A slow start for the third-seeded Roaring Fork ladies lacrosse team in their 4A state quarterfinal matchup at home in Carbondale against Cheyenne Mountain on Monday made for a close game through 48 minutes of play.
Despite a brave comeback from three goals down late in the third quarter, the Rams fell to the No. 6 Red Tail Hawks 10-9 to end their state title hopes.
“They were more gritty and hustling a lot more in the second half,” head coach Dahl Miller said. “Another turnover, or a save, or good clear, and maybe [we would have had] a chance to tie it … I couldn’t be more proud of how they kept fighting.”
Down 4-3 at halftime, seniors Jordyn Miller and Juliana Pittz scored back-to-back goals early in the second half to give the Rams a brief 5-4 lead before the Hawks went on a 4-point run to make it 8-5.
Junior Marin Weaver provided a spark when she charged in for a score to make it 8-6 with 11:09 to play.
A quick answer from Cheyenne Mountain made it 9-6, but freshman Scarlett Jones answered back a short time later, battling through a wall of defenders and smashing it in while falling to the ground to make it 9-7.
Senior Jordyn Miller then capitalized on a penalty shot in front of the goal with 3:32 to play, cutting it 9-8.
Down a player on a penalty call inside two minutes to play, the Rams gave up another. A final goal for the Rams came from sophomore Kayla Steele with 2:16 on the clock, but the comeback fell short as the Hawks stalled out for the win.
“Ground balls killed us this game, but that’s just the way it goes,” Miller said. “Sometimes you’re not always clicking, but I couldn’t be more proud of the group.”
It was the final game in a Rams jersey for his daughter, Jordyn, and a slew of seniors who’ve been key contributors for multiple years. They include Pittz, Ava Montemayor, April Thomas, Hazel Barker, Lexi Moebius and goalie Alivya Malcom.
“I’ve coached these seniors for seven or eight years, so I’m a little emotional,” coach Miller said. “It’s just a good group of kids, top to bottom … just the whole group dynamic.”
Miller also tipped his hat to the fans and a rowdy section of girls youth league lacrosse players who came out for the games on Monday and the Rams’ 17-8 second round win on May 7 over Fruita Monument.
“It looked like Friday Night Lights for a girls lacrosse game, and to me that’s exciting for our program, that’s exciting for the community and that’s exciting for the rec league,” he said. “We’ve gone a little bit further each year, and those kids and the community sees that, and the stoke continues.”
The Rams closed out the season with a record of 14 wins, 3 losses.
Soccer/baseball
Meanwhile, the Roaring Fork girls soccer team, playing in the first round of the 3A state playoffs, fell 4-0 to Colorado Academy in Denver on May 7 to end their season with a win-loss-tie record of 4-9-3.
The Rams baseball team is also headed to the 3A playoffs after going 10-13 on the season, and finishing fourth in the 3A Western Slope League at 5-7. Playoff pairings were to be announced on Wednesday (after press time), with the Rams looking at a possible No. 26 seed in the 32-team tournament.
Roaring Fork closed out the regular season with back-to-back losses to league co-champions Aspen, 12-7 at Aspen on May 8 and 7-5 in an extra inning at home on May 9.
Track & Field
Roaring Fork sends one athlete to the 3A Colorado State Track & Field Championships this weekend. Sophomore Kayla Steele, who attends Colorado Rocky Mountain School, enters as the 18th seed in the 3,200-meter run. She is set to run her race on Thursday evening at JeffCo Stadium in Lakewood.
Steele qualified with a time of 12 minutes, 2.06 seconds in the 3,200 at the Warrior Twilight Last Chance meet in Grand Junction on May 6, placing second overall. She also won the event at the Grand Valley Cardinal Invitational on May 9, with a time of 12:35.16.
Several Rams athletes scored personal records at the Cardinal Invite. Among them by event: 100 meters — junior Sadie Silcox (13.71 seconds) and freshman Colby Horst (11.47); 1600 meters — sophomore Levi Friday (4:38.57), freshmen Elliot Galbraith (5:05.53) and Loch Wempe (5:53.57); 400 meters — sophomore Kinley Richmond (1:10.05); 800 meters — sophomore Isla Friel (2:42.92) and Richmond (2:48.81); 200 meters — Horst (23.42).