, also at 6.
“I’m excited to face a local team, because it’s always a fun rivalry since most of the girls know each other,” Rams coach Nicole Cruz said. “Our focus now is shaking off spring break and locking in over the next couple of days to get our first win.”
Goscha tourney on tap
Meanwhile, the Rams baseball team saw its first home action on Saturday, March 29, against 3A WSL title contender Coal Ridge, falling 19-1 and 10-2 in a double header against a team that went 25-4 last year.
“From what we saw on Saturday, Coal Ridge is one of the best teams in 3A,” Rams baseball coach Marty Madsen said.
Roaring Fork is yet to pick up a win, standing at 0 wins, 6 losses and 0-2 in league. Madsen is hoping that will change with the Trent Goscha tournament this Thursday-Saturday at Ron Patch Memorial Field in Carbondale.
“We’ve had a rough start, but we’ve also played some really good baseball teams,” Madsen said. “We’re getting there, but still trying to find our identity as a team and leaning toward nine guys, full team baseball, instead [of] just two or three quality guys.”
The Rams return senior Cole Fenton as their top pitcher, and will look to a slew of juniors to be key producers, including Kenny Riley, Donny Read, Andy McMichael and Charlie Filiss. Senior Josiah Wheeless also returns from an injury-plagued junior season.
“He’s finally healthy, and swinging the bat really well,” Madsen said. “We also have some younger guys who are trying to find their place.”
Roaring Fork opens the tournament at 2pm Thursday against Grand Junction Central, and is back on the field at 2pm Friday against Strasburg. The top teams coming out of each three-team pool will play for the tournament championship at 3pm on Saturday.
The tournament honors the life of Trent Goscha, a promising Carbondale youth baseball player who died unexpectedly in 2016 before he reached high school. A raffle and merchandise sales during the tournament help fund the Trent Goscha Scholarship that will go to a graduating senior on the team, to be announced May 7.
Girls lacrosse
A game on the road at 4A Mountain East League opponent Summit was postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday for the Roaring Fork girls lacrosse team.
Following a 9-8 loss at Steamboat Springs on March 21, the Rams stand at 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the league. Both losses have come to Steamboat, and the league is shaping up to be competitive, as always, coach Drew Kitchell said.
The co-op team, which combines student-athletes from Roaring Fork, Basalt and Glenwood Springs high schools, returns three key players who were on the traveling Colorado team in the national tournament last summer — seniors Hailey Wolfe and Josie McKinley, and junior Jordyn Miller.
“We have some skill, and some wheels between the three of them,” Kitchell said. “We did lose some players on defense from last season, but if we stay healthy we can compete.”
With some players missing during the spring break week, he said the early season record is not likely indicative of where the team will end up.
With weather forcing some of the early slate of games to be rescheduled, Kitchell said fitness and stamina will be key for the team.
“This month’s going to be a challenge, because there’s the potential we might have multiple games in a week, and some back to back,” he said.
The next home game for the Rams is scheduled for this Saturday, April 5, 6:30pm, against Mullen.
Track & Field report
Numbers are up this season for the Roaring Fork boys and girls combined track and field team, with more than 30 athletes out for the team, though participation was light during a pair of meets that were scheduled over spring break.
Those who did compete came home with some impressive results.
At the North Fork Invitational on March 22, senior Isabella Moon took fifth in the 1,600-meter run with a personal-best time of 5 minutes, 39.61 seconds. She was also eighth in the 800 meters (2:38.29), while sophomore Sadie Silcox had a personal record in that event (2:48.4).
Junior Nikki Tardif took sixth in 200 meters with a time of 28.71 seconds, and was seventh in the 400 meters (1:04.2).
Moon was the team’s lone representative at the Cedaredge Invitational on March 29, where she took second place in the 800 meters with a personal-best time of 2:34.17. She was also fourth in the 400-meter dash (1:06.46).
The Rams are expecting a full contingent of athletes at the Eagle Valley Invitational this Saturday, April 5.