Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Welcome to the spring sports season, where Mother Nature constantly mocks you and getting to play games is only a luxury those on the Front Range can enjoy.
Now, I doubt many of us have complained about the feet on top of feet of snow we’ve recently received. While the snow has been thick and wet, the sheer amount of it has made the snowboarding and skiing all-time awesome.
For others, like, let’s say, the Aspen High School lacrosse teams, it’s not been as fun. So far, March on my desk calendar is nothing more than one scratched out game after another. I obviously need to invest in a pencil and eraser this time of year.
Still, the dark days seem to be behind us. And I mean that literally. I’m pretty sure that was the sun I saw sneaking out from behind the clouds late on Monday. Kind of forgot what it looked like.
So, with actual spring weather on the forefront, let’s do some catching up on our spring sports teams, which might actually get to compete this side of the summer solstice.
LACROSSE
A week after the originally scheduled season opener, the AHS boys lacrosse team should get its season underway Thursday against Montrose. I say should because, well, it’s supposed to snow toward the end of the week. You can hold your breath if you want to, but I don’t have that sort of lung capacity.
More likely to actually play is the AHS girls lacrosse team when they travel to Battle Mountain on Wednesday for their season opener. This will be like the fourth game they’ve tried to play, or something like that. It’s hard to keep track at this point.
SOCCER
Aspen girls soccer was obviously the smartest of the teams as they didn’t have any games scheduled before Tuesday, so they’ve had nothing canceled to date. Or maybe it was just pure luck on part of the scheduling gods, but who knows. Anyway, the Skiers will be in Grand Junction Tuesday. Basalt girls soccer also was scheduled to get its season going Tuesday at home against Roaring Fork, but that’s apparently been postponed. Even the midvalley hasn’t escaped Old Man Winter this past week.
BASEBALL
Check this out, a team that has actually played. The AHS baseball team opened its season on Monday by falling twice in a doubleheader against Rangely by scores of 9-4 and 11-8. The game was played in Grand Junction because that’s about the closest dry field they can find. Aspen apparently had one day of practice outside prior to the season opener. That’s hardly ideal.
Basalt baseball looks to start its season… well, I have no idea. Wednesday’s games at Eagle Valley have been postponed, with the next thing on tap being a game at Hotchkiss on Monday.
GOLF
Yes indeed, another team that has started its season. The AHS girls golf team finally got on course Monday at Chipeta Golf Course near Grand Junction. Brittlynn O’Dell of Grand Junction was a tad better than everyone else, winning by 16 strokes. Aspen’s Avery Hirsch was strong, shooting 22-over to finish in fifth place and Zoe Guthrie 28-over to finish in 14th place.
TRACK
The Aspen track and field season got underway Saturday in Grand Junction at a meet hosted by Fruita Monument. There were some nice results, highlighted by Kendall Clark winning both the 400-meter dash (64.17 seconds) and the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 34.47 seconds). Clark is a standout in cross country, as well.
Julisa Ruiz-Vega was solid, taking seventh in the 100-meter dash (13.93 seconds) and third in the 200-meter dash (29.11). She was also fifth in the 400-meter dash (68.57). Paige Quist was third in the shot put.
Both AHS and BHS track teams are expected to compete Thursday in Rifle. That is, if Mother Nature approves.
TENNIS
The Aspen girls tennis team opened it season last week by beating Fruita, 6-1. They are supposed to play at Steamboat Springs this coming weekend, their regional rival.
It looks like Basalt tennis doesn’t have its first match until after spring break. Probably a smart call, considering.
acolbert@aspentimes.com