Chalk the dual success this season for the Roaring Fork High School boys and girls basketball teams up to a combination of factors that have the Rams on track for respective state playoff berths for a second straight season.
Not the least of which are two groups of senior athletes who’ve stepped into the all-important leadership role.
Most of those seven seniors have been playing hoops together since they were in elementary school, and four senior girls on this year’s Lady Rams roster have donned a varsity jersey since they were freshmen.
The girls now sit at 7-1 in the 3A Western Slope League after big wins last weekend over Aspen (70-13) and North Fork (73-46), moving them into second place in league.
At 16-1 overall after a 62-38 non league win over Coal Ridge on Tuesday, they’re also now ranked ninth among 3A teams in Colorado. Their only loss came to fifth-ranked and undefeated Cedaredge.
For the seniors — twin sisters Carley and Erica Crownhart, Maddie Anderson and Lexy Sanchez — it’s been a progression that started to pay dividends last year after two losing seasons their freshmen and sophomore years.
Under new head coach Mike Vidakovich, a talented but young group of players finished at 16-8 during the 2023-24 campaign and made it to the second round of the 3A state playoffs.
As they position themselves to take the next step, Vidakovich is quick to give credit to his team’s hard work.
“In practice, we work the entire time, from when we walk into the gym to when we finish, just focusing on what our coach is giving us,” said Carley Crownhart, who leads the team in scoring with 17.6 points per game.
“We have more discipline this year, and I think that’s what has brought us to this point,” she said.
Not to mention several returning players who, in addition to the senior contingent, include junior Nikki Tardif and sophomore Riley Bevington, who lead the team with 8.4 rebounds per game each.
“Just showing up and working hard every day and always staying focused and learning from our mistakes has also been really important,” said Erica Crownhart, the team’s assist leader at 3.9 per game.
Sanchez and Anderson point to coach Vidakovich’s emphasis on details.
“He really goes back to the fundamentals to keep us accountable and make sure we have a good foundation to build off of,” Anderson said.
“I think that (Cedaredge) loss woke us up, and really got our focus back together,” Sanchez said.
Carley Crownhart agreed, and noted that one of the team’s strengths — speed — can also be its nemesis if they don’t take care of the ball and adjust when their opponents have a size advantage.
“Working on those details and just focusing on the little things until the end of the season is going to really help us out,” she said.
They also take senior leadership roles seriously.
“I view being a senior more as being a support system for the younger girls and making sure that they know that they have someone to come to when they need that,” Carley said.
Erica Crownhart said she looks to lead by example.
“We really try to treat everyone as equal parts of the team, and to just treat everyone with the same respect,” she said.
Added Anderson, “I think just keeping the sport fun, and keeping girls wanting to come back each year is important.”
Enjoying the ride
Meanwhile, the Rams boys now sit at 6-0 and are in first place in the 3A Western Slope League. They carry an overall mark of 11-5 after a tough but hard-fought 54-53 loss at 4A Coal Ridge on Tuesday.
Much like the girls team, a talented group of sophomore and junior athletes is supported by a trio of seniors — Lawson Kreiling, Sam Brennan and Luis Andrade.
Kreiling recalled that in seventh grade they were part of a group of 40 kids who came out for the team. His dad, Jason Kreiling, was the Carbondale Middle School coach at that time, and is now in his fourth season as the Roaring Fork varsity coach.
“Through these four years that coach K’s been here, we’ve just gotten a lot better at playing together and knowing our different playing styles. That really bonds us as a team,” Lawson said.
Senior leadership extends beyond the gym to the hallways, he added.
“It’s important to be the friendly face in the halls, and make sure the younger players know they can come to you if they have any questions about the game, or about school, whatever, and just be there for them.”
Added Brennan, “Just coming up through JV together, and now playing together at varsity has allowed us to just build a nice chemistry and allowed us to play together as a team.
“Even though we might not be as big or as skilled as another team, we can still compete just because of our teamwork and chemistry,” he said.
The Rams have been dominant in 3A league play, but have struggled at times when playing up in classification, including a 65-35 loss to 4A Aspen (now ranked third in the state) at home last Friday. That was followed by an impressive 50-34 pull-away win over league foe North Fork the next day.
“Not only playing as a team in practices and in game, but I think when we’re all having fun out there, that’s when we play the best,” Andrade said.
Winning league and making it into the 3A state playoffs is high on their minds with a key stretch of games coming up, including home stands against Olathe on Friday (5:30pm girls, 7pm boys) and Gunnison on Saturday (12:30pm girls, 2pm boys).