ASPEN HIGH SCHOOL SKI TEAMS OPEN SEASON OVER THE WEEKEND
The Aspen High School alpine ski team opened its season Friday at Aspen Highlands, with the boys winning and the girls finishing as team runner-up.
Battle Mountain’s Will Bettenhausen, a freshman, won the boys’ giant slalom with a two-run time of 1 minute, 23.17 seconds. Aspen freshman Jake Morgan was second in 1:23.31 and AHS senior Trey Thorpe was fourth in 1:24.73.
The Aspen boys finished with 170 points to hold off second-placed Battle Mountain and Vail Mountain School, which tied with 166 points.
Aspen’s Noah Forman (seventh), Charlie Olsen (eighth) and James Kelly (10th) all had top-10 finishes for the AHS boys, as well.
Battle Mountain won the girls race with 173 points, Aspen coming in second with 168 points and VMS third with 155 points.
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Husky senior Gretchen Pavelich won the girls’ GS with a two-run time of 1:25.95. Aspen’s Levyn Thomas, a senior, was second in 1:27.20. Summer McSwain (fourth) and Edie Sherlock (ninth) also had top-10 finishes for the AHS girls.
The AHS Nordic team opened its season on Saturday with a 5-kilometer classic race at Spring Gulch. Colorado Rocky Mountain School’s Kate Oldham, an Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club athlete, won the girls’ race in 21:23.8. Aspen High’s top finisher was Jordan Miner, who finished sixth in 23:04.7. Aspen’s Elizabeth Barsness was 10th in 23:25.7.
In the boys’ race, Vail Mountain School’s Cameron Wolfe was first with a time of 17:35.1 in a sprint finish. Aspen’s Everett Olson was second in 17:36.7. Aspen’s Colt Whitley was third in 18:17.8 and Noah Wheeless fifth in 18:54.5.
ASPEN HOCKEY FALLS LATE TO NO. 6 FORT COLLINS
The Aspen High School hockey team hosted No. 6 Fort Collins on Saturday, losing 4-3 at Lewis Ice Arena.
The Skiers trailed 1-0 after a period, but back-to-back goals by Jack Pevny and Dominic Lanese in the second period gave AHS the 2-1 lead. The Lambkins got the equalizer later in the period.
Early in the third period, Lanese gave AHS a 3-2 lead. However, Fort Collins answered with back-to-back goals late in the period to avoid the upset.
The loss ended a four-game win streak for the Skiers. Aspen, now 5-4-2, will next host Resurrection Christian on Saturday at the Aspen Ice Garden.
BASALT BASKETBALL SWEPT BY DELTA
The Basalt High School boys basketball team lost a 62-28 home game to Delta on Saturday afternoon. It was the third straight loss for the Longhorns, who fell to 2-8 on the season.
The Basalt girls basketball team also hosted Delta on Saturday, losing 56-15. The loss dropped BHS to 1-9 overall.
Both Basalt teams next play at Vail Christian on Tuesday.
HAILEY SWIRBUL MAKES WORLD CUP DEBUT
Basalt High School graduate and Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club product Hailey Swirbul made her World Cup debut on Saturday in Dresden, Germany. The cross-country skier took 41st in the women’s sprint, a race won by Sweden’s Stina Nilsson. Swirbul’s American teammate, Sophie Caldwell, was fifth.
This is Swirbul’s first season on the U.S. Ski Team. She is expected to compete later this month at the U23 World Championships in Lahti Finland.