Ram kickers go 2-1 following Vail loss

Vail Mountain ended Roaring Fork’s two-game, season opening winning streak with a decisive 5-0 soccer win at home on March 18.

“They (Vail Mountain) were last year’s state tournament runners up,” said head coach Nick Forbes after the game.

Unfortunately, the Rams not only lost the game, they lost sophomore-starting defender Solana Teitler to a season-ending injury. Forbes said that going into a “defensive 50/50 tackle” she collided with the defender through the ball and fractured her femur above the knee. “Her first question was ‘did they score’,” Forbes told The Sopris Sun.

Roaring Fork started the season with a 5-0 win against Rifle and 3-1 win over Delta. In the Delta win, Camilla Wikum scored two goals and Lily Nichols one.

Forbes said the school had a great group of girls in 2016, with several of last season’s freshmen stepping up to the varsity level this year.

“They’ve adapted quite quickly to varsity play and show some serious potential for our team,” he continued.

“This year we get to add an equally deep and talented freshman class to the mix with three already in the starting varsity lineup from the beginning of this season who are already producing results above their age. The future looks bright. We also have great leadership out of our older players, who have been with the program for the duration of high school, who show skill and quality as well.

The Lady Rams return to the pitch after Spring Break with a 4 p.m. home game against Coal Ridge on March 28. The boy’s baseball team takes on Meeker at home at 4 p.m. on March 28.

Track

Roaring Fork’s Jasper Jermain and Justin Thompson got their track season off to a quick start with podium finishes at the Rifle Invitational track and field meet on March 17.

Jermain brought home gold in the 110-meter hurdles and high jump (a leap of 6’4”). Thompson took second in the 110-meter hurdles and won the long-jump at 21’9”.

A pair of Ram boys scored top-10 finishes. Ronald Clemente placed seventh in the 1600 meters (“the metric mile”) with a time of 4:51:56. (Modafinil) In discus, Spencer Ochko had a throw of 107’6”.

On the girl’s side, Cindy Salinas took fourth place in the 200 meters with a time of 28.30. Jazmin Contreras notched a seventh place finish in the 100 meters at 13.57.

The Ram’s co-ed track team returns to action at the Mikey Dunn Invitational in Grand Junction on April 1. The girl’s junior varsity lacrosse team also travels to Grand Junction for an 11 a.m. game on April 1.